We arrived bright and early on Wednesday morning and as we arrived at the house, we unpacked our bags and made our way to the shops. We stocked up on enough Aioli and manchego cheese to last us a month but it turns out we finished the cheese and Aioli in two days... Minus eating our body weight in food, we decided to relax at the house and watch films for the first day. Guess who watched Harry Potter for the first time! We were feeling quite sleepy and when you add a baby bump to the mix, I was actually sleeping for quite a few hours.
We sat outside in the sunshine and enjoyed the view, it was lovely to sit back and watch the world go by. The next morning we were up early and ready for some serious shopping. We took a chilled 20 minute drive to The Outlet Stores and our shopping session began. It was slightly chilly in Alicante and I stupidly only packed thin, summer dresses. Not ideal when you find the slightest breeze 'chilly'. I stole Ollie's over-sized denim jacket for the majority of the holiday, including our trip to The Outlet Store.
I definitely recommend visiting The Outlet Store if you get a chance, they have countless shoe stores and I managed to find a snazzy pair of trainers for only €28. I also picked up a fluffy pair of leggings and jumper for €6 which again, I wore all holiday. On Thursday evening, we visited La Taberna del Gourmet, which is nestled right between the city centre and a few roads from the port. I said to Ollie I would have a break from the camera so I sadly didn't take any food photos for my Food Time series.
Don't worry, I'll certainly be snapping next time we visit. La Taerna del Gourmet is a hidden gem in the Alicante city centre, it is slightly more pricey compared to other tapas restaurants but Gourmet is certainly worth the hype and exciting buzz that surrounds it. We have been visiting Gourmet for years and every trip to Alicante has either started or ended with a table here. The tapas dishes are out of this world and the croquettes are just exquisite.
The views in Alicante are just as beautiful as the tapas menus, we began walking around the port area in the evening and the trees and lights are always a personal highlight for me - it looks like the film set from Peter Pan. There are plenty of bars, casinos and restaurants to choose from, I would recommend visiting La Taerna del Gourmet then visiting one of the smaller restaurants closer to the port for some much needed churros. The atmosphere is so relaxed and everytime I visit the Alicante city, I understand why so many people want to live here. I spent my morning on a crammed train to Victoria and the hustle and bustle just doesn't compare to the relaxed atmosphere of Spain.
On Friday morning we took a long road trip to La Vila Joiosa, if you are a big fan of photography, you will love the coloured buildings here. They buildings are located right opposite the beach and the views are just beautiful. It was a lovely trip to make even in the car because you got to drive past the sea and really appreciate the mountains and landscape. Because the weather was slightly cooler, this made the journey even more pleasant. I definitely recommend visiting La Vila Joiosa if you are looking for beach views.
Usually I spend a large percentage of my time sunbathing and soaking up the hot rays but because the weather was on the cooler side in March, we actually had the opportunity to explore the city in the daytime. I was not disappointed, from the market stands to the shops, Alicante is just magic. We visited a large market on Saturday and the selection of meat, wine and cheeses were out of this world. It was quite surreal seeing fresh, authentic ingredients on display - even the pig feet! So if you are looking for a slice of authentic Spanish culture, Alicante is a lovely place to start. ♥
What a beautiful place! Your pictures are lovely and you look gorgeous as always :)
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