What you can see on the Alicante webcams
One camera sits on a rooftop in the old quarter and looks out with a very wide lens over church towers to the harbour, the cruise quay and the open bay, with a corner of palms by Postiguet beach. The other stands at the foot of Mount Benacantil and looks straight up the cliffs to the walls of the castle. Both are shared on Windy as the latest picture and a time-lapse of the day, so they are best for the weather, the light on the sea and whether a cruise ship is in, rather than for watching the waves.
Alicante harbour and bay from the old town
From a rooftop in the old quarter, just behind the Basilica of Santa María, this camera looks south over the city through a fisheye lens that bends the horizon. The church's two square bell towers stand in the middle of the picture; beyond them lie the harbour, the cruise quay and the long line of the bay, with the palms of Postiguet beach in the bottom left-hand corner and the tall towers of the city centre on the right.
It is a time-lapse rather than live video. Check it for the sky and the haze over the sea, for the colour of the water and for cruise ships: on a busy day more than one is moored at the quay.
Santa Bárbara Castle on Mount Benacantil
This camera stands at the foot of Mount Benacantil, on the San Roque side of the old town, and looks straight up at Santa Bárbara Castle. Boulders and shrubs fill the foreground; above them, terraces of stone walls and fencing climb the slope to the bare limestone cliff, with the castle walls and a watchtower along the skyline.
Half the frame is sky, which makes it a good weather camera for the city: deep blue on a clear day, or cloud building over the rock. Like the old-town view, it is shown as a time-lapse of the day, and the pale stone looks its best when the sun is on it.
The castle on the rock
Santa Bárbara Castle crowns Mount Benacantil, a 166-metre (545 ft) rock that rises straight from the seafront. Seen from Postiguet beach, its cliff looks like a face in profile, the Cara del Moro or "Moor's face", which has become an emblem of the city. A lift opposite the beach takes visitors up to the walls. Every June, from the 19th to the 24th, the Fogueres de Sant Joan fill the streets with giant sculptures that are burnt on the final night; the festival has been of International Tourist Interest since 1983.
When to watch Alicante
The city is on Spanish time, one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland all year. The old-town camera faces south over the sea, so around midday the sun sits in front of it and the water sparkles; early morning and late afternoon give the clearest view of the harbour. Winters are mild and mostly dry, and the sea is at its warmest, about 26 °C, in August.
Around Alicante
Postiguet beach lies at the foot of the castle, and the Explanada de España, a promenade of wave-patterned tiles under rows of palms, runs along the harbour. Boats leave the port for Tabarca, a walled island village about 14 miles (22 km) away, and the coastal tram runs north to El Campello and Benidorm. Inland, the palm grove of Elche is a World Heritage Site.
Visiting Alicante
Alicante–Elche airport is about 5.5 miles (9 km) south-west of the city. The old quarter, the harbour and the beach are all within easy walking distance of one another.
