Overall

Alicante is like no other. I was priviledged to call it home for about five months. I was able to live in the home of one of the Alicantinos and make some local friends. The people in general are friendly, the food is delicious (and affordable), and the city has a wonderful nightlife. Everything is about convenience. Alicante offers the city life that includes everything you need, but it is small enough to make it easy to get from one place to another. It has a good transportation system although one can easily walk from one place to the next. The city offers great shopping from local privately owned stores to trendy mainstream stores such as Zara and Mango. It also has two malls both within an easy bus ride away. Perhaps the most attractive part of Alicante, however, is that while it is affordable, it is also fun. It is slowly growing as a tourist area but it is not overcrowded with travelers. One may easily take a stroll down to the port and then on to Postiguet Beach. The beach is clean and facilitated with lounges, umbrellas, and drink vendors. Restaurants line the lovely Explanada running along the port. The nightlife in Alicante is excellent. It is perhaps one of the best in terms of affordability and convenience. What the locals call the "barrio" consists of approximately 200 bars in a square kilometer. There is no need to drive or stray far to enjoy a variety of bars and clubs. The bars are lively and are full of young people out to have a good time. Bars for the older crowd are also available where one can relax and have a drink with friends. The bars usually close at about 3 in the morning at which time the crowds head toward the port where one can find a wide variety of clubs featuring different types of music and people. The crowds don't usually head in for the night (or rather morning) until the sun rises. But don't be fooled. Alicante also has its share of culture. One may visit the castle on top of the hill or the nearby Roman ruins. A number of museums are also available. One, the Marq, was voted one of the best new museums in Europe in 2004. The end of June is when Alicante enjoys one of its most festive holidays, Las Hogueras, in which local artists build floats which are later set on fire in the waters of the port.

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6 June 2005 | A Yahoo! User

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