Alicante for Two: Sunset to Santa Cruz
Alicante’s romance runs on altitude and timing more than on grand gestures: a table above the rooftops at sunset, a boat leaving the marina as the light goes gold, streets that empty out once the day-trippers head home. None of it needs booking months ahead.
A sunset catamaran with cava
Alicante Catamaran runs a 2-hour sunset sail along the bay and beneath the cliffs of Mount Benacantil, chilled cava and fresh fruit included, departing Muelle de Levante for around €32 to €36 per person. It is the easiest way to see the Cara del Moro cliff profile, the natural silhouette in the rock face, lit from the water side as the sun drops. If that exact sailing is full, search sunset cruises on GetYourGuide for the same window.
Dinner above the rooftops at La Ereta
Restaurante La Ereta sits inside Parque de la Ereta on the pine-covered lower slope of Mount Benacantil, looking straight down over the tiled roofs of Barrio de Santa Cruz to the bay. The tasting menus run €75 to €95 per person and reservations are essential; this is the one dinner in the city worth booking a week out rather than walking in.
Wine after dark in Santa Cruz
Once the day’s visitors have left, the whitewashed alleys of Santa Cruz turn quiet and lantern-lit. Small wine bars here pour Alicante DOP Monastrell reds, Tarima Hill and Enrique Mendoza among them, alongside cured Iberian charcuterie. Note that the climb up through Santa Cruz is entirely stone steps with no ramp; comfortable shoes matter here even after dark.
An overnight on Tabarca
The most complete version of this is staying the night. Take an afternoon Cruceros Kontiki catamaran (€23 to €25 round trip, though a one-way fits an overnight better) to Isla de Tabarca and book a room at a boutique hotel built into the old Governor’s House. Once the last day-trip boats pull out around 18:30, the island empties to its roughly 50 winter residents, leaving quiet pebble beaches and a clear night sky over the marine reserve until the morning ferry brings the crowds back.
The verdict
Pair the sunset catamaran with dinner at La Ereta for one full evening, then save the Tabarca overnight for a second, slower day; trying to fit both into one 24-hour window means rushing the better of the two. For a hotel base in the city itself between these two nights, compare rooms on Booking.com . For daytime versions of the coast and old town, see our sightseeing guide .