Just before the summer solstice, Alicante dresses up to the nines to conjure up the time when King James II incorporated the land of Alicante to the Crown of Aragon, and endowed the province with an annual market fair that marked the beginning of the city's commercial activity.
To commemorate this deed, in early June the capital of the province of Alicante turns its historical city centre into an authentic medieval market. The city's streets, avenues and squares are festooned with flags and pennants from days gone by, and are given up to the myriad demonstrations, representations, product tasting, concerts and shows that go to make up the Alicante Medieval celebration.
To give you an idea of the size of the market, the event includes spaces that are given over to ancestral trades and activities, in which visitors can spend a marvellous day learning to make babuchas (a type of slipper), or they can sign up for tournaments, taste Arab delicacies or watch a medieval combat that forms part of the recreation of a Christian encampment, in which there is also room for an exhibition of manuscripts and medieval siege machinery.
The colourful walk from the Square of San Cristóbal to the Town Hall is enlivened with street performances that include ancient music, dance, magic and parades, among many other activities.
Medieval Alicante also offers a great deal of activities for children, which adds to the attraction of this encounter as far as both kids and adults are concerned: labyrinths, puzzles, musical structures, medieval puppets and circus - something for everyone! This is a trip through time in which you are the most important protagonist.
A unique experience that combines culture and history with leisure and entertainment. All the streets and squares of the oldest part of Alicante are transformed into a huge stage although the largest shows are put on in the Town Hall Square, so that every visitor can have a great time!
On the last weekend in June, the beautiful town of Jávea holds its International Festival, a mix of culture, gastronomy, music and world class dance, with stalls representing 22 countries where visitors can sample typical products from different regions. The afternoons are filled with regional dance from each country as well as exhibitions and activities for all ages.
Benidorm's amazing aquatic festival opens its doors in July, offering over 12 hours of uninterrupted music and fun, with sensational light and sound effects continuing through the night, refreshing the long hot summer days. The fun starts at the Neptuno Aquatic Festival.
In mid-July, Alicante overflows with avant garde jazz at its Fijazz Festival, where both home grown musicians and musicians from all over the world gather together in the Alicante Regional Council Auditorium to offer their best compositions.