Alicante city is steeped with history – some of the earliest discovered settlements have been found on the slopes of MountBenacanti, where castle Santa Barbara still stands today. Santa Barbara castle was built in the ninth century when this part of Spain was under Moors rule; then on the 4th of December 1248, The Feast of Saint Barbara, the castle was conquered by King Alfonse the wise and for this reason the castle was named Santa Barbara.
One of the largest medieval fortresses in Europe Santa Barbara has everything you could possibly want from your castle! You can walk around the look out tower to and the dungeons and discover its canons and moat. If you are like Alicante Short Breaks and could lose the whole day exploring the castle and its mountainous surroundings, then we recommend whilst you are up at the castle you take the time to relax and enjoy the view and shade in one of the two cafés situated near the top of the mountain.
The castle is free to visit and to gain access to you can walk, drive or take a ride in the elevator. The unique elevator ascends from the Paseo Maritimo and runs up through a tunnel carved out of rock. Alicante Short Breaks however suggests that you put your walking shoes on, grab some water, plenty of water, and attempt the walk up Mount Benacanti to Santa Barbara castle. Not only will you get to take in the amazing panoramic views of the Alicante coast but you will you also experience an essence of the history of the castle and how difficult conquering it would actually be!
Alicante Short Breaks recommends that when visiting castle Santa Barbara in the summer you take time out one Friday or Saturday evening to experience one of the free ‘castle evening’ concerts that the Town Hall presents in the courtyard – It is a truly magical experience to see live music performed to the backdrop of a castle such as Santa Barbara.
If you’d like to arrange accommodation during the month then check our our self catering Alicante properties and see what suits you best!
