Like any other city, Alicante has its own history.
Two thousand years ago, the site was first an Iberian settlement, then a Greek colony-fortress with trade status.
Buying real estate in Alicante and Torrevieja.
Alicante at that time belonged to Carthage and was called Akra Leuke (White Fortress).
Later, when the city was conquered by the Romans, it was called Lucentum (City of Light).
In the 8th century, the Moors took over, and thanks to them, the settlement began to develop. The Muslims renamed the place “Al Lucant”, which was closer to the modern name.
In the XVI century the city already belonged to the Castilian conquerors, and only 300 years later Alicante became a commercial port.
Due to the fact that in the XVII century King Philip the Third expelled from this area all the Moors, which included workers and artisans, Alicante was on the verge of ruin. During the period of stagnation, which lasted two centuries, the city survived only through the cultivation of almonds and oranges, fish farming and shoe production.
But in the nineteenth century came a boom due to the expansion of the bay and trade. Agriculture and industry in Alicante began to flourish.
Today Alicante is the fastest growing city in Spain.
Best time to visit
The ideal time to visit the resort is between May and September.
Most tourists come in July and August, but there aren’t more tourists here than in Marbella or Barcelona.
But there is a large Russian speaking diaspora in Alicante and there is its own association called “Russian House”. So the native language can be heard frequently in the streets.
If you want to avoid the heat and the crowds of tourists, it is better to choose May or September or early October.
Alicante is warm (up to +17°C) in winter, quiet and sparsely populated.
How to get to Alicante
There are several ways to get to one of the main resorts of the country:
- By plane. The airport of Alicante is about 15 km from the city. Despite its modest size, it accepts international flights. There are direct flights from Moscow, most European capitals and major cities in Spain. Travel time is 4.5 to 5 hours. If you are looking for a cheaper alternative – use the search form below ⇓⇓⇓⇓.
- By train. Alicante is connected by rail to many Spanish cities. Journey from Barcelona and Malaga takes about six hours, from Valencia – an hour and a half. From Madrid, take 3,5 hours by train and 2 hours by express train. A detailed description of the routes and rolling stock can be found on the official website of the RENFE carrier: http://www.renfe.com/. There you will also find timetables and ticket prices.
- by long-distance bus. This is quite a comfortable and budget mode of transport. For example, from Madrid to Alicante you can get there in 5 hours and 17 Euros.
- Ferry service. The port of arrival and departure for ferries can be found in Denia (100 km from Alicante). For example, if you vacation in the Balearic Islands, from Palma de Mallorca it takes a couple of hours to get there.
