Alicante certainly has more then enough to offer visitors during a day trip so this would be my guide to a memorable day in Alicante. If you arrive by car, then head for the centre and follow the signs to “El Corte Inglés” department stores where you will find a handful of underground car parks. The average price is about one Euro per hour, but if you park in the “Corte Inglés” department store car park, a few purchases will get you a good discount.
Once you have parked check out the “Avenida Maisonnave” for clothes and shoes shopping in either the “Corte Inglés” or other well known high street stores and then find time for a bite to eat in one of the many cafes and tapas restaurants that are found in the adjacent streets. At the end of the “Avenida Maisonnave” you will see the “Calvo Sotelo” square, where you can sit and rest and enjoy the sights of the surrounding area. If you should need to visit the British Consulate during your stay, it is situated in front of the square and close by you will also find “Hacienda” the Inland revenue office, should you need to sort out your fiscal affairs.
After that you should head up the Frederico Soto street towards the “Plaza de los Luceros”, which is another beautiful square which has recently be modernised due to the tram which will eventually run underneath up towards the train station. Then walk along the “Alfonso El Sabio” street, which is another important shopping street and at the end of the street you will find the Alicante municipal market and the tram station.
Have a look round the market just to see how things are done here and after that walk down the Rambla towards the sea. The “Rambla” actually means a flood escape which normally handle the rain water that comes into the city from the mountains after heavy rain storms called “La Gota Fria”. The “Rambla” was traditionally a shopping street, but today you are likely to find more restauarants than anything else, but I would suggest the you head up the “Calle Mayor”, one of the oldest strrets in Alicante and in the heart of the old town. You will find many well priced restaurants along the Calle Mayor and if you head down one street you find find the town hall as well as another beautiful square and Museum, which highlights ruins of how Alicante used to look like.
From here you can head down towards the “Postiguet” beach, which is just a couple of minutes away and enjoy a walk along the “Esplanada” and make sure you stop for refreshments in one of the terraces that are dotted along the beach front. From there you can head back towards the Alicante harbour, where you will see many luxury yachts moored up and take a look at the harbour’s commercial centers that offer a variety of high cuisine restaurants.
If you cross over the road you will be back on the “Esplanada” and you will find a variety of artisan stands that offer some unique hand made items, ideal as souvenirs. One thing to remember is that you should be security conscious in Alicante, especially in tourist areas of the city but just like you would have to in any major tourist town around the world.
At the end of the “Esplanada” you will find the “Doctor Gadea” street which will take you back to the “Avenida Maisonnave and your car. You should by now at least had a good insight into what Alicante has to offer visitors and you may wish to return another day to enjoy the wonders of the historical city of Alicante and the great selection of shops and restaurants that you would have seen during your visit.
Source by Andrew G Edgington
