Visiting the museums on the Costa Blanca is an excellent option if you are going on vacation for a few days. In addition to sun, beaches, and excellent cuisine, we recommend some cultural visits during which you will be able to discover the mark that the Arabs left on the region, the literary and artistic legacy of the area, and a heritage with great cultural value.
Cultural Visits that you Cannot Miss in Alicante
The usual thing to do when going on vacation is to look for what there is to do at the destination and check on cultural options. The range of museums in Alicante is huge, featuring places likethe Archaeological Museum of the Province of Alicante, which houses the Eusebio Sempere Collection, and the Azorín de Monóvar House and Museum, which showcases the author’s legacy.
Floating Museums of Torrevieja
Among the “must-sees” of the area are the Floating Museums of Torrevieja. The Albatros Patrol Boat Floating Museum, Dolphin Submarine, andthe Pascual Flores Masted Sailing Ship are excellent options to consider. Visitor capacity is limited and visits are done in shifts.
Dolphin Submarine (“S-61 Delfín”) Floating Museum
Don’t hesitate to get to know the first vessel of the Spanish Navy. The vessel was turned into the Dolphin Submarine (“S-61 Delfín”) Floating Museum. Its interior allows you to learn about the crew’s living conditions. This visit is not recommended for those who suffer from claustrophobia.
The Albatros III Patrol Boat
The Albatros III Patrol Boat belonged to the Customs Surveillance Service before being turned over to the Museum of the Sea and Salt. A total of 33 years are behind its history as a watchman of the coasts, having been converted in March 2006 into a new floating museum.
Torrevieja honors the men who, over the span of seven generations, have contributed their professionalism and mettle along the coast. These are great professionals belonging to the Maritime Customs Surveillance Service. Visit its interior in recognition of the work carried out by its crew members.
The Pascual Flores Masted Sailing Ship
Since the year 2009, the Pascual Flores Masted Sailing Ship has been anchored in the Port of Torrevieja. This is a ship that was used for commercial transport by sail and that toured the ports of the Mediterranean until it became a collector’s item. This ship acts as a floating example of Torrevieja’s naval construction in times gone by.
Elche Paleontological Museum (MUPE)
The MUPE is located in Elche and it is a museum with two floors that isn’t very large. Inside, thousands of fossils and an important collection of minerals are on display. Its most important pieces include a unique piece of amber considered one of the oldest in Europe, the remains of the oldest known porcupine, and a Mosasaur from Morocco.
It is the ideal place to spend a fun family day if you like dinosaurs and fossil reproductions. It offers an extensive program of educational and cultural activities like mineral workshops and a paleontology route through Elche.
Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art (MACA)
The Alicante Museum of Contemporary Art is one of the most important cultural projects in the city. The MACA solves the problem of space limitations for the Twentieth Century Art Collection at the La Asegurada Museum. New spaces are available that allow visitors to enjoy the contemporary art collections on permanent display.
This museum houses different collections like the Twentieth Century Art Collection donated by Eusebio Sempere to the city of Alicante – the pillar of this new contemporary art space. Composed of 177 pieces (sculptures, paintings, drawings, and graphic work), the collection is a result of a rigorous selection and acquisition process for pieces by the great modern and avant-garde artists of the last century.
Likewise, we must note the Eusebio Sempere Municipality Collection: a total of 101 pieces including drawings, paintings, sculptures, and graphic work. There is also the Juana Francés Collection, inherited by the museum from the artist born in Alicante, and finally, the Caja Mediterráneo Collection, which features the different artistic trends and develops a multidisciplinary approach for all artistic manifestations.
Chocolate Museum
This may be the sweetest visit you make. Would you like to know the history of chocolate through its curiosities and by viewing valuable pieces? This museum houses the best kept secrets of the Valor family’s chocolate-making tradition in Villajoyosa.
This museum was created in 1998, and in this place you will be able to discover all the details about the chocolate-making process and the five generations of master chocolatiers at Valor. In addition, it has an impressive collection of machinery from the chocolate industry. You will be able to learn about how chocolate was made from the times when cocoa was ground in a stone recipient until today.
Remember to stay at Grand Luxor Hotel, the best hotel in Benidorm, and plan your different visits to the museums of the Costa Blanca from the hotel. Your stay will be unforgettable and in a very cozy atmosphere!
Foto de cabecera extraída de la web de MACA