Tuesday 13th March 2018
About a ten minute drive from our campsite was the modern San Isidro- Albatera-Catral station on the Murcia-Alicant C1 line. It was perfect to park the car and make our way into the city with very little effort.
On arrival at Alicante we passed through a small but neat, modern rail terminus and found a well positioned Tourist Information Centre as we exited the station.
The staff were extremely polite and informative, speaking impeccable English and provided us with a large colourful A3 map of the city and highlighted the many points of interest.
Out of the station we made our way towards the port de Alicant before heading north east into the Parque Canalejas.
This historic park runs parallel to Avenida Ramon y Cajal and is famous for its ficus trees (weeping fig). The oldest is said to be over 100 years old!
As well as a variety of trees, exotic planting, water features, stone statues and seating areas, there is a large monument to Spanish politician Canalejas at the end of the park where it meets the Explanada de España.
This promenade lined by beautiful palm trees is paved with millions of floor tiles, creating an illusion of lateral waves. It is a popular place to take a stroll or attend outdoor musical concerts during the summer months.
There are also many bars, shops and examples of Spanish architecture to enjoy.
As well as the promenade, it is possible to walk along the banks of the port and admire some of the spectacular boats moored or even take a boat trip to Tabarca Island, or even enjoy a cocktail or two at one of the many bars or restaurants in the port area.
At the northern end of the port was Escalera de la Reina.
A lovely spot to sit overlooking the water in the shade.
A short distance from here was the main city beaches of Postiguet.
The promenade was lined with an array of places to eat or drink and watch the world go by.
The beach was quite busy and we even saw a few people in the sea. Guess the water must be warmer here 😉
After a pause for lunch we wandered along the promenade until we saw the signs for the lift (Ascensor al Castillo de Santa Bàrbara) to the Castle of Santa Bàrbara over the N-332 road running alongside the beach.
We had already decided that we would take the lift up to the castle and then walk down. You only pay to ascend; taking the lift down is free. We made our way through the rock along an extremely long tunnel, having first purchased our lift ticket from a machine near the entrance. €2.70 each seemed very worthwhile.
Entrance to the castle is free and it is possible to walk, take the car, taxi or bus, but best to check these out before you go.
This castle built by the Moors was spectacular and we would highly recommend a visit. It was built on several levels and offers panoramic views of the city and coast. Truly breathtaking!!
Our route down from the castle was along winding paved walkways, through Ereta Park and into the Casco Antiguo/Old Town.
On our way back to the station we happened to stumble across Heladería Borgonesse on Rambla Méndez Núñez, a delicious ice cream parlour and indulged ourselves with a cone each.
As we continued up the Rambla, which is the central avenue between the city centre and the old town we both decided that Alicante had been a pleasant surprise.
