Our last day in Alicante had come around all too quickly and it was our final opportunity to enjoy some warm, winter sunshine. We enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and then gathered our belongings together so that we could check out of the hotel. Packing was slightly more complicated than usual as we had bought two new small suitcases meeting Ryanair’s baggage size requirements exactly but we also had our soft holdalls with us that we’d set off from home with. It was a bit like a jigsaw puzzle, but somehow we just managed to squeeze everything into the new cases with the additional briefcase and handbag left unzipped and full to overflowing!
Our stay at the Tryp Ciudad hotel had exceeded our expectations in all respects. The location had been perfect, situated one road behind the busy promenade, in a quiet yet central position. Our medium sized room had been recently refurbished and came with a spacious bathroom with rain shower and toiletries. Minor suggestions would be to provide in-room tea making facilities and to affix a mirror in the bedroom as our only one was in the en-suite bathroom, causing delays as I had to wait to be able to comb my hair and apply make-up. Our continental breakfasts had been good with freshly baked croissants, crusty bread, Spanish omelettes, cured ham and cheese. There was also a small selection of hot dishes comprising scrambled eggs, sausages and bacon but we didn’t sample these. The hotel staff were unobtrusive and efficient and everything seemed to work well.
After checking out of our room we had ample time to visit Alicante’s central market hall about a 15 minute walk from the hotel. The market was completed in 1912 on top of the 18th century walls that surrounded Alicante. The building takes its appearance from a Basilica with its semi spherical cupola known as the La Rotonda. The market hall’s main facade is dominated by a huge stairway featuring two protruding figures.
Starting on the upper floor we found dozens of stalls selling meat and general household items. Going down the escalator to the lower floor we explored the fish, fruit and vegetable departments. This basement area is much smaller than the upper floor due to the building being built into a hillside.
Before returning to the airport we enjoyed one last walk along the palm tree lined Esplanada d’Espana which runs parallel to the sea. The esplanade has a beautiful floor composed of 6,600,000 marble tiles which form a wave effect design.
Buses to Alicante airport depart from Plaza Puerta dal Mar every 20 minutes and an adult ticket costs €3.85 (£3.20) which can be purchased either by card or cash from the driver. Please note that the bus follows a circular route so passengers should get on at the same stop as when they arrived and not on the opposite side of the road. We only had to wait a short time for a bus to appear and as we were taking the service from the first stop there was ample room to stow our luggage in the racks provided
The journey to the airport took approximately 30 minutes being 9 km (5.6 miles) south west of Alicante. After quickly passing through security we then had plenty of time for a coffee in one of the airside cafes. The light and airy terminal building was completed in 2011 to meet increased demand. Being wintertime there were few passengers around and we had our choice of places to sit. Our Ryanair flight back to the U.K. departed on time and after a smooth flight taking 2 hours 50 minutes we touched down in Leeds-Bradford and instantly felt the icy chill as soon as the aircraft door was opened.
Alicante was a very pleasant destination for a short break and even visiting in mid winter we had enjoyed temperatures of over 20 degrees. I would definitely recommend adding Alicante to your ever growing list of places to visit – it’s both stylish and sophisticated and authentically Spanish unlike its larger neighbour!
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Love Travelling Blog 
This is so beautiful, thanks for sharing.
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Thank you, Alicante is a very attractive city.
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Love the Esplanada walk treatment. The whole place looks a great place to visit and explore. Thanks for sharing Marion. Allan
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Alicante is delightful Allan and we enjoyed a very pleasant few days there.
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Another interesting blog. I was taken up with the esplanade. They way they’ve illustrated that really plays around with your eyes. 🙂
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The wavy pavement on the esplanade is exquisite but perhaps not the place for a stroll for someone who has drunk too much! Thanks for your welcome thoughts Ian.
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Beautiful, and very informative! Thank you for sharing 🙂
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It’s my pleasure, thank you for your much appreciated thoughts.
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looks like a superb location! ive enjoyed your posts on Alicante
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Thanks Andy, I’ve enjoyed reading your comments. Alicante is definitely a superb place to visit. Hope you are having a good weekend.
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Lovely
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Thank you, I’m pleased you enjoyed this series of posts!
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I didn’t know that the airport is so close to the city centre. Traveling with a toddler that makes things so much more easier. Yet another reason to visit Alicante. Thanks for sharing and have a good day 😀 Aiva
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Alicante is such an easy city to access from the airport and I’m certain you would find it quite easy with your little one. It’s a lovely city and I hope you get a chance to visit when all this is over. Take care Aiva and have a good weekend. Marion
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The “Esplanada d’Espana Alicante” brings back some nice memories, what a striking feature that is. What did you think of the various market traders, trying to sell you fake mock up products….as soon as there was sign of Police they would pack up and dash.
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Alicante’s esplanade is indeed beautiful and because we were there out of season there were none of those pesky traders around but we have of course come across them elsewhere in Spain and Southern Europe. Thank you for commenting, it’s much appreciated. Hope you have a good weekend!
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I love exploring the markets in Europe. And I did not know Leeds-Bradford had an airport. I thought Manchester was it for that area. Handy to know. We stayed 10 nights in Bradford on our last UK trip. A family history dig.
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We mostly use Manchester Airport but Leeds-Bradford is actually more convenient for us but has fewer options. Ivas interesting to read that you spent 10 nights in Bradford as it’s not what you might call a tourist hotspot but seemed worthwhile for you to research your family tree. Did you get a chance to visit Harrogate and Ilkley whilst based there as they are both beautiful towns? Another lovely morning here thank goodness.
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I wondered if the Bradford visit might pique your interest 🙂 Is that actually home base for you? We stayed at the Mercure Bradford Bankfield Hotel while I tried to “walk in my ancestor’s shoes”. Thornton, Allerton, Undercliffe Cemetery, Southfield Square, Crossley School for Orphans (now the Crossley Heath Grammar School) and lots of other places, such as Haworth. Not Harrogate and Ilkely, but I used to work in Grasmere, so am somewhat familiar with those northern towns.
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I actually live in Ilkley which is about as different to Bradford as it could possibly be if you know what I mean! I realise that I’m biased but it’s a delightful small town in Wharfedale with lovely shops and cafes with a backdrop of the moor. Do let me know when you are visiting England again and then we can try and meet up, that would be so nice. We’ve even got a Betty’s cafe! Despite Bradford only being a 30 minute train ride from home I never go there but much prefer Skipton, Harrogate, Knsresborough, etc. Marion
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Oh well, You’re on then! We always visit our friends in Burton-in-Lonsdale, so it will only be a hop, skip, jump to you in Ilkely – in Aussie distances.
Did you ever see my blog posts from my time working at Michael’s Nook in Grasmere? They got a number of comments from former inmates – whoops! – I meant workmates!
And I also have roots in Cartmell Fells, and Grange-over-Sands, which explains why I felt so at home when working up that way.
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I’ll start reading some of your older blog posts later and catch up on your UK trips. Thank you, the Lake District is lovely too.
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On my days off, I often drove to Leicester, so of course, the places you mention were landmarks on my route.
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It’s strange but I’ve never made it to Leicester yet, though I’m often whizzing by on the M1, somewhere else to add to my list!
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It was mostly to visit relatives. Although I did go with one of them to do a brass rubbing under the altar of a church. Northampton as I remember.
I’ve been blogging for six+ years. Getting better at it now 🙂 But let me know if I can point you to anything of interest.
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Will do, thank you. I started blogging in August 2015 so almost five years for me. My five visits to Australia were pre-blogging days so I’m overdue a return visit down under!
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Beautiful….
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Thank you, it was a lovely few days and hopefully it won’t be too long until we are all back travelling once again.
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Hope so
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The waves of the esplanada remind me of Copacabana
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That’s somewhere that I’d also like to visit one day! Thanks for taking an interest in my blog and for your welcome thoughts.
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