Weather forecast Alicante

Alicante (including rainfall and temperature averages)

Locals describe Alicante as la millor terra del mond (the best city in the world) – while you might not want to go that far, it’s certainly a great place to take a holiday. It was originally established in the sixth century as a result of disputes between the Roman and Carthaginian Empires over territory: the Carthaginian general Hamilcar Barca built a fortified town called Akra Leuka (White Town) where the city now stands. The Moors took over in the eighth century and gave it its modern name, which means “City of Lights” in Arabic. After the reconquest in 1246, Alicante became a major Mediterranean trading post, famous for its rice, wine, olive oil, oranges and wool. This all came to an end in 1614 when King Felipe III expelled the Moors who had remained behind for their alleged links to the Barbary pirates. At a stroke, most of the city’s artisans were lost, leaving the remaining citizens to sink into a centuries-long decline. The twentieth century saw a revitalisation but this was halted by the Spanish Civil War: Alicante was the last city loyal to the Republicans to be occupied by Franco in 1939 and his reprisals were vicious. Only with the advent of mass tourism did things really start to look up; holiday makers started arriving in the early 60s and the money flowed back with them.

The majority of foreign tourists come to Alicante for the benign climate – the average annual temperature is 17.6°C, reaching around 33°C in August, and it rains on less than 40 days each year – and the wide white beaches. Spanish visitors, however, know a little more about the city’s secrets. Fiestas are all-important here: the main fiesta, the Bonfires of St John, is held in June during the summer solstice. The dancing, parades and bonfires on Playa San Juan go on all day and all night; they are followed a week later by seven nights of firework and pyrotechnic contests between different groups on Playa del Postiguet. Another popular festival is Moros y Cristianos, held in the San Blas district, when locals divide into Moorish and Christian groups and stage mock battles. There is also a two month festival of culture in Paseo del Puerto every summer, featuring music, dance and theatre performances. Costumes for all these and more can be seen at the Museo de las Hogueras (the museum of costume floats).

Other sights include the Castillo de Santa Barbara, an imposing fortress on the bare rock behind the main beach; an Archeological Museum; the Gothic Basilica de Santa Maria, which was built over the main mosque; and the defence towers of the Huerta de Alicante, constructed to fend off the pirates. Museo de Arte Siglo 20 has a great collection of paintings, including work by Picasso, Tapies, Miro and Dali. Twenty kilometres inland, Elche is famous both for its palm forest and for its own remarkable fiesta in August, which culminates in an elaborate mystery play.

The town’s large Algerian population gives a different flavour to the local cuisine: while you can certainly enjoy classic Spanish tapas and paellas, there is also a wide array of restaurants serving couscous and other north African specialities. Churros (twisted doughnuts) are very popular and the town is famous for its turrón – a chewy nougat-like sweet. The best bars and clubs are found in Barrio Santa Cruz, although in summer the action moves over to Playa San Juan.