Located in the province of Alicante, Elche is a Spanish city that deserves more recognition and appreciation. Known for its palm trees, shoemaking, and old historical churches, Elche is just rife with magnificent sights and attractions that you need to see at least once in your life.
For that reason, it’s a marvelous idea to travel and stay in Elche for a while during your vacation. But you might be wondering: what are you going to do once you’re there? If you have no map or plan, then you just might find yourself staying in your vacation rental, thus wasting your precious vacation. That’s not what you want to happen, right?
Luckily, this post is here to help you out. Here’s a list of the best things to do in Elche, Spain to make your trip extra memorable.
1. Get an adrenaline rush at Multiaventura Elche
Editor's Note: Photo taken from the establishment's official social account
Are you looking for exciting activities to add to your list of “what to do in Elche”? Are you craving the thrill of adrenaline rushing through your veins? Check out Multiaventura Elche.
Multiaventura Elche is a multi-adventure park that specializes in daring leisure activities. In particular, the park has boat rides, archery activities, and zip lines. The star of the park is the Traction Tower — a tower that’s 22 meters (72.18 feet) high where you can participate in climbing challenges, such as wall climbing and boarding networks. If the entire family is with you, you can join the multi-adventure circuits, which is a series of challenges that you must complete in about an hour and a half. When you get tired from all the running and zipping around, you can choose from the on-site restaurants for hearty meals that will replenish your energy.
Here, you’ll undoubtedly make memories you won’t forget for a long time.
Multiaventura Elche
Address: Avinguda del Travalón, 31, 03203 Elx, Alicante, Spain
Website: Multiaventura Elche
Opening hours: Tue - Sat: 5pm - 11pm (closed on Sun & Mon); customized schedules are also possible.
Price: Prior reservation is required for price details
2. Learn about Palau dels Altamira's vast history
Palau dels Altamira has been around for centuries now, so understandably, this stronghold is steeped in so much history. To begin with, its construction was done in various stages, spaced out between several centuries, and it has served many roles throughout time. At one point, this palace was where the General Council of the City hosted their meetings, and eventually, it became a textile factory and then a prison.
Now, Palau dels Altamira has been restored and is open to anyone who is curious about this remarkable structure. So, if you’re a history nerd or you just love to admire the architecture of palaces, then you should come by Palau dels Altamira. You won’t regret it.
Palau dels Altamira
Address: Carrer de la Diagonal del Palau, 7, 03202 Elx, Alicante, Spain
Website: Palau de Altamira
Opening hours: Mon - Sat: 10am - 6pm; Sun: 10am - 3pm
Price: General admission 3 EUR (3 USD); Students and groups 1 EUR (1.11 USD); Carnet Jove, senior citizens, and large families 1.50 EUR (1.66 USD); Free on Sundays, for children (under six years old), and people with reduced mobility
3. See Basilica de Santa Maria
This is a must-do if you’re coming to Elche. This church is beautiful and impressive. There’s so much to see inside and outside and the best part is the tower, from where you can see the panorama of the city. You’ll have to climb 177 stairs to reach the tower but it’s definitely worth it. There’s also a museum of the Virgin that is in the back part of the basilica and is also interesting to take a look at.
Basilica de Santa Maria
Address: Plaza Santa Maria 2, 03202 Elche, Spain
Website: Basilica de Santa Maria
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4. Visit Palmeral of Elche
If Elche tourism has an icon, it would the Palmeral de Elche (the Palm Groves). The Palm Groves is a system of date palm orchards in the city of Elche with 97 different orchards containing about 70,000 date palms, thus making it one of the largest palm groves in the world. In fact, Palmeral de Elche is so iconic that UNESCO has actually acknowledged it as a World Heritage Site.
With all of that said, Palmeral de Elche is an amazing place if you want to relax and enjoy nature and see something you will not see anywhere else in Europe. You also get the chance to brag to your friends back home that you’ve seen a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so it’s a win-win situation overall.
Palmeral of Elche
Address: Calle Porta de La Morera 49, 03203 Elche, Spain
Website: Palmeral of Elche
5. Witness the Mystery Play of Elche
Editor's Note: There's no photo available at the time of writing
This happens on 14th and 15th of August. It’s a spectacular event where young and old visitors from all over Spain and tourists congregate at Basilica de Santa Maria. It’s a play entirely sung by normal townsfolk with superb acoustics. It’s divided into 2 days; the death of Virgin Mary (first night’s performance), and the next day, Mary is crowned.
Mystery Play of Elche
Address: Basilica de Santa Maria, 03201 Elche, Spain
Website: Mystery Play of Elche
6. Admire the beauty of Huerto Del Cura Jardin Artistico Nacional
This is an immaculately kept garden in the heart of the historic city of Elche dedicated to the palm and other Mediterranean and desert plants. The specialization as you would expect in Elche are palms but they also have a great collection of Cacti. You don’t need more than an hour to get around and admire the beauty of this place, and the best time to visit it is in the evening as the heat is going out of the day and you can walk slowly between the trees and enjoy the calm atmosphere.
Huerto Del Cura Jardin Artistico Nacional
Address: Calle Porta de La Morera 49, 03203 Elche, Spain
7. Cool off at Playa El Carabassi
This is a lovely beach with soft sand and blue water. It’s a little busy sometimes but there’s plenty of room for everyone. You’ll have to walk a little from the road but it’s made easier by the wooden walkways. There’s a bar on the beach selling food and drink and bed, loungers, and parasols are also available. This is a perfect place for you to relax and get away from the heat of the day.
Playa El Carabassi
Website: Playa El Carabassi
8. Hang out at Placa de la Glorieta
This is the central square of the city and it’s surrounded by cafes, so it’s a good place to stop and have a coffee or a beer. Here you can see some monuments that remained from the old town. Around there are a couple of cinemas from before where they play old movies in the original version. There are several places nearby to visit and the Grand Theater is also nearby. It is a great place to rest and enjoy an ice-cream.
9. Head to Museo Paleontologico de Elche
Here at this museum, you can learn easily a lot about paleontology. It’s quite small, but it has a good collection and reconstruction of items. They also sell at a very nominal price some natural stones and fossils. It is easy to find - from the center, head down alongside the river and it is well signposted.
Museo Paleontologico de Elche
Address: Calle Sant Joan 3, 03203 Elche, Spain
Website: Museo Paleontologico de Elche
10. Catch a show at Great Theater of Elche
What to do in Elche isn’t the only question you should be asking. You should also think about what to see in Elche. And one of the answers to that question is the Gran Teatro de Elche.
The Gran Teatro de Elche is an architectural beauty and is worth visiting regardless of what they present. But the good thing is that they have a wide variety of spectacles: concerts of practically any style, monologues, theater, dance, etc. Prices depend on the type of show, but they are usually very tight. It’s a great way to spend an interesting evening.
Great Theater of Elche
Address: Calle Kursaal 3, 03203 Elche, Spain
Website: Great Theater of Elche
11. Unwind at La Cuna Teteria
Photo is only for illustrative purposes
This is a special pub with a wide variety of homemade teas. Why is it special? Because there’s always something to do here, you can enjoy concerts, monologs, you can read, etc. With all these activities you can have a few drinks here and have fun with your friends.
La Cuna Teteria
Address: Calle Porta de Les Tafulles 18, 03203 Elche, Spain
Facebook: La Cuna Teteria
12. Go on a private half-day walking tour of Alicante (from USD 192.0)
With this tour you can discover the beauty of Spain’s Costa Blanca with a private, half-day walking tour of Alicante. Take a walk among lovely streets and squares with an official tour guide, stopping to explore highlights like the Basilica of Santa Maria and the Castle of Santa Bárbara. The guide is very friendly and attentive, you will definitely enjoy this trip!
Private Half-Day Walking Tour of Alicante
Duration: 4 hours
Get ready to be overwhelmed
So, is Elche worth visiting? The answer is short and simple: YES! In this historic city in Spain, you can find thrilling parks, picturesque gardens, cultural strongholds, and many more.
For that reason, you should plan a trip here. The views are stunning and you’ll feel like you’re in heaven!
Frequently asked questions about the things to do in Elche, Spain
1. What are the best attractions to visit in Elche, Spain?
As a city that has been around for centuries, Elche has garnered countless sites and attractions that are worth visiting. One of Elche’s greatest gems is the Palmeral de Elche, which is one of the largest palm groves in the world and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Other worthwhile sites are Palau dels Altamira and Basilica de Santa Maria.
2. What are the best activities in Elche?
There are so many things you can do in this spectacular city. For one thing, you can simply explore the historic sites throughout the city (e.g. Palau dels Altamira and Palmeral de Elche). And for another, you can drop by Multiaventura Elche if you want to get really active. The options for you are endless, so don’t waste them.
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