Top 5 reasons to visit Alicante this summer

Alicante is the capital of the Costa Blanca region. The Costa Blanca is considered to be a bit cheaper than other regions, a bit noisier and more spacious. The charm of Alicante is given by its wide beaches, gentle sea, interesting history and modern infrastructure. Many will appreciate this resort city for the lack of crowds of tourists, if compared to the popular Barcelona. In the summer I discovered this city and plunged a little into its amazingly friendly atmosphere.

There are many reasons to visit Alicante. According to the city's official website, Alicante is the most friendly city in Spain. I have had time to see for myself, and I want to share with you five reasons to visit Alicante.

1. Direct flights from Kyiv

Every traveler wants to know how to get to the destination more comfortably Therefore, direct flights from Kyiv to Alicante are one of the most obvious advantages.

Until this summer, it was possible to fly directly to Alicante only from Ivano-Frankivsk on the wings of UIA. This regular flight is still available, but, for example, from Eastern Ukraine it is not the most comfortable option.

This summer they opened a charter direct flight from Kiev. So far the flight program Kiev - Alicante - Kiev is planned until September 30.

2. The best beaches on the Spanish coast

The Costa Blanca ranks first in Spain in terms of the number of Blue Flag beaches. Four out of five beaches in Alicante are exceptionally clean, well-equipped and Blue Flag beaches.

The azure sea and golden sand are the perfect combination for a summer vacation. Although Alicante has more than 300 sunny days a year and even in winter the temperature during the day does not fall below 15 degrees Celsius.

The best beaches in and around Alicante:

Postiguet Beach is the most popular beach among tourists. It is closest to the historic and modern center, right at the foot of the main attraction of the city - Santa Barbara Castle.

You can book a hotel in Alicante with a discount of up to -65% on the website.

Albufereta Beach is another small beach within the city limits. It is located in a closed cove that protects the beach from strong waves. Just a kilometer away is another beach in the bay.

Almadraba Beach - the beach has two features: coarser sand than the first two beaches and a boat parking lot close to the shore.

Las Saladares or Urbanova beach - is located in the suburbs of Alicante, in the new residential neighborhood of Urbanova. It is the first beach encountered on the road from the airport to the center of Alicante. As we drove past, we noticed several campgrounds and a long deserted beach.

San Juan Beach is a long and wide (up to 60m in places) beach in Alicante's upmarket San Juan neighborhood, which is already considered a suburb. San Juan beach flows smoothly into Mucha Vista beach, connecting Alicante with the town of El Campello. There are also restaurants on the beach where you can enjoy paella and sangria during siesta or while watching the sunset.

3. Seafood and the best dessert in the Costa Blanca

Oh, we can talk about seafood in Spain to no end. Paella is a true Spanish dish, originally from Valencia. So it's no secret that the delicious paella has been cooked since ancient times in the Valencian province, which just happens to include Alicante.

Another dish that can be called a competitor of paella is fideua, which uses small vermicelli instead of rice. You can order it with seafood, chicken, beef, rabbit, mussels, shrimp or vegetarian fideua.

I advise you to look out for caldera on the menu. These dishes are made of seafood, meat with vegetables or potatoes. At lunch you can enjoy a cold gazpacho soup - Spanish okroshka. Only gazpacho is made of grated tomatoes.

A local Spanish sweet of Arabic origin is turrón. The classic version contains almonds, honey, sugar and egg white. Alicante is said to produce the most delicious turrón in all of Spain.

4. Interesting history

The first references to Alicante date back to the 3rd century BC. Modern Alicante began as a small village founded by Hamilcar Barca, the father of the famous Hannibal. At different times Alicante had different status: it was a lively trading city, later - the largest seaport, and now it is an excellent beach resort.

Alicante is one of the Spanish cities that survived the attempted conquest by Napoleon's troops. The city has first-hand knowledge of the Iberians, the ancient Greeks, the Moors and the ancient Romans.

The history of Alicante can be traced in the preserved buildings and structures of different eras. Elements of Greek, Roman and Moorish cultures are harmoniously combined here. Santa Barbara Fortress, which rises on Benacantil Mountain, was built in stages over several centuries by different nations. By the way, the Santa Bárbara Fortress offers magnificent panoramic views of the city.

From the sights of the city I would like to emphasize the pedestrian boulevard - the Esplanade of Alicante. Along the esplanade, palm trees are planted in two rows, and tiles are laid between them in the form of sea waves.

In addition to magnificent beaches, the coast of Alicante has a magnificent port. The white-washed yachts add to its irresistibility and splendor.

The Basilica of Saint Mary Major is another significant landmark in Alicante. The Basilica is the oldest Gothic church in the city. It has been built and rebuilt several times. St. Mary's Church was almost completely burned down, later a Muslim mosque was built in its place and after the liberation of Alicante from Muslims it was fully restored.

To learn more about the main sights of the city you will be helped by the excursion "Alicante - love at first sight".

5. A great alternative to Barcelona

The sights of Alicante itself can be explored in one or two days, and then go to the surrounding areas of the region. Public transportation in Spain is well developed, which simplifies traveling around the Costa Blanca. If you rent a car, you get complete freedom of action.

Along the seafront of Alicante there is a streetcar line. It connects Alicante with four popular destinations:

• Benidorm - Spain's Rio de Janeiro;
• San Vicente del Raspeig - a university town with an outlet center;
• El Campeyo - a small town along the sea;
• the suburb of San Juan - where one of the best beaches is located.

From Alicante, the closest and most convenient way to get to:

Murcia - a university town famous for its peculiar architecture;

Calpe - one of the best resorts on the Costa Blanca. In addition, near Calpe there is a fish exchange and Spaniards from all over the coast come to fish restaurants in the city;

Torrevieja is the most Russian-speaking Spanish city because of the largest Russian community in Spain. Torrevieja is surrounded by salt lakes, which are considered the largest salt mining sites in all of Europe. The Salada de Torrevieja salt lake turns into a pink lake at sunset, and the healing properties of the mud and water are similar to those of the Dead Sea;

Tabarca Island is a small island near Alicante. The whole island is a protected area, but there is a blue flag beach, a colorful fishing village, several hotels and maybe even pirate treasure. The island used to be a pirate haven.