Alicante Bike Tour: A Detailed City & Beach Review

Alright, planning a trip to Alicante and thinking about seeing the sights? You really should give the Alicante City and Beach Bike Tour some thought, then. It’s, in some respects, a genuinely cool way to get your bearings, soak up the sun, and get a bit of exercise while you’re at it. Now, I took this tour last summer, and, frankly, I’m going to walk you through what made it pretty awesome and a couple things to keep in mind before you book.

Getting Ready for Your Alicante Bike Adventure

The first thing you’ll want to do, actually, is book in advance. Bike tours, at least the popular ones, they often get fully booked, particularly in the peak tourist seasons. So, it’s always a good idea to jump online and secure your spot. You’ll want to look at where the tour begins. In my experience, several tour companies like to start around the marina, simply because it’s quite central and reasonably easy to find.

What to wear? It’s almost always warm in Alicante, so you should bring lightweight clothing. I recommend bringing sunscreen. Seriously, that Mediterranean sun? It is rather strong! Also, pop on a hat, or at least a pair of sunglasses, too it’s also very helpful to wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be cycling for a number of hours, more or less, so comfort is going to be important. Bringing a water bottle with you might be a good idea too. A lot of tours don’t provide water, and staying hydrated is very important, especially on warmer days.

The Route: City Highlights and Coastal Views

Now, about the tour itself: usually, these Alicante bike tours mix some popular landmarks with some hidden corners that you might, maybe, skip if you were exploring on foot. For example, my tour started near the marina and quickly took us along the Explanada de España. Do you know that really pretty promenade that has those wavy tiles? Well, we cruised along that while the guide spoke a little bit about its history and importance. What a great way to begin, if I’m being honest.

After that, typically, a tour takes you through the older parts of Alicante, basically, the Barrio de la Santa Cruz. The thing about these sections is they are so very charming. Expect quite narrow streets, colorful buildings, and quite a few photo opportunities. The guide I had with me showed us some small plazas and some quite interesting architectural features that I completely wouldn’t have noticed by myself. One highlight for me had to have been cycling past the Basilica de Santa Maria. Its presence is fairly striking, and learning some bits about its history from the guide was really a nice plus.

As I was saying, one of the big attractions of this kind of bike tour is the beach segment. Aren’t you interested in the beach part? A lot of tours cycle along Playa del Postiguet, and it’s more or less a pleasant ride. You get some good views of the Mediterranean, and it is, basically, pretty refreshing to feel that sea breeze. Depending on the tour, you might, conceivably, cycle further along the coast toward other beaches like Playa de San Juan, one of Alicante’s greatest beaches for many, which is a rather lengthy stretch of sand. Basically, the scenery is amazing, so you may want to bring a camera. It might even be something you’re slightly considering. This segment tends to be flatter and easier, that is if I recall, which is really quite welcome after any uphill sections within the older neighborhoods.

What You’ll Learn on the Tour

One really interesting aspect of going on these tours in general is gaining insights from your tour guides. Usually, they bring an important element: they show that the history just comes alive. So, expect to learn a little about Alicante’s background, maybe some architectural styles you might see around town, or even a few tales or urban legends that many of the locals know. Now, for me, this part made the experience genuinely memorable. Hearing stories about certain spots while, naturally, standing right in front of them just makes the history so much more immersive. So, if you ever get to the chance, please do so, as it is incredibly fun.

You’ll like some guides more than others, but usually they give local insights on the very best spots for tapas, restaurants to see, and maybe even local spots the tourists might bypass. Naturally, do jot down those recommendations. I found some of my most liked spots during that trip strictly based on what our tour guide told me! This can genuinely help you go somewhere for eating that is outside of just some usual spots packed with crowds, which seems like something everyone wants when visiting somewhere. I recommend doing some searches before and jotting down anything that may suit you!

Things to Think About Beforehand

Just so you are prepared, it’s worth thinking a little bit about your own physical state, arguably. Alicante’s, sometimes, not exactly flat. In my experience there were, really, some slight inclines, particularly within the old town. If you have any concerns about fitness or any knee issues, it is basically a really good plan to double-check that the tour route won’t be extremely taxing. In some respects, several companies provide electric bikes as an option. So, really, this can easily make it possible for just about anyone to enjoy the experience.

You might also consider how big the tour group ends up being. Personally, I rather prefer some of the smaller groups because I find you can hear the guide much more better and that it is much easier asking questions. It’s almost always really a plus if you get some more personalized interaction. Another thought might be to look a bit more into what your tour includes. Does it include the bike rental? Do you get a helmet? What about insurance? Be certain you really are clear on these sorts of things, that is if you happen to be booking. You don’t want to get, basically, any sudden fees or unexpected surprises on the tour day.

Would I Recommend It?

As a matter of fact, I would surely tell my friend that an Alicante City and Beach Bike Tour is time that is really very well-spent. Not only do you have the chance to see key places in the city in just a few hours, but really getting that local take gives, basically, what could have been a pretty simple sightseeing trip a fresh new layer.

For example, I located parts that I almost certainly might not have ventured into without the tour, and I am certain that this contributed to my affection of the area. The combination of city landscapes and the coast make it, fundamentally, a well-rounded introduction to Alicante. Is there anything more you could want? So, should you be hoping to have, basically, an active yet insightful way to get to know Alicante, definitely give some thought to hopping on one of the bike tours.

Key Takeaways

Great way to see most of the main sites rather quickly.
Get valuable insights and recommendations coming directly from the local guide.
Suits varying fitness levels. Just be mindful of hills, but basically many tours provide electric bikes.
Helps to book early, more or less verify inclusions, and take things into consideration about your personal preferences in choosing a smaller or more personalized experience.

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