Alicante | cheriecity.co.uk

Top Places to Eat Out in Alicante, Spain

November 5, 2021 by cheriecity

It’s hard to pick a favourite thing about a holiday in Spain, but for me it has to be the food – whether it’s sizzling gambas at a tiny tapas bar, an enormous pan of paella to share or an indulgent torrija.

On our recent Jet2 Alicante holiday, we tried so many typical Spanish dishes (particularly from the Valencia region) and reignited our passion for croquetas, somehow ordering them at almost every place we visited!

This vibrant city on the beautiful Costa Blanca is a real foodie destination, where you can immerse yourself in Spain’s gastronomic culture and enjoy the time-honoured tradition of leisurely evening drinks and tapas.

Here are some top places to eat out when visiting Alicante…

La Taberna del Gourmet

La Taberna del Gourmet, a contemporary gastrobar and delicatessen just behind the promenade, boasts a Michelin Plate, awarded for excellent food at a reasonable price.

It’s a more casual offering from María José San Román (the chef-owner of one Michelin-starred restaurant Monastrell) and her daughter Geni Perramón where you can find all of the classics with a bit of flair.

For lunch, we enjoyed the most delicious Cod fritters, Jamon croquetas, Fried cheese with tomato jam, Artichoke heart with romesco sauce, San Fernando fried eggs with potatoes and Iberian ham and the biggest plate of Padron peppers.

It’s also worth saving room for the most heavenly traditional Torrija with mantecado ice cream, served quite amusingly in a big ceramic dairy cow!

Alma de Barra

Alma de Barra is a stylish, modern restaurant in a good spot in the city centre to enjoy traditional Spanish dishes with a contemporary twist. We sat outside and grazed on some hot, molten Jamon croquetas and fresh Queen scallops in their shells with garlic, parsley and olive oil.

We also took the opportunity to try a typical Valencian fideuà – a close cousin of paella made with short pasta noodles instead of rice. It was hearty and moreish with caramelised foie fillets and chunks of calamari and the boletus gave it a rich, earthy flavour.

Jimmy Churri

Jimmy Churri is a popular take-out shop on Calle San Francisco, dedicated to authentic Argentinian empanadas. Flavours range from classic spicy beef, chorizo and cheese to Roquefort, Carbonara and Nutella and you can order just one or go for a pack of 3 or 6 with a choice of salsa.

The empanadas were light, crispy and generously filled – we loved the hot and spicy chicken, slow-cooked beef and pork cheek and bechamel.

Da Ciro Pizzeria

If you’re in the mood for a speedy yet memorable pizza, grab a table at the lively Da Ciro Pizzeria on Calle San Francisco. It’s a little corner of southern Italy in Alicante offering authentic Neapolitan pizza, calzone and antipasti.

The pizza is excellent with a chewy, slightly charred dough and high quality toppings – I recommend keeping it simple to let the ingredients shine through, as is done in Naples.

Bar Manero

If you’re looking for a high-end tapas bar with lots of charm for a special meal out, book a table at Bar Manero. Just a few doors down from its glitzy sister restaurant El Portal, Manero has a bit of a Wes Anderson vibe and feels like stepping into a different era.

We enjoyed a feast of epicurian delights including a decadent Lobster and king crab roll, Truffled Spanish tortilla, Oxtail croquetas, Meatballs and Patatas Bravas with spicy tomato sauce and aioli.

As a luxury delicatessen, Manero also produces it own provisions, so you can pick up a bottle of olive oil, beautifully-packaged turron or champagne to take home.

Enso Sushi

Enso Sushi, an upscale Japanese restaurant on Plaza Gabriel Miró, is one of the most highly rated in Alicante and we were fortunate to score a walk-in table for lunch when we had a sushi craving and wanted to break the croqueta cycle. We were welcomed with a Sake Sour aperitif and a mushroom and tobiko amuse-bouche and our dishes arrived one by one with ceremony.

We grazed on flavourful Gyoza, Fried prawn, salmon and avocado uramaki, Soft shell crab futomaki and Prawn hosomaki. Everything was so fresh and tasty with harmonious flavours – just what we wanted for a light lunch.

Enso can easily become pricey, especially if you’re really hungry, but the quality of the ingredients and the service are exceptional.

Fondillón

One of our most relaxed, enjoyable dinners in Alicante was at Fondillón, the restaurant and bar at the five star Hospes Amerigo. We dined in the Pasaje de Amérigo courtyard over 10 years ago when it used to be Monastrell restaurant, so it was lovely to return and sit at the same table.

The menu offers lots of options, as you can choose dishes from the fine dining restaurant as well as the tapas bar. We started with some fantastic little bites – Carrot and date croquetas, Crispy prawn with sweet chilli sauce and Crispy chicken with sesame and a moreish curry sauce.

For our main courses, we had a sumptuous, sizzling hot Paella with Iberian pork and vegetables and a rich, tender Lacquered lamb timbale with shallot confit and celeriac. Both dishes were exceptionally good and very generously sized – so much that we almost couldn’t find room for dessert.

Of course, it would have been a shame to miss out on a delicate Millefeuille with almond nougat and the most delicious Rum savarin with macadamia nut ice cream.

Heladería Borgonesse

Many of our nights in Alicante ended with picking up an ice cream at Heladeria Borgonesse for a stroll on the promenade and it’s now become one of my favourite ice cream shops ever.

The artisanal ice cream is velvety smooth and made with top quality ingredients and the variety of flavours makes it hard to choose. I recommend going for traditional dessert flavours like the heavenly flan with caramel, panettone, turrón or a luscious mango sorbet.

Santagloria Coffee & Bakery

This stylish cafe overlooking the leafy Plaza Portal de Elche is part of a well-known Spanish coffee chain, established in 1963, and is a popular spot for breakfast on the terrace.

We ordered some cakes for a little afternoon tea on our balcony and they were just exquisite and so decadent.

Salt in Cake

Salt in Cake, a petite bakery on Calle San Francisco, is said to make the best cookies in Alicante and I definitely wouldn’t argue with that!

The iced cinnamon buns in the window will tempt you in – and they are absolutely delicious – but the star of the show was the dark chocolate and sea salt cookie with a molten centre. I really wish we’d brought a whole box home for later.

Have you visited Alicante on holiday? Where are your favourite places to eat?

Chérie City was a guest of Jet2holidays, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos by Chérie City

Alicante, Beach

A Jet2 City and Beach Break in Alicante

November 3, 2021 by cheriecity

Spain is one of my favourite holiday destinations, so after a few cancelled trips due to travel restrictions, I hadn’t expected my 2021 to include any kind of beach vibes. It was, therefore, an absolute joy to return after so long for a wonderful Jet2CityBreaks Alicante long weekend.

I’ve previously travelled to Spain on a Jet2 flight, but this time I was excited to try the full city break package where accommodation is included and the entire trip is ATOL protected. There was also a great selection of Jet2 flights from Newcastle Airport, so we were able to perfectly tailor the flight dates for our trip.

Another highlight of choosing a Jet2holidays Winter Sun package was the very generous luggage allowance – one checked 22kg bag and one 10kg piece of hand baggage each. We didn’t use quite that much, but it was a refreshing luxury to have the freedom to pack without sacrificing those extra creams, outfits or shoes!

The Flight

The was our first international flight following lock-down and we planned all of our documentation with military precision. We arrived at Newcastle Airport for our early 6am flight and managed to check in our luggage and zoom through security in around 15 minutes with no queues or stress.

Throughout our trip, Jet2 made everything easy and painless and I was impressed with the efficiency of both airports, especially with the additional documents now required. No delays, a slightly early arrival time into Alicante and the lovely, smiling staff definitely made the onboard experience sweeter!

I also downloaded the Jet2holidays app prior to travelling and I found the push notifications and the functional lay-out really helpful when checking that we had all the information that we needed.

The Hotel

Our home for four nights was the excellent four-star Jet2holidays Hotel Spa Porta Maris by Melia. Its location couldn’t be any better with the lively Postiguet Beach on one side and the Port of Alicante on the other.

It’s also just 100 metres from the historic old town and right next to a tram stop if you want to take a ride along the Costa Blanca.

Our Premium Sea View Room was very spacious and modern and we quickly felt at home there. The king-size bed was absolutely heavenly (I always sleep so well in Melia beds) and we also appreciated the large flatscreen smart TV, tea and coffee facilities and balcony with a fabulous view over the beach.

In fact, all guest rooms have a balcony with views of either the beach or the marina, so you can make the most of the balmy weather.

A big highlight of the hotel is the lovely outdoor swimming pool and sundeck with stunning views over the beach. For the ultimate relaxation, you can book in to the hotel’s new Spa Experience with different sensory spaces featuring a hot water pool, plunge pool and ice fountain.

Starting the morning is a big affair with a full buffet served in a bright breakfast room with plenty of sunlight and endless views of the sea. The generous and varied buffet includes hot dishes for a typical full English or Spanish breakfast with tortilla and chorizo, waffles and mini pastries, sliced fruit, cereal and yoghurt. There’s also freshly-squeezed Valencian orange juice and a Nespresso machine for a proper caffeine fix.

We previously visited Alicante over 10 years ago, so we found our way around again very quickly and spent our time rediscovering familiar spots and also venturing further into the city.

Here are some of our favourite things to do in Alicante…

Stroll along the Explanada de España promenade

The very first thing to do when arriving in Alicante should be a stroll along the famous palm tree-lined promenade to get into the holiday mood. This vibrant walkway runs parallel to the port, from Plaza Puerta del Mar to the Parque de Canalejas, and boasts a highly-Instagrammable Mediterranean wave pattern made using six and half million mosaic tiles.

Order an iced coffee at one of the terrace cafes and watch the world go by while making lunch plans – it’s the best way to get acclimatised.

Explore Barrio Santa Cruz

The prettiest part of Alicante has to be its historic Santa Cruz neighbourhood with colourful houses nestled on the hillside at the foot of Mount Benacantil next to Santa Bárbara Castle. Climb the winding staircase on Calle San Antonio for a glimpse of this charming quarter and you’ll be rewarded with some panoramic views of over the city and some postcard perfect photos.

These well-maintained, shining white houses are covered in beautiful ceramic tiles and friezes and many feature the name of the family living inside (look out for La Casita de Loli with its own hashtag). Visit during Holy Week and you can watch spectacular processions make their way down the hillside from the Santa Cruz Hermitage.

Discover Spanish art at Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA)

This stunning contemporary art museums is one of the best I’ve visited in a long time and is an absolute must when visiting Alicante. Founded in 1976 by Spanish artist Eusebio Sempere, this beautifully minimalist space, housed in the oldest civic building in the city, exhibits 20th century and contemporary works by Spanish artists.

Its three permanent collections feature over 800 works by artists including Joan Miró Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí and Alicante-born Juana Francés, shown across three floors. You can also view the Eusebio Sempere collection of sculptures and gouaches on paper, which has belonged to the city of Alicante since 1997.

We absolutely loved this gallery and highly recommend leaving plenty of time to fully explore all of the floors (especially as it’s open for a half-day on Sundays).

Take the tram to Playa Muchavista

On our first trip to Alicante we discovered the most idyllic beach with powder white sand, shimmering turquoise waters and a surprising sense of tranquility from the distinct lack of tourists. We made it our mission to find this mythical beach again, estimating when we should jump off the tram and luckily we were successful.

Playa Muchavista feels a million miles away from Alicante’s buzzing Postiguet city beach yet it’s simply a pleasant 15-minute ride on the modern, air-conditioned tram (we got off at the Salesians stop).

On this part of the beach, where mostly locals go, there isn’t much of a beach scene, so don’t expect many sunbeds, beach bars or loud music. Just bring your beach towel, grab some ice cold drinks and snacks from the mini market over the road and enjoy some uninterrupted chill time at the beach.

Walk along Mushroom Street

When you reach the pedestrianised Calle San Francisco, you will tumble down the rabbit hole into a wonderland dotted with friendly giant toadstools (each with a different expression).

This busy street in the heart of Alicante was transformed into ‘mushroom street’ in 2013 and has since become a viral sensation.

More than just a photo opp, Calle San Francisco has some fantastic tapas bars, bakeries and shops. At the end of the street, you’ll find the leafy Plaza Calvo Sotelo which houses the enormous El Corte Inglés department store and food hall and my favourite Spanish boutique, Uterqüe.

Find Spanish delicacies at the Mercado Central

The lively Mercat district is where you’ll get a glimpse of everyday life in Alicante, as locals spend their lunchtimes in the local cafes and pick up groceries at the Mercado Central. This historic Art Deco building dates back to the 1920s and you can find everything from artisan meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, clothes, arts, handicrafts and flowers.

You can also dine inside and enjoy gourmet market fresh tapas with a glass of wine, perched on the high stools among the stalls.

Eat traditional Valencian cuisine

Alicante is located in the Valencia region of Spain, so you can expect to find local specialities such as seafood paella, arròs a banda, fideuà, buñuelos, red prawns from Dénia, horchata and turrón.

Fideua in a black cast iron pan on a table

Another regular on the menus of Alicante’s many tapas bars and restaurants is the traditional croqueta, which we sampled at almost every meal, with all sorts of fillings. For some foodie geek fun, why not make your own croqueta contest and grade each restaurant’s efforts!

I have a lot to say about this city’s magnificent food scene, so take a look at my guide to the top places to eat out in Alicante from this trip.

Visit the Santa Bárbara Castle

The jewel of Alicante is the Castillo de Santa Bárbara, a magnificent fortification towering over the city from the top of Mount Benacantil. It dates back to the 9th century and has been conquered and recaptured by various forces throughout its illustrious history (it was once even a prison).

The easiest way to see the castle is by taking the lift from the beach through the inside of the mountain, however this clever transport hack was closed during our visit. To make the journey a little easier, take the tram to Mercat and join the hiking trail from a higher point.

My trip to Alicante was absolutely magical and it was great to experience this destination in October with a more relaxed pace and perfect weather in the high twenties.

I was so impressed with the entire Jet2 experience that I’ve booked to fly to Copenhagen with them at the end of the month. If you’re in the mood for some glorious sun, sea and delicious food to get you through the colder months, I highly recommend a Jet2holidays winter city and beach break in Alicante (it’s much closer than the Caribbean, after all).

Chérie City was a guest of Jet2holidays, however all thoughts and opinions are my own.

All photos by Cherie City

Alicante, Beach, Hotels, Hotels - Design, Hotels - Luxury, Spain

A Stay at Hospes Amerigo in Alicante

July 8, 2010 by cheriecity

A hidden gem that often gets overlooked, Alicante offers some of the best beaches in Spain, traditional architecture and a Mediterranean atmosphere.

Location

Tucked away just one block behind the promenade and two minutes from Postiguet beach, the five-star Hospes Amerigo is a luxury design hotel housed in a renovated 17th century Franciscan monastery, complete with arched windows.

The hotel is easily accessed from the airport, within around 20 minutes on the Alicante Airport bus, and stops on the Rambla de Mendez Nunez, just around the corner from the hotel.

The Room

On arrival we were greeted with an ice cold glass of aromatic home-made lemonade and were offered a complimentary upgrade to a Deluxe room (room 125).

The bedroom was absolutely stunning and included a king-size bed with sumptuous Egyptian cotton sheets, a mezzanine seating area with designer furniture (we have the same Eileen Gray side table at home), a cool digital screen print, an LCD TV and DVD player, a stylish writing bureau and a juliette balcony overlooking the atrium.

The Bathroom

Behind a Japanese-style door partition was the marble bathroom with the longest bath I’ve ever seen, a fantastic shower, separate toilet and Korres toiletries, including Guarana Exfoliating Body Soap, Rice Protein Shampoo and the most gorgeous Vanilla and Cinnamon Bath and Shower Gel.

The philosophy of the hotel is to provide the best possible sleep and on the coffee table, there were two hard-back books dedicated to the science of sleep. The beautiful, soft sheets, fluffy pillows, powerful air con, lack of noise and good food and wine also contributed to us drifting off easily (admittedly pretty late) every night.

If you’re really serious about tackling your sleep issues, the hotel can provide a full DIY programme and suggest methods of relaxation. However, not all guests were staying at the hotel for its soporific benefits and were dressed in their finest for a night out in the Old Town.

The hotel really pays attention to small details to make the stay more enjoyable, such as a complimentary DVD library, a laptop with free internet access in the lounge, realistic wardrobe hanging space and extra beach towels on request to use at the roof top terrace.

Rooftop

Each morning after a late breakfast, we went up to the rooftop solarium-terrace and baked under the sun on the chic wooden, cushioned sun loungers with a drink (two Coronas from the bar came to 8 Euros) and relaxed in the swimming pool.

While the pool was too shallow for a proper swim, at a depth of under one metre, it had excellent hydrotherapy facilities – three spa water jets and two jacuzzi sections. The only heating seemed to come from the sun, but once you acclimatise to the temperature, the pool is very refreshing and relaxing.

The rooftop terrace offers panoramic views over the city and the imposing 16th century Castillo de Santa Barbara, perched on the top of the Mount Benacantil.

Dinner at Monastrell

One the first night, we ate at Monastrell, the tapas bar and restaurant connected to the hotel and had a few plates of excellent tapas and chilled Spanish rose wine.

We didn’t have breakfast at the hotel, but we found a great cafe/ice cream parlour called Antiu Xixona, just a few steps away from the hotel on the promenade, where they served a breakfast menu for just 3.80 Euros. It consists of a coffee, freshly squeezed orange juice and a cake, pastry or a toasted baguette with a choice of toppings.

My magdalena cake came with a pot of melted dark chocolate and on the second day, the lovely waitress brought us a complimentary cup of melon ice cream.

It was an absolute delight to stay at the Hospes Amerigo and with such excellent facilities and well-designed room, it was much more than just a base for going to the beach or exploring the city.

The Hospes Amerigo offers affordable luxury, superior service and an unbeatable location, with rates from 100 Euros per night in the high season and depending on the room type.

We booked a Dreamers double room at Hospes Amerigo through a Private Sales on Tablet Hotels and got an excellent rate of just 250 Euros for three nights.

Alicante, Bars, Beach, Restaurants, Spain

Amazing Tapas at Monastrell in Alicante

July 7, 2010 by cheriecity

Arriving in Alicante in the early evening (a welcome change from those middle of the night flights), we were right on time for a typically Spanish late dinner and where better than literally two steps from our hotel!

Monastrell is one of Alicante’s most exclusive fine dining restaurants and tapas bars, where the quality of the food is matched only by the attentive service. Despite bearing a name clearly influenced by the origins of the adjoined Hospes Amerigo, Monastrell was previously in a different location and while it has a close relationship with the hotel, it is independently owned.

Top chef and owner, María José San Rámon has created a menu of Mediterranean and Catalan dishes that are made with the finest organic, local produce. The restaurant offers a range of menu options, including three courses for €55, but we decided to eat at Monastrell’s tapas bar, also in the stylish atrium.

We ordered four tapas and a bottle of rosé for just €11 (a happy accident, as I thought ‘tinto’ meant red) that came chilled in a Veuve Cliquot ice bucket. Before our meal, our waiter brought us a plate of deliciously dense home-made bread and a large portion of toasted almonds.

First to arrive at the table was the Croqueta Jamón Ibéricó (€5 for two portions), which was just like eating a cloud, with a light cheese and ham filling inside crisp, fine golden breadcrumbs. They were so good that we ordered another portion later.

Next up was the Jamón Ibéricó on toasted crystal bread (€5), so called because of the crunching sound it makes when you bite into it. The bread was quite unique and light and was rubbed with fresh tomato and topped off with slices of glistening cured Iberian ham.

The Tortilla with Onions (€6) was small but perfectly formed with a lightly browned outside, and had a slightly more runny texture that most tortillas I’ve tried before, which is a good thing, as sometimes tortilla can be too dry.

But the highlight of the meal was the Grilled Chorizo in Honey (€6), a combination I’ve never tried before but one that worked extremely well.

Monastrell is reasonably priced for a restaurant of such a high standard and reputation and while the dishes are on the small side, the focus is on the flavours and premium ingredients. Five dishes with bread and toasted almonds was more than enough for us and the chic ambiance of the restaurant and tapas bar makes it well worth a visit.

Monastrell, Rafael Altamira 7, 03002, Alicante.