What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Alicante, Spain.
Photo: NachoRuiz / Pixabay
Alicante is a Spanish city where a hilltop castle looks down on a seafront promenade and a city-centre beach. Santa Bárbara Castle sits on Mount Benacantil above the Old Town (El Barrio), home to the Santa Cruz Quarter, the Basilica of Santa María and the MACA art museum. Below are the Explanada de España, Postiguet Beach and the Central Market. The best months to visit are May, June, November and December.
The main sights fit into a short stay. The castle and the MARQ museum take 2–3 hours each, the Old Town 1–2 hours and Postiguet Beach half a day. Plan more time for beach days at Playa de San Juan.
Mount Benacantil
A large hilltop fortress above the city centre, with wide views over the port, the beaches and the old town. You can walk up through the Santa Cruz quarter or take the lift that starts near Postiguet Beach.
Seafront
Alicante's main promenade, lined with palm trees and paved with a wavy red, black and cream mosaic. It runs along the marina and is the city's favourite place for an evening walk.
Old Town (El Barrio)
A small neighbourhood of steep lanes, stairs and whitewashed houses with flower pots, on the lower slopes of the castle hill. It is quiet by day, and the streets below it fill with bars and restaurants at night.
City centre
A sandy city beach right below the castle and next to the old town. It is easy to reach on foot and gets busy in summer.
Pla del Bon Repós
A modern, award-winning museum on the history of the Alicante region, from the Stone Age through Iberian, Roman and Islamic times. Its displays are clear and well designed, which makes it a good choice on a hot or rainy day.
Old Town (El Barrio)
The oldest church in the city, built in Gothic style on the site of a former mosque. It has a richly carved Baroque front and a quiet square outside.
Old Town (El Barrio)
Alicante's main church, with a large blue dome and a calm cloister. It stands in the heart of the old town, so it is easy to combine with a walk through El Barrio.
City centre
The city's main food market, in an early 20th-century Modernist building. It sells fresh fish, meat, fruit, rice and local products, and it is a good place to see everyday life in Alicante.
Old Town (El Barrio)
A museum of 20th-century and contemporary art beside the Basilica of Santa María. Its collection includes works by well-known Spanish and international artists.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 16°C / 8°C | 3 days (33 mm) | 8.6 h/day | 8.5/10 |
| February | 17°C / 9°C | 4 days (14 mm) | 9.2 h/day | 8.8/10 |
| March | 18°C / 11°C | 8 days (59 mm) | 9.8 h/day | 8.5/10 |
| April | 20°C / 13°C | 6 days (39 mm) | 10.7 h/day | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: May | 23°C / 16°C | 4 days (27 mm) | 12.7 h/day | 9.2/10 |
| Best month: June | 27°C / 20°C | 2 days (15 mm) | 13.4 h/day | 9.1/10 |
| July | 30°C / 23°C | 1 day (3 mm) | 13.7 h/day | 7.9/10 |
| August | 30°C / 24°C | 3 days (16 mm) | 12.4 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| September | 27°C / 21°C | 6 days (49 mm) | 10.9 h/day | 8.1/10 |
| October | 24°C / 17°C | 6 days (43 mm) | 9.5 h/day | 8.8/10 |
| Best month: November | 20°C / 12°C | 5 days (29 mm) | 8.7 h/day | 9.0/10 |
| Best month: December | 18°C / 10°C | 3 days (22 mm) | 8.1 h/day | 9.2/10 |
High of 16.3°C and about 3 rain days. Score 8.5, rated best. Mild and dry for winter, but nights drop to 8.1°C.
Highs near 16.9°C, 3.5 rain days and only 14 mm of rain. Score 8.8, rated best. A dry, sunny winter option.
High of 18.4°C, but the wettest spring month, with 7.5 rain days and 59 mm. Still rated best, with a score of 8.5.
Highs reach 19.7°C with 6.2 rain days. Score 8.8, rated best. Pack a light layer for evenings around 12.7°C.
High of 23.2°C, 3.8 rain days and 12.7 hours of sun. Joint top score of 9.2. One of the strongest months to go.
Warm at 26.9°C with just 2.4 rain days. Score 9.1, rated best. Good beach weather before the peak heat.
Hot, with highs of 29.8°C and only 1.2 rain days. Score drops to 7.9. Still rated best, but nights stay warm near 23.4°C.
The hottest month at 29.9°C, with 2.6 rain days. Lowest score of the year at 7.5. Rated best, but the heat makes sightseeing harder.
Highs of 27.3°C, but rain days rise to 6.3. Score 8.1, rated best. Warm days with a higher chance of showers.
Pleasant at 24.1°C with 5.8 rain days. Score 8.8, rated best. A good choice for walking and beach days.
Highs of 20.1°C and 5 rain days. Score 9, rated best. Mild days, though sun drops to 8.7 hours.
Highs of 17.6°C and 3 rain days. Joint top score of 9.2. Mild and fairly dry, with the least sun of the year at 8.1 hours.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Spain →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, shopping, transport links
The modern city centre around the Rambla de Méndez Núñez, the Explanada promenade and the Mercado Central puts most sights, shops and tram stops within walking distance. It is a practical base for a first visit, with easy access to both the old town and the beach. Main roads carry heavy traffic, so street-facing rooms can be noisy.
Good for first-timers, nightlife, atmosphere
The old town, also called El Barrio, sits below Santa Bárbara Castle with narrow lanes, churches and plazas full of bars. You can walk to the seafront and the castle, and evenings are lively. Late-night noise is common, especially at weekends, and the upper streets near Santa Cruz are steep with many steps.
Good for beach lovers, couples, short stays
This area covers the city beach right next to the old town and the Explanada, so you get sand and sea with the centre on your doorstep. It suits travellers who want a beach holiday without giving up city life. The beach gets very crowded in summer and the seafront road is busy.
Good for families, beach holidays, longer stays
A long, wide sandy beach north of the centre, lined with apartment blocks, restaurants and a seafront promenade. The tram links it to the city centre, and there is more space than on the city beach. It is a fair distance from the old town, and some places feel quiet outside the summer season.
Good for quiet, couples, families
A small bay between the centre and Playa de San Juan, with a calm beach and a mostly residential feel. The tram makes trips into town easy while you sleep away from the nightlife. There are fewer restaurants and bars, so evenings can feel limited.
Good for budget-minded, rail and bus arrivals, local life
A residential district south-west of the centre, close to the main train and bus stations, with everyday cafés, bakeries and local shops. It gives a more local feel and is handy for day trips. It has fewer sights of its own, and the old town and beach are a longer walk away.
Places within 2½ hours by train, bus, ferry or car.
train · 29–140 EUR
Renfe AVE/Avlo, OUIGO and iryo to Alicante Terminal, 10 minutes' walk from the beach. Fares 29-140 EUR; booking 21 days ahead saves about 35% on average.
Rice cooked in a rich fish stock and served with alioli, a garlic sauce. Locals eat rice dishes at lunch, not dinner, often with family at weekends.
Rice turned black with squid ink, cooked with pieces of squid or cuttlefish. It usually comes with alioli, and restaurants often make it for 2 people or more.
A hard nougat made from whole almonds, honey and egg white. The soft, ground version is called turrón de Jijona. Both are eaten mostly at Christmas.
Salted and dried fish, such as mojama (cured tuna) and fish roe. Locals slice it thin and eat it as a tapa with almonds. You can buy it at the Mercado Central.
A flat, pie-like pastry filled with tuna and pine nuts. It is sold in bakeries and is closely linked to the Hogueras de San Juan festival.
May and December score highest for Alicante, both 9.2 out of 10, followed by June (9.1) and November (9). Every month scores at least 7.5. May brings highs of 23.2°C, 3.8 rain days and 12.7 hours of sun a day. December is cooler, with highs of 17.6°C, but it has only 3 rain days.
Yes, but August is Alicante's hottest month and its lowest-scoring one, at 7.5 out of 10. Highs reach 29.9°C and nights stay warm at around 23.7°C, so it cools down little after dark. You still get 12.4 hours of sun a day and only 2.6 rain days, which suits travellers who want to spend time on Postiguet Beach.
Alicante is mild in winter rather than warm. In January, highs are 16.3°C and lows are 8.1°C. There are only 3.2 rain days and about 8.6 hours of sun a day. December is similar, with highs of 17.6°C, and it scores 9.2 out of 10, among the best months of the year.
March is the wettest month in Alicante, with 7.5 rain days and 59 mm of rain. September comes next, with 6.3 rain days and 49 mm. July is the driest month, with just 1.2 rain days and 3 mm of rain. Even in March, highs reach 18.4°C and there are 9.8 hours of sun a day.
A short stay, such as a weekend, covers the main sights. Santa Bárbara Castle and the MARQ Archaeological Museum take 2–3 hours each. In the Old Town, the Santa Cruz Quarter takes 1–2 hours, and the Basilica of Santa María takes 30 minutes–1 hour. Add 1 hour for the Explanada de España and half a day for Postiguet Beach.
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