Experience in Alicante, Spain by Lezka

What is it like to live in Alicante? Would you recommend it? What is the city like?

Alicante is a holiday city and that's how it feels like living here, maybe not for locals who never lived elsewhere but this is a city where every spare time you have, you'll have it in a holiday destination, weather, food, party, beach. There is a large young international community, a good rage of restaurants and bars and plenty of beach and parks to practice outdoor sports or just relax

What is the student lifestyle like in Alicante?

It's really good, maybe too much. University of Alicante has a really nice and large campus with everything you need, because is a typical tourist destination you will find lots of erasmus and overseas students doing semesters or learning Spanish, the only problem is that the weather, the party and the beach are maybe too tempting if what you really want is to spend hours studying in some library

How much does it cost to live in Alicante?

You can rent a decent flat for 350-450€/month, food will depend of course on your diet but there are plenty of street markets with very cheap prices on fruits and vegetables and you will always have a cheap option of everything at supermarkets

Is it difficult to find accommodation in Alicante? Is there any advice you can give?

I wouldn't think so. There is a decent range of option and the city is pretty easy to move around so if you are not too picky you should find something rather easily

What is the food like? What are your favourite dishes?

Well, this is where most people get it wrong. Spain is one of the few countries in the world where the food is incredibly diverse. We don't have the answer to "what is your typical food?" or "what is the main ingredient of your dishes?". Sure, there are some dishes which are more popular internationally for some reason but ask any Spanish person what they ate in the last week and they will probably tell you 7 different dishes. You have to say that rice is the star in this region but we may run entire weeks with no rice on our table, Alicante is also national provider of ice cream and chocolate so indulge yourself. I do love rice, you can try the black rice, made with squid ink or a good selection of tapas including croquetas, sepia, patatas bravas, chorizos a la sidra, you name it really, i guess my advise if you have some time in spain is, do not have the same dish twice!

What places would you recommend visiting in Alicante?

Obviously this will depend on what your preferences are. You have the Santa Barbara Castle, it's really great, right in the city centre, great walk to the top if you feel like it or a short drive, spectacular views of the sea line, very well preserved castle with most of the walls and the inner structure looking great, they often run some exhibitions or markets inside too and all this for free!
If you are into museums, there is the MARQ (arqueology) which is well famed in the country.
You definitely want to walk the "Explanada", cross to the port and to Postiguet beach and have an "horchata" on your way. This is a milky local drink probably quite different to anything you have tried before, you love it or hate it.
If you're looking for a long, relaxed beach, head to San Juan beach, just 10 minutes from the city or if you feel more adventurous and have a car you can just drive along the coast to discover your own small hidden beaches, there are plenty near "El Campello", "Santa Pola" of further in "Calpe", "Javea", "Altea"... really all lovely towns by the sea.
If you prefere the mountain, we have that too, just half an hour driving into the country side you will have plenty of mountains to walk, ride a bike or trek. "Aitana" mountain is 800m above the see and just the road up there will be worth it. Twisted scary roads at times will take you along small mountain villages to give you a completely different feeling from the beach.

Is it good to eat out in Alicante? Can you tell us your favourite spots?

Excellent. Specially if you go in groups, you can really have a lot of tapas, mix and match and end up full for about 10/15€ including some sangria too!
Most local places in Spain in general are good quality food. Just avoid the main tourist spots around the city hall or the explanada, just walk one block away and you will typically find the same thing at a lower price

Is the nightlife good in Alicante? Where is good to go?

Definitely go. We like to party, we like it loud and we like it late, this can be shocking for some foreigners but we go out at midnight or later sometimes to come back with the sunrise, this is specially true in the summer months. A lot of places are free entry and they will even throw some shots in for you. If you go in a large group you can drink for free all night if you are a bit smart. You would typically go to the "Barrio" area, just at the bottom of the Santa Barbara Castle and then to the "Puerto" (harbour)

What advice would you give future students heading to Alicante?

East something different every day, visit a different beach every weekend, build up some patience, put on some flip-flops and relax, this is a holiday spot after all.