A Chill Day in Alicante, Spain

Five years ago, in March 2020, I was rushed out of the country, unable to complete my study abroad program due to the global pandemic. I was devastated because I remember thinking a semester wasn’t long enough, and I didn’t even get that. With this teach-abroad opportunity, I have been able to get some time in Spain. I’m far from Alicante, where I lived before, but with my long weekends, I get to go back to Alicante to visit. Here are the things I recommend doing in Alicante!

I arrived in Alicante by train and started to wander towards my Airbnb when I saw a Colombian restaurant called Colombiapan. Colombiapan is a restaurant and bakery. They have bunuelos, lechona, paisa bandeja and even Colombian sodas and juices. My first experience out of the country was in Colombia, so I was excited. I ordered the day’s special and bunuelos. They had beautiful cakes, cookies, and breads that glistened in their displays as I waited for my meal. The environment was super open and friendly, and the food was authentically flavorful and affordable. I recommend! 

Then I headed to Postiguet beach. Alicante is generally pretty warm and sunny year-round, but this day was colder, so I didn’t spend too much time. Had it been warmer, I would have taken a trip on the tram to one of the beaches up the coast, like San Juan. From there, I decided to visit my host mom from 2020; she still lives in the same place, and even though it was five years later, I had no issue finding it because Alicante is small and laid out in a way that’s super easy to navigate. The only time you may need to get a taxi is to and from the airport, as it is a bit outside of the city. 

After the lovely visit, I decided that I couldn’t miss the sunset from the castle, so I rushed up and nearly missed it, but the view was beautiful regardless. The view is gorgeous any time of day, and even if the castle is closed, you can get pretty high up to see panoramic views. This is something you can’t miss! 

To end my night, I had to check up on the bar where I used to start my nights out, Parabarap. It was how I remembered it: packed and busy, with sticky floors and cheap drinks. I danced to a few songs and had a few drinks, but eventually decided that 25-year-old Lizzie doesn’t enjoy the same things that 20-year-old Lizzie did, and would end my night there instead of hitting the club. If you would like a chill day in Alicante, I would suggest chilling on the beach, climbing the castle, shopping at the Mercat Central d’Alicant, and clothing stores like Zara, checking out coffee shops, or even a day trip to another beach.