Things to do February Half Term

Alicante City Santa Barbara Castle

Santa Barbara Castle in Alicante is well worth a visit. If you are feeling energetic, you can walk the 166m to the top through the old quarter or you can catch the lift from the street level, if it is working. However, the best way is to drive and park for free! You can explore the well preserved castle ruins at your own pace, taking in the stunning views and the tranquillity of its setting. On a clear day you’ll see for miles out over the sea, down onto the cathedral and the old town, the bullring and the football stadium for Hercules Alicante as well as the mountains in the distance. There is a fantastic picnic area with views over the marina and beaches.

Parking: is in the car park and is free.

From here: wander around the castle at your leisure, there is a small refreshment kiosk, toilets and picnic tables with stunning views out over the sea (go through the tunnel into the courtyard and turn left continue past the toilets for the picnic area). The castle is open everyday of the week from 10.00-20.00 and both entrance and parking is free. The lift from the street level costs 2.40€ return, but is free for under 5's and pensioners.

Cuevas del Canelobre

The magnificent Caves of Canelobre are located just 24 kilometres inland from the city of Alicante and are said to be Spain’s largest and deepest cave system - it makes a great rainy day option. The cave system can only be visited as part of a guided tour – remember to take warm clothes as it is cold inside! The caves were formed many millions of years ago, but they are still slowly changing at a rate of just 1cm every 100 years! The stalactites and stalagmites are continuously growing and aided by the clever lighting take on the shapes and forms of all sorts of animals as well as giving the caves a cathedral like feel. The main attraction is the candelabra formation, from which the caves have taken their name.  

Parking: is in the free car park.

From here: the entrance to the caves, souvenir shop, toilets and picnic area are just beside the car park. Click here to take a look at the official website for the most up-to-date opening times, entrance costs 4€ for adults and 2€ for children.  

Elche City Bell Tower

Elche is also known as the City of Palms as it is located within the largest Palm forest in Europe. There are many things to do in Elche, but the cathedral has to be first on the list.  You can take a look inside, it is open everyday from 07.00-13.30 & 17.30-21.00, but it is the bell tower that will interest the children more!! Climb up the steps to the top for some stunning views out over the city and it's palm forests. The tower is open everyday from 11.00-18.00 and costs 2€. You can explore more of Elche by following our Elche city walking route, or cross the square and enter the Municple Park for a relaxing stroll.

For something a little different why not visit Elche by train? Simply get off at Elche Park (also known as Elx Parq), then walk through the municipal park to the tourist office and the cathedral. Trains run from both Orihuela and San Isidro to Elx Parq. Return tickets from San Isidro are 2.60€ per adult, for the time tables click on our points of interest for Orihuela or San Isidro Train Stations.

Parking: is in the underground car park beside the municipal park and is charged for by length of stay.

From here: exit the underground car park, and cross the road, the cathedral is behind the buildings directly in front of you and the municipal park is behind you. The round white building beside the municipal park is the tourist office where you can collect your free city map and the leaflets which guide you on both the Historic Palm Grove and the Monumental walking routes or you can follow our Elche city walking route.

If you get a little hungry visit Portofino Italian Restaurant, our travel guide sponsors in Elche for some great pizzas, pastas and menu del dia!

Regional Park of El Valle Centro de la Luz

The Regional Park of El Valle and Carrascoy is located about 6 kilometres to the east of the city of Murcia and is nicked named the ‘green lung’ of Murcia. It covers an area of 11,000 hectares and its mountains range from 200 to 1,000 metres in height. It has been a protected area since 1917 and was declared a regional park in 1992. There is an abundance of fauna and flora, two free visitor centres, one called the Centro de la Luz and the other the Centro Naturaleza El Valle as well as a fascinating Arboretum. There are many signposted walking and cycling routes, a road to the top of El Relojeroat 609 metres and even a children’s play area with BBQ facilities and plenty of picnic tables positioned throughout the park. 

Parking: is in the car park beside the visitor centre and is free.

From here: walk into the visitors centre. The entrance to the exhibitions is beside the information desk to your left. The stairs are to your right. On the first floor is the café and some display cases with information about the silk industry. On the second floor is a mountaineering exhibition and a 360 degree viewing balcony. For more information and the gps coordinates for all the other points of interest take a look at the El Valle Regional Park Travel Guide.

Rio Segura Walking & Cycling Path Rojales

The Rio Segura runs from the marina at Guardamar del Segura inland past the villages of Rojales, Formenters, Algorfa, Benejuzar, Orihuela and further into Murcia and then along the Ricotte Valley towards Calasparra and beyond. The part between Guardamar and Orihuela has been called the Corridor Verde and is an excellent cycling or walking path. If you are very, very fit you can cover the route in one day, it is about 60 kilometres there and back!!! Alternatively you can use the villages as starting and stopping points. We enjoy going from Rojales to Algorfa and back if we are cycling and from Rojales to Formentera and back if we are walking.

Parking: is on the road next to the apartment and is free.

From here: walk or cycle along beside the river, turn left to Formentera, Algorfa, Benejuzar and Orihuela or right and follow the river through Rojales, past the market site towards Guardamar Marina.

Top tip: these are the gps coordinates for Rojales, for the coordinates for each village simply click through to the Rio Segura Travel Guide.

If you need to hire a bike, simply give David and the team a call at Family Bike Hire and they will have you on your way in no time! 

Santa Pola

Santa Pola is a busy town which is best known for its salt lakes. It has endless kilometres of beach front promenades and a modern marina from which you can take a boat trip to the nearby Island of Tabarca. The town boasts a castle, a palm park, an aquarium and an interesting range of cultural and historic museums. Fish lovers will enjoy the many fish restaurants, or you can buy some fresh fish to cook for yourself from the fish market when the boats return with their catch! 

Santa Pola is a great place for children. Visit the Aquarium with its 9 big tanks which display the flora and fauna of the Mediterranean Sea including turtles, groupers, starfish, morays, sea-bass  and many other types of fish. During February half term it is open Tuesday-Saturday from 10.00-13.00 & 17.00-19.00. It is 2.50€ per adult and only 1.25€ for OAP's and children under 16 yrs with under 4's being free.

Of course there are many other things to do in Santa Pola like visit the free salt museum, walk along the extremely long beach front promenade or build a sand castle. For something really different book on the Snorkel Safari which our travel guide sponsors the Dive Academy run!!

Parking: is in pay car park 1 and is charged by the length of stay, keep your ticket and pay when you are ready to leave. Free parking is available on the roads around this area, but spaces can be very hard to find, especially during holiday times.

From here: exit the car park to the right and walk along beside the boats towards the fishing fleet, cross the road and continue to walk you'll soon see the steps down to the Aquarium.

Torrevieja Habaneras Shopping Mall & Ozone Bowling

Torrevieja is a busy, bustling town that has a lively atmosphere all year round, day and night. The Habaneras is a modern open air 3 story shopping mall which includes all the usual shops such as Zara, H&M, C&A, Gerry Weber, Pull and Bear and Mango. There are cafes on the top floor giving stunning views towards the mountains and the setting sun. The Ozone Complex is situated behind the Habaneras and offers great fun for the whole family. There is a Ten Pin Bowling Alley with arcade games and pool tables, Crazy Golf and a Mediterraneo Casino. There are many ‘fast food’ type restaurants in and around both the Habaneras and Ozone. 

There are many other things to do in Torrevieja, so take a look at the Torrevieja Travel Guide for all the gps coordinates. It has two harbours which offer a relaxing atmosphere where you can sit back and unwind. The 1.6kilometer elevated marina promenade is an excellent place to stretch your legs or burn off an ice cream! There are two major beaches either side of the marinas which get very busy during the summer. The day and night market along the sea front means that there is always something to do. Try the tourist train to find out about the history of Torrevieja or visit the Tourist Office for information about its museums.

Parking: is in the underground car park at the Habaneras and is free.

From here: exit the car park using the escalators, you have now arrived in the three story shopping mall! Walk through the mall back to the main road, cross over and continue to the Ozone Bowling Alley. The shops are normally open Monday to Saturday from 10.00 to 22.00.