Alicante: what a surprise!
Alicante is the city I was not expecting to find.
We wanted to spend some days in Spain and among the few flights available from Glasgow airport Alicante caught our eye. The ingredients for a perfect holiday were all there: good food, a hotel in front of the beach, nice temperature. But still, there was something stopping me, I had the fear it was a place designed mostly for mass tourism. How much I love to prove myself wrong instead.
The hotel we booked is a 3 stars hotel called Hotel Almirante in Playa de San Juan. If you are a beach lover and you like long walks with the sea view this is the place for you.
The hotel also has a swimming pool but above all is home of Pocardy Restaurant, an authentic Spanish restaurant that offers plenty regional specialities. You have absolutely to try the Arrozes (paella or arroz a la banda) or the Fideuá. We tried almost all menu as it was our place for dinner time and enjoyed everything we had. Maybe a bit too many fried calamari! Family and dog friendly, you will find amazing staff to attend you that it is always a plus.
The tram line connects you to the center of Alicante in 15 minutes so the first day we decided to enjoy the city like locals.
A quick first visit to the Mercado to get some breakfast with a cafe con leche and a piece of tortilla and then we walked to reach the port. Google maps was so good to bring us in front of a very old-fashioned bar (coffee shop/tapas that also sells alcohol) called El Rey del bocata del Calamar and of course, we took one of these sandwiches filled with fried calamari and mayo with a couple of canas (the small beer). No shame at all even if it was not even 11 am!
Just in front, there is an elegant shop of "latas" as Spanish people call the food in a tin.
One of my biggest obsessions when I visit Portugal or Spain. I find tinned fish amazing, especially the one coming from small producers. Their vintage packaging drives me crazy.
Some port views now with old trees and yachts and a nice walk through the famous Explanada de Espana, with its red and black marble waves until you reach the Ayuntamiento (the Council) and you start discovering the old town.
Get ready for a nice climb to reach the colorful Barrio of Santa Cruz. Hundreds of steps surrounded by tiny white and blue houses, flowers blooming and a lot of locals chatting from their doors or sitting in plastic chairs. The views at the top, both from the Ermita de Santa Cruz and the Castillo of Santa Barbara will repay your efforts.
Going down you cannot miss some of the best monuments like the Concatedral de San Nicolau de Bari from the XVII century and La Basilica de Santa Maria, with dominant baroque and rococo elements and built on the rests of an old mosque.
You can have lunch in front of the beautiful facade in a restaurant called La Barrita de Santa Maria where you can enjoy the best of fresh Spanish food but with a modern and multicultural touch.
We had some croquetas con jamon to start, a plate with fried aubergine sticks with Spanish goat cheese and honey but the king of our meal was the char-grilled cuttlefish with a garlic and basil olive oil. Cherry on top also for the Pepito de ternera, a sandwich with steak beef and foie.
Coffee and ready to go to visit the MACA, the Museum of Arte Contemporánea.
A big space is given to collections from local artists like Eusebio Sempere and Juána Frances but you can also find art from Picasso, Braque, Julio González, Giacometti, Miró, Dalí, Max Ernst to mention some. Three floor of paintings, sculptures and modern installation.
And now that we are talking about art, do not miss the MARQ, the Archeological Museum. It is a long walk but there is no rain bothering you there and you can stop for another coffee in one of the terrazza you will encounter on your way.
What makes this museum a bit different is that they have an "experience area" where you can learn about the various methods and techniques archaeologist use during the discovery process. Then as Alicante's area is full of history you could explore the galleries dedicated to Prehistory, the Iberians, the Romans, the Medieval Age and the Modern and Contemporary Historical Periods.
City life done for the day so time to go back and enjoy a long walk on the promenade close to the beach and enjoy a pink sunset before dinner.
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