Located on Spain's eastern flank on the Costa Blanca, Alicante is a charming Spanish port town. Lesser known than it's neighbour, Benidorm (45 klms away), Alicante serves as a gateway to many pretty towns and villages such as Denia, Calpe, Altea and Torrevieja. Some may consider Benidorm brash, but the old town is picturesque and pretty and there is no denying the superb beaches. A lovely seaside resort in its own right though, Alicante has a local population of almost 350,000 inhabitants, yet has a nice small town feel and friendly atmosphere. This attractive town has a palm-lined promenade and busy harbour with the historic Castle of Saint Barbara as a backdrop. Plenty of pleasant parks (some with concert auditoriums) and marble tiled pedestrian streets are the perfect venue for the evening "rambla" and provide exquisite people watching opportunities. Like any other decent Mediterranean town or city, Alicante has a lovely colourful district called Barrio de Santa Cruz where traditional style houses tumble down the narrow streets and flower-filled window boxes and climbing bougainvillea and hibiscus provide splashes of striking vermilion and hot raspberry pink. Open air cafes, terrace pubs, tiny bars and great local restaurants dot the streets, so the city has a lively street culture and whole families come out to play! Just 70 klms south, the city of Murcia is a delightfully historic retreat and the stunning city of Valencia is only 130 klms (north) from Alicante, worth a trip for culture and amazing architecture. Any Spanish city worth its salt will have typical tapas bars and Alicante has many, so a glass of Tio Pepe, some gambas and a slice of tortilla can be enjoyed at any time of the day. A few days in Alicante will open your eyes to a genuinely lovely Spanish city where life is certainly not lived in the fast lane and time comes dropping slow - just the ticket for our busy, stressful lives!