Alicante

Capital of the province of the same name, Alicante lies in the centre of the Costa Blanca. It is a city that looks out over the sea, and invites one to sit out on one of its lovely terraces and relax in the warm sun in winter, and in the cool shade in summer. Alicante stretches out over a sloping plain, the last of the foothills of the Baetic Mountain range in the Valencia region. Near the town, the rocky mass of Mount Benacantil rises up.
The area was inhabited in prehistoric times, as the archaeological finds, which have been made in the region show. Alicante is said to have been made in the region show. Alicante is said to have been founded by the Carthaginian Hamilcar, and what is certain is that the Greeks called it Akraleuka, meaning White Peak or White Rock, because of the colour of the soil of Mount Benacantil. Later, the Romans latinised its name to Lucentum, City of light, which is mentioned by various Roman historians as one of the most active ports of Hispania.
All along the sea front is the Explanada de España, a long promenade lined with palms and with a pavement of coloured marble stones, which form beautiful geometric patterns. The Explanade stretches right up to Canalejas Park, and all along it are cafés, bars and restaurants and terraces, which blend colourfully and gracefully into the scenery of the town.
Canalejas Park, dotted with thousand-year old trees, is one of the parks in Alicante which most abounds in plant-life. But Miró, a delightful spot with trees, walks through flowery pergolas, benches, flowerbeds and a fine fountain, forming a harmonic whole.
Opposite the port, where there is a continual hubbub of merchant and pleasure craft from all over the world, are promenades and gardens. To the north of the Explanade, Postiguet Beach, large, charming, and close to facilities such as bars and restaurants, entices irresistibly with its smooth sand.
The Rambla de Méndez Nuñéz, Calle Alfonso X and Calle Mayor, the last now converted into a pedestrian zone, are the main commercial streets of Alicante.
Plaza de Luceros, also known as the Plaza de los Caballos, square of the horses, because of the monument standing there, is one of the most popular and most photographed spots in the city. It is circular, wide, and has its centre, a magnificent fountain by Daniel Bañuls: the heads of fourlions pour water into a basin, watched over from above by four female figures. Behind the town hall is the Plaza de Santa Faz, which is a tiny, charming square, with inns, bars and restaurants around it.
Near Calle Mayor is the Cathedral of San Nicolás de Bari (1616-1622) by the architects Martín de Unceta, Miguel Real and Pedro Guillén. The main doorway is in black marble and contains a statue of Saint Nicholas of Bari, Patron saint of the city, made in a single block of marble; there is another statue of the saint over the high altar, this one from the late 17th century.

Near to the cathedral is the Ayuntamiento, or Town hall, built in the 18th century in Baroque style, with a main front by Lorenzo Chapuli. It has three doorways, the central one with a depressed arch, and the other two with semicircular arches. Over the entrances, there is a magnificent row of balconies looking onto the square, showing fifty-two wrought iron brackets and beautiful volutes. Over the central doorway, in white marble, is the coat of arms of the city, held by two lions rampant. Two 35-metre high towers flank the building. A shining metal disc embedded in the first step of the main flight of steps shows an altitude of three metres above sea level.

This is the official point for measuring altitude in Spain, and is indicated by the initials N.P., (nivel precision or bench mark). On the same flight of steps, a marble plaque with red letters is a copy of the city’s charter, granted by King Ferdinand the Catholic in 1490. The Town Hall contains a small picture gallery, with works by Agrasot, Menchu Gal, Cabrera, Bronchú, Pérez Gil, Varela and Xavier Soler, also housing a series of portraits of the mayors of Alicante.
Going up the Calle Mayor, one passes the spot where the Puerta Ferrisa gate, separating the Christian part of the city from the Muslim, once stood. Urban reforms were the cause of the demolition of the monument. Coming out into the square, we find the Church of Santa María, built over what was once the main mosque in Alicante, Building began at the end of the 14th century, by some pupil of the Morella School of Architecture, which was founded by James I to build churches in the territories won back from the Moors. The church was enlarged in the 16th century and altered in the 18th, at the time when Manuel Violat created the magnificent Baroque front (1721). Inside there is a Christ by Juan Bautista Vera, which goes back to 1735. The Renaissance baptismal font is made in marble from Carrara. A statue of the Virgin with Child dominates the high altar.
Nearby there is the barrio de Santa Cruz, the Santa Cruz quarter, the historic centre of the city. In spite of the many alterations, which have been carried out here, the quarter has kept its little streets with their houses with wrought iron grilles in the windows, and their cheerful flowerpots. This quarter with its movement and local colour is full of pubs and traditional old inns.
The Santa Cruz quarter grew up at the foot of Mount Benacantil, which, at 180 metres, commands magnificent views over the sea and the surrounding countryside, which explains why there has always been a fortification of some sort on this strategic point. The Moorish castle was seized by Alphonse X one 4th of December, Saint Barbara´s day, which is why it has, since then, been known as the Castillo de Santa Bárbara, although practically nothing of the original Moorish castle has survived the successive alterations the fortress has undergone.
There is another, small, castle on the other side of the city, in the San Blas quarter, the San Fernando Castle. Building was started on this castle during the War of Independence, (1808-1814), and there is a beautiful view from this strategic spot, particularly at dusk, of the port and the Santa Bárbara Castle.
Alicante also has a well-endowed Provincial Archaeological Museum, in the Diputación, building. This museum contains a pottery collection including pieces from the time of the Greek settlement. The Museum also exhibits examples of the Stone Age pottery and Carthaginian and Greek sculptures, among other items.
There is also a Museum of 20th-Century Art, which is housed in the big house known as La Asegurada, next to the Church of Santa María. This was founded thanks to a donation of works to the city by the local artist Eusebio Sempere, and includes pieces by Braque, Picasso, Chagall, Giacometti, among others.

THE BEACHES OF ALICANTE AND THE MONASTERY OF SANTA VERONICA
The nearest beaches to the town centre are San Juan, Postiguet, Babel, San Gabriel and la Albufereta. The last mentioned is perhaps the best known. It is a wide cove, sheltered from the wind, and covered with fine, golden sand. It is an ideal beach for sports-lovers, offering as it does excellent conditions and sports facilities.
Further south, visitorshave the choice of los Borrachos, Calabarda and Aguas Amargas in terms of coves, and the Arenales del Sol beach. This is a long stretch of fine sand, dazzlingly white and clean. The residential area situated at this beach, with its bars, restaurants and shops of all kinds, is fast becoming one of the most popular of the whole Costa Blanca.

Market Day: Saturday