Elche is located in the south of Alicante. It has 200.000 population, and its municipal area covers 326Km2 distributed between the urban area and 30 rural areas which belong to it. Its 9 km of beaches are placed behind a series of dunes and pine forests.

History: It was a fortified city of Al-Andalus, from the 8th and 9th centuries to the Christian Reconquest in 1265, however, the original site of Elx, La Alcudia, was placed only 2km away to the south from today’s urban area, the city of Helike, from the Neolithic to the Visigode period. It was the splendorous period of the Iberian culture, when the Dama d’Elx was sculpted. In 209 B.C the Iberian city was Romanized and in the 1st century B.C it acquired the title of Colonia Iulia Ilice Augusta.

Culture and Art: Elche has received two awards by UNESCO, which declared the Palmeral as World Heritage Site –legacy of the andalusi agricultural culture – like the Misteri d’Elx – sacro lyric drama, the last live testimony in European, medieval, religious theatre, which is performed every year in August-. In Elche they celebrate festivals of all kind: in the middle of October, the Festival Internacional de Teatre i Música Medieval turns the city into a stage with markets, itinerant performances, parades. During the last week of July, in the Festival Internacional de Cine Independiente de Elche, the best short films of the year are shown. Between May and June is held the Mestival, Festival Internacional de Música y Cultura Étnica y Mestizaje, an ideal opportunity to make an approach and exchange among different cultures through music, dance, cinema, gastronomy and theatre. Between April and May takes place the Festival Internacional de la Oralidad, which approaches different national and international cultures by using words as a phenomenon in theatre.

Gastronomy: The most famous dish in the local cuisine is the Arroz con Costra, as well as the Arroz con Conejo y Caracoles, and the traditional Puchero con Pelotas. The Mujol del Hondo con all i oli and the seafood. Among desserts, we must highlight the fruits of the area (dates, figs, granates…) and the Tortada de Elche or the Pan de higo. The most traditional drinks are the destilado de la flor de cantueso, el anís de paloma (the famous “Nugolet”) and the Dates Liqueur.

Climate: Elche has the common climate in the Mediterranean coast, with mild winters and not very hot summers. There is not a big difference during the year between average temperatures in summer (26ºC) and in winter (17ºC). Poor precipitations, which normally come in spring and autumn.

Festivals: They are marked by religion. The must-seen festivities are the Domingo de Ramos, declared a Festival of International Tourist Interest, where thousand of local people carry palm leaves in processions along the streets, in a beautiful prelude to the Holy Week. The festive activity experiences its highest point in August, with the celebrations in honour of the Virgen de la Asunción. A very spectacular moment is marked by the Nit de l’Albà, where the sky in Elche is covered by bonfires in honour of the Patron of this city, filling with magic the night of the 13th August.

The main act is the Misteri d’Elx, a medieval sung drama where the Death and Assumption to the skies of the Mare de Deu is performed. The play has two acts: la Vespra, on the 14th August and la Festa, on the 15th. A very peculiar tradition is the celebration of the Venida de la Virgen on the 28th December, festivity that remembers the legendary discovery in Tamarit beach by the coastguard Francesc Cantó, the large chest with the image of the Virgin and the Consueta or score of the Misteri d’Elx. The ‘Canto’ horserace along Elche streets is the climax of this festival.

Communications: Elche City has a privileged geographical position, 20 kilometres away from Alicante and 50 from Murcia, which turn it into a strategic place. The area is absolutely connected by air, land or sea. Within its municipal area is El Altet International Airport, and it is very closed to Alicante Port. Regarding connections by road, it is linked by the autopistas del Mediterraneo and the autovia de Madrid, and there are also rail connections, which will soon be provided with a new station for a high speed train, the AVE.

BEACHES OF ELCHE:

Playa de L’Altet: 1620 metres long and 80 metres wide, it is a natural beach awarded with a blue flag, which certifies the salubriousness of its waters and the quality of the services in there. Thin and almost white sand, common in the group of dunes from where it belongs. Moreover, this beach has endemic species regarding vegetation.

Playa Arenales del Sol: Thin and golden sand, surrounded by dunes, and with all the services for bathers. It is 1.5km long and 80 metres wide.

Playa El Carabassí: 2.5km of virgin beach on the side of El Carabassí mountains, where the salt marshes and humid areas of Els Bassals and Clot de Galvany. The marshes and traditional vegetation in there turn it into a quite area where people can practise nudism.

Playa El Pinet: A pine forest over a chain of dunes constitutes this rustic beach of 730 metres length and an important number of services.

Playa La Marina: A Blue Flag is flying in this beach of thin, golden sand, opened and virgin, with purified, crystal waters. Its environment, marked by dunes, gives this kilometre beach an enviable appearance of natural beach.

Playa Les Pesqueres-El Rebollo: The 1360 metres of virgin beach, thin sand, and the fact of being environmentally friendly have determined the Blue Flag Award.