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The post will share how to spend 24 hours in Alicante, Spain.
For my first trip of the year, I realised I needed some sunshine after experiencing one of my coldest winters.
Everyone knows England was exceptionally cold this year, so I thought I deserved some respite after surviving the winter.
Naturally, I had to find the destinations that offered me in under three hours.
The warmest destinations at this time of year are usually the Canary Islands in Spain, Morocco, and Tunisia.
I wasn’t ready to visit African countries just yet.
Also, I didn’t have enough time as I was writing my dissertation and could only afford day trips until March.
So, I had to find the warmest cities for January and February.
For January, Alicante came up easily as the flight times were reasonable for a day trip, and the price was just right.
Also, the weather looked warmer and sunnier than in the U.K., so I had to go.
Even though I struggled to get up in the morning and contemplated cancelling the trip altogether because my anxiety got the better part of me, I eventually made the trip, and I was so glad I did.
I’m back and ready to spill the details of the trip.
Here’s How To Spend 24 Hours In Alicante
Alicante is a city in the Costa Blanca region on the Mediterranean coast in the South-East of Spain.
If you’re from the UK, you’ll be familiar with the popular holiday destination Benidorm. It is also in the same region but about 45 -70 minutes away from Alicante, depending on your route.
Benidorm is Britain in Spain.
Despite being a tram ride away, I couldn’t visit Benidorm due to my limited time.
The next time I visit, I’ll make plans to do that.
So far, I’ve been around Spain a bit. From Madrid to Barcelona, Reus, Seville, Malaga, Marbella, Granada and Cordoba.
But for some reason, I haven’t visited the Canary Islands.
So, I decided that from this year onwards, until further notice, I will allocate the Canary Islands as my default Winter destination.
While certain cities, particularly in the Scandinavian region, are cheaper to visit in the winter, it doesn’t make sense if you won’t enjoy the trip because of freezing temperatures.
So I’ve decided not to put myself through that and go to Spain to get that much-needed Vitamin D.
Also, it’s cheaper, fewer crowds and the weather is more bearable than during the Summer.
Flights
Cost: £51.50 return
I took a 7.55 a.m. flight from Manchester Airport, which was slightly delayed.
However, I was too exhausted and preferred to catch up on my sleep on the flight to be too concerned about the delay.
Thankfully, the torrential winds had stopped, so the flight was mainly without any turbulence.
The Alicante airport was well equipped and efficient, so there was little to no delay on the return.
Airport Transfer
Cost: €3.85 one way
Similar to the airport experience, the transfer was also seamless.
A C6 bus stops at the terminal’s entrance and takes you directly to the city centre.
There are also bus stations for other destinations in the region.
So you can take a bus from Alicante Airport to Benidorm using the ALSA bus company, and the journey takes about 45 minutes.
When you return, use Google Maps to direct you to the bus station and then take the bus back to the airport.
I took the return trip at the same bus station adjacent to the Explanada de España promenade.
You can buy tickets from the bus driver with either cash or a contactless card.
Alicante Public Transport
Cost: €1.45 one way
Similar to the airport transfer, public transportation was also very easy.
Since I had limited time, I jumped on the bus to see the Castle of Santa Barbara and then back to the beach.
You can also take the tram if your route permits you.
I almost took one but walked because I got confused with Google Maps.
The tram journey also costs €1.45 for a single journey.
Also, ensure you buy your tram tickets; otherwise, you’ll be trapped in the tram station with no way out.
Attractions
My major goal for this trip was to sit on the beach all day and soak up some sunshine, which I desperately needed.
But then, this post would be empty if I didn’t try to visit at least one attraction.
So, I set out to see the most iconic attraction room in the city.
Castle of Santa Barbara
When planning this trip, I didn’t think I would hike to Mount Benacantil, where the medieval fortress sits, to get some stunning panoramic photos.
Well, I did, and despite gasping for breath and having to stop for breaks multiple times, the views made up for the effort.
Just like the views I got hiking to a viewpoint on Nice, it was absolutely stunning that all the fatigue immediately disappeared.
I took photos before heading back down, which was way easier.
It turns out the castle can actually be accessed via lifts.
By the time I learned about it, it was too late. Here are further details on the castle’s access.
After hiking to the castle, which took about 2-3 hours, I only wanted to lie on the beach and soak up some sunshine, which is exactly what I did.
I lay on the beach for the next few hours until it was time to return to the airport.
Other Attractions Worth Seeing
If you happen to be spending more time beyond 24 hours in Alicante or you’re revisiting, here are some other attractions you shouldn’t miss:
- Explananda de España: This is similar to the promenade in Malaga. Palm trees lined on marble floors in warm weather will always give me Summer vibes.
- L’Ereta Park: This park is situated on the foothills of the Mount Benacanti. If you’re visiting the castle, you can stop by and enjoy the views.
- Basilica of Santa Maria: This 14th- 16th-century Gothic-style basilica was built over the remains of a mosque. It’s also the oldest active church in Alicante.
- Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art: A 19th-century museum displaying 20th-century and contemporary art.
- Archaeological Museum of Alicante: This award-winning museum takes you on a historical journey from prehistory to the Middle Ages.
Finally,
Spending 24 hours in Alicante was a great way to kickstart the year.
I have a couple of other day trips in the next few months, and I’m looking forward to them.