It was a late September Tuesday and the sun was shining between some scattered coulds in Alicante, so I got out of the hostel, grabbed a kind of breakfast at the nearby Mercadona and got to explore the city early on before the scorching hot sun melted me away later at lunch time.
The trek beggan at Barrio de Santa Cruz, one of the oldest settlements in Alicante and a quintessential part of the history of the town, with its winding little streets and colourfulk houses adorned with vases and plants. The Mirador de la Santa Cruz and Calle San Rafael are two of its highlights, offereing good photo opportunities as well as nice views over the city.
Going down to the city proper, passed through Carrer Mutxamel and Ermita de San Roque, Torre de la pólvora and Plaza Quijano. By the time I got downtown, the heat was already pilling up, so I got a refreshing stop at the free MACA - Museu d'Art Contemporani d'Alacant before exploring the nearby Basílica de Santa Maria de Alicante, one of the jewels of the city. Right prior to lunchtime, I decided to take a peak at the MUBAG - Museu de Belles Arts d'Alacant and then headed straight to the Platja del Postiguet that greeted me with a big sand beach, warm waters and a nice view over the castle.
After a sip on the Mediterranean, it was time to go up again, to the Castillo de Santa Bárbara, overlooking the entire city from high above. getting back down, I explored next the beautiful Paseo de las Palmeras - home to the iconic Casa Carbonell -, Parc Portal d’Elx and Iglesia de la Mare de Déu de Gràcia. Going back to the Carrer Sant Francesc with its iconic mushroom sculkptures I arrived at the giang fig tree in Plaza de Gabriel Miró and ended the tour in the area of the Ajuntament d'Alacant after a visit to the Cocatedral de Sant Nicolau and entering Plaça de l'Ajuntament from Plaça de la Santissima Faç.
Though not as surprising as Murcia was for me, Alicante felt like a very comfortable place to be, with good restaurants and caffès, the urban beach was quite spacious and weel served with amenities and the old town had a very mediterraean feel.