the top 4 mistakes tourists make in alicante

Summer is approaching in Alicante, it’s getting hot, the beaches are filling up and cruise ships are spewing hordes of tourists into the city for day visits. The atmosphere in the city has changed and more often than not, these days, a Monday evening could easily be mistaken for a Friday evening. I love to see the tourists coming to the city and often I’ll pass by a blonde haired, blue-eyed tourist, normally a woman, strolling along the beachfront with her head tilted slightly up towards the sun and a small smile on her face. I see her experiencing a feeling that those who have always lived in hot countries could never understand. The feeling of the sun hitting your face after a long dark winter, your body floods with dopamine and you can’t help but smile. In that moment everything stops, your mind becomes quiet and it’s just you and the hot, hot sun.

The weather is one of Alicante’s main attractions as a holiday destination. On average, it only rains around 31 days per year (compared to Belfast’s 213 days a year) and along with the beaches, the tapas and the cheap alcohol, it’s easy to see why tourists flock to Alicante during the summer months. However, after living in Alicante for around nine months, I have picked up on a couple of commonly made mistakes.

First of all, it is completely normal to make mistakes as a tourist, in fact, it’s almost part and parcel of the experience, I can still remember my mum arguing with the woman who gave me a wool braid on a holiday to Salou when I was six years old because she charged more than she advertised. When travelling to a new place for the first time, a misunderstanding, or falling victim to a scam is almost anticipated. You don’t know where to eat, where to get a drink or where to go to entertain yourself. However, I hope that I can give those travelling to Alicante (or Spain in general) this summer some helpful advice.

1) Don’t go straight to Benidorm!

Don’t get me wrong, I love Benidorm, I love the beach, I love how well catered the city is to tourists and I absolutely love the Mediterranean Balcony. And, to give credit where credit is due, it’s the only place I’ve managed to find Strongbow throughout my whole nine months in Alicante. However, in saying that, tourists who go straight to Benidorm or Torrevieja and stay there for the duration of their holiday miss out on the culture and beauty that Alicante city has to offer. Alicante city has a beautiful old town, a huge beach, a port, amazing cafes and restaurants, and a bustling night life. It’s fairly easy to get by if you don’t speak Spanish and it’s a perfect city for tourists who want to experience Spanish culture in a place that is tourist friendly.

Beautiful Altea

If you’re staying in Benidorm, there are a number of small towns situated less than 30 minutes away on the tram that make for a great day trip. Altea is a beautiful town with whitewashed buildings that leaves you feeling as though you’re on an island in Greece. Calpe has an amazing beach (although bring some cash to pay for the bus from the tram station), and La Villajoyosa is a small town with beautiful coloured buildings, a beach and a great café with impressive views over the sea (Chocolatería Valor Villajoyosa).

2) Don’t walk up the Castillo de Santa Barbara

The Castillo is one of the main tourist attractions in Alicante city. Entry is free and the views are breath taking. I often go there to watch the sunset with my friends and every time I do I am shocked at how beautiful it is. So why shouldn’t you walk up to it? Well, because there is a much easier solution. There is an elevator. Not all tourists know this, and often they brave the walk up to the Castillo in 30°C heat. The walk isn’t particularly difficult for a relatively fit person, especially during the winter, however, in summer, with the beating sun, and suffocating humidity, the elevator is a much better option for only 2.70€ per person. Although it’s free on the way down, I do advise that you walk down to take in the views. Alternatively, if there are more than two people, it may be more cost effective to get a taxi to the top of the Castillo. Taxis are located all across the city and the trip up costs around €6. If you can brave the walk, go for it! But if you have young children or are just feeling a little tired from the heat, it might be better to take the elevator or a taxi.

3) Don’t start predrinking at 7:30pm

Starting your night out too early is one of the biggest mistakes that tourists make when they come to Alicante or Spain in general. Clubs in Spain don’t open until midnight and don’t fill up until 3am, so beginning your night at 7:30pm and expecting to go to the club a couple of hours later is just unrealistic. A much better option is to go for casual drinks at around 11pm. If you’re on a budget Dickens is a great bar however Calle Castaños is a street filled with bars that you can take your pick from. If you want a more upmarket option, La Milagrosa Rooftop is a rooftop bar in the old town that has an enchanting view of the castle at night. At around 1am, I would suggest heading to a small club. Parabarap is a good choice if you are with a younger crowd (€1 tequila shots) but if you are a bit older there are multiple clubs along Calle Castaños such as Havana and La Historia which offer a pre-club club atmosphere. At around 2:30/3am it’s time to head to the actual club. Upikum is a good club with free entry every night apart from Saturday when a ticket costs €10 and includes a drink. However, Marmarela Mediterranean Cocktail Club is an amazing alternative. This club has multiple indoor and outdoor areas and plays all different types of music with a live DJ every night. It has a pool and it is situated literally on the waterfront at the port. Entry is more expensive, I recommend buying the late entry ticket for €20 which includes a drink, and arriving at the club at around 2:30am. After that, you can stick to bottles of beer for €5 and if you can last until the club closes at 7am, (which I can’t) you can enjoy watching a beautiful sunrise over the port (or so I’m told). Marmarela also has a beach club with free entry on Sundays before 4pm where you can enjoy a more casual vibe (or recover from the night before).

Marmarela

You may be tempted to visit some of the clubs along the port which, after 10pm is lined with promoters who make commission when you enter their club. These clubs are targeted specifically towards tourists and promoters will often offer a free shot or drink if you enter with them. Sometimes they’re telling the truth and sometimes they aren’t, so if you’re planning to enter a bar with a promoter, be very specific when asking them what they’re offering you and expect that if it’s before midnight, it’s likely that the club will be practically empty. These clubs aren’t necessarily bad but it is important to note that there are opportunists who target drunk tourists so it is important to always be aware of your surroundings.

4) Don’t eat your dinner at 6pm!

Don’t worry, I get it. I know the feeling. It’s 6pm, everyone is hungry and irritated. Prime time for a hunger fuelled argument. You just want to sit down and eat your dinner like you would at home. However, this is, in my opinion, the biggest mistake that tourists make when coming to Alicante, or to Spain in general. This situation can be easily avoided by planning in advance. Spanish people often eat lunch at 2pm, have a snack or a small meal around 6pm and then eat a light dinner at 9pm.

Breakfast

For breakfast visit La Mas Coketa where you can find both sweet and savoury breakfasts. A typical Spanish breakfast is a tostada (half a slice of baguette) with toppings and a café con leche (a coffee with milk). I normally go for tomato and cheese but there are a range of things to choose from.

Lunch

What isn’t commonly known is that paella is primarily a lunchtime dish in Spain. Eating paella for dinner is the number one way to stick out as a tourist, however, in saying that, I’ve eaten paella for dinner numerous times without any serious consequences! A good place to eat paella in Alicante is in La Tasca Del Barrio. If you don’t like the sound of paella, there are many restaurants scattered around the old town offering a ‘Menu del Dia,’ for around €15 comprising of a starter, main and dessert. If you’re looking for something a bit different, Unik is a great place for cheap Asian food or you can head to Tairyo Kaiten Sushi for all you can eat running sushi for 18-23€ depending on the day.

Snacks

At 6pm, it’s time for a late afternoon snack. Head to Bourgonesse, my favourite café in Alicante and order a cortado and a slice of their pistachio cream cake. Another great place for a sweet treat in Alicante is Valor Café. Valor has amazing churros and my favourite chocolate cake, ‘La Tarta de Abuelas.’ However, if you prefer to eat your sweet treat on the go, Salt in Cake does incredible different flavoured cinnamon buns that are difficult to resist.

Dinner

Finally, if you’re feeling peckish at around 9pm, D’Tablas is a great tapas restaurant. It’s best to go if you’re looking for a lighter meal and I recommend ordering a glass of beer with while you wait. If you’re looking for something more substantial, order a tagine at Kaf, a great Arab restaurant with beautiful decor, or you can try the Thai Green Curry and coconut rice at Thai Corner, situated in the old town.

Desserts

For an ice-cream later that night you can go back to Bourgonesse and try their Ferrero Rocher ice-cream, or visit Livanti Gelato Di Sicilia which was awarded the best ice-cream in Alicante. The perfect end to a day of good food.

If you’re planning a holiday to Alicante this summer, I hope these recommendations will help you avoid making the same mistakes that myself and many others have made. Travel around the province, take the elevator up to the Castillo, don’t start your night out too early, eat like a Spanish person and you will be fine! However, the most important thing is to enjoy yourself and relax, so don’t stress yourself out trying to get everything right. Go with the flow and enjoy la vida espagñola!

TOURISM:

Elevator for the Castillo

C. de la Virgen del Socorro, 9, 03002 Alicante

BARS/CLUBS:

The Dickens Castaños

Carrer Castaños, 13, 03001 Alacant, Alicante

La Milagrosa Rooftop

C. de la Villavieja, 8, 03002 Alicante

Parabarap

C. Virgen de Belén, 18, 03002 Alicante

Havana Castaños

Carrer Castaños, 20, 03001 Alacant, Alicante

Café Pub La Historia

C. Cándida Jimeno Gargallo, 8, 03001 Alicante

Upikum Club Discoteca Alicante

Carrer Coloma, 31, 03001 Alacant, Alicante

Marmarela Mediterranean Cocktail Club

Mlle. Levante, 14, 03001 Alicante

RESTAURANTS:

D’Tablas

C. Rafael Altamira, 6, 03002 Alicante

Unik Asiatico Restaurante

C. Alberola Romero, 2, 03002 Alicante

La Tasca Del Barrio

C. Llauradors, 22, 03002 Alacant, Alicante

Tairyo Kaiten Sushi

C/ Girona, 15, 03001 Alacant, Alicante

Kaf Restaurante Cocina Fusion Oriental

Carrer del Cid, 11, 03001 Alacant, Alicante

Thai Corner

Pl. de San Cristóbal, 03002 Alacant, Alicante

CAFES:

Chocolatería Valor Alicante

Passeig Esplanada d'Espanya, 14, 03004 Alacant, Alicant

Chocolatería Valor Villajoyosa

Av. del País Valencià, 14, 03570 La Vila Joiosa, Alicante

Bourgonesse

Rbla. de Méndez Núñez, 7, 03002 Alicante

La Mas Coketa

C. San Ildefonso, 16, 03001 Alicante

DESSERTS:

Livanti Gelato Di Sicilia

C. de Muñoz, 6, 03002 Alicante

Bourgonesse

Rbla. de Méndez Núñez, 7, 03002 Alicante

Salt in Cake

C. San Francisco, 61, 03001 Alacant, Alicante