Easy and Fun Day Tours From Alicante (by Train or Car)
If you are looking for the best day trips from Alicante, this post is for you.
Costa Blanca in Spain is the perfect destination to visit all year round. While the beach is a great place to visit in the summer, fall, and spring, you can take wonderful strolls along the beaches even in the winter – thanks to a mild climate. But Costa Blanca is so much more than just a great beach destination: Cute towns and villages, a party hotspot, and many activities for people of all ages (even kids) make it a great destination for anyone.
So, for this region, I recommend making Alicante your base and doing some fun and easy day trips from Alicante. Here are tips for your week in Costa Blanca – how to visit places near Alicante the easy way.
Costa Blanca Travel Tips
But first: some quick travel tips for Costa Blanca.
How to Get to Costa Blanca
If you get to Costa Blanca, you will most likely, fly into Alicante or Valencia. I flew into Alicante and was very happy to see how easy it is to get to the city center.
- From the airport to Alicante, it just takes a 20-minute bus ride (around 4€).
Alicante also has a train station you can arrive at.
- The train station is right in the center, and from there, you can easily get around.
How to Get Around in Costa Blanca
For day trips from Alicante, there are several ways to get around:
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION
We opted for public transportation in Costa Blanca. Public transportation is actually pretty good – and cheap. The train ticket from Alicante to Valencia was about 40€ round-trip (if we had booked the tickets in advance, we would have had to pay only 32€) per person.
From Alicante to other destinations, we took the tram – which came with great views. And a ticket from Alicante to Altea, Benidorm, or Villajoysoa costs only a few € (one way).
CAR
In a group of three or four, a rental car might be the cheaper option. But there is no need to drive the narrow mountain roads (at parts) and worry about parking.
I was seriously so impressed with the public transportation in Costa Blanca that I would prefer that over driving myself.
GUIDED TOURS
There are also some guided tours you can book. I have not found a tour for all activities but tried to add them whenever possible.
Best Time to Visit Costa Blanca
While it might be too cold to spend hours lounging at the beach and swimming in the ocean, Costa Blanca is the perfect destination in the winter. The weather is mild at this time of year and perfect for endless hours of strolling, discovering the towns and cities along the coast (oh yes, Costa Blanca has some charming towns and villages along its shores), and enjoying sightseeing without too many other tourists.
No need to beat your way through the crowds, no overpriced accommodations – these are just a few reasons why I can recommend exploring this lovely Spanish area in the winter.
Costa Blanca in spring and fall is also a good time to visit – warmer weather will allow you to spend more time at the beach and get your Vitamin D dose.
Personally, I would avoid the summer months – with the hot dry summer days it might be great for a beach vacation but not so great to explore the area.
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Where to Stay in Costa Blanca
Thanks to good public transportation, it is easy to get around from one place to another. It takes some time to get from Alicante to Valencia but day trips are absolutely doable. So, there is no need to change hotels each day.
We stayed in Alicante – most of the places here are closer to Alicante than to Valencia.
- Alicante Accommodations: We, a friend and me, stayed at the 3-star hotel Maya Alicante. It was a decent choice with a friendly and bright interior. Breakfast choices were good, the quality, however, was not great. But in all, you get good value for your money.
- Click here to find more hotels in Alicante – for each budget.
- Valencia Accommodations: Valencia is a great base for your trip to Costa Blanca. The city itself is home to many great sights and attractions, so if you want to base yourself in Valencia, check out hotel rates there.
- Altea Accommodations: Altea is probably the best place to stay for love birds. Small and tiny and yet so gorgeous – I guess this is the most romantic place on the itinerary. So, click here to find out about hotel rates in Altea.
- Villajoyosa Accommodations: Villajoyosa is a fun and small place perfect for those seeking to be at the beach within minutes (or even seconds). I suggest this place for those looking for a more relaxed place (also great for families). Click here to find out more about hotels and rates in Villajoyosa.
Best Day Trips from Alicante
Here are my tips for fun day tours from Alicante.
Altea
Altea is located between Alicante and Valencia and is absolutely charming. It is the perfect day trip from Alicante because you can get there even by tram. Plus, most importantly, this town is so unique.
HOW TO GET TO ALTEA FROM ALICANTE:
- It takes about 1,5 hours to get from Alicante to Altea by train: Start in Alicante: Mercado station – take L1- and get to Benidorm Intermodal – then take the L9 and get to Altea. The tickets are very cheap and cost only a few €.
- By car, it takes about 45 minutes (60km).
- If you like to do a guided tour – Villajoyosa and Altea from Alicante – click here to find out more about prices and times.
Villajoyosa
The most colorful place in Costa Blanca is Villajoyosa. It is located closer to Alicante – since Altea is quite small you could combine a trip to Villayosa and Altea. I never expected to find such a colorful town here in Costa Blanca – it is my personal little Burano.
HOW TO GET TO VILLAJOYOSA FROM ALICANTE:
- It takes about 60 minutes to get from Alicante to Villajoyosa by train: Start in Alicante: Mercado station – take L1- and get off at La Vila Joiosa. Then it is just a 2-minute walk to the promenade.
- By car, it takes about 30 minutes (36km).
- If you like to do a guided tour – Altea and Villajoyosa from Alicante. Click here to find out more about prices and times.
Benidorm
Benidorm did not win me over within the first few minutes. Though I am a city girl, I did not enjoy walking from the train station to the beach area. It was just busy and not charming. So, are you wondering why I am still recommending it for a day trip from Alicante/Valencia?
Well, the town center itself is not fun or amazing – unless you are a party animal – apparently, Benidorm is very well-known for being a party hotspot. But the beach area is charming, and so is the famous Balcón del Mediterráneo – these pretty white steps and balcony are absolutely lovely and charming. You have musicians playing (probably only in good weather) and fantastic views of the ocean.
This is serious Instagram material – pretty, pretty, pretty, and a fun and easy day trip from Alicante.
HOW TO GET TO BENIDORM FROM ALICANTE:
- It takes about 70 minutes to get from Alicante to Benidorm by tram: Start in Alicante: Mercado station – take L1 and get to Benidorm Intermodal. It takes about a 10-minutes walk through the city center until you are at the promenade.
- By car, it takes about 40 minutes (45km).
If you are a fast traveler or start your day early, you could see all three places mentioned above in one day actually.
So, while we visited all the places from Alicante, they can also be done as a day trip from Valencia, since all towns and places are located more or less in between the cities of Alicante and Valencia.
Valencia
Spain´s third-biggest city is lovely, lively, and fun. If you go on a day trip from Alicante, make sure to start your trip early so that you can maximize your day in Valencia.
Arriving at the train station Estació del Nord Valencia (there are two train stations) is already an experience in itself. From there, you can start with exploring the beach section of Valencia and then head towards the museum area – with sights like Valencia Eye along the way (either get there by bus or walk.
Then, head to the pretty old town of Valencia with its stunning old buildings and attractions.
There is a direct train connection from Alicante. Early booking is helpful, and some trains are more expensive (we paid around 20€ one-way). Click here for more Valencia travel tips.
HOW TO GET TO VALENCIA FROM ALICANTE:
- It takes about 100-120 minutes to get from Alicante to Valencia by train: Start in Alicante: Termino station and either get to Valencia – Estacio del Nord (the beautiful train station) or Valencia Joaquin Sorolla. Both are in the city center and easily reachable. (prices start from 16€ for a one-way trip)
- By car, it takes about 2 hours (170km).
Calp
I am adding this place even though I was not able to make it there myself. Calp, a coastal town in between Alicante and Valencia, is known for its wonderful beaches. It is quite time-consuming to get to Calp from Alicante by train so it might only be worth it if you are really into beaches or if you have a spare day or if you have a car.
If you like to visit only one or two places, you can easily combine it with a trip to any of the following: Altea, Benidorm, or Villajoyosa.
HOW TO GET TO CALP FROM ALICANTE:
- It takes almost 3 hours to get from Alicante to Benidorm by train: Start in Alicante: Mercado station – take L1 and get to Benidorm – change to L9 and take the train to Calp.
- By car, it takes about 50 minutes (65km).
Conclusion
While this is no ordinary Costa Blanca itinerary, it hopefully has helped you curate your time at Costa Blanca. These fun day trips from Alicante are quite easy to take and worth it. If you visit in the summer – or late spring, or early fall – you can easily add a few days for some dedicated beach time.
Depending on the place you stay, you can decide where you want to enjoy your beach vacation. As mentioned above, there are quite a few beach destinations and even more that weren’t listed (Costa Blanca is just great for that kind of holiday).