To indulge in laziness and relaxation during your holiday in Alicante do as the Spaniards do: stroll along Explanada de España, a popular meeting place frequented by locals at all hours of the day.
Six and a half million marble tiles were used to construct the mosaic that decorates the avenue’s paving, with an undulating white, red and black pattern reminiscent of the waves of the sea.
The avenue is lined with four rows of palm trees over 500 metres, a true symbol of the city’s tourism.
Come here at different times of the day for different experiences: the quiet of the morning, sipping a coffee lulled by the sound of the waves; the lively afternoon, watching the people go by; the night teeming with life, enjoying a drink while admiring the sunset, a bit of after-dinner shopping or romping to the beat of the music.
Explanada de España is a bit like Las Ramblas in Alicante: along the avenue are historic buildings, numerous bars and restaurants, shops and souvenir stalls.
The pleasant breeze coming from the sea and the shade of the palm trees make walking along Esplanada de España a pleasure in all seasons of the year, including the sultriest summer days.
Strolling along the avenue, stop to admire some of the city’s most emblematic buildings, such as the Casa Carbonell, built between 1922 and 1925 by Juan Vidal Ramos, or the Real Casino de Alicante.
For shopping, you will be spoilt for choice, with many local craft stalls to choose from, known among the locals as ‘los Hippies de la Explanada‘.
Also for breakfast, lunch, dinner or your evening drinks you can choose from numerous bars and restaurants, almost all with beautiful outdoor terraces.
At all hours, street artists enliven this lively boulevard with their music and performances of mime and juggling. During the summer, open-air musical events are often organised.
For those who like to stay in hotels, the Explanada de Espana is a dream: this is where most of the hotels in the centre of Alicante are located, the rest of the historical part of the city being almost exclusively dotted with flats and holiday homes. Along the street and in the immediate surroundings, such as Calle San Fernando or Calle Rafael Altamira, are several hotels, many of them 4-star and part of large chains, such as Eurostars or Melià.
And speaking of Meliàs, don’t forget one of the symbols of Alicante tourism, the Melià Alicante hotel, which overlooks Playa del Postiguet and is less than a 100-metre walk from the Esplanada de Espana.
Getting to the Explanada de España is simple and straightforward, as from the city centre all you have to do is head towards the sea… and you’ll get there. If you find yourself at the Playa del Postiguet, just keep the sea on your left and walk a few hundred metres, crossing the Placa de la Porta de la Mar.
If you are elsewhere in the centre of Alicante, the best strategy to get to the Esplanada de España is to walk down Rambla de Mendez Nunes all the way, either on foot or by public transport.
This long pedestrian boulevard runs parallel to the port, from Puerta del Mar to the Parque de Canalejas.
You can get here from anywhere in the city on foot or by tram; if you drive a car be careful as parking is difficult to find in this area.
The beautiful Explanada de España is the part of Alicante's seafront promenade that runs alongside the marina, just south of the city centre.
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