The city of Alicante serves as the commercial port of Madrid, and as such has first class road, rail, and air contact. It has a mild climate, and thus attracts tourists the year round, even in the winter. The main farmland products of the area are wine, vegetables, raisins, and esparto grass which is a perennial grass which is used for things such as basketry, all of which are exported. The region also grows tomatoes, lemons, oranges, and produces a lot of fish, cigarettes, furniture, embroideries, bricks, and aluminium utensils. Alicante City itself is also know for almonds and nougat. Torrevieja is a city within Alicante province and is well-known for its’ production of real leather shoes.

There are lots of things to do in Alicante, not the least of which is a trip on the Alicante Tram just for the spectacular views of the Costa Blanca coastline. The tracks go along the coastal path and sometimes up into the hills, and there are some beautiful little villages on the way. If you want a day on the beach, then stop off at San Juan which is only a couple of stops from Alicante City and has a wonderful sandy beach and clear blue waters.

For those interested in history, Altea is a lot further along the line and the whole town is built on a slope with winding streets.

Alicante itself also has a rich history and lies at the foot of a large hill with Santa Barbara Castle at the top. If you are feeling energetic you can follow a winding path to the top, but if not, there is a lift which will get you there a lot faster. There are some spectacular views from the ramparts on the rooftop.

The old town is a "must visit" part of Alicante and has the typical winding cobbled streets of many a Spanish town with whitewashed buildings covered in flowers throughout the year. Here you can eat and drink until the early hours as there are many restaurants and bars, many of them offering free tapas with every drink, so it is the place to go if you want a cheap night out.

You will probably also spend a lot of time on La Explanada Espaniol which was built in 1867 and is constructed of 6.6 million (really!) tiles in cream, red and black which mimic the rolling waves of the Mediterranean. It is bordered on either side by palm trees, and every evening there is a market with stalls selling jewellery, rugs, leather purses, bags, and a whole lot more. There are also lots of bars and cafes when you tire of buying things.

Of course, since Alicante is a coastal city it has a port, and this is where you will find the nightclubs if you are after a night out. The Kraken Bar is well-known and right on the edge of the water. There is also the Soho Bar where you can get superb cocktails and coffee.

Another place to go is the Barrio de Santa Cruz which is the residential old town. It is located on the hillside and feels as though it is a million miles away from the main city, with the traditional winding cobbled streets, whitewashed walls, and floral decorations. There are plenty of little cafes selling coffees, tapas, and paella here, and you can really get the feeling of Alicante’s past.

Just outside the city centre is the Parque el Palmeral which has lots of palm trees, waterfalls, and wildlife, and has lovely little gardens dotted about. There is also a kiosk where you can buy food and drink, but the area is expensive, so you might be better off bringing a picnic and your own bottle of wine or three.

Of course, Alicante is an extremely popular tourist resort, and if you are looking for an overseas investment you might well want to consider some of the Alicante villas for sale. One of these would be a great place for a holiday home, or even retirement. When you are not using it yourself, Alicante is so popular that you can be assured that it will be booked by tourists year-round.