The area around Alicante has been inhabited for over
7000 years, with the first tribes of hunter gatherers
moving down gradually from Central Europe between 5000
and 3000 BC. Some of the earliest settlements were made
on the slopes of Mount Benacantil, where the Castillo
de Santa Barbara stands today. By 1000 BC Greek and
Phoenician traders had begun to visit the eastern coast
of Spain, establishing small trading ports and introducing
the native Iberian tribes to the alphabet, iron and
the pottery wheel. By the sixth century BC, the rival
armies of Carthage and Rome began to invade and fight
for control of the Iberian Peninsula. The Carthaginian
general Hamilcar established the fortified settlement
of Akra Leuke, where Alicante stands today.
You may prefer not to visit Alicante and its surrounding
towns over summer (June-August), because millions of
other people do. During the summer peak tourist season,
prices are higher, accommodation is hard to find without
a reservation, and the sun is at its hottest, the temperature
rarely falling below 30°C (86°F). Advice like
that may miss the point though: you might want to go
in summer precisely because this means the biggest holiday
crowds, wildest parties and hottest sun of your life.
Let's just say if you're looking for something quiet
this year, summer in Alicante might not be for you.
It's certainly worth visiting Alicante at other times
of the year though, when there will be thousands fewer
harassed, sweating groups of tourists on the beaches.
The sun shines all through autumn and spring, and most
of winter. There are some heavy rains in spring (March-May)
and autumn, (September-November), but these don't happen
very often, and the sun quickly evaporates what hasn't
been sluiced underground. Winters are mild, with the
average temperature hovering at an easy 18°C (64°F).
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