The Spanish holiday town of Alicante, with its beautiful boulevards and pleasant shopping streets is one of the best-known towns along the Costa Blanca or ‘white coast’.

The area around Costa Blanca has been adopted by many British, who are drawn to the region’s excellent year-round sunny weather and kilometres of stunning white sand beaches.

An historic Mediterranean port town, a stop-over in Alicante – whose original name, Lucentum, means ‘City of Light’, provides many opportunities for a restful and fun day away from your luxury MSC cruise ship.

Take advantage of our deals on day excursions and sightseeing packages to ensure you get the most from this pretty town. The cruise ship will dock in the harbour, so you will lose no time getting to the heart of Alicante. However, the marina itself is home to many fine restaurants and holds tempting shopping opportunities.

Why not join the city tour and enjoy a leisurely wander round the key sights of Alicante, including the Castle of Santa Barbara, one of Spain’s largest mediaeval fortresses located right in Alicante’s town centre.

Further afield lie pretty villages and the architecturally interesting towns of Elche and Guadlaest. Make sure that kids enjoy their vacation too, and visit the Mount Tossal theme park with its fun giant chessboard and other adventure activities.

The Terra Natura nature park and Mundomar Marine Park are also excellent for children.