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Route C

Old Town of Alicante

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ROUTE:

2 km | 1.2 miles

Puerta del Mar

Alicante Town Hall

The Discovered City

The Nativity Scene Museum

Convento de la Preciosisima Sangre de Cristo

Co-Cathedral of San Nicolas

Calle Labradores

Barrio Santa Cruz and the Hermitage of Santa Cruz

Hermitage of San Roque

Alicante Water Museum

Basilica of Santa Maria

Gravina Museum of Fine Arts - MUBAG

All Routes in Alicante

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Route A

Maritime facade of Alicante

Route B

Santa Barbara Castle

Route C

Old Town of Alicante

Route D

The Traditional Downtown of Alicante

Route E

Alicante Air Raid Shelters

Other trails

TRADITIONAL DOWNTOWN OF ALICANTE

LA ERETA PARK

EL CAMPO - TABARCA

WALLED CITADEL – TABARCA

TRAILS IN BENACANTIL

SIERRA DE SAN JULIAN - SERRA GROSSA

CABO DE LA HUERTA

LA HUERTA TOWERS

LA MARJAL FLOODABLE PARK

EL TOSSAL TRAIL

Monte Orgegia

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Highlights

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RUTA

Puerta del Mar

With Route C, you can learn a good part of the origins of the current city of Alicante. Plaza Puerta del Mar: Alicante has always been a walled city for the fear of being attacked from the sea. The Muslims and later the Kingdom of Castile and Valencia (to which Alicante became part at the beginning of the 14th century) fortified the city with walls. Despite these defenses, Alicante was bombed from the sea by the French Armada in 1691 and by the English Armada in 1706, destroying 90% of the city. That is why on this route we will try to see the city’s transformation before and after these bombings.

RUTA

Alicante Town Hall

The first town hall building of Alicante was constructed after receiving its charter in 1490 granted by Ferdinand the Catholic. However, that first town hall was destroyed by the bombing of 1691. As we are close to the sea, this area was one of the most damaged. The Town Hall we can visit today is from the early 18th century. Inside, on the first floor, you will see the Blue Room, which was decorated as a palace to receive Queen Isabel II when she was in the city for the inauguration of the train connecting Alicante with Madrid. Free access.

RUTA

The Discovered City

Next to the Town Hall, you will find this exhibition where visitors can explore the ruins of different houses that were destroyed by the bombing of 1691, as well as the medieval wall from the 13th-14th centuries and its self-defense structures. These were preserved because part of the wall was used for the structure of some houses. Once inside, you can walk along Alicante’s first modern street, built when new walls were constructed facing the sea in the 16th century. Free access.

RUTA

The Nativity Scene Museum

We took a short detour from our route to visit this museum located in a traditional house in the old town. It features a permanent exhibition of nativity scenes as a reference to the great tradition of nativity scenes in Spain and the world, featuring works from different international origins. Free access.

RUTA

Convento de la Preciosisima Sangre de Cristo

The construction of the building began shortly before the bombing of 1691, which left the initial work destroyed. Therefore, a new building had to be constructed, which was occupied by the Augustinian nuns. It is the only urban building preserved among all the convents that Alicante had during the Baroque period.

RUTA

Co-Cathedral of San Nicolas

This building is one of the few that survived the bombing. Its construction began in the 17th century in the “Herrerian” style, characterized by its simplicity and minimal decoration. The facade we see today is the main one, but originally, the primary facade was the one on the side, made of black marble (from there its name: “Puerta Negra”). If you visit the co-cathedral, you will notice that the interior decorations were added after its initial construction, just as the Communion Chapel. Free access.

RUTA

Calle Labradores

This street has always been an important part of the old town, which developed after the construction of the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolas. However, it was not until after the attack of 1691 that wealthy residents living near the coast decided to move to this street for better protection. The three mansions visible on both sides date back to the 18th century. Interestingly, their large doors and spacious entrance halls were designed to accommodate the owners’ horses and carriages, which were stored inside the houses. We recommend visiting the Portalet Palace, located at Calle Labradores 15 (free access).

RUTA

Barrio Santa Cruz and the Hermitage of Santa Cruz

The Barrio de Santa Cruz and its hermitage are located in a high area next to the wall that descends from the Santa Barbara Castle. It is one of the most typical neighborhoods of Alicante. The current hermitage, from the 18th century, houses an image of Christ, whose procession through the steep streets of the neighborhood during Holy Week is truly spectacular. Free access.

RUTA

Hermitage of San Roque

It is one of the few remaining examples of the many hermitages that once existed in the city. Although the original structure was from the 16th century, the one preserved today is from the 19th century.

RUTA

Alicante Water Museum

This museum showcases the methods used to channel water to supply the city, a system that remained virtually unchanged from medieval times until the 19th century. Next to the museum is the Pozos de Garrigos (Wells of Garrigos), where rainwater or melted snow was stored for later sale in the city. Although the first records we have of them are from after the 1691 bombing, they would have served as a safe refuge for the people of Alicante, just as they did later during the Spanish Civil War.

Free access.

RUTA

Basilica of Santa Maria

This church was originally a Muslim mosque that was converted into a church after the Christian conquest of the city. It is one of the buildings that survived the bombings. The current church has a Gothic style, with pointed arches inside, although from the outside it seems to be square due to its connection with the sea-facing walls that surround it and of which it forms part. If you descend the stairs to the lower street and approach the lower part of the church, you will see embedded cannonball marks. Although these appeared after the bombing, the attacks from the sea in 1691 caused the same damage, which is why the church was built as part of the wall. Free access.

RUTA

Gravina Museum of Fine Arts - MUBAG

MUBAG: this is another palace built in the same period as those on Calle Labradores. Since this is the final stop of our tour, you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes) located inside. Free access.

ROUTE

Gravina Museum of Fine Arts - MUBAG

MUBAG: this is another palace built in the same period as those on Calle Labradores. Since this is the final stop of our tour, you can visit the Museum of Fine Arts (Museo de Bellas Artes) located inside. Free access.

ROUTE

Basilica of Santa Maria

This church was originally a Muslim mosque that was converted into a church after the Christian conquest of the city. It is one of the buildings that survived the bombings. The current church has a Gothic style, with pointed arches inside, although from the outside it seems to be square due to its connection with the sea-facing walls that surround it and of which it forms part. If you descend the stairs to the lower street and approach the lower part of the church, you will see embedded cannonball marks. Although these appeared after the bombing, the attacks from the sea in 1691 caused the same damage, which is why the church was built as part of the wall. Free access.

ROUTE

Alicante Water Museum

This museum showcases the methods used to channel water to supply the city, a system that remained virtually unchanged from medieval times until the 19th century. Next to the museum is the Pozos de Garrigos (Wells of Garrigos), where rainwater or melted snow was stored for later sale in the city. Although the first records we have of them are from after the 1691 bombing, they would have served as a safe refuge for the people of Alicante, just as they did later during the Spanish Civil War.

Free access.

ROUTE

Hermitage of San Roque

It is one of the few remaining examples of the many hermitages that once existed in the city. Although the original structure was from the 16th century, the one preserved today is from the 19th century.

ROUTE

Barrio Santa Cruz and the Hermitage of Santa Cruz

The Barrio de Santa Cruz and its hermitage are located in a high area next to the wall that descends from the Santa Barbara Castle. It is one of the most typical neighborhoods of Alicante. The current hermitage, from the 18th century, houses an image of Christ, whose procession through the steep streets of the neighborhood during Holy Week is truly spectacular. Free access.

ROUTE

Calle Labradores

This street has always been an important part of the old town, which developed after the construction of the Co-Cathedral of San Nicolas. However, it was not until after the attack of 1691 that wealthy residents living near the coast decided to move to this street for better protection. The three mansions visible on both sides date back to the 18th century. Interestingly, their large doors and spacious entrance halls were designed to accommodate the owners’ horses and carriages, which were stored inside the houses. We recommend visiting the Portalet Palace, located at Calle Labradores 15 (free access).

ROUTE

Co-Cathedral of San Nicolas

This building is one of the few that survived the bombing. Its construction began in the 17th century in the “Herrerian” style, characterized by its simplicity and minimal decoration. The facade we see today is the main one, but originally, the primary facade was the one on the side, made of black marble (from there its name: “Puerta Negra”). If you visit the co-cathedral, you will notice that the interior decorations were added after its initial construction, just as the Communion Chapel. Free access.

ROUTE

Convento de la Preciosisima Sangre de Cristo

The construction of the building began shortly before the bombing of 1691, which left the initial work destroyed. Therefore, a new building had to be constructed, which was occupied by the Augustinian nuns. It is the only urban building preserved among all the convents that Alicante had during the Baroque period.

ROUTE

The Nativity Scene Museum

We took a short detour from our route to visit this museum located in a traditional house in the old town. It features a permanent exhibition of nativity scenes as a reference to the great tradition of nativity scenes in Spain and the world, featuring works from different international origins. Free access.

ROUTE

The Discovered City

Next to the Town Hall, you will find this exhibition where visitors can explore the ruins of different houses that were destroyed by the bombing of 1691, as well as the medieval wall from the 13th-14th centuries and its self-defense structures. These were preserved because part of the wall was used for the structure of some houses. Once inside, you can walk along Alicante’s first modern street, built when new walls were constructed facing the sea in the 16th century. Free access.

ROUTE

Puerta del Mar

With Route C, you can learn a good part of the origins of the current city of Alicante. Plaza Puerta del Mar: Alicante has always been a walled city for the fear of being attacked from the sea. The Muslims and later the Kingdom of Castile and Valencia (to which Alicante became part at the beginning of the 14th century) fortified the city with walls. Despite these defenses, Alicante was bombed from the sea by the French Armada in 1691 and by the English Armada in 1706, destroying 90% of the city. That is why on this route we will try to see the city’s transformation before and after these bombings.

ROUTE

Alicante Town Hall

The first town hall building of Alicante was constructed after receiving its charter in 1490 granted by Ferdinand the Catholic. However, that first town hall was destroyed by the bombing of 1691. As we are close to the sea, this area was one of the most damaged. The Town Hall we can visit today is from the early 18th century. Inside, on the first floor, you will see the Blue Room, which was decorated as a palace to receive Queen Isabel II when she was in the city for the inauguration of the train connecting Alicante with Madrid. Free access.

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