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DISCOVERING THE CITY AND ITS ENVIRONS The Ibero-Roman City of Lucentum There’s nothing like going back to the origins of a city to understand its present-day features, so a visit to the hill known as Tossal de Manises facing Albufereta Beach is a must, especially if you are interested in archaeology. Here, hemmed in by tall apartment buildings, are the remains of Lucentum, listed as a National Historical and Artistic Monument since 1961. This Ibero-Roman municipium covers 30,000m 2 , of which only 6,500 have been excavated. Its network of streets totals 1.3km, but only 200m of these have actually been studied to date. This archaeological site was first investigated by Antonio Valcárcel Pío de Saboya, Earl of Lumiares, in the second half of the 18th century. The finds here include ceramic materials dating from the late 5th to the early 4th centuries BC, and sections of the ancient city walls (3rd-2nd centuries BC). Lucentum was at its height in the first century of the Christian era. Viewable here are remains of its streets, pavoirs, typical homes and thermal baths. The Island of Tabarca Located eleven miles south of Alicante, this guitar-shaped island is actually a geographical prolongation of Cape Santa Pola with a total area of 30 hectares, a length of 1800m and a maximum width of 450m. The island has a curious history, having been mentioned by the Greek historians Strabo and Ptolemy, and believed to be the island that St Paul disembarked on, giving his name to the settlement established here before it became a refuge for Berber pirates in the Middle Ages. In 1760, King Carlos III ordered a fortification to be built here and it was later colonised with 600 Genoan fishermen released from the Tunisian port of “Tabarka” near Algeria, giving a new name to the island, hitherto called simply “Isla Plana” (Flat Island) or “Planesia” due to its flatness. The Genoans were released following an agreement made by the monarch on 8 December 1768. They settled the island with their families, and for this reason people on the island of Tabarca today still preserve surnames of Italian origin (Parodi, Ruso, Chacopino...). The fortified enclosure, listed as a National Historic Artistic Complex in 1964, is an interesting example of a fortified city following 18th-century urban designs. Still viewable are its gateways, the governor’s house – now converted into a hotel –, the Church of St Peter and St Paul, concluded in 1779, as well as St Joseph’s Tower, located outside the urban perimeter and dating from the second half of the 19th century. The absence of automobiles, its clear transparent water, and the traditional fishermen’s cuisine all make Tabarca a delightful place to visit, with boats leaving daily from Alicante Harbour, the fastest of which only take 45 minutes to reach the island. The Old Quarter Now it is time to get acquainted with the older part of Alicante, the part of the city that really inspires visitors because of its traditions and heritage, far removed from the modern, dynamic area looking out to the sea. Behind the concathedral and the city hall, there are small streets climbing the hill, such as San Nicolás and San Agustín, where we can discover old squares such as Plaza de Quijano or Plaza del Carmen, see beautiful polychrome façades on many buildings, with their peculiar balconies and bay windows. If we keep climbing, we enter a section of the city where the human voice seems to dominate over mechanical sounds in the Santa Cruz quarter, with typically narrow streets – San Roque, Diputado Auset, San Rafael –, with ceramic tiles showing images of the saints and the Holy Visage, its whitewashed houses, its wrought iron window grilles and flower-covered balconies, and crowning the hill is a chapel whose balconies provide us with a panorama of the bustling city lying at our feet. 24 25
The Harbour What would this city be without its harbour? The harbour has been the strength of its economy for centuries, sending native products abroad and bringing in merchandise from other countries. It was once the port of Madrid, being easily accessible across the flat meseta of La Mancha, with a railway service that connected the capital of Spain to the sea in 1858. Today we can enjoy this rehabilitated harbour in a different way, with its handsome, hundred-year-old customs building contrasting with an ultramodern pedestrian port area dedicated to leisure and entertainment. Walkways, cafés, restaurants and entertainment centres decorate this splendid Sports Marina where sailboats and recreational craft seek safe haven. On the Levante quay is the maritime station, controlling passenger boat and pleasure craft access. On the Poniente quay is the Royal Regatta Club, founded in the late 19th century, the port authority building conserving beautiful stained-glass windows in the ancient Marine Captaincy building, the Fishing and Nautical School and the merchandise and fishing docks, plus a modern shopping and leisure area. Surrounding Towns Flanking the city limits, and in many places fusing into the city, there are a series of residential areas and satellite towns, the largest of which is an industrial area called San Vicente del Raspeig, where the university is located, followed by San Juan de Alicante, populated with residential areas and shopping centres. A town called Mutxamel shares Alicante’s fertile orchard, as do the villages of Villafranqueza and Tángel, still preserving the rural taste of former days despite their new residential complexes. El Campello is notably tourist-oriented due to its coastal location and its many kilometres of beaches and cliff faces. 26 27
Page 1 and 2: Alicante step by step
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Introduction Monuments and
Page 5 and 6: 6 MONUMENTS AND MUSEUMS In Alicante
Page 7 and 8: MUSEUMS MARQ Museo Arqueológico Pr
Page 9 and 10: Along the narrow street called Call
Page 11 and 12: PARKS, PROMENADES AND PLAZAS Alican
Page 13: BEACHES AND COVES From north to sou
Page 17 and 18: BUSINESS CITY Thanks to the dynamic
Page 19 and 20: 34 NIGHTLIFE There are many areas i
Page 21 and 22: 38 MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE Fish and s
Page 23 and 24: H 42 ACCOMMODATION As a tourist cit
Page 25: www.comunitat-valenciana.com Estaci

Alicante Step by step - Universidad de Sevilla

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