Alicante Bars and Parks

I think now is best time to take a break from our traditional Alicante sightseeing tour and leave path of historic buildings and museums. There are so many different churches, museums and places particularly around old city centre, which you can spend many days discovering them. However, as you might visit city during rather hot summer months allow me to have a little step back and go up to Plaza de C. Sotelo.

The lovely garden is ideal rest place and best starting point for a little shopping tour in Alicante. Right at opposite you will find El Corte Ingles, famous Spanish department store chain with an impressive outlet. Not that you might just go there for shopping, but as it is air-conditioned it might just be right thing to “cool things down” a little. So after a nice “shopping-rest” just coming out of El Corte Ingles, we walk Avenida Doctor Gadea down to harbour area.

Next to statue of D. Eleuterio Maisonnave former minister of state and famous sun of city of Alicante, Avenida guides you down to harbour with beautiful flowers along way. It is this kind of alleys you find all around Alicante and make city such a wonderful place for a walk around. The city is full with peaceful places and gardens its all up to you if you prefer going for quiet site of Alicante. Down Avenida Doctor Gandea we reach harbour area again.

Before turning left to where we came from, you should visit Panoramis shopping mall directly at harbour. Just when you go there you will pass Real Club de Regatas – royal regatta club. If you are lucky you mind even see members of Spanish royal family, who sometimes spend some time here. Similar to an American style shopping mall, Panoramis offers you a breathtaking view over Alicante harbour area. With a huge variety of different restaurants, most of them with perfect view over city, it is a lovely point of reference for every walk around city.

Finally we turn back to area around Melia Hotel, where we started our walk through Alicante. Along harbour at Paseo Explanada de Espana our way takes us in between an alley of palm trees right back.

Further sightseeing tips on Alicante

Having completed more or less our walk through Alicante – which might take anything in between 4 to 6 hours, there are obviously many more things to see and visit around this impressive city. Among others you could go up castle of Santa Barbara (take car to get there if it’s too hot), see bullfighting ring or visit Park Ruiz de Alda north of Alicante just to name a view. However you might reconsider your plans when you are actually visiting Costa Blanca area, because above everything stands usually beach, sand and sea.

Dome Tents

The basic style of dome tent is hexagonal. The fabric usually used is nylon. The weight is about two and one-half to seven and one-half pounds.

The tent is usually free-standing or self supporting. This means no stakes or lines are needed under normal circumstances.

However you should never leave it unoccupied without staking it down because wind can send this lightweight tent tumbling off.

The dome tent is great for backpackers and canoeists. Its choice of winter campers and mountaineers in larger sizes. The reason is because of its aerodynamic shape.

It resists gusts of wind well and is easy to set up and dismantle. The only problem with this type of tent is that it is not well ventilated. Moisture tends to gather at top of dome.

Tunnel Tent

This type of tent is primarily a backpacker's shelter. It can weigh as little as one and one-half pounds.

The type of material used is generally nylon. It is not very spacious. The advantage of this tent is how compact it becomes.

It can be rolled into a tight bundle no larger than a football. It is a free standing tent, not needing any lines or stakes unless a fly is added.

It is lightweight, which makes it ideal for backpacker or canoeist. Because of its design wind flows off of it easily and makes it great for winter camping.

It has a screened opening at one end and can be closed against severe weather. It is easily erected and dismantled. It also ventilates well.

The A-Frame Tent

This tent is used primarily by backpacker. The frame of this tent can be either fitted into sleeves or standing independently of shelter.

Gone are days of upright pole that used to hold it up in middle of opening. They are generally made out of nylon. Weights vary from about 3 pounds to about 6.

These tents are ideal for canoe trips, climbers , fishermen and hunters. They are relatively lightweight and spacious.

A vestibule can be added to front opening adding very little weight and adding an extra 10 to 20 square feet. This makes it ideal for storing your gear and giving you extra sleeping area.