Alicante Travel Forum

I'm studying abroad in Spain this fall but am having a hard time between Alicante and Barcelona. At first I was set on going to Alicante, but that's hard to justify when Barcelona would make a better home base for trips into Europe. What else should I be looking at in making my decision? What does Alicante have that Barcelona doesn't?

Without doubting... Barcelona is a wonderful city with thousand of things to do. Alicante is nice as well, but you can't compare, they are completely different, Barcelona is the most cosmopolitan city of Spain

<<< What does Alicante have that Barcelona doesn't? >>>

Quietness??? :)

Hi.

Just some thoughts.

Actually you can find lots of good deals from Murcia/Alicante to other parts of Europe too; specially to Germany and Scandinavia.

Alicante has a nice weather and lots of history; the traces of the 700 year legacy of the Muslim conquest are the highest there, I think.

Martin

Hello
North Costa Blanca is very beautiful. If you stay in Alicante, you can drive North and see stunning scenery and towns such as Denia, Oliva, Javea, Altea, Moraira. All worth visiting. This area has beautiful valleys and mountains and an amazing rugged coastline. So much to see and do in this area. Fiestas etc.

If you look for a place to stay, Alicante is a good place but Barcelona is more cosmopolitan and has a great cultural offer. The climate is a bit better in Alicante, and the city is smaller, then more easy to move, meet people, etc. Also the province is wonderful, you sill find nice beaches, but also the mountains are very near and there are very beautiful villages.
But if you look for a base to travel abroad, you will have more flights from Barcelona airport. Alicante airport is ok for London, Pisa, Paris, Dusseldorf, Brussels and some more places (check webs of Iberia, Spanair, Ryanair etc) but very often we have to fly to Madrid or Barcelona to take another flight to other European cities.
If you will study here, bear also in mind the language. In Barcelona, both Spanish and Catalonian are spoken, but I think that lectures are mostly in Catalonian.