One of Costa Blanca's most well known resorts is Alicante . Situated between two capes in eastern Spain. Alicante offers a variety of tourist attractions from long sandy beaches to festivals and castles and a beautiful boulevard. Alicante is one of Spains fastest growing areas and this is partly due to tourism generated from the beautiful sandy beaches of the Costa Blanca. Alicante's major seaport is known for its history and baroque buildings. The /Bonfires of Saint John/ is a summer local festival. The Iglesia de Santa Maria is the oldest church in the city and was romoured to have been built in the 14th and 16th century as the main mosque in Moorish times. Castillo de Santa Barbara is a medieval fortress that has been there since the Bronze-age.
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Shopping
Avenida de Maisonnave is the main shopping district and you will find a variety of boutiques and specialist shops along with various tourist shops selling various items and there is a large department store named the El Corte Inglés. The Avenida Alfonso el Sabio, La Rambla, Calle Del Teatro and the Calle Gerona are also a must and should be visited. The Esplanade is an ideal place to find arts and crafts items along with various costume jewellery and leatherworks.
Restaurants
Alicante has various restaurants that cater for all tastes from Turkish, Moroccan, French, Thai and Indian cuisines.If you like seafood then the reastaurants along the coast cater for all your seafood requirements. Local dishes should be sampled and there is an array of cafes and restaurants that can cater for various popular spanish dishes at very reasonable times. Plaza de Montaceta and the town hall have good bars and clubs with a lively nightlife. The Calle Rafael Altimira is where you will find more upmarket drinking spots and restaurants.
Attractions
Santa Barbara Castle is an attraction and you must also see the Museo de les Fogueres which translates as the museum of the bonfires. Papier mache effigies that can take weeks to construct are burned to a cinder in one of Alicantes fiestas of the year. There are many historical buildings around the entire city as Alicante offers various sightseeing attractions including churches and cathedrals. Take a trip to the wonderful island of Tabarca on the south of Alicante. A guitar-shaped island steeped in ancient Greek history that was also once a refuge for the infamous Berber pirates. The Alicante harbour has long alleys for relaxing scenic walks. Alicante has Europe's only palm forest and is a major attraction and a must to be experienced.There are also various parks and public areas ideal for taking a break and enjoying the scenery.
