Alicante or Alacant is a Mediterranean port city on the Costa Blanca in Spain that is famous for its picturesque marina and promenades. It is also known for its iconic landmark, the Santa Barbara Castle. It is famous for its boulevard fringed by palm trees and is dubbed the “City of Light” thus the old name “Lucentum.” It is a destination that offers stunning beaches, shopping streets, fun nightlife, impressive plazas, delicious cuisine, interesting parks, great weather and lots of potential for adventure.
If all these sound common enough for any “beachy” destination, there is something else that would entice the art aficionados, its street art. This is exactly the essence of the post in My Destination – Alicante’s Street Art.
“Bristol may have Banksy but Alicante has its own bank of talented street artists bringing colour and fun to the beach city’s streets.”
“Spain is known primarily for sandy beaches and azure coasts but did you know that its culture scene in the form of street art and graffiti is also another big tourist attraction especially for overseas visitors”
The Street Art Culture
Spain’s foremost cities – Madrid, Barcelona and Valencia – are known to feature street art on a larger scale, like it is something of a culture in this country. Same street art culture is proudly hoisted by this smaller city to greater heights, but Alicante’s is a real gem. It has a characteristic style that embraces the soul of its grander rivals.
The art in this city is not restrained to large museums; it’s all over the city for everyone to appreciate and enjoy. The artists in the city have brought to life the concrete blank walls, giving them personal stories and colorful tales.
Some Highlights to Look Out For
Just a short distance from the Plaza del Toros is ‘En tu Memoria’ (‘in your Memory’). It is a poignant depiction of a beautiful lady holding a candle seemingly watching over the area when the darkness starts to fall. There is another well-liked wall art – a granny knitting while her lucky black cat is in watch close by.
“Further on up the street the art gathers pace becoming less sporadic and accumulating in an iconic centrepiece with the large cartooned hand of a singing DJ inviting you to come and enjoy the fiesta revelry of which Alicante has plenty to offer. On the surrounding walls are some more comic book type characters, not least the old grandmother, all at eye level and so offering the unique opportunity for taking holiday snaps with your favourite illustration!”
A Testament of Alicante Lifestyle and Artistic Skill
Street art has considerably influenced Alicante and its people. Businesses have embraced it to advertise their products and services, and to give color and adornment to their structures. For instance, there is that wall mural of great Hollywood legends, such as Elvis Presley, Audrey Hepburn and John Travolta that promotes the services of a unisex salon.
Certain artworks are testimonies of the skill of the street artists such as the painting of two girls at a window. The artwork is unmistakably of superior quality you expect it to be housed in an art gallery rather than on a thoroughfare corner.
An Artistic Feast
If you love art, you will be spending hours on end to visit and appreciate this collection of artworks that are yours to enjoy for free. Finish off the experience with your own portrait sketched by street artists along Paseo Explanada de Espana Boulevard across the port. This can certainly make a wonderful souvenir that you can bring home to remind you of the inimitable street art along Alicante. If you have a picture of a loved one waiting back home, you can get that sketched too, while you wait with a delicious meal in a nearby restaurant or café.