RED RIDING HOOD

My very good friend and chilean housemate from Spain was getting marry in her hometown of Calpe, close to Alicante. It was a great opportunity to reunite us all met once in Chile, living la vida loca of 2010.

The region is called Costa Blanca and the city of Alicante is nearby Valencia.

Alicante is one of Spain’s most beautiful cities and a hotspot destination for city breaks in the sun.

The name of the city echoes the Arabic name Al-Laqant, which in turn reflects the Latin Lucentum, meaning the light. 

Upon my arrival, I gave a tour to through the city and enjoyed spanish sun (my favourite type of sun)!  🙂

Amongst the most notable features of the city is the Castle of Santa Bárbara, which is placed high above the city and the port of Alicante. Unfortunately, I did not have time to climb u and visit it.

The mount is called Mount Benacantil where many artifacts from Bronze Age, Iberian, and Roman agehave been found, but the origins of the castle date to the 9th century at the time of Muslim control of the Iberian Peninsula, from 711 till 1296 when it was conquered by the Aragonese royal family.

The so called paseo or Explanada de España, is a beautiful walking path lined by palm trees and paved with marble floor that reflects the sun. Together with tiles, it creates a wavy form and is one of the most lovely promenades in Spain.

Playa del postiguet is one of Alicante’s loveliest beaches. The beach is huge and stretches the length of the city. A couple of hours on the idyllic white sands and clear blue waters and you forget you’re actually in a bustling city.

El Barrio is the old town as the historical heart of Alicante. I fell in love with its mediaval streets and stacked Spanish apartments adorned with flowers.

Some old-world charm. ❤

Me personaly liked the baroque city hall made in the 18th century.

Inside there are several remarkable rooms styled from the period of Spain’s Queen Isabel, meeting hall and a chapel in which mass is held.

Throughout the various rooms in the building, visitors can admire interesting works by many spanish authors, suh as Dali.

Note at the photo, at the building’s main staircase is the so-called Cota cero the reference point from which the altitude of Spain’s various cities is measured in metres above sea level.

The Basilica of Santa Maria was built in Valencian Gothic style between the 14th and 16th centuries over the remains of a former Moorish mosque. It has a beautiful decorated baroque facade, noteworthy among them being an image of the virgin.

The morning after the wedding ceremony, my friends were taking me back to the airport. We passed by next to the mighty rock outcrop of the Peñón de Ifach, the Costa Blanca’s very own mini Gibraltar! It was 4.30 am FYI 🙂

This amazing landmark is home to numerous rare examples of local plant life, 300 different species of animals, and a yearly nest site for many colonies of sea birds…