Alicante; Saturday, 13 January, 2018

I had a bit of a lie-in, and a quick breakfast in the hotel, before heading out into the centre of town and picking up the tram out to the neighbouring town of El Campello. Located just outside the centre of the town is a small promontory that for much of the last 8,000 years was a separate island, and home to various groups from the Bronze age forward. Today, connected back to the land the site is an active archaeological dig and a great insight into the history of this part of Iberia.

The bronze age site is cut across by a large Roman villa and bath house, showing the continuous use of the site. Having looked round the Illeta del Banyets I headed back on the tram a few stops to Lucentum to visit the Roman remains there. This is the site of the original Roman city of Alicante and has significant remains to explore including the original Forum and the east gate – complete with the stone worn down by centuries of cart wheels running over it.

After looking round Lucentum I caught the tram back out to the beach at El Campello and had a bit of a wander along the sea front, before finding a nice restaurant on the sea front to stop in for a quick lunch.

From the beach I walked back to the tram stop, caught the tram back into the centre of Alicante and wandered over to the Archaeological museum.

The large and impressive museum traces the history of the area from the prehistoric through the Iberian and Roman cultures to the middle ages and the run up to the Spanish revolution.

Having looked round the museum I headed back to the hotel to freshen up and then, a little later once they had actually opened for the evening, headed out to find a restaurant for dinner.