Alicante

I decided to take the train to Alicante, mainly because there aren't really any cheap flights there. Alicante lies on the eastern coast of Spain, about halfway between Barcelona and Sevilla. Many people recommended the city, and I thoroughly enjoyed my time there.

Alicante doesn't have much to see...it's like the rest of Spain on the Mediterranean...beautiful beaches, mountains inland, and perfect weather. What enticed me was this city in no way felt like a tourist town. My friend who I stayed with lives in the barrio which is filled with nightlife and great resturants. I like to think of the city as Spain's college town...most of the inhabitants were Spaniards or ERASMUS (European Exchange Students) and the city catered mainly to them. It's one of those cities where if you lived in for more than 2 weeks, everyone would know your name. I like that about the south...people are nicer and approachable.

The main attraction in Alicante is the palace on the top of the mountain, overlooking the beach. The view was beautiful, and highly worth the climb. Other than that, I was able to see most of the city during a moderate run.

We also ventured to two other nearby cities...Bennidorm and Altea. Bennidorm is where Europe "summers." The city is relatively new with highrise apartment buildings very unlike Spain. As summer is now over, so too are the tourists. Altea is home to the largest Norewegian population outside of Norway. It's quite a city with tiny white homes all over the place.