Alicante, Spain in March

We stayed in the old town of Alicante which is a historic neighborhood with lovely Roman inspired architecture. We were a block from the beach – walkable in just a few short minutes. There are multiple promenades that are beautifully manicured with tiled walkways and lined with palm trees.

The promenade near the beach is perfect for people watching while sipping on a café con leche or a caña (a third of a beer in what looks like a stemless champagne flute!).

Santa Bárbara Castle

The old town flat where we stayed had a view of the Santa Barbara castle perched up on the mountainside. There is an elevator carved into the mountain for those who’d like to visit the castle, but you can also get there on foot. A neighborhood full of narrow little walking streets near the base of the mountain is where you can gain entry into the terraced park that is built around the castle.

The castle is illuminated at night and it’s extremely easy to orient yourself around the city by using it as a landmark.

Ben + Michelle visit Alicante Spain - view of the castle — apartment balcony view

Ben + Michelle Traveling to Alicante Spain in March — apartment balcony view

Old Town, Alicante

The old town features many walking paths that lead you through endless restaurants, bars, shops & entertainment. The main promenade borders the beach and a lovely marina with lots of places to sit & enjoy the weather and the views.

Food in Alicante

If you are a budget conscious traveller – lunch is your meal to indulge in. Lots of restaurants in Spain offer a Menu del Dia – which is a fixed price menu that offers three courses. Dining al fresco is the norm here even during shoulder season! Tapas are plentiful, pastry is no joke and wine is cheap & delicious. Make sure to try a Vermut cocktail!

Public Transit, Day Trips & Weather

The public transit here was really great as well. It was a little over 2 hours from Madrid airport by train (we took the Ouigo train – easy peasy). Once you are in Alicante the bus system is easy & will bring you all over the city. There’s also a tram which we used and was very clean and affordable. We took it for a day trip to Villajoyosa and Benidorm.

We are generally shoulder season travelers – you may sacrifice a bit of the best weather, but the reward is less crowds & more availability. That’s certainly the case in March in Alicante. The weather was cool (65 degrees (F) on most days), there was rain & grey skies for perhaps half the time we were there, but overall, a nice time to visit. You’ll be eating most restaurant meals outside, so make sure to bring a jacket.

The Mushroom Street in Alicante, Spain

Another fun area is the ‘mushroom street’ aka ‘Calle de Las Setas’ which is a walking street filled with restaurants and a collection of 8 foot tall mushroom face statues that are reminiscent of Alice in wonderland style art. A lot of people will head here and take photos and admire their quirkiness. Kids are running around playing in some of the hollow ones are the ground.

This street is also lined with boutiques for the shoppers out there. If you follow it to end end it’ll lead you to a promenade in the middle of the city on Av. del Dr. Gadea that’s great for walkers and joggers and leads you to the cities second castle the Castillo de San Fernando