Alicante Activities Beyond the Beach Towel
Alicante rewards the kind of trip that leaves the beach chair for a few hours: rocky coves worth snorkeling, an old railway line that now carries bikes instead of trains, and a Saturday tradition most visitors never find out about.
Coves and kayaking at Cabo de las Huertas
The headland northeast of Playa de San Juan is dotted with small coves, Cala Cantalar and Cala dels Jueus among them, over beds of protected posidonia seagrass. Guided sea kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding here runs about 2 hours for €35 to €45 per person, equipment included; operators such as Club Surf El Moreno run trips from San Juan Beach, or search kayak and SUP tours on GetYourGuide . There are no lifeguards or facilities at these coves, so bring your own water, and wear hard-soled reef shoes; black sea urchins sit in the rock crevices.
Snorkeling Tabarca, Spain’s first marine reserve
The waters around Isla de Tabarca were declared a marine reserve in 1986, and the seagrass meadows support groupers, octopus and moray eels. A half-day guided snorkel trip from Alicante port runs roughly €40 to €55; certified two-tank dives run €75 to €95. Crossings on the Cruceros Kontiki catamaran take 50 to 60 minutes and cost €23 to €25 round trip.
Cycling the Via Verde del Maigmó
This 22-kilometer former railway line climbs gently through pine-covered hills toward Agost, crossing old viaducts and passing through tunnels once used by trains. It works well as a half-day ride with a rental bike, no experience required. Closer to the coast, a dedicated bike path runs the length of San Juan Beach and around Cabo de las Huertas; e-bike rental in the city center runs €25 to €35 a day.
Salmorreta, not paella valenciana
Alicante’s rice dishes, arroz a banda and arroz del senyoret among them, are built on salmorreta, a base of dried ñora peppers, garlic and tomato paste, cooked into rich seafood broth. A hands-on cooking workshop often starts with a shopping walk through Mercado Central for ñoras, cuttlefish and shrimp before moving to the stove; expect to pay €65 to €85 per person including the meal. This is a different dish entirely from Valencian paella with chicken and rabbit, so do not expect the two to taste the same.
The Saturday tardeo
Around 13:00, the tapas bars in and around Mercado Central at Plaza 25 de Mayo fill for cold beers, local vermouth and cured ham. By 16:30 the crowd has drifted to the open terraces along pedestrian Calle Castaños, where live acoustic sets run into the evening. It costs nothing to join beyond what you order.
Before you go
If you would rather have the marine reserve arranged for you, search Tabarca snorkeling trips on GetYourGuide covers the boat, gear and guide in one booking. For the city’s castle and museums on land, see the sightseeing guide .