Posted by Nick on August 5, 2010
The Alicante Central Market was just listed as a top Alicante must see for travelers. In Alicante, it is known as the Alicante Mercado Central. The market takes place each week from Monday through Saturday, with no operation on Sundays.
Locals visit the Alicante Central Market mostly in the mornings to stock up on fresh fish and local fruits and vegetables. There are even flower sellers out back.
Image: camera_obscura [busy], Flickr
The building where you will find the Alicante Central Market is a two story art deco building that will be hard to miss. The top of the building has a circular dome of sorts, called the “La Rotonda.” And it also has a nice grand entrance, as pictured below.
image: Zador Spanish schools Spain, Flickr
You can find the Alicante Central Market at Avda. Alfonso X el Sabio, 1. Hours are Monday to Saturday: 7:30am - 2:30pm. If you want to mingle with some of the Alicante locals, this is the best place to do it.
Posted by Nick on June 27, 2010
Alicante, Spain is perhaps best known for its beaches. Located along Spain’s sunny southeastern coast, there is more to Alicante than just beaches.
If you find yourself in Alicante, here are five must-see attractions from Alicante Travel Guide that you won’t want to miss out on.
1. The Old Town Section of Alicante
The wide, cobbled streets of Old Town Alicante are home to stunning old world architecture, museums, shops and churches. Things to see include the Basilica of Santa Maria, Gravina Museum of Fine Arts, the Santa Faz monastery and the Cathedral of St. Nicholas of Bari.
2. Catamaran to Tabarca Island
If you want to escape the city of Alicante, just hop on a catamaran to Tabarca Island. Tabarca Island used to be a pirate hideout. When you visit Tabarca Island, enjoy a hike along the coast or a picnic by the sea.
3. Alicante Nightlife
The Old Town Barrio is a centrally located nightlife hotspot in Alicante. Popular bars include Carpe Diem, Mulligan’s and Dos Gringos. Happy hour in Spain begins a lot later than it does in the United States. Cheap drinks and the occasional free shots of Alicante’s happy hour start around midnight. Around 3am or 4am, the hotspot moves to the clubs in the Puerto district. Locals hang out by the water, or in the casino, and watch the sun rise. Then, everyone heads home between 7am and 8am.
4. Postiguet Beach
Located in the heart of Alicante, Postiguet Beach is the main beach in Alicante. Streetlights keep the beach safe at all hours, which makes it a popular place both day and night. There are plenty of bars and restaurants nearby, which makes it easy for you relax while watching the waves or the sunrise.
5. Castle of Santa Barbara
Built by Moors in the 9th century, the Castle of Santa Barbara is of the largest medieval fortresses in Spain. The castle was built into Mount Bencatil, which is just north of the city. To get to the castle, walk the streets of Alicante or take the elevator by Avenue de Juan Bautista Lafora. There is no admission fee.
Posted by Nick on April 23, 2010
If you are planning a trip to the “City of Lights” you may be looking for some famous Paris hotels to stay in. There are some hotels in Paris that you may have heard of before. Here are a few of them.
Hotel de Crillon
The Hotel de Crillon is one of the oldest hotels in the world. It was built in the 18th century and has played host to Ernest Hemingway, Woodrow Wilson and Madonna, among many notable others. Located in the Place de la Concorde, the Hotel de Crillon is near both Tuileries Gardens and the Champs Elysees.
L’Hotel Paris
The L’Hotel Paris is where Oscar Wilde died in 1900. This 19th century Left Bank hotel has also hosted famous names such as Elizabeth Taylor, Salvador Dali and Princess Grace.
Hotel Regina Paris
The Hotel Regina Paris might have been featured in a recent movie you watched. The Paris hotel was built in 1900 on the site of the Louvre Palace stables. It is near the Tuileries Gardens and the Louvre.
Posted by Nick on April 2, 2010
Val Tidone, Italy is located in the Emilia-Romagna Region of Italy.
Val Tidone is a good area for wine enthusiasts to visit. Start by going through Borogonovo. There you can check out the impressive castle. In fact, there is no shortage of medieval castles in Val Tidone. There is a vineyard in Ziano. Ziano is the capital town of Val Tidone.
If you go south to Olgisio, you can see a massive fortress.
Posted by Nick on March 11, 2010
Train travel is Europe is a popular method of travel that can be less stressful than traveling by plane. Booking a seat on the high speed Eurostar train only requires a 30 minute early check-in as opposed to a couple of hours at the airport. Some train travel can be almost as quick as flying by plane as well. Traveling by train across Europe to Italy also gives travelers a way to see the scenery. If you are ready to book your travel to Italy by train it is something that you can easily do on your own.
Get rail tickets from the Rail Europe 
website before leaving the United States. You can only buy tickets from Rail Europe before you leave the US as they have to mail your train pass or tickets to you. An advantage to buying from Rail Europe is that you are able to make your purchase in US dollars. On the Rail Europe site you can buy point to point rail tickets or you can buy a rail pass. Rail passes are available that cover single countries as well as multiple countries. Passes vary in price and days of use.
Buy train tickets in person at a train station in Europe. Ticket machines as well as staffed ticket windows are available at train stations so that you can purchase your tickets on the spot. If you have questions about a connection or your travel you should go to one of the windows. Do not expect the train station clerk to be able to speak English. It is a good idea to have a translation dictionary with you if you do not speak the local language.
Book a seat on the Eurostar train if you are traveling to Italy from the United Kingdom. Tickets can be purchased in advance at Eurostar.com or on the Rail Europe website. The Eurostar is a high speed train that goes from London to Paris, France in just over two hours. The train also takes travelers to Brussels, Belgium. The Eurostar travels in the Channel Tunnel, which is under the English Channel. From Paris or Brussels you can take another train into Italy. Tickets can be purchased at the train station to get you the rest of the way to Italy or you can use a rail pass if you have one.
