Free tour

Free Tour of Castillo Santa Bárbara

4.30

Acceptable (20 ratings)

Alicante

Duration: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Languages: English and Spanish

Guru: Free Walking Tours Alicante

PRO

Verified quality

Registered on 20 February 2018

Our mission is to respect our neighbors, and the local companies of Alicante, promoting good practices among our traveling friends. Alicante is much more than sun, beach and party. And while we love these things, the city also has rich gastronomy, intriguing culture, and fascinating history. We not only offer the highest quality private tours, but we also believe in inclusive tourism. That is why we offer the Free Tour! The Free Tour means that anyone, no matter what their budget is, can come, know and enjoy the city to the fullest, and at the end of the tour, they are free to decide the value of the Tour. This is a local project, carried out by official guides born and raised in Alicante. We only operate in Alicante and we understand that a city is constantly changing and developing, and we want to be part of a positive change in the tourism industry, and in the great city of Alicante offering a different type of tourism, we want to take care of the city that takes care of us! That is why we collaborate only with other local companies and we offer tours to local high schools to try to promote our history among young people from Alicante. We also see it as our responsibility in helping the less fortunate parts of our city. So we also support a local non-profit organization Despensa Solidaria, committed to helping less fortunate families through food aid, and also by raising awareness about poverty in the city. Visitors to Alicante have rated us as the best Free Travel Tour on tripadvisor and other companies such as Holiday Extras Travel Guides have chosen us to promote the city! We are collaborators in the local radio, where on Tuesdays we explain curiosities of the city of Alicante and we have also appeared in local newspapers.

Free booking and cancellation

Pay-what-you-wish tour, no set price, booking and cancellation are free

Tour description

Until the 19th century, Alicante was a military city. Although due to its strategic position it has been attacked on numerous occasions. However, the city of Alicante was never considered conquered until the Castle of Santa Bárbara had been taken. Learn about the history, legends and curiosities that this fortress brings with it with our "Free Tour of Castillo Santa Bárbara".

During this essential Free Tour in Alicante, we will surprise you with stories, legends and secrets from the time of the Muslims, when it was built, until today. Since the Castle has witnessed invasions, uprisings, betrayals, explosions and imprisonments during its more than a thousand years of history.
This tour includes:

We will visit the main buildings of the Castle: Patio de Armas , Bastion of the Queen , Hall of Felipe II , Hermitage of Santa Bárbara , Tower of Santa Caterina , Baluarte de la Mina and Corps of Engineers , Governor's House , Matxo del Castillo and Torre de the Bell .
We will enjoy impressive views of the city of Alicante .
We will tell you the history, legends and curiosities of the Fortress.
Scandal sunsets .

Come with us to visit the Castle of Santa Bárbara, crucial to understand the city and its history!

HOW TO GET UP TO THE CASTLE?

- By elevator: It costs € 2.70 per person (including children), but if you are retired and carry your ID, it is free. Currently there is a limitation of 4 people per elevator trip, so if you come on a busy date, think that long lines can form, so it is advisable to go with some time. If you take this option, to get to the meeting point of the tour: stop on floor 1 , walk down the corridor (there is only one) and when it ends you will be inside a building (Felipe II Hall), when you leave that building, You will be in the Patio de Armas, the meeting point of the tour.

- By car: You can go up by car, but you cannot park inside the Castle. On the uphill road, you will find a couple of parking lots, but no one can take you back on foot (15min approx) , so it is advisable to go with some time. We recommend you try the parking lot of the Ereta restaurant, which is the only street that enters on the right, if there is room, it is from where you will least walk. If there is no room, a little further down there is another parking lot visible from the road.

- By taxi: If you take a taxi at the stop in front of the Central Market, it shouldn't cost more than € 5-6 and it will drop you off at the door. It is the most comfortable and if you are several cheaper than the elevator.

- On foot: There are several ways to climb, currently the access to the wall is closed . So the fastest paths will be through the prickly pear park or through the Ereta park . Allow 30-40 minutes if you are going to walk up. When entering the Castle, not the first door, but after the arch that gives access to the enclosure, you will see a building with flags and a square, that square is the parade ground.

We remember the mandatory use of a mask due to Covid-19 in order to participate in the route.

Highlights

What will we see on this tour?

Meeting point:

Castillo de Santa Bárbara, 03002 Alicante (Alacant), Alicante, Spain

Patio de Armas del Castillo, is the Plaza that is next to the access building to the Castle, once there, you cannot miss it. We will be carrying a purple umbrella!

How much does this tour cost?

Free tours don't have a set price, instead, each person gives the guru at the end the amount they consider appropriate (amounts usually range from €10 to $50 depending on satisfaction with the tour).