A Romantic Alicante: Cava, Cliffs and Tabarca
Alicante’s romantic side leans on altitude and timing rather than grand gestures: a table above the rooftops right as the light turns gold, a boat pulling away from the marina at dusk, streets that go quiet once the day-trippers clear out.
A sunset sail with cava
Alicante Catamaran runs a 2-hour sunset sailing along the bay and beneath the cliffs of Mount Benacantil, with chilled cava and fresh fruit included, departing Muelle de Levante for roughly €32 to €36 per person. It is the clearest way to see the Cara del Moro, the natural cliff silhouette in the rock face, lit up from the water as the sun goes down. If that particular sailing is booked out, search Alicante sunset cruises on GetYourGuide for the same time slot.
Dinner above Santa Cruz at La Ereta
Restaurante La Ereta sits inside Parque de la Ereta on the pine-covered slope of Mount Benacantil, looking straight down over the tiled roofs of Barrio de Santa Cruz to the bay beyond. Tasting menus run €75 to €95 per person, and a reservation is genuinely necessary, this is the one meal on this list worth booking a week ahead rather than walking in.
Wine after dark in the old quarter
Once the day’s visitors have left, the whitewashed lanes of Santa Cruz turn quiet and lantern-lit. Small wine bars here pour Alicante DOP Monastrell reds, such as Tarima Hill and Enrique Mendoza, alongside cured Iberian charcuterie. The climb up into Santa Cruz is stone steps the entire way with no ramp, so comfortable shoes matter even after dark.
A night on Tabarca
The fullest version of this is staying overnight. An afternoon Cruceros Kontiki catamaran crosses to Isla de Tabarca in 50 to 60 minutes, and a room at a boutique hotel built into the old Governor’s House puts you on the island after the day-trip boats leave around 18:30. Once they are gone, Tabarca empties to its roughly 50 winter residents, leaving quiet pebble beaches and a clear night sky over the marine reserve until the next morning’s ferry brings the crowds back.
The verdict
Pair the sunset sail with dinner at La Ereta for one evening, then keep the Tabarca overnight for a second, slower day; cramming both into one 24-hour window means rushing whichever comes second. For a base in the city between the two, compare hotel options on Booking.com . For the same coast and old town in daylight, see our sightseeing guide .