You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
114 | DESTINATION GUIDES<br />
Alicante<br />
Spain<br />
DIALLING CODE +34<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you from<br />
home to the airport, then<br />
city or destination.<br />
TAXI The fare to the<br />
centre is about<br />
€15–€20.<br />
A direct service to<br />
Benidorm runs<br />
every 45 minutes.<br />
Tickets: €16 return.<br />
this top fi sh restaurant<br />
creates a homely<br />
atmosphere. The<br />
menu offers seafood<br />
specialities, which can<br />
be paired beautifully<br />
with one of the many<br />
bottles of wine.<br />
EXCLUSIVE La<br />
Chaca (5 Fanadix,<br />
Benissa, tel: 96 574<br />
7706) Located in<br />
a villa with views over<br />
pine-clad hills out to<br />
sea, this charming<br />
venue is renowned for<br />
its wine cellar. The fi ne<br />
menu offers treats such<br />
as calf’s liver with apple<br />
pickled in brandy. Open<br />
Wednesday–Sunday<br />
from 7pm. Book ahead.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Café<br />
Internacional (Levante<br />
Beach Promenade) Just<br />
the place to linger over<br />
a coffee or Spanish<br />
brandy as you watch the<br />
sun go down from this<br />
quaint setting.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
LIVE MUSIC<br />
Bentley’s Bar<br />
(Paichi Centre, Moraira)<br />
A buzzing spot for live<br />
music, Bentley’s Bar<br />
attracts a young crowd<br />
who fl ock to see the<br />
local bands that play<br />
regular gigs here.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Crazy Rabbit (367<br />
Puerto Bello, La Manga)<br />
Loud music, good drinks<br />
and a trendy, young<br />
clientèle keep this cafébar<br />
open till the early<br />
hours of the morning.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP Benidorm’s<br />
Calle de Gambó is<br />
a pedestrian shopping<br />
area. Enjoy a coffee or<br />
a refreshing glass of<br />
wine at a roadside café<br />
in between forays to top<br />
fashion shops.<br />
SEE Head to coastal<br />
town Denia on 13<br />
December and enjoy the<br />
festival of Santa Lucia,<br />
where the locals spill out<br />
onto the streets in this<br />
traditional celebration.<br />
GO Take a stroll along<br />
Calpe’s Levante beach<br />
promenade, lined with<br />
cafés and restaurants,<br />
and take in the Roman<br />
fi sh farm carved out of<br />
solid rock and Roman<br />
baths. It may be a bit<br />
cold for a swim but it’s a<br />
stunning spot to explore.<br />
TAXI TAXI<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 El<br />
Flamenco (14 Calle San<br />
Francisco) A smart<br />
venue offering fi ne<br />
Spanish fare with great<br />
paella. Weekends see<br />
entertainment Spanishstyle<br />
with live music<br />
and dancers.<br />
UP TO €30 El Galeón<br />
(5 Paseo de la Estrellas,<br />
tel: 96 686 5454)<br />
A romantic setting with<br />
sunset views, dine from<br />
the excellent menu<br />
featuring international<br />
cuisine and fi ne wines.<br />
UP TO €50 Ca Toni<br />
(3 Calle Retor Llinares,<br />
Altea la Vella, tel: 96 584<br />
8437) The delicate cane<br />
furniture dotted around<br />
TERRA<br />
MÍTICA<br />
ESCAPE<br />
Benidorm’s famous<br />
theme park is open<br />
from 5–8 December<br />
and on Saturday 12th<br />
and 19th. It’s well<br />
worth a visit for<br />
a day full of fantastic<br />
rides, plus shops,<br />
shows and a<br />
great restaurant<br />
(terramiticapark.com).<br />
NO WAY!<br />
If you’re around at<br />
midnight on New Year’s<br />
Eve you’ll be expected<br />
to eat 12 grapes without<br />
pausing. If you don’t<br />
choke it’s meant to<br />
bring you good luck<br />
throughout the year!<br />
Danny Collins<br />
Almeria<br />
Spain<br />
DIALLING CODE +34<br />
CURRENCY €<br />
FROM THE<br />
AIRPORT<br />
Visit the Europcar<br />
desk on arrival<br />
for special easyJet<br />
infl ight rates.<br />
Holiday Taxis<br />
(easyJet.holiday<br />
taxis.com) take you from<br />
home to the airport, then<br />
city or destination.<br />
TAXI The fare to the<br />
centre costs<br />
€10.50–€13.<br />
Route 20 goes to<br />
the centre. It’s a<br />
30-minute journey.<br />
BON APPETIT<br />
UP TO €15 Chele<br />
(44 Calle Canónigo<br />
Molina Alfonso, tel: 95<br />
023 1964) Pop in to this<br />
restaurant tucked away<br />
just off the main street.<br />
The tapas and fi sh<br />
dishes are the freshest<br />
you’ll fi nd in the city.<br />
UP TO €30 El Alcázar<br />
(2 Calle Tenor Iribarne,<br />
tel: 95 023 8995) The<br />
house speciality is<br />
frituras: stacks of tasty,<br />
small fried fi sh. But<br />
don’t let their size fool<br />
you, they’ll soon fi ll you<br />
up! The restaurant also<br />
serves delicious paella.<br />
UP TO €50 Casa<br />
Puga (7 Calle Jovellanos,<br />
tel: 95 023 1530) With<br />
more than 70 super<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
tapas dishes – ranging<br />
from chunky meatballs<br />
to extravagant seafood<br />
– you don’t need<br />
a better reason to come<br />
to this fantastic longstanding<br />
restaurant.<br />
EXCLUSIVE Casa<br />
Miguel (Calle Correo,<br />
San José, tel: 95 038<br />
0027) Excellent fi sh<br />
restaurant located<br />
in quaint Cabo de<br />
Gata. Rich paellas, top<br />
seafood and a huge<br />
variety of fresh fi sh<br />
are served by friendly<br />
staff in sumptuous<br />
surroundings.<br />
AFTER DARK<br />
LOW KEY Bar Bahía<br />
de la Palma (Calle<br />
Mariana, tel: 95 025<br />
4507) Located in the<br />
city centre, Bar Bahía<br />
serves delicious snacks<br />
that are the perfect<br />
accompaniment to a<br />
glass of wine or sherry.<br />
LIVE MUSIC<br />
Basement Café<br />
(Avenida Mar y Cielo,<br />
Garrucha, tel: 95 046<br />
0353) Found under the<br />
Beer Emporium, there’s<br />
live entertainment at<br />
the weekend and a<br />
music variety club on<br />
alternate Tuesdays at<br />
this hip venue.<br />
LATE & LIVELY<br />
Amargo Sound Café<br />
(8 Plaza Marques de<br />
Heredía) This city centre<br />
bar is popular for a latenight<br />
drink. It’s packed<br />
out at the weekends<br />
with twentysomethings<br />
dancing to great tunes.<br />
THIS MONTH<br />
SHOP The central<br />
market off Calle Aguilar<br />
de Campo is a bustling<br />
food market and an<br />
interesting place to stroll<br />
to see a real slice of life<br />
in Spain. Take refuge in<br />
one of the number of<br />
good-value restaurants<br />
around the market.<br />
SEE Top Spanish<br />
singer-songwriter<br />
Joaquin Sabina plays<br />
the Teatro Auditorio in<br />
Roquetas de Mar from<br />
8–9 December. Even if<br />
you can’t understand<br />
the lyrics, you’ll fi nd<br />
yourself trying to sing<br />
along anyway! (1 Plaza<br />
de la Constitución).<br />
GO The historic quarter<br />
begins at the Puerta<br />
de Purchena and runs<br />
down to the bustling<br />
port. In between there<br />
are colonnaded<br />
squares, a fortifi ed<br />
cathedral, centuriesold<br />
tapas bars and<br />
beautiful old buildings.<br />
ESCAPE The whitewashed<br />
hill town of<br />
Salobreña is 90 minutes<br />
away by car. The streets<br />
are almost vertical<br />
in places but they’re<br />
worth hiking up to see<br />
Andalucían houses and<br />
the Moorish fortress on<br />
top. From the castle<br />
there are stunning views<br />
over the Sierra Nevada<br />
mountains, and back<br />
down at sea level there<br />
are some atmospheric<br />
bars and reasonably<br />
priced restaurants.<br />
NO WAY!<br />
Out of around one<br />
million Britons who<br />
have homes in Spain,<br />
half of those live in<br />
Andalucía, which<br />
includes Almeria and<br />
the Costa del Sol.<br />
Dave Jones
Change language