The Costa Blanca region in Spain has many cities, with Alicante being the biggest of them all, an aspect that has contributed immensely to its fame. As such, tourism trade thrives very well here. The city has a good transportation system and infrastructure with many options of travel to choose from including a busy airport, all of which are very reliable. Alicante is also well endowed with social amenities like bars and restaurants, hotels, white sandy beaches, castles, religious buildings palaces and so much more. A particular example of this organized blend of the various infrastructures is the regular connection between San Juan Beach and the central Alicante via an electric street car.
The Alicante’s beachfront plays a major role in a bigger share of the city life. The Explanada de Espana is a long promenade that edges the beachfront and it leads all the way to the main harbour area. Along it, there is so much that it has to offer for both the locals and visitors to the city, including wonderful coastal views. But for those traveling to the city, there are some important tips to have before your take off.
For tourists visiting Alicante city, there are enough information bureaus for your travel tips, where you will find information on the different attractions there are, events and bus timetables. But of particular importance is the Regional Alicante Tourist Office which is the main tourist information center. It is located along Rambla de Méndez Núnez 23.
The most widely used language in Alicante is Spanish, with Castilian Spanish being the official language and Basque, Galician and Catalan Spanish the other commonly used languages especially in the neighborhood. Other languages (French, English and German) are also used in many tourist attractions as well, including restaurants, hotels, and museums and so on.
Something to be appreciated about if you are a tourist is tipping, be it from your taxi driver, hotel staff, or the tour guides, they all accept these small tokens with a lot of happiness. But something to note is that public servants do not expect these tips. So, why not add a smile to the person who carries your luggage with a one Euro tip or more? It will surely make their day.
Alicante and the whole of Spain at large is mainly a Roman Catholic society although there are other major religions here, including the Muslims and the Protestants. But the church that stands out in Alicante is the Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari, otherwise known as Catedral de San Nicolás de Bari by the natives. The church is built with very beautiful Renaissance-style architecture.
Smoking in Alicante’s public areas is prohibited and comes with heavy penalties and fines. However, there are designated smoking areas for smokers.
The currency used in Alicante is the Euro and old currencies are no longer accepted, except for major banks. Also, all products and services are VAT inclusive, with tax refunds being unusual to come by.
A major threat to safety in Alicante are the bag snatchers and the pickpockets, so handle your money and luggage with care and try not to leave valuables in hotel rooms and parked cars. For emergency cases in Alicante, the numbers to call are:
- 091 for national police or 092 for local police.
- 080 or 085 for fire emergencies.
- 409 5530 for an ambulance.
Also, remember to first dial ’0′ then the Spanish city code in order to call from one city to another.