Old Elche

Elche is in the Valencia region, southeastern Spain. Elche is the Spanish name of the city, and it is also known by its Valencian name Elx.

Understand

A city of 225,000 inhabitants, Elche is located just outside Alicante and is the capital of the Baix Vinalopó region. The Vinalopó River divides the city in two. Elche has a history as an industrial city (especially known for its shoe industries). Today the industries are still present, but the city also offers different attractions and services for visitors — among them the huge world heritage listed palm grove.

• 1 Tourist Info Elx (Main Office), Plaça del Parc, 3, ☏ +52 966 658 196, [email protected]. Apr-Oct: M-F 09:00-19:00, Sa 10:00-19:00, Su/holidays 10:00-14:00; Nov-Mar: M-F 09:00-18:00, Sa 10:00-18:00, Su/holidays 10:00-14. (updated May 2016)

Get in

By plane

1 Aeropuerto de Alicante-Elche  

By boat

The port of Alicante is 20 km away, with ferries from the Balearic Islands and Oran in Algeria.

By train

AVE fast trains run every 2-3 hours from Madrid Atocha or Chamartin, taking 3 hours via Albacete, Villena and Alicante, and continuing to Orihuela and Murcia. A regional train also runs between Alicante, Elche and Murcia every two hours.

2 Estación de Tren de Elx Parc (updated Feb 2023)

3 Estación de Tren de Elx-Carrús (updated Feb 2023)

By bus

4 Estació Autobusos Elx, Avda del Alcalde Vicente Quiles, 8 (200 m east of main railway station), ☏ +34 966 615 050, [email protected]. The modern bus station has connection both to Spanish and international destinations. Facilities at the station include a restaurant and 24-hr convenience shop. (updated May 2016)

Bus companies

• Alsa, tel +34 902 422 242.
• Autocares Melillense, tel +34 965 456 947.
• Mollá (Grupo subús), tel +34 965 424 242.
• Serrano, tel +34 965 456 146.
• Autobuses Urbanos de Elche, tel +34 965 420 392.
• Vegabús, tel +34 966 613 222.

By car

A-7 (European route E15) stretches along the Mediterranean coast and connects the city to the French border in the north and Algeciras and beyond in the south. Another main route is A-31 connecting Elche to Central Spain. Regional roads connects Elche to places like Alicante and Murcia.

Get around

By bus

AUESA bus

Autobusos Urbans d'Elx (AUESA) operates a fairly extensive network of bus routes. A single journey costs €1.35, payable to the driver on entry; night journeys cost €1.45. If you plan to use the bus frequently, it may be worth purchasing a Bus Bono card, which will give you ten journeys for €8.40.

A route map can be downloaded here, and detailed route maps with schedules can be downloaded here. For travelers with smart phones, BusElche is a useful Android app with a route planner and estimated travel times.

By car

At certain times of the day it might be impossible to find a parking space downtown, therefore you're better off going by bus or foot.

See

Palmeral of Elche

The Palmeral of Elche

Cactus garden of the Hort del Cura

One of the world's largest palm groves and the only one in Europe, this was established by the Phoenicians and expanded by the Arabs in the 8th and 9th centuries. The palmeral consists of several parts spreading across downtown. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.

• 1 L'Hort del Cura (updated Jul 2023)
• 2 Parc Rei Jaume I (Parque Rey Jaime I). This municipal park was created by combining two semi-abandoned palm groves, and has been transformed by the planting of new date palms as well as fruit and ornamental trees and native grasses. Free. (updated May 2016)
• 3 Parc Municipal (Parque Municipal), Paseo de la Estación, s/n. Nov-Mar daily 07:00-21:00, Apr-Oct daily 07:00-23:00, Aug daily 07:00-23:45. Comprised of several individual palm groves, the largest of which was granted to the city in the 17th century by a wealthy landowner. Free. (updated May 2016)
  • 4 Molí del Real. An 18th-century water wheel, which once was powered by a channel of the Vinalopo River. (updated May 2016)
• 5 Parc del Filet de Fora (Parque del Filet de Fora). The second largest park in the city after the Municipal Park, it was created in the 1990s by combining five individual palm groves. Free. (updated May 2016)
• 6 Museu del Palmerar (updated May 2016)

Monuments and museums

Palau d'Altamira

View from the Basílica de Santa Maria

Banys Àrabs (Arab Baths)

• 7 Palau d'Altamira (updated Oct 2017)
• 8 Museu Arqueològic i d'Història d'Elx (updated Oct 2017)
• 9 Banys Àrabs (Baños Árabes / Arab Baths), Paseo de les Eres de Santa Llúcia, 14 (beneath the Convent de la Merced), ☏ +34 965 452 887. Tu-Sa 10:00-14:00 15:00-18:00, Su/holidays 10:00-14:00. Moorish baths built in the mid-12th century, restored in 1998. An audiovisual presentation is available in English. €1 (adults), free (students/seniors/disabled); free on Su. (updated Oct 2017)
• 10 Basílica de Santa Maria (updated May 2016)
• 11 Yacimiento Arqueológico L'Alcúdia (updated May 2016)
• 12 Torre de la Calaforra (updated Oct 2017)
• 13 Torre Vaillo de Llanos (updated May 2016)
• 14 Museo de Arte Contemporáneo (updated Oct 2017)
  • 15 Centre d'Exposicions (Exhibition Centre), Plaça de San Juan. A venue for temporary art exhibits organised by the Museum of Contemporary Art. (updated May 2016)

Do

• Football: Elche CF were relegated in 2023 and play soccer in Segunda División, Spain's second tier. Their home ground Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero (capacity 33,700) is by EL-20 three km east of town centre.

Festivals

Palm Sunday

Nit de l'Albà

• 1 Processó del Diumenge de Rams d'Elx (updated Nov 2017)
• Elx al Carrer. Early June. One of the largest street theatre festivals in the country. (updated Nov 2017)
• 1 Mostra de Teatre Dama dÉlx, Carrer Kursaal, s/n (Gran Teatro). Late June. Two weeks of free amateur theater performances. (updated Nov 2017)
• Mostra de Teatro de Enseñanzas Medias. Late June. Dramaturgy students perform their final work of the semester. (updated Nov 2017)
• Moros i Cristians (Moros y Cristianos / Moors and Christians). 7-11 August. Like many other communities in Alicante, Elche celebrates the Christian Reconquista of the city with a festival of parades and reenactments. Key events include the Entrada Mora ('Entry of Moorish troops'), in even years on 8 August in even years and 10 August in odd years; the Entrada Cristiana ('Entry of Christian troops'), in even years on 10 August and in odd years on 8 August; and the Embajadas (Embassies), with a reenacted battle and meetings of the Moorish and Christians embassadors in the 2 plaza by the Altamira Castle. (updated Dec 2017)
• (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Misteri d'Elx (updated Sep 2016)
• (updated Nov 2017)
• LGTBI Diversa Festival. Every May or June Elche holds a LGTBI festival to celebrate Gay Pride. During these days plenty of activities are organized, such as concerts or film screenings. (updated May 2019)

Buy

Elche is known for its high-quality leather shoes

Thanks to Elche's shoe manufacturing history there are many shoe stores with good prices and wide selection. In the downtown area you can find Spanish chain stores like Mango, Zara, Druni, In-Faradis, etc.

• 1 Mercadillo Central (street market), Plaça de les Flors. M Sa 08:00-14:30. A semi-weekly street market for local produce and other goods. (updated Oct 2017)

Shopping centres

• 2 Centro Comercial L'Aljub (L'Aljub Mall), C/ Jacarilla, 7, ☏ +34 965 430 090. M-Sa 10:00-22:00. Many different stores on the ground floor, dining options on the first floor as well as the ABC Elx. (updated Feb 2023)
• 3 El Corte Inglés-Hipercor Ciudad de Elche (Centro Comercial Ciudad de Elche), Avda Alcalde Ramón Pastor, 2, ☏ +34 966 679 750. M-Sa 09:00-22:00. A fusion of a Corte Inglés department store and a Hipercore hypermarket. (updated May 2016)
• 4 Carrefour, Avda de Crevillente, 31 (by the N-340 highway), ☏ +34 914 908 900. M-Sa 09:00-22:00. A branch of the French hypermarket. (updated May 2016)

Eat

Arròs amb costa

Delicias de Elche

Elche's most well-known dish is arròs amb crosta (Spanish: arroz con costra), which is a clay pot of rice, rabbit and/or chicken, sausage, beans, and chickpeas, cooked first on a stovetop, and with the addition of beaten eggs then baked in an oven. Another unique specialty are the delicias de Elche, dates stuffed with almonds and wrapped with fried bacon, served as tapas in many bars and restaurants. For dessert the tortada de Elche, a cake of ground almonds, eggs, and meringue (and no flour) is a favourite.

Mid-range

• 1 Asador Ilicitano, Carrer Mestre Giner, 9, ☏ +34 965 435 864. Daily 13:00-16:00 20:00-24:00. Specializes in grilled meat and fish dishes. 
• 2 Restaurante Dátil de Oro (Restaurante Parque Municipal), Paseo de la Estación, s/n (Parc Municipal), ☏ +34 965 453 415, [email protected]. Daily 09:00-22:00. A very large restaurant which serves some regional specialties, including dishes with dates. Set menu €15.25. (updated Oct 2017)
• 3 Restaurante Pernil, Carrer Juan Ramón Jiménez, 4, ☏ +34 966 613 303, [email protected]. Daily 13:00-16:00 20:00-24:00. Specializes in paella and other rice dishes, and can accommodate vegetarians and vegans. Reservations can be made online. Mains €11-24, set menu €12. 

Splurge

• 4 Mesón El Granaíno, C/ Josep María Buck, 40, ☏ +34 966 664 080, [email protected]. M-Sa 09:30-16:00 20:00-24:00. Serves a wide range of Andalusian-style tapas. For meals offers Andalusian and Valencian specialties, but with an emphasis on creative cuisine. Mains €16-22, tasting menu €41-47. (updated May 2016)
• 5 El Misteri d'Anna, Partida Peña Águilas, 347, ☏ +34 966 675 644. Tu-Th 13:30-15:30, F Sa 13:30-15:30 20:30-23:00, Su 13:30-15:30. Set menu €37-45. 
• 6 Restaurante Els Capellans, Carrer Porta de la Morera, 16 (in the Hotel Huerto del Cura), ☏ +34 966 610 011. Daily 13:00-16:00, 20:30-23:30. Mains €16-23. 
• 7 Restaurante La Finca, Polígono Industrial 1, Partida de Perleta, 1-7, ☏ +34 965 456 007, [email protected]. Oct-May: lunch Tu-Su 13:30-15:30, dinner W-Sa 20:30-22:30; Jun-Sep: lunch Tu-Sa 13:30-15:30, dinner Tu-Sa 20:30-22:30. Located in an old farmhouse, the Michelin-starred restaurant is operated by Susi Díaz serves imaginative cuisine. Reservations can be made online. Mains €27-29. (updated May 2016)
• 8 Restaurante Frisone, Carrer Angel, 31-32, ☏ +34 965 422 279, [email protected]. Tu-Sa 13:00-16:00 20:00-24:00, Su 13:00-16:00. Listed in the Michelin guide; serves modern and experimental cuisine. Reservations can be made online . 
• 9 Restaurante La Masía de Chencho, Partida de Jubalcoi 1, 9 (Ctra Murcia-Alicante, km 62), ☏ +34 965 459 747, +34 965 421 784, [email protected]. Daily 12:00-01:00. Housed in a farmhouse dating from 1700, and renovated in 1985, this establishment offers national and international cuisine. Set menu €50-70. (updated May 2016)
• 10 Restaurante La Taula del Milenio, C/ Prolongación de Curtidores, s/n (in the Hotel Jardín Milenio), ☏ +34 966 612 033. Headed by chef Manuel Álvarez Giménez. Mains €12-25, set menu €27-35. 

Drink

The Polígono Altabix (Altabix entertainment complex) is a former industrial complex which was transformed in the 1970s into a leisure area, with numerous clubs and bars as well as restaurants. There are also a number of bars and pubs around the centre of town.

• 1 La Comedia Altabix, Carrer Sabadell, 13 (in the Polígono Altabix entertainment complex), [email protected]. For a relaxing drink or for partying until 7 in the morning. The age limit is 21 years and you need to dress up. 

Sleep

Budget

• 1 Hotel Campanile, Carrer Petrer, s/n, ☏ +34 965 435 760. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Has nonsmoking rooms and free Wi-Fi. Parking €5/day. Doubles €45, breakfast €9. (updated Nov 2017)
• 2 Hostal Candilejas, Carrer Dr. Ferrán, 19, ☏ +34 965 466 512. (updated Nov 2017)
• 3 Hostal Madruga, Plaça Jardí d'Asp, 5, ☏ +34 966 674 794, [email protected]. Check-in: 13:30, check-out: 12:00. Nonsmoking, free Wi-Fi. Doubles €40. (updated Nov 2017)

Mid-range

• 4 Hotel Ibis, Carrer Barxell, 5, ☏ +34 966 615 451, fax: +34 965 458 747, [email protected]. Check-in: 14:00, check-out: 12:00. Has nonsmoking rooms and free Wi-Fi. Pets permitted on request, parking €6/day. Doubles €51, breakfast €8. (updated Nov 2017)
• 5 Hotel Jardín Milenio, Carrer de Curtidors, s/n, ☏ +34 966 612 033, toll-free: +23 966 612 060, [email protected]. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. Has nonsmoking rooms, an onsite restaurant, outdoor pool, and fitness centre. Free Wi-Fi, parking €6/day. Doubles €65+, breakfast €10. (updated Nov 2017)
• 6 Tryp Ciudad de Elche Hotel, Avinguda en Joan Carles I, 7, ☏ +34 966 610 033. Check-in: 12:00, check-out: 12:00. Has an onsite restaurant, nonsmoking rooms, and free Wi-Fi. Parking €12/day. Doubles €66, including breakfast. (updated Nov 2017)
• 7 Holiday Inn Elche, Carrer Miguel Servet, 25 (Elche Parque Industrial), ☏ +34 966 651 551, fax: +34 966 651 552, [email protected]. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. Facilities include nonsmoking rooms, fitness centre, onsite restaurant, and bicycle rental. Free Wi-Fi, parking €4/day. Doubles €60, including breakfast. (updated Nov 2017)

Splurge

• 8 Hotel Huerto del Cura, Carrer Porta de la Morera, 14, ☏ +34 966 610 011. Check-in: 16:00, check-out: 12:00. Facilities include nonsmoking rooms, pool and sauna, and onsite restaurant. Free Wi-Fi, parking €13/day. Doubles €104-143, including breakfast. (updated Nov 2017)

Connect

As of Feb 2023, Elche has 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from Masmovil, Movistar and Orange.

Stay healthy

Hospitals

• Urgencias hospital de ELCHE, ☏ +34 965979044. 
• Centro de Salud Dr Sapena, C/Dr. Sapena 91, ☏ +34 966679913. 
• Centro de Salud Altabix. 
• Ambulatorio San Fermín, +34 966 913 319.

Go next

Most onward routes take you through the big tourist resort of Alicante.