Alicante. The name conjures vivid images of the 1960s and 1970s package holiday boom that transformed parts of Spain’s Mediterranean coast. Once sleepy, economically deprived towns and villages became some of Europe’s most famous tourism hotspots. Sun starved northern Europeans arrived in droves to soak up the sea, sun, sand and sangria – at very affordable prices.
The landscape along the coast became notorious for the blight of charmless hotel and apartment complexes dwarfing the historic centres of towns with layers of history: medieval churches built on the site of Moorish mosques, that in turn were built on Roman ruins. On the Costa Blanca that legacy is ever present. Every strip of golden sand is accompanied by rampant development.
Alicante has its fair share of aesthetically challenged buildings, especially behind the Old Town, though lacking a big beach it has escaped some of the worst excesses of places like Benidorm. Instead we found, to my genuine surprise, a charming, vibrant and historic place with a nice beach and a promenade stretching a couple of kilometres along the front.
It might just legitimise claims that Alicante is one of Spain’s most underrated towns, a place overlooked as people flock to resorts with better beaches elsewhere along the coast. The food scene is also something that is attracting attention. There are decent tapas places, and excellent restaurants serving fabulous rice dishes – this is Valencia province after all. The covered food market is a temple to local food.
That history of 1960s development hides a fascinating fact about Alicante. This was already a well known tourist destination as far back as the mid-19th century. Linked to Madrid by train, it became an upmarket destination for the well-to-do, including members of the Spanish royal family and aristocracy. It explains why there are glorious 19th century Belle Époque buildings along the palm-lined Esplanada d’Espanya.
Alicante retains an air of those former glories still. The pedestrianised historic core is busy with tourist, but walk a few blocks uphill and you’ll often find yourself alone in the maze of streets – at least in November. It’s clear the town is trying to change perceptions and promote a more upmarket brand. Investing in its cultural attractions is one result. The Contemporary Art Museum and the Museum of Fine Arts are excellent.
Trying to turn the corner to being a town with a different tourist model – fewer people who spend longer here and more money in the process – is going to be a challenge. Yet, if the mass protests against over tourism that have swept Spain in the last 12 months, including in Alicante, are a bellwether, change is needed. Who wants to visit a Spanish town where the local community has been forced out by tourism?
Alicante gets a lot of tourists, quite a few were Spanish when we were there in winter and it didn’t feel too hectic. The summer season may be very different. We were staying on the Plaza Portal de Elche, a square close to the marina on the edge of the pedestrianised bit of town. A short walk brought us to the Cathedral of San Nicolás de Bari, a 17th century church built on the site of an old mosque.
The nearby streets are full of dining tables close to the attractive town hall, an archway opens up into a plaza in front of the building. A short stroll away the town’s two best museums act like bookends to the delightful Basílica de Santa Maria d’Alacant. This sits on a small elevated square with a couple of tapas bars where you can grab a refreshing drink under umbrellas.
We rounded off our explorations with a visit to the town beach, Playa del Postiguet. It wasn’t crowded so we took a walk along the soft sand before having a swim in the still warm waters of the Mediterranean. It is an amazing location for a swim, looking back towards town the massive Castle of Santa Bárbara towers high above the beach on a massive rocky outcrop. It’s a stunning sight, one we’d explore the next day.
