Alicante & the Wedding
If you only read 1 thing...
The wedding is in Novelda, a small town 20 minutes driving from the Alicante airport and the city center.
We recommend everyone to stay in Alicante city (cheapest, easiest, bus connection to Airport) or Playa San Juan (long sandy beach 20 minutes further north).
There will be a bus charter to and from the wedding stopping in Alicante city and Playa San Juan.
Other options include Elsche and Santa Pola.
For short stays, car rental is not required. For longer stays, a car is recommended but not required.
Bus service
To make your stay as easy and comfortable as possible, we are organizing a bus service to and from the wedding.
Busses will leave from the center of Alicante and from Playa San Juan about 1 hour before the ceremony.
Busses will be organized at multiple intervals to the same places.
Exact pickup spot to be confirmed depending on where most people stay
Please confirm you would like to book a spot on the bus before 27/02/2024 by e-mail or the contact form
Where to say - Short Stays
Only coming for the weekend?
If you are only coming for the wedding, we recommend you stay in Alicante Center or Playa San Juan. You don't have to rent a car, there are trams and busses to the airport and along the coast and you will be close to other guests. Taxi's in Spain are relatively affordable if those options don't suit you (15-30€ for most rides your are likely to make).
Most importantly, our Wedding Bus will make a stop in both those destinations. Please reserve your spot !
Super Short stay or don't like busses: taxi or car rental !
If you're only staying for 24 or 48 hours and you don't want to rely on the bus service to the party, you have a choice between a city or the beach.
The closest city to the airport and party is Elsche. It's a typical Spanish small city, with some pretty building and nice tapas, but nothing memorable we could find. A short car or taxi drive away (price likely 30€).
Beautiful sandy beaches with restaurants and bars can be found just under the airport in Arenals del Sol and Urbanova. There you can likely find an AirBnB or hotel in walking distance to the sea, the Tapas and the Canas. Taxi or drive to the Airport is only 5 minutes, but to the Wedding will be more pricey (35-40€)
More info on car rental lower on this page
Where to say - Longer Stays
Charlotte & Dawid's secret plan (sshhht, don't tell anyone)
We really hope you will be able to stick around and enjoy some tapas and canas with us the days after the wedding.
Our house is in Altea, an hour away, so we will be staying around Playa San Juan at least until Wednesday May 01 and would love to spend some time together!
Cities around Alicante
Even further north, you will find the beautiful city of Altea, where we live. It is everything Benidorm is not: old, hilly, classy and completely dead after midnight. While you won't find sandy beaches (cobblestones!), it's relaxed atmosphere, good shopping and many dining opportunities can be paired with great hiking and exploring.
Alicante is the capital of the region. It's a medium sized city with everything you need. Worth a visit to the old castle and the promenade, but not for more than 2-3 days. Beaches and airport are nearby and the public transport here works best. Most likely the cheapest option end-to-end.
About an hour to the north is Benidorm. Party-paradise of English people of all ages and sizes ( literally...) it has a busy nightlife. It does deserve an honorable mention because it is the ideal place to look for all-in-resorts. The beaches there are long and broad and it is likely also slightly cheaper than the rest of the quite expensive Costa Blanca.
North of Alicante are Playa San Juan and El Campello. Urbanized beach town connected to Alicante with bars, pubs and sand.
On the south side, you can find Santa Pola and Arenals del Sol, which are calmer but equally urbanized. Those places are reachable by public transport from Alicante and the Airport (do double check).Write your text here...
Do i need to rent a car for longer stays?
That depends on your needs, but it is recommended.
If you plan to only stay in and Around Alicante and the coast, eat tapas and enjoy the sea, jump to the next section on public transport.
If you're looking to stay at one particular hotel and relax, a car is not needed, as most hotels offer airport transfers (taxi might be cheaper !!).
If like us, you enjoy a mix of sporty activities, exploration, good eating and moving around with friends, a car will make your life much easier. They can usually be rented cheaply online or with the airline after booking.
Public Transport?
Public transport work well in Spain. Most major cities have active bus lines (also to the Airport), look for ALSA.
Along the coast, there is a coast tram that runs reliably but not frequently between major cities. You can reach Benidorm, Arenal and Alicante, but need to change to get to Altea for Instance.
The wedding venue is not reachable by public transport and there is no night setvice. A private busline will be organised, reservation needed with us.
There are taxis available and in Spain, they are generally reliable and honest. The fines for not following the rules as a driver are very very high, so most drivers do it by the book.
In general, a good rule-of-thumb is 1,10€ per kilometer, 1,30€ at night and 1,4€ per km intercity. Do check all prices with a taxi company before getting on a long journey!
As an example: Airport to the Wedding is 30€, Playa San Juan is 30€, Altea is 74€.
https://www.radiotaxi.com.es/alicante/ has taxi numbers and price details. Be aware that longer routes, especially at night, could require a reservation.
The airport taxis use fixed prices to popular spots, the website below has details.
Taxi
What to do in the region
Alicante city trip
Even further north, you will find the beautiful city of Altea, where we live. It is everything Benidorm is not: old, hilly, classy and completely dead after midnight. While you won't find sandy beaches (cobblestones!), it's relaxed atmosphere, good shopping and many dining opportunities can be paired with great hiking and exploring.
Do you want a 1-day experience in a pretty Spanish town, Altea is worth a visit.
About 1 hour by car, 1h30 by bus+tram.
Alicante is worth a 1-3 day visit as much as any typical Spanish town. The castle and the hike up there is worth it, you can heave great food and beaches close, but the city is most attractive as a hub rather than a destination.
Beautiful beaches, cheap hotels and cheaper fried food attracts millions of tourists every year, and for a reason. Great nightlife and lots of sporty or lazy activities all around makes this town an options for a day trip or longer stay (check-out the where to stay section on all-inclusive-resorts in Benidorm). Be aware though, the main language is English and in the so called "English quarter" beer is cheaper than water.
About an hour from Alicante by car or bus
Valencia city trip
Go people-watch in Benidorm
Beautiful altea
Not to miss for the culture lovers and city-trippers among us. This beautiful city prayed to the water-gods in ancient times and keeps this tradition alive even as the third city in Spain. World class eating, great wine, friendly people and much safer, cheaper and easier to navigate than it's big brother Barcelona. This bike-friendly place is an explorer's paradise right by the beach. 100% recommended for a day or 5. Watch out though, you might never want to leave...
About an 2/2,5 hour from Alicante by car or bus
Other than eating and drinking, the Costa Blanca and Alicante region have great outdoor activities. You can go Hiking, Climbing, Swimming, Boating and much much more !
Thanks to the thousands of stag parties being held here each year, there are many agencies that organize exciting or relaxed trips. We previously worked with, and can recommend, https://alicanteaventura.com/
Others: https://www.costablancascene.com/outdoor-adventures/