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Home > Travel Spain > Spain Destinations > Alicante
Alicante
Spain, officially the Kingdom of Spain, is one of the oldest inhabited regions on the planet. It is a country that is located in Southern Europe, politically organized as a parliamentary monarchy. It is the largest of the three sovereign nations that make up the Iberian Peninsula. Administratively, Spain is divided into 50 provinces, grouped into 17 autonomous communities and 2 autonomous cities with high degree of autonomy. The name Spain comes from the Latin name Hispania whose capital and largest city is Madrid.
Alicante, also known as Alacant, is the capital of the province of Alicante and of the comarca or county of the Alacanti, in the southern part of the Valencian community, Spain, a historic Mediterranean port. The population of the city of Alicante was 319,380, estimated as of 2005, of the entire urban area. The population of the metropolitan area of the City was 711,215 as of 2005 estimates, ranking as the eighth-largest metropolitan area of Spain.
Alicante is one of the fastest-growing cities in Spain. The economy of the City is based upon tourism, mainly in the beaches from Costa Blanca coast, wine production, services and administration. It exports wine, olive oil and fruit and has light industries, including food-processing, leather, textiles, and pottery. Turrones, a honey and almond nougat, is a food specialty of Alicante.
The City has regular ferry services to the Balearic Islands and an international airport is nearby. It is strongly fortified, with a spacious harbor. Amongst the most notable features of the City is its main castle, the Castillo de Santa Barbara, which sits high above the city upon a cliff. The most important festival, the Bonfires of Saint John, takes place at the time of the summer solstice and they are declared of international touristic interest. Another well-known festival is Moros y Cristianos in any quarter of the city, such as Altozano or Saint Blas.
Alicante is also known as the town of best geographical environment and has traced its origins back to prehistoric times. Today, one can also learn about its history, from its earliest times and can also enjoy its natural beauty concealed by the beautiful landscapes.
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