Alicante parks - relax under the palm trees

Looking for a shade in a dry landscape

Most of tourist that come to Alicante go straight to the beach. No wonder! Long sandy beaches around Alicante are the best places to enjoy the sunshine and the Mediterranean.

However, if sometimes you want to escape from the hot sand in the midday, you can find your shade in numerous Alicante parks. Despite its warm climate and a dry landscape, there are large green areas in the city. They are favourite places for local people to gather, play with their children, walk with their dogs or simply read newspapers or enjoy the conversation. You will notice such an atmosphere while walking along our fantastic Explanada de España promenade. It is situated close to the Alicante harbor, having several rows of palm trees separating its pathways and forming a good shade. In the continuation of Explanada, you will find Canalejas Park - the oldest one in the city. At its entrances, you will see two pairs of interesting sculptures guarding the park. One is of dogs and another of lions. Inside this old park you can find several pretty sculptures and fountains and relax in the shade of giant old trees. However, you can have the greatest fun in Canalejas Park at the end of February. A lot of young people gather to celebrate the end of the Carnival and make a colorful party during the night.

At the southern exit of Alicante, you can find El Palmeral. This amazing park is situated between Alicante harbor and Urbanova beach; usually reached by car (well, I go there by bike). It has hundreds of palm trees and other exotic plants, impressive waterfalls, boating ponds and wooden bridges. El Palmeral is a favorite picnic area where a lot of families enjoy a delightful atmosphere and numerous playground facilities for children. During the summer, there are regular family events like marionettes performances, presented in its auditorium.

Other sightseeing highlights are Alicante castles, which you simply can not avoid. These fabulous cultural monuments are the Castle of Saint Barbara (Santa Barbara) and the Castle of San Fernando. Both of them are surrounded by wonderful parks, which stand in a harmonic relation with the surrounding nature. Climbing up the Castle of Santa Barbara, you will pass a a picturesque suburb Barrio de Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) and enter a beautiful Ereta Park. The park gradually climbs up to the fort, offering you stunning views over the city and its harbor. Here you can make a lot of great photos for your collection!

Have a good time and enjoy your holidays in Alicante।