Alicante

Alicante is a growing tourist city on Spain's Mediterranean coast, on the Costa Blanca south of Valencia. Around 330,000 people live here, and both Valencian, which is related to Catalan, and Spanish (Castilian) are spoken. The city's co-official Valencian name is Alacant. Its main sights include the Castillo de Santa Bárbara on Mount Benacantil, the palm-lined seafront promenade Explanada de España and the picturesque Santa Cruz quarter in the Old Town. The Museum of Contemporary Art in the Casa de La Asegurada holds a large collection of 20th-century works, including pieces by Picasso, Dalí and Miró. Food is another highlight, with traditional and modern Mediterranean cooking, a huge variety of rice dishes and regional wines.

Queer life in Alicante is tied to the city's festival calendar. In June the Bonfires of Saint John (Fogueres de Sant Joan) fill the city with celebration, and in July Alicante Gay Pride (Orgullo LGBT de Alicante) is the main LGBTQ+ event of the year, a good moment to visit if you want to combine the beach-town atmosphere with the local gay community.