I saw this post on Spanish BuzzFeed about Alicante and when I saw the photos, I realised that the title was merely sarcastic. If you can read Spanish then you will understand the irony otherwise just enjoy the gorgeous photos showing the Alicante province.
Click on the link further below to go to the post.
(Sorry, wonderful couple from Newcastle/London, you know who you are... I know you are going to be angry with me for posting photos like this hahaha... and thank you for the Marmite. Please come and say 'Hi' again soon.).
https://www.buzzfeed.com/alfredomurillo/razones-para-no-visitar-alicante
I will say that I have been to almost all of these places and seen these sights with my own eyes and they are as true as you see. In some respects, its even better in real life because you get the whole panoramic vision, feel the climate, taste the wonderful cuisine, experience the atmosphere, etc. But to bring you back down to earth, nothing is perfect for everyone. Maybe there are sounds or smells you don't like, maybe the people are not as you thought, maybe you can't get on in a culture with another language, maybe... there are a whole lot of maybe's.
Alicante isn't for everyone and I understand that as I have my own moans about the city too. So for now lets just enjoy these sights of the city and the province but keep posted if you want to find out the good, the bad and the ugly sides of life in Alicante city.
Happy May!
Friday 29 April 2016
Sunday 10 April 2016
Partying by the water
One of my favourite places to go, especially in the summer, is the Isla Marina. It's a bar/nightclub situated in a stunning location where on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the summer you can take a dip in their pool listening to some cool beats in the background or on a Saturday night enjoy an evening in the open air with a pumping DJ session. Its on the waters edge where you can appreciate views similar to this:
There's a good atmosphere in the afternoon.
Just recently they held a little food truck festival with various vehicles set up in the open air space where during the day or evening you could go along and try some tasty, original tapas. There were also some monologues, craft workshops and, of course, DJ sets.
If you are coming to Alicante in summer its well worth a visit.
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| View from La Cantera |
There's a good atmosphere in the afternoon.
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| Inside the Isla Marina |
Just recently they held a little food truck festival with various vehicles set up in the open air space where during the day or evening you could go along and try some tasty, original tapas. There were also some monologues, craft workshops and, of course, DJ sets.
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| Food truck |
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| Food truck |
Friday 8 April 2016
When is a good time to visit Alicante?
I'm sure this is a question those of you planning a trip to visit Alicante or to come and study Spanish ask yourselves so I thought I'd give my opinion. However there may be different reasons for visiting so I'll give you different aspects to consider.
Beach holiday
If you want to stay in Alicante or San Juan Playa when its warm/hot and laze on the beach all day and go to restaurants in the evening then its best to come from June to September. It may even be hot in May or in October but its not so reliable. If you are lucky enough to have a little secluded terrace that blocks out the wind then you can probably sit outside for a couple of hours in the afternoon even in the winter as its sunny most of the year. The sea is at its warmest in August and September if you like watersports. But if you can't handle a humid, hot atmosphere then its best to avoid mid July to end of August.
Hiking in the hills, cycling or walking visits
If you want to specifically go walking in the hills or go cycling then May and June or October and November are your best bet. The weather is not extremely hot as it can get especially in August. If you want to go to the Sierra del Maigmo, or the Sierra Helada for instance when on your summer holiday here then make sure you go early in the morning, planning your route well to be able to return back before the hottest part of the day. Its extremely important to take enough water and wear sun block.
Partying
The local fiestas are at the end of June with the main event of Hogueras running from 20-24th June. The city is in full party mode and you must be able to put up with crowds as the centre of the city is blocked off to traffic to allow the various activities during the day and night to take place safely for the hundreds of thousands of partygoers. Other than the Hogueras de San Juan, Alicante is a very sociable place to be and especially at weekends the bars and restaurants fill up with locals of all age ranges enjoying themselves. Alicante is very popular with Erasmus students as there is a very 'balanced' work/play ratio.
The year at a glance
The local and national holidays are governed by date not day of the week as it is in the UK so this list might be useful in case you want to catch a specific fiesta or activity:
January:
-1st New Years day, a national public holiday.
-6th day off for the celebration of the Kings, or Los Reyes Magos. A celebration like when Father Christmas visits in the UK. There are parades in the streets on the evening before.
-Not the best month to visit, cold with some good days.
Febuary:
-Carnival. It is celebrated on a Saturday but the date depends when Easter is.
-Not the best month to visit, usually cold.
March:
-19th is the day of San Jose (fathers day), a national public holiday.
-Easter could be this month or next month.
-Not the best month to visit, usually cold and could rain.
April:
-Easter could be this month or next month
-Santa Faz. This falls on the second Thursday after Maundy Thursday (the Thursday just before Easter). It's a local holiday for the Alicantinos.
-Not the best month to visit, usually cold and could rain a lot
May:
-1st is labour day, a national public holiday.
-The weather gets warmer and a little more reliable.
June:
-24th is the day of San Juan, and is the day when the local fiestas oficially end.
-Towards the end of the month it gets very hot. It's good weather in general and is hot for those who are not used to living in a warm climate.
July:
-Usually hot all day every day. Queueing up to buy an icecream at midnight will make you kiss your diet goodbye.
August:
-15th is a national holiday but is not a widely celebrated religious festival. It's used as a strategic day off mid-summer.
-August is hot, hot, hot. If you can't handle too much heat, avoid visiting this month. Beaches are busy and Alicante city itself is empty as locals go to their beach apartments.
September:
-Things get back to normal even though it is still very hot. If you want to avoid crowds its a good month to come although a torrential storm could happen any moment.
October:
-9th is the holiday of the Valencian Community
-12th is the Hispanic Day or National day and is a public holiday. It commemorates when Christopher Columbus set foot in the Americas in 1492.
-The weather this month is usually nice, not too hot and certainly not cold.
November:
-1st is All Saints Day. It's a day reserved for the whole family to visit their deceased loved-ones in the cemeteries.
-The weather is chilly in the evenings but the days are lovely when its sunny. It's usually not hot but not cold at lunch time.
December:
-6th is Constitution Day and is a national public holiday.
-9th is the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. A Catholic religious festival and national holiday.
-By this month the weather is generally cold but if you don't mind the temperature (around 9-15oC), the beautiful blue skies of Alicante will brighten your day.
I hope this has helped you think of when you might like to visit, or not.
The pilgrimage to Santa Faz
Today was the annual pilgrimage to Santa Faz, a small village within Alicante city. It always takes place on the second Thursday after Maundy Thursday, the Thursday of saints week, and is said to participate some 260,000 people.
According to legend, the Clarisas nuns at the monastery keep guard of a religious relic that is supposed to be a part of the cloth that Veronica used to wipe the face of Jesus when he was on his way to the crucifixion site of Jerusalem. The sacred cloth is taken out of the monastery once a year to preside over a mass that takes place outside the temple, in the square at Santa Faz.
The pilgrims start at 8am at the CoCathedral of San Nicholás in the centre of Alicante and walk the roughly 8km to the Santa Faz monastery along the roads which are closed off to traffic for the event, accompanying the religious procession. In the town hall square people can pick up (if they get up early enough) one of the 15,000 canes which they attach a sprig of rosemary to the top. Also traditional is wearing a tunic and neck scarf. Once at Santa Faz a Mass takes place, then people who want to see the relic queue to get inside the monastery.
After visiting the church, people hang around to have a bite to eat at one of the many stalls that are set up for the day or to browse the small market of artisan products from the area. Some really prepared families bring a picnic and find a spot around the grassy areas of Santa Faz and make a day of it as it is an official holiday in Alicante.
Also, if you like walking part of it but not the religious part of it, you can fill up your trolley with food and drinks (usually the alcoholic type, as the Alicantinos like to party), join the pilgrimage to the end of the Avenida de Denia and then take a right towards San Juan beach. When the weather happens to be good on the day of Santa Faz, there can be up to 15,000 people on this part of the beach, it's been estimated, usually the younger generation though.
Have you ever been on a pilgrimage?
According to legend, the Clarisas nuns at the monastery keep guard of a religious relic that is supposed to be a part of the cloth that Veronica used to wipe the face of Jesus when he was on his way to the crucifixion site of Jerusalem. The sacred cloth is taken out of the monastery once a year to preside over a mass that takes place outside the temple, in the square at Santa Faz.
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| Pilgrims on the route to Santa Faz - image courtesy of El Mundo |
The pilgrims start at 8am at the CoCathedral of San Nicholás in the centre of Alicante and walk the roughly 8km to the Santa Faz monastery along the roads which are closed off to traffic for the event, accompanying the religious procession. In the town hall square people can pick up (if they get up early enough) one of the 15,000 canes which they attach a sprig of rosemary to the top. Also traditional is wearing a tunic and neck scarf. Once at Santa Faz a Mass takes place, then people who want to see the relic queue to get inside the monastery.
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| The Mass at Santa Faz - image courtesy of Diario Informacion |
After visiting the church, people hang around to have a bite to eat at one of the many stalls that are set up for the day or to browse the small market of artisan products from the area. Some really prepared families bring a picnic and find a spot around the grassy areas of Santa Faz and make a day of it as it is an official holiday in Alicante.
Alternative ideas
If you don't fancy/can't walk the 8km there is a special bus service that leaves and comes back to central Alicante every 5 minutes.Also, if you like walking part of it but not the religious part of it, you can fill up your trolley with food and drinks (usually the alcoholic type, as the Alicantinos like to party), join the pilgrimage to the end of the Avenida de Denia and then take a right towards San Juan beach. When the weather happens to be good on the day of Santa Faz, there can be up to 15,000 people on this part of the beach, it's been estimated, usually the younger generation though.
Have you ever been on a pilgrimage?
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