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Traditional Downtown of Alicante
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ROUTE:

3 km

DURATION:

1 hour 30 minutes

DIFFICULTY:

Easy

Preserve our arboreal heritage

To protect the Monumental Tree Heritage, the Alicante Town Hall has developed a Catalog of Unique and Monumental Trees of Local Interest that reflects the inventory of this heritage and provides these specimens with protective measures to preserve their good condition and prolong their life as long as possible. These efforts align with the provisions of Law 4/2006, dated May 19th, from the Generalitat Valenciana, concerning the Monumental Tree Heritage of the Valencian Community.

The Department of the Environment aims to gradually highlight the importance of our tree heritage, and raise awareness among the population about its conservation through educational initiatives and trails like this one. These trails, part of the Urban Trails Network, address a dual purpose: offering an alternative environmental tourism experience and contributing to the development of the Traditional Downtown Plan of Alicante.

Trail PDF
Download PDF Trail

Trail Stops

1. Paseito de Ramiro

2. Paseo de la Explanada

3. Portal de Elche

4. Plaza de Gabriel Miro

5. Plaza del Doctor Balmis

6. Paseo de Canalejas

7. Cruz de los Caidos

8. Plaza de Calvo Sotelo

9. Plaza de la Montañeta

10. Plaza Nueva

11. Plaza de Ruperto Chapi

12. Plaza del Ayuntamiento
Learn more
More information

Other trails

TRADITIONAL DOWNTOWN OF ALICANTE

LA ERETA PARK

EL CAMPO - TABARCA

WALLED CITADEL – TABARCA

TRAILS IN BENACANTIL

SIERRA DE SAN JULIAN - SERRA GROSSA

CABO DE LA HUERTA

TORRES DE LA HUERTA

LA MARJAL FLOODABLE PARK

EL TOSSAL TRAIL

Monte Orgegia

All Routes in Alicante

Download Route Brochure

Route A

Maritime facade of Alicante

Route B

Santa Barbara Castle

Route C

Old Town of Alicante

Route D

The Traditional Downtown of Alicante

Route E

Alicante Air Raid Shelters

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Highlights

Alicante City

5 days ago

Alicante City
Esta Semana Santa aparca el coche y muévete en 🚋 transporte público 🚍, Son numerosas las procesiones que tienen lugar en el centro y es la manera más cómoda de desplazarte.Toma nota: alicanteturismo.com/transporte-publico/ ... See MoreSee Less

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Avatar Turismo Alicante @alicante_city ·
17 Feb

Good morning! 💙 Did you know that Alicante's Explanada de España promenade has over 6.5 million colourful marble tiles? 🎨 A must-see by the "Marina Deportiva" at any time #Alicante #AlicanteCity #MediterraneanVibes

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17 Feb

¡Empezamos la semana con energía! 💙 ¿Sabías que la Explanada de España tiene más de 6,5 millones de teselas? 🎨 Un paseo icónico frente a la Marina Deportiva. ¿Eres más de paseo por la mañana o al atardecer? #Alicante #ExplanadaDeEspaña #AlicanteTurismo

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1. Paseito de Ramiro

Located along Avenida Juan Bautista Lafora, opposite Postiguet Beach, Paseito de Ramiro is a historic park dating back to the 19th century. Its initial structure included a central platform where the garden was located, surrounded by a large fence with a central gate and side stairs, highlighting the variety of its shrubs and the lushness of its trees. We can observe specimens of Ficus nitida, about 80 years old, 13 m high, and 21 m in crown diameter. Historically, this area is believed to have been the location of the market (zoco) of the Muslim medina. In the past, prestigious Alicante families had residences here, and it also housed Spain’s first Garden School, named after historian Rafael Altamira. A 56-meter-long section of the 16th-century wall still runs through the park, adding to its historic charm.

2. Paseo de la Explanada

We are heading towards the Explanada, known as the Paseo de los Martires until the early 20th century. In 1868, a landscaped promenade was built along the Malecon, designed by architect Guardiola Pico. This promenade was surrounded at both ends by two squares: on one side, the Plaza del Mar, where there was a monument to the Martyrs of Liberty that was removed after the Civil War to be replaced by a fountain, and, on the other, the Plaza de Canalejas with a monument dedicated to this politician and intellectual, the work of the Alicante sculptor Vicente Bañuls. In 1955, the Explanada underwent a major renovation. Small flower beds were added parallel to the rows of palm trees, and the pavement was redesigned using red Alicante marble, cream, and black tiles. This transformation created the promenade’s iconic look, with a monumental mosaic of over six million tiles forming waves that simulate the nearby sea. We will wander under the four rows of palm trees, recalling the words of Juan Gil Albert: “Being in Alicante is being in the Explanada.”

3. Portal de Elche

We fully immerse ourselves in the Traditional Downtown of Alicante. In 1858, the Rambla was built on the site of the old wall known as “El Vall,” which was replaced by a tree-lined avenue quite different from what we see today. Starting at its intersection with the Explanada and heading uphill to the left, we find the Portal de Elche, a 19th-century garden square. It was designed as a meeting place for locals and a source of water supply. Originally, four kiosks stood at each corner, and today, a replica of one of the 19th-century kiosks stands at the center of the main axis. Divided into four flowerbeds, the square is distinguished by its lush greenery, with the canopy of four Ficus macrophylla trees providing full coverage. Three of these trees are generically protected under the law due to their significant trunk circumference, which exceeds 6 meters at a height of 1.30 meters from the base. These century-old ficus trees reach heights of 13 to 19 meters, with crown diameters ranging from 16 to 21 meters.

4. Plaza de Gabriel Miro

We continue along the pedestrian area of Calle San Francisco until its intersection with Calle Castaños, where we turn left toward the Plaza de Gabriel Miro. This 19th-century square was built using debris from the demolished city walls, reclaiming land from the sea. It features a bust dedicated to the Alicante-born writer Gabriel Miro. The square has a trapezoidal shape, with a central fountain that includes a sculptural ensemble, “La Aguadora” Its design, enhanced by decorative paving and the concept of its green walls, is inspired by Art Nouveau. In 1921, architect Juan Vidal modified the square by adding stone benches (now removed) and lateral planters adorned with white and blue broken tiles in the same Art Nouveau style, featuring Mediterranean influences. Subsequently, another reform was made, the pavement was made of red Alicante and cream marble, changing the shrub species and keeping the centenary ficus. In this square you can probably contemplate the most remarkable specimen of ficus in the whole country, according to the “Forest Map of Spain”; accompanied by three ficus of the same species (Ficus macrophylla). All of them are protected by law and, measuring the projection on a horizontal plane, have a crown diameter exceeding 25 m. Next to them, and sometimes dominated by them, there are five old elms (Ulmus minor), which although they do not reach the category of monumental tree, stand out for reaching much larger sizes than the usual ones of the species. Together they form a grove of important recreational, environmental, and also cultural value, since its age (about 120 years) makes it an integral part of the City. We return to Calle San Francisco and continue to Calle San Francisco.

5. Plaza del Doctor Balmis

It takes its name from the universal promoter of the smallpox vaccine, regarded as the greatest philanthropist of Alicante and often referred to as the “apostle of hygiene.” After undergoing a remodel in 1993 with a pseudo-Gaudí style, another project was later carried out to restore the square’s historic fountain and an air-raid shelter from the Spanish Civil War. In 1919, a commemorative plaque sculpted by Vicente Bañuls was installed in the square, giving it its current name, previously known as Plaza de Torrents. We descend along Calle Canalejas until we reach the small square that bears his name. From there, we cross over to enter the Paseo Canalejas.

6. Paseo de Canalejas

The landscaping project for this promenade dates back to 1886 and was designed by the municipal architect Jose Gonzalez Altez. It is a dirt park featuring tree and shrub clusters separated by flowerbeds that define a central pathway. Along this path, visitors can admire stunning specimens of ficus trees, including six remarkable Ficus macrophylla and eleven Ficus nitida. Several of these trees are generically protected due to their significant trunk perimeter and crown diameter. At the entrance, there are sculptural elements, including a pair of white marble “dogs” from the 18th century. The park also features two shallow, circular pools, one of which houses a monument dedicated to the Alicante-born playwright Carlos Arniches, and the other, the “Fuente del niño flautista (Flautist Boy Fountain)” (18th century). The promenade’s ends are marked by two Australian oaks, also known as silky oaks (Grevillea robusta).

7. Cruz de los Caidos

After visiting the park, we will exit through the gate where a “pair of lions” (18th century) stands, and proceed along Paseo del Doctor Gadea, continuing until we reach the “Cruz de los Caidos.” Standing at a height of 9.5 meters and made of reinforced concrete, this cross was created by Miguel Lopez Gonzalez in collaboration with Miguel Abad Miro (1939). We will cross to the right, printed on 100% recycled paper, to access Plaza Calvo Sotelo.

8. Plaza de Calvo Sotelo

The square dates back to the 16th century, but the garden is from the last quarter of the 19th century. Its shape is rectangular with flowerbeds that intersect in its center, on a horizontal garden platform. On one of its main axes, a circular widening was made where the bust of Governor Barrejón was placed. In 1977, it underwent a reform, changing the ground to stone paving, modifying the shrub species, and installing various children’s games, always respecting the gates and porticos. In this square, we find three unique trees: an elm (Ulmus minor), a London plane (Platanus x hispanica), a very characteristic tree in parks, and a huge Norfolk pine (Araucaria excelsa). A few years ago, the square was reformed again.

9. Plaza de la Montañeta

We exit through the nearby access to the restored Plaza de la Montañeta, surrounded by government agency buildings. At the height of the parish of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, we turn right onto Calle Felipe Berge, heading towards Plaza Nueva, where a Mediterranean aquarium featuring marine species from the coast is located.

10. Plaza Nueva

We continue along Calle San Ildefonso and turn left onto Calle Castaños until we reach the vicinity of the Principal Theater.

11. Plaza de Ruperto Chapi

In this square, named after the renowned composer of zarzuela and founder of the General Society of Authors, stands the Principal Theater, a neoclassical building constructed between 1846 and 1847. Here, we can admire the work of Carlos Garcia Muela, “Torso de Agamenon II” (1977), a bronze sculpture installed in the square in 1999. Among the notable trees in the area, we can identify the elm (Ulmus minor) and the plane tree (Platanus x hispanica).

12. Plaza del Ayuntamiento

We continue along Calle Duque de Zaragoza until we reach the Rambla de Mendez Nuñez. Turning right, we head downward and once again arrive at the Portal de Elche. We cross the Rambla and follow Calle Mayor until we reach the Portico Consistorial, leading to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. With a new design, since 2009 the square features a pedestrian area with tree pits planted with orange trees and a fountain with several jets of water, level with the ground.

1. Paseito de Ramiro

Located along Avenida Juan Bautista Lafora, opposite Postiguet Beach, Paseito de Ramiro is a historic park dating back to the 19th century. Its initial structure included a central platform where the garden was located, surrounded by a large fence with a central gate and side stairs, highlighting the variety of its shrubs and the lushness of its trees. We can observe specimens of Ficus nitida, about 80 years old, 13 m high, and 21 m in crown diameter. Historically, this area is believed to have been the location of the market (zoco) of the Muslim medina. In the past, prestigious Alicante families had residences here, and it also housed Spain’s first Garden School, named after historian Rafael Altamira. A 56-meter-long section of the 16th-century wall still runs through the park, adding to its historic charm.

2. Paseo de la Explanada

We are heading towards the Explanada, known as the Paseo de los Martires until the early 20th century. In 1868, a landscaped promenade was built along the Malecon, designed by architect Guardiola Pico. This promenade was surrounded at both ends by two squares: on one side, the Plaza del Mar, where there was a monument to the Martyrs of Liberty that was removed after the Civil War to be replaced by a fountain, and, on the other, the Plaza de Canalejas with a monument dedicated to this politician and intellectual, the work of the Alicante sculptor Vicente Bañuls. In 1955, the Explanada underwent a major renovation. Small flower beds were added parallel to the rows of palm trees, and the pavement was redesigned using red Alicante marble, cream, and black tiles. This transformation created the promenade’s iconic look, with a monumental mosaic of over six million tiles forming waves that simulate the nearby sea. We will wander under the four rows of palm trees, recalling the words of Juan Gil Albert: “Being in Alicante is being in the Explanada.”

3. Portal de Elche

We fully immerse ourselves in the Traditional Downtown of Alicante. In 1858, the Rambla was built on the site of the old wall known as “El Vall,” which was replaced by a tree-lined avenue quite different from what we see today. Starting at its intersection with the Explanada and heading uphill to the left, we find the Portal de Elche, a 19th-century garden square. It was designed as a meeting place for locals and a source of water supply. Originally, four kiosks stood at each corner, and today, a replica of one of the 19th-century kiosks stands at the center of the main axis. Divided into four flowerbeds, the square is distinguished by its lush greenery, with the canopy of four Ficus macrophylla trees providing full coverage. Three of these trees are generically protected under the law due to their significant trunk circumference, which exceeds 6 meters at a height of 1.30 meters from the base. These century-old ficus trees reach heights of 13 to 19 meters, with crown diameters ranging from 16 to 21 meters.

4. Plaza de Gabriel Miro

We continue along the pedestrian area of Calle San Francisco until its intersection with Calle Castaños, where we turn left toward the Plaza de Gabriel Miro. This 19th-century square was built using debris from the demolished city walls, reclaiming land from the sea. It features a bust dedicated to the Alicante-born writer Gabriel Miro. The square has a trapezoidal shape, with a central fountain that includes a sculptural ensemble, “La Aguadora” Its design, enhanced by decorative paving and the concept of its green walls, is inspired by Art Nouveau. In 1921, architect Juan Vidal modified the square by adding stone benches (now removed) and lateral planters adorned with white and blue broken tiles in the same Art Nouveau style, featuring Mediterranean influences. Subsequently, another reform was made, the pavement was made of red Alicante and cream marble, changing the shrub species and keeping the centenary ficus. In this square you can probably contemplate the most remarkable specimen of ficus in the whole country, according to the “Forest Map of Spain”; accompanied by three ficus of the same species (Ficus macrophylla). All of them are protected by law and, measuring the projection on a horizontal plane, have a crown diameter exceeding 25 m. Next to them, and sometimes dominated by them, there are five old elms (Ulmus minor), which although they do not reach the category of monumental tree, stand out for reaching much larger sizes than the usual ones of the species. Together they form a grove of important recreational, environmental, and also cultural value, since its age (about 120 years) makes it an integral part of the City. We return to Calle San Francisco and continue to Calle San Francisco.

5. Plaza del Doctor Balmis

It takes its name from the universal promoter of the smallpox vaccine, regarded as the greatest philanthropist of Alicante and often referred to as the “apostle of hygiene.” After undergoing a remodel in 1993 with a pseudo-Gaudí style, another project was later carried out to restore the square’s historic fountain and an air-raid shelter from the Spanish Civil War. In 1919, a commemorative plaque sculpted by Vicente Bañuls was installed in the square, giving it its current name, previously known as Plaza de Torrents. We descend along Calle Canalejas until we reach the small square that bears his name. From there, we cross over to enter the Paseo Canalejas.

6. Paseo de Canalejas

The landscaping project for this promenade dates back to 1886 and was designed by the municipal architect Jose Gonzalez Altez. It is a dirt park featuring tree and shrub clusters separated by flowerbeds that define a central pathway. Along this path, visitors can admire stunning specimens of ficus trees, including six remarkable Ficus macrophylla and eleven Ficus nitida. Several of these trees are generically protected due to their significant trunk perimeter and crown diameter. At the entrance, there are sculptural elements, including a pair of white marble “dogs” from the 18th century. The park also features two shallow, circular pools, one of which houses a monument dedicated to the Alicante-born playwright Carlos Arniches, and the other, the “Fuente del niño flautista (Flautist Boy Fountain)” (18th century). The promenade’s ends are marked by two Australian oaks, also known as silky oaks (Grevillea robusta).

7. Cruz de los Caidos

After visiting the park, we will exit through the gate where a “pair of lions” (18th century) stands, and proceed along Paseo del Doctor Gadea, continuing until we reach the “Cruz de los Caidos.” Standing at a height of 9.5 meters and made of reinforced concrete, this cross was created by Miguel Lopez Gonzalez in collaboration with Miguel Abad Miro (1939). We will cross to the right, printed on 100% recycled paper, to access Plaza Calvo Sotelo.

8. Plaza de Calvo Sotelo

The square dates back to the 16th century, but the garden is from the last quarter of the 19th century. Its shape is rectangular with flowerbeds that intersect in its center, on a horizontal garden platform. On one of its main axes, a circular widening was made where the bust of Governor Barrejón was placed. In 1977, it underwent a reform, changing the ground to stone paving, modifying the shrub species, and installing various children’s games, always respecting the gates and porticos. In this square, we find three unique trees: an elm (Ulmus minor), a London plane (Platanus x hispanica), a very characteristic tree in parks, and a huge Norfolk pine (Araucaria excelsa). A few years ago, the square was reformed again.

9. Plaza de la Montañeta

We exit through the nearby access to the restored Plaza de la Montañeta, surrounded by government agency buildings. At the height of the parish of Nuestra Señora de Gracia, we turn right onto Calle Felipe Berge, heading towards Plaza Nueva, where a Mediterranean aquarium featuring marine species from the coast is located.

10. Plaza Nueva

We continue along Calle San Ildefonso and turn left onto Calle Castaños until we reach the vicinity of the Principal Theater.

11. Plaza de Ruperto Chapi

In this square, named after the renowned composer of zarzuela and founder of the General Society of Authors, stands the Principal Theater, a neoclassical building constructed between 1846 and 1847. Here, we can admire the work of Carlos Garcia Muela, “Torso de Agamenon II” (1977), a bronze sculpture installed in the square in 1999. Among the notable trees in the area, we can identify the elm (Ulmus minor) and the plane tree (Platanus x hispanica).

12. Plaza del Ayuntamiento

We continue along Calle Duque de Zaragoza until we reach the Rambla de Mendez Nuñez. Turning right, we head downward and once again arrive at the Portal de Elche. We cross the Rambla and follow Calle Mayor until we reach the Portico Consistorial, leading to the Plaza del Ayuntamiento. With a new design, since 2009 the square features a pedestrian area with tree pits planted with orange trees and a fountain with several jets of water, level with the ground.

But what do we mean by “unique trees”? In this context, we refer to tree or shrub specimens with extraordinary characteristics in terms of rarity, size, age, or historical, cultural, or scientific significance. These characteristics are objectively assessed through established standards and criteria, which lead to the creation of a carefully curated catalog. Promoting awareness of these unique trees is essential, as they are often only known within professional or specialized circles, leaving the general public unaware of their existence and value.