The Costa Blanca offers a variety of sites and possibilities to those who want to explore its cultural heritage and present glance. Everywhere you go you'll observe the unique and interesting mix of European and Arabic culture. History can be traced back to 100,000 BC in the province of Alicante, numerous prehistoric sites and cave paintings are available to be visited at El Pla de Petracos. Travelers are encouraged to visit the Museo de Arte de Siglo 20 located in the oldest building of Alicante where they can admire the paintings of Plabo Picasso and Joan Miro.
A major attraction is the Santa Barbara Castle one of the larges medieval fortresses in Europe that provides a panoramic view of the city Alicante. It has a series of tunnels and spy holes with an impressive tower. The castle offers everything tourists expect; cannons, underground prison, ruins of a small chapel and the view over the shore is mesmerizing. It is a unique opportunity to make some great photos. The castle can be reached by walking around the road that surrounds the castle or using the public elevators installed inside the mountain.
The Palmeral of Elche is the ideal place for those who need a few hours to relax in the middle of Europe's largest palm forest reservation. It is only an hour drive from our holiday homes in Grand Alacant and south from Orihuela Costa. More than 10.000 palm trees extend over an area of 3.5 square kilometers dating from the time the Muslim city of Elche. The most sensational place is the Imperial Palm; seven palm stems are taking the form of Candelabra. These beautiful gardens and parks are still watered by the irrigation system designed in the 10th century. The Palmeral of Elche is now World Heritage Site.
If you feel that you had enough sunshine, bath and fun on the beach you should think about some shopping in Costa Blanca. There are unlimited shopping options all around Costa Blanca; you can find street shops and occasional markets anywhere, selling traditional, handmade objects like leather goods, ceramics and different souvenirs all reasonably priced. In Benidorm and Alicante you will find a wide range of quality shops and department stores like the El Corte Ingles. There are a number of plazas and boulevards in Costa Blanca where you can walk around, do your shopping or relax with a cool drink. Willamartin Plaza is a frisky and animated blend of bars and restaurants, nightclubs and shopping boutiques about 40 minutes drive south of Alicante airport or 20 minutes north of Murcia close to the town of Almendricos. Here you can enjoy the night on open air, sitting under the palm trees, smelling the odor of the exotic flowers. Most of the bars and restaurants in Costa Blanca are open all around the year and all the major international newspapers of the day are available in every corner. Willamartin Plaza has an impressive number of fashion shops, beauty salons, sports shops, pharmacies, supermarkets and health centers making sure that everyone will find something exclusive on Costa Blanca.
