Colorful festival float featuring animated character sculptures, set in an urban area with buildings, stairs, and a mountain in the background on a sunny day.
Large colorful sculpture of a fairy with long brown hair, green dress, and purple wings, playing a trumpet at a street parade with buildings in the background.
A colorful sculpture of a woman with long black hair, dressed in a blue and green outfit with peacock feather details, a peacock beside her, and decorative flames or cloud-like designs in red, orange, and yellow behind her. The sculpture is displayed outdoors at night with buildings and security barriers in the background.

If you really like to party, and I mean P-A-R-T-Y, then make plans to visit Alicante in mid-June. That’s when the weather is hot but the all day and all night parties are hotter. It’s the Hogueras del San Juan festival, literally fires of San Juan. It runs for a full week and not only includes these huge, amazing figures placed all over the city, but non-stop street parties that all can join and enjoy. At the end of the week the city burns these figures, which are made out of wood and paper. Don’t ask me why, but it’s really cool to watch.

I would strongly suggest making reservations for both hotel and top restaurants way, way in advance, along with your means of travel. This festival is popular, with everyone from everywhere. Beach, sun and fun, what more can you ask for?

I am sure it’s obvious that one of the first and best things to do in Alicante is to visit the castle on the mountain top that overlooks all of Alicante and beyond. For those less into physical exertion, it’s good to know there’s an elevator that can get your there, for only a few euros each way! It’s located across the busy street that runs in front of the beach. In addition, there is a walking approach from the rear of the mountain that’s twice as easy to transverse than through the old town.

But if you’re really into it, you can combine exploring and old town with your hike up to the castle. You can get a map online or just ask anyone as you head up the streets of old town toward the castle. On the way down, we always stop at one of the quaint restaurants for an aperitivo, a bit of something and a few, or many, drinks… Oh, and the views from the castle are amazing too.

Cityscape of a coastal city with a large hill or small mountain in the background, under a partly cloudy sky.
A coastal marina with boats, a cruise ship docked, buildings along the shoreline, and the ocean in the background.
Entrance to Castillo de Santa Barbara with a line diagram of the castle on a brown background, red queue barriers in front, and informational plaques on the wall.
Cityscape with buildings and greenery overlooking the ocean, a cruise ship docked at the port, and a distant coastline under a blue sky.
Nighttime city view from a balcony with a wooden table, a glass, and two cream-colored chairs.
Outdoor seating area of a restaurant called La Erreta with wooden terraces, greenery, and a large stone wall under a partly cloudy sky.

You’ll probably spot the La Erita restaurant, or at least their sign, as you trudge up the mountain on your way to the castle. It is super cool looking and seems so inviting until you get the menu in your hands! Be prepared to spend no less than 200 euros for two, and that’s without even getting a good buzz on…

It is open Wednesday through Sunday for lunch/late lunch and Thursday through Saturday for dinner/late dinner. Go figure. It is Michelin rated and the food along with the service is great, but give me a break, will ya?

Another view point is the El Mirador restaurant which we covered in the best restaurant section, but worth mentioning again here. Not for the food or drinks but because this elevated walkway is one of the easiest and no cost areas for fantastic views of the Alicante coast line and bay!

Located just above and on the ocean side of the old town, this area has several local bars and restaurants to enjoy or just sit on one of the benches of lean on the railing and take in the views. Day, evening or night this is a great spot to watch the day or night go by, without spending a dime.

A beachfront promenade with pedestrians, lined with modern high-rise buildings on the right, and a road with cars and trees on the left, overlooking the ocean with a clear blue sky.
A building with a restaurant on the ground floor named 'El Mirador' offering cafeteria and ice cream, with motorcycles parked in front of the entrance.
People walking on a promenade with palm trees, high-rise buildings, and a large rocky hill in the background under a clear blue sky.
Dining table set for four with dishes, cups, and decorative lanterns, overlooking a marina and beach from a high-rise balcony at sunset.
Tall hotel building with colorful signage that reads 'Grand Sol Hotel,' overlooking a cityscape with a hill in the background.

Since we are on views, the Gran Sol hotel is one of the unfortunate obstructions of Alicante. Fortunately, the bar and restaurant on the twenty something floor has an amazing view, and really good food with reasonable prices! The rack rate for the rooms is pretty good too.

Just can’t understand why they had to plop it down right in the center of town! Oh well, at least someone made some money on that zoning change… I would give you directions on how to get there but really??? If you can’t find it, you should just go home, and stay there.

If your twenty or thirty something, or just think you are like my wife, than the La Zona bar is for you. Every evening around sunset the inside and outside are packed with the younger set, drinking and talking until the wee hours of the night. During lunch time, the bar is fairly approachable but as a dive bar, I still have not summed up the courage to order and then eat any of their food. But it does look good.

If for nothing more than a cold draft beer or a watered down cocktail, this is a great place to spend a little bit of time if you’re our age, or all night if you’re younger, much younger!

Nighttime outdoor scene with many people sitting at tables outside a bar or restaurant on a city street. Buildings with shops and signs, including 'Evidentics,' are visible in the background, along with a palm tree.
Corner building with colorful mural art, signage for 'evidentics' and 'tainforma,' and storefront windows in an urban setting.
Nighttime cityscape with colorful buildings, palm trees, a brick building with a domed roof in the foreground, and a hilltop fortress illuminated in the background.
Night view of a city square with large illuminated statues depicting two kings or wise men, decorated with crowns and royal clothing, with a large building in the background.

In the area just above the beach and below the old town is the Mira Miralta bar on the rooftop of the Eurostar’s Portico Alicante hotel. It is situated overlooking the town square where something is always happening or congregating, and the Santa Barbara castle to the rear along with the Porxe del.ayuntamiento, (porch of the town hall) that houses a Salvador Dali statue.

As you can see, the views are amazing and the drinks are evenly priced and well prepared, even if the service can be a bit slow. There’s no charge to go up and look around, and the prices for a room are, well, what you would expect.

This probably seems like a no-brainer, but there are a few things about the Alicante Tram line you may want to know, as compared to the Alicante “train” lines. The city of Alicante has both, along with a pretty easy to access airport about 15 minutes drive out of town. The Alicante Tram lines includes the beach or blue line (see map on the right) that you get on at the start of the public beach, Playa del Postiguet. It goes in a circle with the San Juan beach stops (3 in all) being a great place to do the beach, eat, drink and party. The photo does not do it justice!

The other lines or interest are the red and yellow lines. You want to buy tickets and board them at the Luceros underground Tram station (photo on the right) in the town Centro traffic circle. Those Tram lines go all the way up to beach cities of Benidorm and end at the charming city of Denia. Important to know that these Trams do NOT have bathrooms on them. :-(

An orange tram on tracks alongside a beach promenade with people walking and sitting on benches, palm trees, and the ocean in the background.
Beach scene with palm trees, ocean waves, beaches chairs, umbrellas, and mountains in the background.
Map of Tram Metropolitano in Valencia, Spain, showing zones A, B, and C with various stops along the transit lines, color-coded for clarity.
City square with palm trees, a fountain, and a tall clock tower in the background. People walking, some carrying luggage, and cars parked nearby.
Street view of a building with a sign for La Guapa Vermuteria Alicante. Metal shutters on some storefronts, upper windows with small balconies, an air conditioning unit, and wiring along the wall. The sky is partly cloudy.
Small bar with a black chalkboard menu displaying gin tonic mojito for 5.00. Inside, a truck-shaped container holds bottles, with various signs and a wooden stool outside.
Two glasses of dark red vermouth with lemon twists and ice, placed on a wooden table. Two slices of baguette topped with cured meats, likely salami and prosciutto, on yellow napkins.

Trying to pick a best place to eat or drink or have fun in Alicante is like trying to pick out the prettiest girl at the Miss Universe pageant. There’s so many and so little time! We put this one in because it’s very locale, and very good in drinks, eats and ambience, not to mention the good prices. Oh, I just did, crap!

You’ll find this tiny offering on one of the three main streets, uh four main streets, uh five main streets packed with awesome restaurants and bars. I’m not going to detail the streets, for god sakes learn how to use Google maps, well ya? No reservations and with an inside smaller than a matchbox, sit outside. Great for everything including people watching.

I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to the main reason most come to Alicante, the beaches! With calm and crystal blue Mediterranean waters that are warm enough to swim in from May through September, or other months if your from, like, Sweden, the local beaches are awesome. With endless coast line, these walkable beaches with excellent boardwalks and services, including restaurants and bars, are a main attraction.

The beach tram, (see the section above) can quickly and easily take you to any of the beaches all up and down the coast for a small fee. For Alicante, the two main beaches are the city beach called Playa del Postiguet and the San Juan beach just around the bay. The San Juan beach is a bit less touristy with more places to drink and dine, but both are a hoot!

A busy beach scene with many people relaxing on the sandy beach, some under umbrellas, and others walking along the shoreline. The ocean is visible with gentle waves, and there are buildings, palm trees, and a boardwalk with pedestrians and cyclists in the background. The sky is partly cloudy with some scattered clouds.
Beach scene with palm trees, a paved walkway, and beach umbrellas by the ocean, mountains in the background, and a clear blue sky.
A beach promenade lined with palm trees, benches, and people walking. The sandy beach with umbrellas and the ocean are visible to the right. There are buildings in the distance under a partly cloudy sky.