{"id":67113,"date":"2026-10-16T09:17:13","date_gmt":"2026-10-16T09:17:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.seabookings.com\/?post_type=blog&p=67113"},"modified":"2026-10-16T09:17:36","modified_gmt":"2026-10-16T09:17:36","slug":"the-ultimate-alicante-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.seabookings.com\/nl\/blog\/the-ultimate-alicante-travel-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"De ultieme reisgids voor Alicante: van kustkastelen tot catamaranreizen"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alicante has the same reputation as Costa Blanca, but without the headlines. Sandwiched between Valencia’s paella reputation and Benidorm’s skyline, the city is often mentioned as a location to land. The airport paints a different story: in July 2026, Alicante-Elche allegedly exceeded two million passengers in a single month for the first time. Many people are certainly staying, and the reasons are contained within a few square kilometers: a hilltop castle, a wave-patterned promenade, a city beach, and a harbor full of boats bound for an island.<\/p>\n\n\n

Aangedreven door GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Start at the Top: Santa B\u00e1rbara Castle<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The castle is the one place that makes the rest of Alicante legible, so it goes first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Santa B\u00e1rbara is located on Mount Benacantil, 166 meters above the sea. Although it was once a Muslim stronghold from the ninth century, most of what is left is from the sixteenth century. Walking through the Barrio de Santa Cruz, a maze of whitewashed alleys with blue-trimmed windows and flowerpots on every step, is the best option, however you may pay a small fee for a ride from Postiguet beach. An early start is recommended to escape the heat, since the castle often opens about 10 am. Most visitors walk up and ride down. On a clear day you can see all the way to Tabarca.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That bird\u2019s-eye view makes a decent argument for doing a little homework before booking anything. KubikTrip\u2019s city pages condense reviews and prices into a score and a short summary, and the things to do in Alicante<\/a> guide works as a quick map of the city before the first booking page opens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Down the Hill: Waterfront and Old Town<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

From the summit, the way down is short, flat and mostly shaded by palms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Postiguet beach sits right below the castle, and the Explanada de Espa\u00f1a runs along the harbour beside it. The promenade is paved with roughly 6.5 million red, cream and black marble tiles laid in waves, which is the closest thing to a sea-view stroll that doesn\u2019t require a boat. A few streets inland, the City Hall hides a small curiosity: a metal disc on the staircase marks sea level, the reference point used to measure altitude across Spain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lunch is a rice dish, naturally, followed by a piece of turr\u00f3n. The nougat is a regional specialty, and the local version is firmer than the supermarket kind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out on the Water<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The harbour is where Alicante stops being a city break and turns into a boat trip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tabarca, the island with a marine reserve<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Tabarca lies about eleven nautical miles off the coast and is the only inhabited island in the Valencian region. Pirates and corsairs once used it as a refuge. Today its waters are a protected marine reserve, which makes snorkelling surprisingly good for something so close to a city. Boats take around 45 minutes to an hour, depending on the vessel, though you can also take a fast glass-bottom catamaran from nearby Santa Pola that takes just 25 minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n

Aangedreven door GetYourGuide<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n\n\n\n
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Catamarans and the timing question<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Catamaran and sailing trips along the coast run in season, and sunset departures are the favourites. The usual rule applies: day-trippers reach the island in a wave around midday, so an early crossing or a late return gives a quieter Tabarca. Weather can cancel sailings, so a spare day in the schedule is cheap insurance, and operators\u2019 timetables change by season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Budget, Timing and Other Small Print<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Alicante\u2019s best trick is staying affordable while its neighbours aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On KubikTrip, Alicante scores 6.9 with an average budget of about $151 a day. M\u00e1laga lands at 7.0 and $297, Valencia at 7.0 and $502, and Marbella at 6.9 and $491. That means the same score as Marbella at roughly a third of the cost. A score isn\u2019t a verdict, but when planning a sunny week, the gap is the argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Time is almost as important as cost:<\/p>\n\n\n\n