Alicante is a very dynamic city which has one of the most beautiful white sandy beaches of Spain. Much more than the Playa del Postiguet beach, discussed under "What to See," and the Albufereta, practically a continuation of it, the most important beach in Alicante, indeed one of the best in Spain, is la Playa de San Juan. Being around 7 kilometers long, it seems to go on for ever and it's nearly 90 meters in average width means there is always room. It is an urban beach, but low-rise urban except at the southernmost end, and many of its bars and restaurants serve great "raciones".
Right in the city centre, and boasting a palm-lined promenade, you'll find Playa del Postiguet. Situated next to the leisure district at the city's marine complex, it is cleaned daily and offers a wide range of services both to bathers and visitors to the surrounding area. Development work at its northern corner, near the local station for the 'trenet', or coastal railway that runs between Alicante and Denia, has recovered the strip of beach known as Playa del Coc, where local fishermen used to beach their boats.
Located about 5 kilometers from Alicante, in the residential complex of Urbanova and in the direction of Elche, is an environmentally significant area of marshlands that were formerly an important source of salt is the beach of El Saladar. It's near the international airport of the Altet and the impressive building of the Office of Harmonization of the Inner Market of European Union. This beach is also well-known as Aguamarga.
The beach is officially called Playa del Saladar due to the salt pans that used to exist nearby. However, it is popularly known as Playa de Urbanova. Saladar is a golden, windy fine sand beach and of moderate surge, with a length of 1,600 meters and one average width of 52 meters. There is a patrol and lifeguard service during Easter and the summer season, and also toilets, foot showers, a watchtower and parking facilities. In its South direction zones indicated for the nudist, nudist beaches.
Saladar has clay beach proportions, bordered by an exclusively peatonal marine stroll; with zones of recreation and leisure. Restaurants are of great variety here, like Pizzeria Provenzale. There's also a pharmacy, Kiosks and Supermarkets. The beach is reached by following the road that runs south to Santa Pola, or by bus number 27. El Saladar beach gets back the award for its quality waters and fine sands. At the far south of Alicante, it is the third beach of the capital - together with San Juan and El Postiguet - that's a blue flag holder. El Saladar beach is well-equipped. Little known to foreign tourists, it is therefore the quietest of all the beaches. Free from parking problems, bathers can stretch out comfortably on the sand, and enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the city and the bay of Alicante.
If you continue along the coast, you'll come across another sandy beach, the Playa de la Almadraba. Smaller in size than the other beaches, it is used almost exclusively by the residents of the surrounding complexes.
And the Island of Tabarca is a must-see if you have time.