Here’s the itinerary we recently followed during our one-day trip to Alicante. Although it wasn’t my first time visiting the city, Costa Blanca is one of those destinations I love revisiting every so often. Whether it’s your first visit or you’re returning for the hundredth time, Alicante never fails to captivate.
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One Day in Alicante: Top Things to See and Do
Ever since my last week in Alicante with the kids, I have dreamed of returning to Costa Blanca for new landmarks and experiences. This year I had a great opportunity to visit Benidorm and they spent one amazing day in Alicante. While it was not my first time visiting, it´s been almost 5 years since my last Alicante city break.
How to get to Alicante
Alicante is one of the main cities in the Spanish Region of the Valencian Community. The whole province is also called Alicante and it borders the regions of Valencia and Murcia.
Alicante is situated on the Mediterranean coast, in the famous area of Costa Blanca.
You can reach Alicante by train or plane. The nearest airport is Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernandez. You can get to Alicante´s train station from most of the Spanish cities ( to find the best ticket offers check out Trainline)
Where to stay in Alicante
On the map below, you can find the top-rated hotels and rentals in Alicante.
One Day in Alicante Itinerary
You can check out this itinerary on Google maps here.
Breakfast in Alicante: Gusto Cafeteria
Spending one day in Alicante was a perfect excuse to escape the traditional Valencian almuerzo, and savor new international delicatessen.
I was so surprised to discover Gusto Cafeteria with a focus on Ukrainian cuisine. I ordered syrniki and napoleon cake (both used to be my favorite childhood dishes). For my husband, I have got vareniki with cherries (mainly because it´s another food crush of mine, but I could not order all 3 dishes for myself lol). Since neither of us had been in Ukraine for a while, we were so excited to have an authentic Ukrainian meal. Breakfast at Gusto Cafeteria was delicious, it really felt like a gastronomic tour in Ukraine. Can´t wait to revisit this cute cafe one day.
After enjoying a delicious breakfast, we strolled down Avenida de Federico Soto towards Alicante’s renowned seafront. Along the way, we made stops at the famous “Mushroom Street” and the iconic Casa Carbonell, two of the city’s unique landmarks. The lively atmosphere of the street and the stunning architecture of Casa Carbonell added an extra charm to our walk, making it the perfect way to start the day.
Alicante´s Seafront
Explanada de España is a popular seafront of Alicante, paved with colorful mosaic tiles and surrounded by palm trees. Here, you can find a few cute spots for outdoor seating and take a boat tour to Tabarca Island. One of the coolest museums in the area is Museo The Ocean Race. It is an interesting spot to learn more about the history of the regatta.
Alicante´s Old Town
Afterwards, we walked a bit around Alicante´s Old Town. Since it was not my first time in Alicante, we did not stay around for long. However, I recommend you not to miss MUBAG Museum of Fine Art. Additionally, you can visit Museu de les Fogueres, Carrer de las Setas, and Maca Contemporary Art Museum.
Some of the other popular spots in Alicante’s Old Town include the Central Market (Mercat Central d’Alacant in Spanish), the beautiful San Nicolas Cathedral, the historic Santa Maria Basilica, and the City Hall.
Santa Barbara Castle
After lunch, we headed to Santa Barbara Castle, one of the most popular places to visit in Alicante. The fortress has Moorish origins and dates back to the 9th century. However, the castle went through some Christan reforms after the Reconquista (you can learn more about this historic event via my list of Spain Documentaries). The present-day building of Santa Barbara Castle is mostly from the 16th century.
The best thing about Santa Barbara Castle is the panoramic view of Alicante. To reach it you can either take the free elevator Ascensor del Castillo de Santa Barbara (near Playa del Postiguet) or hike your way to the top.
Live Music at Entre Bambolinas
One of the coolest ways to end this one day in Alicante was a life concert at Entre Bambolinas. While I was mostly excited to see a Jazz performance, that day they had Bossa Nova ( which I ended up enjoying anyway).
We had dinner before the performance started, and it was so enjoyable to watch while sipping a glass of local wine. The food was quite average, and the live show had an extra cost ( 10 euros per person). But it was all so worth it: having dinner at Entre Bambolinas allowed us to pick the table and finish the meal before it all started. For the live music session, there were no tables left, by the way.
Top experiences not to miss in Alicante:
- Alicante Secret Flavors Food Tour (check availability)
- Roundtrip to Tabarca Island (check availability)
- Alicante and Santa Pola Tandem Paragliding Flight (check availability)
- Alicante 3-Hour Coastal Catamaran Cruise (check availability)
- Alicante City and Beach Bike Tour (check availability)
- Private Photoshoot in English at Alicante’s Best Locations (check availability)
- Virtual Reality: Invasion Alicante (check availability)
- Paella and Sangria Cooking Workshop (check availability)
- Visit with Audio Guide Bullring and Bullfighting Museum (check availability)
- Alicante Historic Small Group Tour with Tapas Tasting (check availability)
- Boat Trip and Parasailing Experience with Drink (check availability)
Best Alicante Day Trips:
- Guadalest Valley and Algar Waterfalls Tour (check availability)
- Charming Villages Tour – Villajoyosa and Altea (check availability)
- Chulilla and the Hanging Bridges Day Trip (check availability)
- Cullera Old Town and Albufera Natural Park (check availability)
- Bocairent and Covetes dels Moros Day Trip (check availability)
- Xativa and Anna Guided Tour (check availability)
- Coastal Cliffs & Beaches: private full-day tour (check availability)
- Canelobre Caves Tour with Transport (check availability)
- Vineyards of Alicante – Wine Tasting Tour (check availability)
My other articles about the region of Alicante:
- Mediterranean Garden Inspiration in Spain: Jardi de L´Albarda in Alicante (read it)
- Valencia to Alicante Road Trip: Top Stops On The Go (read it)
- One Week in Alicante with Kids: Our Costa Blanca Holidays (read it)
- How to Enjoy One Day in Benidorm (read it)
- My Fun Weekend in Alicante (Region): Visiting Santa Pola and Benidorm (read it)
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For more Spain travel tips check out my Pinterest board Spain Travel Collection and Flipboard Travel to Spain.
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I love Spain! I am sad I missed Alicante (and really all of the Southern part of Spain) when I was there. Hoping to return to do a special trip just through the Southern coast some day!
Alicante is high on our list for a visit–thanks for the wonderful tips.
We sure enjoyed our one day in Alicante on a cruise ship along the coast of Spain. We loved discovering the paths along the seafront and recognized the colourful mosaic tiles from scenes in movies or tv we watched. We didn’t make it to visit the Santa Barbara Castle but we sure enjoyed wandering in the Central Market. We would like to go back and enjoy more this lovely city and area has to offer.
I loved Spain but didn’t get to visit Alicante — looks amazing! on the list for next time!
I’m adding yet another city to my Spain bucket list, thanks to your blog! Alicante seems like such a cool city to explore. And the Santa Barbara Castle looks amazing!
I love Alicante! I live in Valencia but my dad is from Alicante and we used to go there every summer. Next time you should visit Denia!
Weirdly, I have never visited Alicante even though I have traveled in Spain quiiite a few times! So much nice things to do here, must go on my list for next time!
Oh wow, I haven’t been to Alicante in yeeeears! We went a lot when I was young but I can’t remember what it’s like… probably didn’t appreciate it as much as a kid! The view from Santa Barbara Castle is great. I suppose it’s time to pay it a visit for a day 🙂