Stand at the foot of the main staircase of the City Hall Building and you are standing on the zero point used to measure every height in Spain. Turn around and the old town opens up behind you, a triangular knot of narrow streets pressed between the Rambla de Méndez Núnez, the Explanada de Espanya and Mount Benacantil.
Alicante suits travellers who like their history layered under a warm, dry climate, and who are happy to spend a day moving between a hilltop fortress, small museums and the waterfront. The city has mild winters and hot summers, so the shape of a good day here changes with the season.
This guide covers the historic sites, museums and festivals the city is known for, with the practical details you need to fit them together.
Top things to do in Alicante
1. Castell de la Santa Bàrbara
One of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain sits on top of Mount Benacantil, and the view over the town and harbour is the reason to come. The castle is free to enter, and opening hours shift through the year: October to March daily 10:00-20:00, April to June daily 10:00-22:00, July and August daily 10:00-24:00, and September daily 10:00-22:00.
If you feel fit, walk up from Plaza de Carmen. The route through the narrow winding streets is a sight in itself. You can also drive, but parking slots are scarce.
2. Lift to Santa Barbara Castle
A lift runs through the core of Mount Benacantil itself, from ground level to two levels in the castle. It is the easiest way up if you would rather not climb, and travelling between the two castle levels is free.
The entrance is not easy to spot. Follow Postiguet beach to the footbridge, cross the road and pick your way west along the pavement until you see the sign for the castle and the tunnel entrance. The ticket machine is near the end of the tunnel: insert your money, press the large green "A" button, then "Ticket". A round trip costs €2.70 and is free for seniors, and access is free in July and August daily 19:45-23:30. The last lift up is 19:20.
3. Basílica de Santa Maria
Begun in the 14th century on the remains of an old Moorish mosque and completed in the 16th, the basilica mixes Gothic and Baroque elements. The main entrance is notable for its elaborate Baroque decoration, and inside the Gothic choir, the Rococo altar and the Baroque organ from 1653 are worth your time. The exterior still bears traces of bombardment by French forces in the 18th century. Entry is free.
It sits in the old town, so pair it with a wander through the surrounding streets rather than treating it as a separate trip.
4. Museu de la Ciutat d'Alacant (MUSA)
Housed at the Castell de Santa Bárbara on Calle Vázquez de Mella, this museum showcases archaeological finds from the city and the region. It is open daily 10:00-14:30 and 16:00-20:00, and entry is free.
Because it is inside the castle, the sensible approach is to see it in the same visit as the fortress itself, rather than making a second climb.
5. Museu Arqueològic Provincial d'Alacant (MARQ)
On Plaza Dr Gómez Ulla, the MARQ has an avant-garde design and uses modern audiovisual techniques, with more than 80,000 pieces found at local archaeological sites. It also shows educational films about the history of the Alicante area from the Stone Age through the Iberian and Roman eras to the Middle Ages.
It is open Tuesday to Friday 10:00-19:00, Saturday 10:00-20:30, and Sunday and holidays 10:00-14:00. Admission is €3 for adults, €1.50 for concessions, and free for disabled visitors, teachers, journalists and children under 8.
6. Lucentum Archaeological Site
At El Tossal de Manises in Albufereta, this site covering over 7 acres is the location of the original Roman city which later became Alicante. Excavation is ongoing, but it is open to visitors, and the remains of the defensive walls, Roman baths and forum are notable, as is part of the old Muslim cemetery. Entry is free.
Hours change with the season. In winter it is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-18:00, and Sunday 10:00-14:00; in summer Monday to Saturday 09:00-12:00 and 19:00-22:00, and Sunday 09:00-12:00. The summer split means an early or late visit, not a midday one.
7. Museu de Belles Arts Gravina (MUBAG)
This fine arts museum occupies an 18th-century palace on Calle Gravina in the old town, with works by Spanish artists displayed over three floors. Take time to watch the video presentation Black and White about historic Alicante. Entry is free.
Hours differ by season: 1 September to 30 June, Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-20:00 and Sunday and holidays 10:00-14:00; 1 July to 31 August, Tuesday to Saturday 11:00-21:00 and Sunday and holidays 11:00-15:00.
8. Museu d'Art Contemporani d'Alacant (MACA)
On Plaza de Santa María, the MACA displays works by 20th-century artists including Pablo Picasso, Georges Braque, Julio González, Juan Gris and Joan Miró, alongside collections by the local artists Eusebio Sempere and Juana Francés. Entry is free.
It is open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00-20:00 and Sunday and holidays 10:00-14:00, and its position on the same square as the Basílica de Santa Maria makes the two easy to combine.
9. Museu d'Aigües d'Alacant
Next to the Pozos de Garrigós, a collection of wells dating from the Moorish period to the 16th century and in use until 1898, this three-floor modern museum illustrates the history of water resources and distribution in the city and the area. Entry is free.
It stands on Plaza Arquitecto Miguel López in the Casco Antiguo. From September to May it opens Tuesday to Friday 10:00-14:00 and 17:00-20:00, and Saturday and Sunday 10:00-14:00; in June to August the afternoon slot moves to 18:00-21:00 on Tuesday to Friday.
10. Castell de Sant Ferran
Built at the beginning of the 19th century on Tossal hill north of the centre, this fortress is now the centrepiece of a city park. It is free, and open from dawn to dusk.
Because it is a park rather than a ticketed monument, it works well as a flexible stop rather than something you need to schedule tightly.
11. Museu de la Universitat d'Alacant (MUA)
Opened in 1999, this ultra-modern museum is devoted to contemporary art and hosts special exhibits as well as concerts and other events, with exhibits in three locations next to each other. Entry is free.
It is on Carretera de San Vicente del Raspeig. Take Tram 2 to the Universitat stop and walk across the campus to reach it. It opens Monday to Friday 09:00-20:00 and Saturday and Sunday 10:00-14:00.
12. Teatre Principal
Alicante's main theatre was built in the mid-19th century and partially destroyed and rebuilt during the Spanish Civil War. Today it stages not only plays but musicals, dance and musical performances.
It stands on Plaça de Ruperto Chapí. The box office is open 12:00-14:00 and 17:00-21:00, so check what is on before you build an evening around it.
13. Auditori de la Diputació d'Alacant
North of the bullring on Paseo Campoamor, this is a venue for classical music performances by both Spanish and international musicians. The building was designed by the Alicante-born architect Juan Antonio García Solera.
The box office opens Monday to Thursday 08:00-18:00 and Friday 11:00-14:00, so plan your ticket purchase around those hours.
14. Fogueres de Sant Joan
Held on 23 June, this is the most important festival in the city, with preparations beginning a week beforehand. Enormous monuments, up to and above three storeys tall, are constructed throughout Alicante and burned at the end of the festival during the night of the 24th to the 25th.
The burning begins after the shooting off of the very large "Palmera" firework from the top of the Castillo de Alicant, which explodes in the shape of palm tree leaves. If you are in the city in late June, this is the event to plan around.
15. Setmana Santa and Carnaval
Setmana Santa falls in the week before Easter and features parades of religious brotherhoods carrying images of Jesus Christ and Holy Mary. Carnaval runs from February to March, just before Lent, with parades of people in disguises and open-air concerts.
Both are street events rather than ticketed ones, so the main thing to plan is your position along the route and your tolerance for crowds.
If you only have one day
Morning. Start at the Castell de la Santa Bàrbara. Walk up from Plaza de Carmen through the narrow winding streets, or take the lift through Mount Benacantil if you prefer. Once inside, see the Museu de la Ciutat d'Alacant before the day heats up.
Afternoon. Come down into the old town and visit the Basílica de Santa Maria, then step onto Plaza de Santa María for the Museu d'Art Contemporani d'Alacant. If you have time left, walk to the Museu de Belles Arts Gravina on Calle Gravina and watch the Black and White presentation.
Evening. Check what is on at the Teatre Principal or the Auditori de la Diputació d'Alacant and end the day with a performance. If you are visiting in July or August, note that lift access to the castle is free daily 19:45-23:30, so a second trip up for the evening view is possible.
Frequently asked questions
When is the best time to visit Alicante?
The city has mild winters, hot and sultry summers, and little rain concentrated in equinoctial periods. It is one of the driest cities in Europe, and summer humidity is high because of evaporation from the warm Mediterranean. If you want to avoid the heat, aim outside midsummer.
Do I need to pay to enter the main sights?
Most of them are free, including the Castell de la Santa Bàrbara, the Basílica de Santa Maria, Lucentum, the Castell de Sant Ferran, the MUSA, the MUBAG, the MACA, the Museu d'Aigües d'Alacant and the MUA. The MARQ charges €3 for adults and €1.50 for concessions. The castle lift costs €2.70 round trip and is free for seniors.
How do I get up to the castle if I don't want to walk?
Use the lift in the core of Mount Benacantil. Follow Postiguet beach to the footbridge, cross the road and continue west along the pavement until you see the sign for the castle and the tunnel entrance. The ticket machine is near the end of the tunnel, and the last lift up is 19:20.
What happens during the Fogueres de Sant Joan?
Enormous monuments are built throughout the city and burned on the night of 24 to 25 June, after the "Palmera" firework is shot from the top of the Castillo de Alicant. A week of night fireworks follows.
Pick your season, check the hours that apply while you are there, and start building your days around the castle, the old town and the waterfront.