The 8 Best Day Trips From Alicante (2024 Guide)

Last Updated on April 18, 2024 by snaphappytravel

Alicante is one of the most beautiful places in Spain to visit in my opinion. Hold onto your seat, guys, because there are over 8 exciting options for a day trip from Alicante.

Using Alicante as your base, there are many exciting cities for you to explore including Cartagena, Murcia & Benidorm. You may also choose to spend a day at Terra Mitica theme park. Or if you need some retail therapy – Zenia Boulevard, the largest shopping centre in the province of Alicante.

The Best Day Trips from Alicante

I have been to Alicante, oh, about 25 times now. Why so many times? You may ask. Well, my parents own a house here and have owned it for the past 20 years. So, Alicante has been our go-to holiday destination as a family. I’ve already written a detailed guide on things to do in Alicante in a day, so be sure to check that out. In this piece, I will give you insider information on the best (& most unique) day trips to take from Alicante.

Anyway, without further ado, here are my top suggestions for a day trip from Alicante.

1. Altea

Altea is undoubtedly one of the prettiest towns on the Costa Blanca. Being just an 11 km drive from the tourist hub of Benidorm only adds to its popularity. FYI – from Alicante, it’s a 52 km drive. In Summer, this medieval town can be thronged with visitors – so, if you do visit in the Summer, aim to get here early in the morning or late in the afternoon to beat the crowds.

It’s one of our must-do activities if you have 3 days to spend in Alicante.

Altea is know for its cobbled streets, its storybook old town and the long palm tree-lined promenade that faces the sea. Across the road from this promenade is Playa de Altea with its stony shore and turquoise water. The walk up to the old town is well worth it for stunning views of the whole La Marina region. I highly recommend spending the night in Altea if time allows.

You can book this tour to Altea and a Chocolate Factory,. It visits two of the most charming villages in the region -Altea and La Vila Joiosa. And, of course, the experience is topped off with a visit to a local chocolate factory! The tour includes pick up from your Alicante hotel and is 5 hours in duration. This very popular tour costs €75, which I reckon is very good value for money, considering all you’ll see! It’s worth noting, though, that this particular tour only offers a 9:30 am departure.

Top Tip: If you plan on renting a car for your time in Alicante then you can easily drive to either of the above destinations without a tour. We tend to always book our rental car through Discover Cars when we’re traveling. It is a search engine for rental cars and allows you to filter by price if you’re on a budget or by vehicle type if there’s a specific car you’re after.

2. Cartagena

Cartagena is a port city with a large naval influence. It’s located approximately a 90-minute drive from Alicante. It is within the province of Murcia and has recently become a major cruise ship destination. Cartagena is a very easy city to navigate. Everything is within walking distance. And even at the height of the summer school holidays, we found its streets to be relatively crowd-free. There are lots of activities in Cartagena that keep you busy for a couple of hours! Below, I’ve listed my favorites.

Here’s a list of the best hotels in Cartagena!

The best things to do in Cartagena

Roman Theatre

Built between 5 and 1 BC the Roman Theatre in Cartagena was actually only uncovered in 1988 by local construction workers. Just recently, in 2008, they opened the museum. Now, tourists can pay for an audio guide and stroll around the ruins.

Step back in time and get a history lesson on your audio guide whilst you walk around this interesting Roman structure. The Roman Theatre us smack-bang in the middle of Cartagena city. There is excellent air-conditioning inside the museum. However, outside amongst the ruins, it can get very hot.

Entrance is priced at €6. Which I think is excellent value. You can book this ticket which gives you access to 4 of Cartagena’s top sights, including the Roman Theatre.

Palacio Consistorial

Certainly one of the most beautiful buildings in Cartagena. The Palacio Consistorial is influenced by French design. Built between 1900 – 1907, it is located within the main town hall square. The interior is more modern than the early 20th-century styled exterior. You can get an English guide upon entry to give you a tour of the interior. A short walk around the interior will give an interesting insight into the history of the Palacio. As well as its current-day use.

Spanish Civil War Museum

The Spanish Civil War started in 1936 when a sector of the army attempted a military coup. The city of Cartagena remained loyal to the Spanish government. And so the city quickly became a Republican stronghold.

Cartagena was targeted frequently during the civil war. In fact, it was targeted so many times it eventually forced the people of Cartagena underground for shelter. The Spanish Civil War Museum located on Calle Gilbert was one of the largest shelters in Cartagena and once held 5,500 residents. The Spanish Civil War Museum gives a harrowing insight into life for these residents during the Civil War.

The Civil War Refuge & Museum can be accessed via a Panoramic lift on Calle Gisbert. The entrance fee is just €3.50.

3. Murcia

Murcia is a university city that is approximately an hour and 20 minutes drive from Alicante. The city also has a large international airport that services a lot of popular European cities. So, it’s a popular starting point for many holidaymakers in Spain.

Murcia is a very mountainous region with an exceptional 330 days of sunshine a year. Thus making it a fantastic option for a day trip from Alicante. Murcia and its surrounding areas is nicknamed the Costa Calida or “warm coast”. The region has over 330 km of coastline. Making it an ideal base for some beach exploring. Here are my favorite things to do in Murcia.

I hugely recommend spending the night in Murcia, there are lots of great accommodation options here.

P.S. It is worth remembering that Murcia closes many of its shops during the siesta period (between 2 pm – 5 pm)

The best things to do in Murcia

Cathedral de Santa Maria, Murcia

The beautifully artistic and baroque-style Cathedral de Santa Maria in the center of Murcia City is truly a sight to behold. Its interior is gothic in style and is in contrast to the exterior. The attached bell tower stands 90 meters tall and is the tallest of its kind in all of Spain. Skip the line by purchasing this ticket to the Cathedral.

Real Casino de Murcia

Hidden away on Traperia Street, the Real Casino de Murcia is an eclectic but grand building. And its well worth a visit on your day trip from Alicante. In fact, it was one of our favorite buildings to explore in the Alicante region. Many of the casino’s walls are covered with the most beautiful mosaics, and the whole building has a very Moorish vibe. Spend over an hour here exploring the many beautiful rooms. One of my favorites is the ballroom, which has a spectacular chandelier gifted by the last king of Mexico.

Your €5 entrance fee includes a very educational audio guide.

This private walking tour visits the Casino as well as many other top sights in Murcia such as the Murcia Cathedral. It’s 3 hours long, and as you walk through this gorgeous city, your local guide will provide commentary on the history and culture of Murcia. It costs from €225 per group of up to 15 people – which works out really reasonable if you’re traveling in a group!

Santa Clara Monastery & Museum

A hidden oasis within the city. The Santa Clara Monastery doesn’t look like a whole lot from the outside. But, I promise that the inside is worth taking the time to step into. Steeped in history it displays religious relics with both Arabic and Christian influences. It Also has a fabulous patio with a gorgeous turquoise pool – visitors can’t access the pool. However, you can admire the pool and take photos through the glass.

Entrance is free. Also worth noting is that there are not a lot of English descriptions for the relics and other items displayed within the Santa Clara Monastery. Almost everything is in Spanish, so you may need to use google translate.

4. Terra Mitica Theme Park

Opened in 2000, Terra Mitica is an exhilarating and fun day out for the whole family. Located only 30 minutes from Alicante. The park is divided into 5 sections – Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia, and the Mediterranean islands. Each area is influenced by its origins. There are 25 rides in Terra Mitica, all ranging from exhilarating to kid-friendly. You can book your ticket here. Prices start from €15 per person.

It is open every day in June, July and August and for the first two weeks in September. It has varied opening hours for the quieter months of May & October.

You can stay at Terra Mitica Theme Park – the Grand Luxor Hotel is located on-site and is highly recommended!

5. Benidorm

I’m sure you’ve heard of Benidorm – notorious for cheap package holidays and boozy tourists. Many tourists flying into Alicante airport will be heading straight for this popular resort. There are two sides to Benidorm. The nice side is the old town set on the hill between Benidorm’s two beaches (Levante & Poniente). The old town has cobbled streets with lots of character and lots of lovely albeit smaller restaurants. Make sure to take a stroll to the lovely Iglesia de Saint Jaime with its white-washed walls.

The new town set along Levante Beach is all high-rise apartment blocks, expat bars serving British-style fish & chips, and lots and lots of karaoke bars. Benidorm is notorious for hen & stag parties, you will likely see lots of people in scantily-clad fancy dress. But it’s a fun experience. The new town sure is full of cliches. As you can imagine, there are loads of places to stay in Benidorm (over 2000); there’s so much to do in Benidorm that it’s definitely worth spending a night or two.

For kids(or big kids) there’s loads to do like Mundomar Animal Park where you can watch a dolphin a sea lion show; Aqua Natura Water Park is honestly so much fun and ideal for those hot Summer days and Forestal Park where you can try ziplining.

At just under 40 minutes drive from Alicante, Benidorm is certainly worth a visit especially if you have 2 days in Alicante. If only to see a city of stark contrasts. Look beyond the cliched and give this popular area another chance.

6. Zenia Boulevard Shopping Centre

The biggest and best shopping centre in the Alicante region. Zenia Boulevard occupies over 161,000 square metres. Featuring 150 shops from Zara and Bershka to Pull & Bear and Decathlon. There is certainly a store for every style. Zenia Boulevard also has a wide variety of eating options from your typical fast-food food court to quirky tapas bars and coffee shops.

There are free events and sometimes entertainment every weekend on the center stage in the middle of the shopping center. This attracts locals from across the region. There is also an excellent kids’ play area on the second floor where the kids could easily spend an hour or two while Mom shops.

7. Vinalopo Wine Region

Just a 45-minute drive from Alicante is the Vinalopo region, which is famous for producing a sweet dessert wine known as Fondillon.  With a maturation of 10 years, this wine has a strong and unique flavor. Also grown here are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Tempranillo, and Garnacha varieties. Interestingly, this is one of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world!

On this guided wine tour, you will visit a vineyard and see how the wine is made, as well as taste some awesome wine. If you book the tour during harvest season (the months of September and October), you will get to pick the grapes from the vines and taste them. You will also be given the opportunity to explore the bodega (wine cellar). The tour also includes some snacks – cured meats, bread, and olive oil. It costs from €68 per person! Handily, you can choose from a 10 am or 2 pm departure time.

Why not read next: How to have the best 5 days in Lanzarote, Spain

8. Guadalest

Known as one of the most beautiful villages in the region, the small town of Guadalest is situated high up in the mountains. It looks down upon a glistening reservoir and is famous for its historic walls and the Castillo de Guadalest, which is perched precariously on a tall rock. It’s very photogenic.

Spend your day here wandering the narrow, cute streets of the medieval old town then stop into such spots as The Orduña House a stately home that’s now a museum and the Bethlehem and Dolls House Museum.

As for where to eat in Guadalest – you can’t go wrong with L’Hort, which is renowned for its views.

Guadalest is under an hour’s drive from Alicante.

How Long Should I Spend in Alicante?

I recommend allowing 3 – 5 days in the Alicante region, 2 full days exploring the city of Alicante, and the remaining days ticking off these best day trips from Alicante.

Where Can I Go From Alicante?

The best day trips you should take from Alicante include the charming village of Altea, the bustling tourist haven of Benidorm, and the lovely, safe city of Murcia. There is certainly something for everyone in the family to enjoy whether it’s an exhilarating day trip to Terra Mitica theme park. Or a cultured experience to the port city of Cartagena. A day trip from Alicante to one of the above destinations should certainly be on your 7 day Spain itinerary!

Where to stay in Alicante

We stayed at the cheap & cheerful Ibis Alicante, which is as I mentioned before is 6km from Alicante city. We chose the Ibis Hotel because it is very reasonably priced (approx. €30). Also, we had an early flight to catch to the airport the next morning and this hotel is on the route to the airport. The airport bus service stops just across the road.

If you book any of the hotels listed here through these links – I will get a tiny commission (to continue my travels) & you will get the best available rate!

We also highly recommend the following hotels in Alicante:

• Casa Alberola Alicante – A stylish, luxurious adults-only hotel located in the city center.
• My Flats Luxury Downtown – Luxurious self-catering apartment with a terrace.
• Suites del Mar by Melia – located right on the main beach in Alicante & with spectacular views. And a rooftop pool!
• Hotel Almirante – a large outdoor pool and epic beach views from most of their rooms. This hotel is located at San Juan Beach, a 10-minute drive from Alicante.
• Urban Hotel by MC – This is reasonably priced considering its location in the central district. The rooms are clean and minimally styled and there are loads of bars & restaurants nearby!

You can search all the best hotels in Alicante here via booking.com!

Thanks for reading!

Tell me – what did you think of my suggestions for the best day trips from Alicante? I would love to read if you have any further suggestions in the comment section below.

We have loads of other Europe content, including – 5 unique things to do in Cinque Terre Italy; Istanbul Travel Guide, and much more!

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