Alicante Travel Forum

Hi I'll be in spain this june for three weeks and i plan on studying in salamanca for two of those weeks. for my third week, i was interested in studying in alicante, and i was wondering if it would be worth coming to there only for one week. my main reason behind coming to alicante would be that the hogueras festival would be taking place then. and the fact that i may not return to spain for who knows how long makes me want to make the most of it and experience all that i can. but again im not sure if i should just stay put in salamanca or take the 3rd week in alicante?

If your main objective in visiting Alicante is to study I'm not sure combining it with the 4/5 days and nights of the hogueras festival would be a good idea.!
You might have a fun time though - as long as you are happy with the sound of fire crackers and the crackle and blaze of fires amidst crowds of people.

I agree with them. To study is not compatible with Alicante during the Hogueras. Come to have a nice time, enjoy the atmosphere during the festival, see the bonfires, the "belleas", go to the beach... but if you really intend to study, Alicante in that period is not the right place. We like very much firecrackers, alone or in series. Noise and gunpowder smell are present everywhere during the Hogueras, which is nice in case you can enjoy it.

hmm ok. well would it be worth coming to alicante for the festival? the festival seems like fun but if its not totally worth coming to alicante then i may not make the effort to come for it.

Nobody can tell you if it is worth coming. You may like the Hogueras, you may not... You may have friends who have come, they can tell you their impressions.
There are tips about the Hogueras in VT Alicante pages; I have a travelogue too. Check pages about the Hogueras, such as the folowing:
http://hogueras-sanjuan.comunitatvalenciana.com/hogueras-san-juan-alicante.htm
If you have friends here (or coming with you) and a place to stay, the decision shouldn't be difficult ;)
Anyway, enjoy your time in Spain.

Alicantinos are at their friendliest during the Hogueras too. It's a great time and something not to miss if you've never been. A friend of mine works on the sculptures and I can tell you alot of work goes into it. It might be helpful to bring a Catalan or Valencian / English or Castellano dictionary to help you to understand the poems. And finally, like my hiking friends told me, you'll learn more Spanish hanging out with Spanish people for a few days than you would in the University in a month. Besides, there's the beach!