Top Free Activities in Alicante

Top free activities in Alicante, Spain

If you happen to have read my previous article about Alicante, you should know that I was expecting much more from the city. However, I would be lying if I said there weren’t any happy moments. Knowing some secret spots you would definitely have a great time. I have good news for you! Best things to do in Alicante are free of charge. Here is the list of top free activities in Alicante I enjoyed the most:

Free activities in Alicante. Nr 1 – Visiting Santa Barbara Castle

Santa Barbara castle, without a doubt, is a major landmark of Alicante. It dominates the skyline and can be seen from almost any open area or rooftop in the city.

alicante castle

The admission is free, and the summit can be reached by taking a trek up one of the alternative paths, with El Erata Park being by far the most picturesque one. Keep in mind, however, that the walk up is quite long and it can be sweltering during the summer, so take plenty of water with you. Alternatively, you might opt for an elevator ride, located on the opposite side of the beachfront.

Santa barbara castle view

Although technically not free, it is quite cheap, fast and very convenient. If you choose to climb, on the top there is a bar, where you can have a well-deserved cold drink. The sights of the city and the Mediterranean Sea from the Santa Barbara castle are breath-taking. It’s a fantastic experience to sit on castle walls and enjoy the scenery, stretching for miles around.

views santa barbara castle
Castle has a few historical information signs around, but not too many. It also houses interesting little exhibitions, related to the history of Alicante. Personally, I most enjoyed the collection of old black-and-white photos.

Free activities in Alicante. Nr 2 – Racing in Volvo ocean race museum

Among things to do in Alicante, visiting Volvo ocean race museum is one of the best. The place is hidden from tourist crowds in the depth of the Alicante Harbour, behind the Meliá hotel and the casino. It is absolutely free.
Volvo Ocean Race Museum is an exceptional place, dedicated to the most robust and longest regatta race. World unique, this museum offers a great space to learn more about marine world, conquering the ocean, and the great seafaring heroes. What I love most about Volvo ocean race museum is how informative and interactive it is.

Alicante volvo ocean race museum

There are stands to read engaging trivia, screens to watch videos, interactive marine equipment replicas, a life-sized regatta yacht cabin, and even a virtual racing boat simulator for two to four people (I didn’t do that well though :)). Toward the end of the visit, I watched a short movie on marine life in the small theatre room. I’ve learned a lot and felt inspired by stories of the modern sailors. Overall, the museum conveys the atmosphere of the race very well.

Boat race simulator
I came along for 10-15 minutes but spent more than an hour there. Having no real interest in sailing, I was amazed how enjoyable the visit was.
People working in the museum are amiable and helpful. A great example of a modern museum!

Free activities in Alicante. Nr 3 – Enjoying beach time

One of the best free activities in Alicante is having fun on the beach. There are two main beaches in Alicante – Postiguet and San Juan. Both are very lovely – clean and well looked after. Postiguet has an ideal location –  right in the city center and is very easily reachable by foot. The shore shelves gently so you can walk out into the sea without the fear to end up in deep water.

Alicante beach. Playa del Postiguet

Even though I came at the end of September, the weather was great most of the time; water temperature was perfect as well. It was great to relax and take some sunbaths on the hot sand. Will miss that.

Free activities in Alicante. Nr 4 – Admiring night views in Castillo de San Fernando

Fortunately or not, you won’t be able to find Castillo de San Fernando in most of the city guides. Abandoned, forgotten by both locals and tourists, it is nevertheless one of the most prominent spots in Alicante. I should admit that upon first look the castle doesn’t look so inviting. However, from there you can see a whole different image of the city.

Alicante San Fernando

The views from the top of the castle are stunning, especially at night. Castillo de San Fernando provides an excellent panorama of the town and the famous Santa Barbara castle. I loved the feeling of being surrounded by nature, listening to night songs and enjoying the views of a sleeping city.

Free activities in Alicante. Nr 5  – Challenging my mind in Modern Art Museum (MACA)

I came across this museum, located in the middle of the old quarter of Alicante, by accident. Museum looks vast from the outside, and strangely calming from inside. The staff is welcoming, and will gladly provide some information about permanent and temporarily exhibitions. On the four floors of the building, you can find a collection of Spanish Contemporary Art. There are some nice pieces, however overall my visit was slightly underwhelming.

As it turns out, the museum is advertised as the place to admire works of Picasso, Bacon, Miro, and Dali. But to be fair – you should not expect to see any world-class masterpieces. The only work of Picasso I managed to find was an unknown sketch; moreover, wasn’t able to find a single Dali painting either. Even so, I still recommend visiting the museum for some of the lesser known artists and challenge your mind a bit before spending the rest of the holidays on the beach.
Have a great time and enjoy free activities in Alicante!

 

 

 

Comments

21 responses to “Top free activities in Alicante, Spain”

  1. Michelle C Avatar

    Looks like a lovely place, and it’s always good to know about free and cheap things to do!

  2. dennisallacross Avatar

    Thanks for this post (and the other one on Alicante, too)! Seems that there are things to do for a good two days, however, I would rather orientate towards Malaga, Granada and Seville for my next trip to Spain, I think. Have you also visited those places yet?

    1. Aleksandra Avatar
      Aleksandra

      Hi Denis, I would recomment visit valencia if you are on the way. No, not yet. Seville is next! 🙂

  3. Marvi Avatar

    Admiring the night views and beach time are some of the things I know I’d like to do in Alicante! The views are amazing! Love your photos btw 🙂

  4. Ania Travels Avatar

    I lived in Sevilla for a few months and I miss it so much, but Sevilla didn’t have a beach. So I’ll take free beach activities anyway!!! Beautiful photos!

  5. Daniela Avatar
    Daniela

    Hm, Sevilla has never been on my bucket list, but I might reconsider this. Anyway absolutely worth visiting from what I see!

  6. neha Avatar

    Alicante is so beautiful. I would definitely try out these free activities if I were heading here. It’s always wonderful to be able to do free things in the European countries and enjoy your vacation without burning a hole in your pocket 🙂

  7. Wiola Avatar

    Great post, although Alicante wasn’t maybe the most attractive place on the planet, I am glad you Shared the happy moments and locations in this article. Haven’t been to Alicante yet but we have many cheap flights there from my hometown so who knows. I might visit soon:)

  8. Melanie Avatar

    I love knowing secret spots, especially free ones!! This is wonderful! Thanks for sharing! That beach looks gorgeous.

  9. Jas Avatar

    The view from Santa Barbara Castle is simply spectacular! And I’m sure a cold beer would be well-deserved after the climb up. The beach looks amazing as well. I could definitely spend a whole afternoon here. Thanks for such fantastic suggestions!!!

  10. Teresa Avatar

    I love Alicante! My favourite part is the Santa Barbara neighbourhood. So quaint, and with incredible views over the city. Love the castle too 🙂

  11. Constance Avatar

    Looks like a great place with a good number of free things to do! This city wasn’t on my radar before but now it is, thank you for sharing.

  12. Krupa Avatar

    Never heard this place before in Spain, but i see it has some interesting places to see. very well written. I wish to go here someday.

  13. Taiss (Together To Wherever) Avatar

    These are all so great and what makes them better is that they are free! I love places that don’t charge for you to go see castles like these! The views are fantastic and I would love to purchase a cold drink at the top as a reward for myself! The museums see very informational and fun!

  14. Christina Avatar

    I like when hikes are really close to a city. It lets you experience outdoors while still enjoying the city. The elevator is a nice second option especially for a hot day. The regatta museum would be very interesting and I am surprised that you went in for a quick few minutes and ended up in there an hour. Must have been very engaging. The top two free activities anywhere are the views from a tall building and the beach.

  15. Gilian Avatar

    Ohhh. The castles look so historic. =) I love castles. I’m amazed at how incredibly they were built. The beach looks so nice with the blue skies. Most of all, they are free! Yey!

  16. Jo Jo Avatar

    I love free! And these are all great recommendations. Also love the pictures! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  17. Jo Jo Avatar

    I love free! And these are all great recommendations. I love the pictures as well. Thanks for sharing 🙂

  18. Sandy N Vyjay Avatar

    So many interesting activities in Alicante and that too for free. I would love to visit the Santa Barbara castle, it looks intriguing and the views seem to be spectacular too. The Volvo Ocean race museum too sounds very interesting and something that I would love to do.

  19. Cassandra @ Uncommonly Well Avatar

    Free activity travel posts are the BEST! As a budget traveler myself, thanks for these great tips!

  20. Melissa Campbell Avatar

    I love budget friendly travel posts in beautiful places! Great information and images!

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