What’s on in Alicante this week includes two major Moros y Cristianos parades, the start of San Vicente’s summer Hogueras, Cirque du Soleil, outdoor cinema, free concerts, jazz at ADDA and several World Cup matches capable of rearranging everybody’s evening plans.
This is one of those weeks when Alicante seems unable to decide whether it wants to hold a fiesta, stage a concert or watch football. The obvious solution is to do all three, although perhaps not simultaneously.
Moros y Cristianos take over San Blas
One of the biggest local events this week is the Moros y Cristianos de San Blas, running until Monday 13 July. The fiestas have been declared a Fiesta de Interés Turístico Autonómico and bring music, elaborate costumes, parades, mock battles and the usual considerable quantities of local enthusiasm to the streets of San Blas.
On Friday 10 July, the XII Certamen Entrada de Bandas “Antonio Carrillos” begins at 19:30, travelling from the end of Calle Pintor Gisbert to the Castillo Festero. It is followed by a tribute to departed festeros, the Hymn of San Blas and the Nit de l’Olla, which sets off from the castle (this is not the Santa Barbara Castle, its the wooden castle that they use for the centre of the celebrations) and passes through the neighbourhood.
The two main parades take place over the weekend:
Saturday 11 July at 20:00 – Gran Entrada Cristiana
The Christian comparsas parade along Baltasar Carrasco, Poeta Garcilaso, Soto Ameno, General Mancha and Pintor Gisbert.
Sunday 12 July at 19:30 – Gran Entrada Mora
The Moorish comparsas follow the same route, beginning on Baltasar Carrasco and finishing on Pintor Gisbert.
The fiestas conclude on Monday 13 July with the Embajada Mora at 10:00, followed by battle and Christian capitulation. At 20:00, the Embajada Cristiana begins, followed by another battle and the Moorish capitulation. A firework display at 22:00 brings everything to an end.
Arrive early for the two main entradas and stand clear of the parade route. The costumes are impressive, but accidentally finding yourself marching beside an army of Moors requires more confidence than most visitors possess.
San Blas is a neighbourhood about 20 mins walk from the centre of the city.
Spain, England and the World Cup quarter-finals
The World Cup reaches the quarter-final stage this weekend, followed by the semi-finals next week.
Friday 10 July at 21:00 – Spain v Belgium
Spain’s quarter-final will be shown on the giant screens at the Centro de Tecnificación Deportiva at Monte Tossal, which is also in the San Blas area. Entry is free and the venue is expected to open one hour before kick-off. The council originally announced that Spain’s World Cup matches would be screened there throughout the tournament.
The match will also be shown in most of Alicante’s usual sports bars, including places such as Red Corner, Little Duke and Austin’s.
Saturday 11 July at 23:00 – Norway v England
England face Erling Haaland’s Norway in Miami. It is another late finish, but at least not one of those matches that begins when responsible people are putting the recycling out. FIFA and the English FA confirm the 23:00 Spanish kick-off.
Sunday 12 July at 03:00 – Argentina v Switzerland
This one is for the especially committed, the incurably nocturnal or anyone who has already accepted that Sunday morning is a write-off. Alicante has a large Argentinian community, so expect plenty of blue-and-white flags if they win.
The two semi-finals are scheduled for Tuesday 14 July at 21:00 and Wednesday 15 July at 21:00. Spain will play in Tuesday’s semi-final if they beat Belgium, while England would play on Wednesday if they overcome Norway.
what’s on in Alicante this week: Hogueras begin in San Vicente del Raspeig
Not yet tired of Hogueras? Excellent. San Vicente del Raspeig begins its own Hogueras y Barracas celebrations on Friday 10 July, with the fiestas continuing until Sunday 19 July.
The opening pregón takes place in Plaza de España at 20:00 on Friday, brought forward because of Spain’s World Cup quarter-final. Sometimes event planning really is just a matter of understanding one’s audience.
The plantà of the monuments takes place on Thursday 16 July, followed by the busiest days of parades, barracas and pyrotechnics. Three major mascletàs on 17, 18 and 19 July will use more than 300 kilos of gunpowder between them.
The first of those mascletàs falls on Friday 17 July, making it a possible finale for this week’s plans or the beginning of the following weekend’s festivities.
Getting there: take TRAM Line 2 from Luceros towards Sant Vicent del Raspeig, or use the 24 bus from Alicante.
Check the return timetable before staying late. San Vicente is close, but that fact becomes less comforting when the final sensible service has departed. But then, there’s always Uber.
Programme and visitor information
What’s on in Alicante this week: Cirque du Soleil brings KURIOS to Alicante
Cirque du Soleil opens its Alicante summer season on Thursday 16 July with KURIOS – Cabinet of Curiosities.
The show runs beneath the Big Top at Playa de San Juan until 23 August. KURIOS has a mechanical, steampunk-influenced setting built around an inventor known as the Seeker, whose world becomes populated by acrobats, unusual characters and assorted physical feats designed to remind the rest of us how little we have achieved with our own limbs.
The production lasts approximately 125 minutes, including a 25-minute interval, and is suitable for families.
When: From Thursday 16 July
Where: Big Top, Playa de San Juan
Language: The performance is largely visual, so Spanish is not required.
Aquarela Music at Muelle Live
Aquarela Music continues beside Alicante’s port with four concerts during the week.
Saturday 11 July at 22:00 – Valeria Castro
The Canarian singer brings her intimate, contemporary songwriting to Muelle Live. Tickets begin at around €46, although some sections are already sold out.
Wednesday 15 July – Anastacia
One of the most recognisable international names on the Aquarela programme, Anastacia performs at Muelle Live as part of the festival’s first Alicante edition.
Thursday 16 July – God Save the Queen
A Queen tribute production covering the band’s best-known songs and stadium-era performances.
Friday 17 July – Operación Triunfo 2025 Tour
The latest group of OT performers arrive in Alicante for a large ensemble concert.
The wider Aquarela programme confirms Anastacia on the 15th, God Save the Queen on the 16th and the OT 2025 tour on the 17th.
Where: Muelle Live, Muelle 12 de Levante, Puerto de Alicante
Language: Songs and introductions may be in Spanish, except for the predominantly English-language Anastacia and Queen shows.
Viva Suecia at Área 12
Viva Suecia play Área 12 in Rabasa on Saturday 11 July, presenting their Hecho en Tiempos de Paz tour.
Doors open at 20:00 and the concert begins at 22:00, but the official venue and band listings both show the event as sold out. That does not help anyone who failed to buy a ticket, but it may explain why a sizeable proportion of Alicante appears to be heading towards Rabasa on Saturday evening.
Language: Songs and stage announcements will be in Spanish.
FIJAZZ at ADDA
ADDA’s annual jazz programme supplies a concert almost every night this week, with a strong mixture of flamenco, contemporary jazz and improvisation.
The confirmed programme is:
- Saturday 11 July, 20:30 – Las Migas: “Flamencas”
- Sunday 12 July, 20:30 – Jorge Pardo Trío
- Monday 13 July, 20:30 – Marco Mezquida: “Táctil”
- Tuesday 14 July, 20:30 – BvR Flamenco Big Band: “Flamenco-Jazz XL”
- Wednesday 15 July, 20:30 – David Pastor All Stars: “Legacy of Blue”
- Thursday 16 July, 20:30 – Iberian Trio: “Ponte Ibérica”
- Friday 17 July, 20:30 – Carles Benavent Trío
These are musical performances, so there is no meaningful language barrier.
Where: ADDA, Paseo de Campoamor
Programme and tickets
Free summer music in Plaza del Ayuntamiento
The Verano de Músicas programme brings free evening concerts to Plaza del Ayuntamiento throughout July and August.
This week’s confirmed performances include:
Friday 10 July at 21:00 – Mailers
A free concert in the square, although the timing places it directly against Spain v Belgium. There may be households in Alicante willing to choose live music over a World Cup quarter-final, but this is an interesting week in which to test the theory.
Saturday 11 July at 21:00 – Quiéreme entera
A choral performance by Conjunto Coral Alquimia together with Italy’s Coro Polifónico Gaspare Spontini.
Sunday 12 July at 20:00 – Banda Sinfónica Municipal de Alicante
A free early-evening concert by Alicante’s municipal symphonic band.
Friday 17 July at 21:00 – Vera Lu Quintet: “Bloom”
Vocal jazz returns to the square at the end of the week. All these concerts have free admission.
Language: These are music concerts rather than spoken performances. Introductions may be in Spanish.
Outdoor cinema with live music at Las Cigarreras
The summer cinema season at Las Cigarreras begins on Friday 10 July at 22:00 with Blake Edwards’ 1968 comedy The Party, shown under its Spanish title, El Guateque.
The film will be accompanied by live music from Gilbertástico and Antonio J. Iglesias, combining a large-screen outdoor showing with a newly performed soundtrack. The film lasts 99 minutes and is suitable for all ages.
Language: Check with the venue whether the film is being shown dubbed into Spanish or in its original language before attending.
Where: Centro Cultural Las Cigarreras
When: Friday 10 July at 22:00
Council listing
Comedy and theatre at Teatro Principal
The Teatro Principal has two comedy performances this weekend. Both should be clearly treated as Spanish-language events.
Tia Visantica: Això Faltava! Especial Fogueres
Friday 10 July
A special Fogueres-themed performance featuring the Alicante comic character Tia Visantica.
Language: SPANISH/VALENCIAN. A good understanding of the language will be needed.
Txabi Franquesa: Escocía
Saturday 11 July
Stand-up comedy from Txabi Franquesa, whose show explores age, experience and the irritations accumulated along the way.
Language: SPANISH. This is a spoken comedy show and is not suitable for anyone relying on English subtitles.
The Teatro Principal’s programme confirms the performances on 10 and 11 July.
What’s on in Alicante this week: Free family entertainment at Parque La Marjal
On Sunday 12 July at 20:00, the free Verano en Parques programme presents Los autitos chocadores by Billy Mandanga y Cía at Parque Municipal La Marjal.
The 50-minute concert and animation show is designed for families and uses songs to explore creativity, empathy and independence.
Language: SPANISH. The music and spoken sections are aimed at Spanish-speaking children and families.
Admission: Free
Where: Parque La Marjal, Playa de San Juan
When: Sunday 12 July at 20:00
Leave the car at home: Alicante’s beach buses
Alicante’s summer bus network makes it possible to reach many of the city’s beaches without spending half the day searching for somewhere to park.
Useful routes include:
- Postiguet: buses 2, 5, 12, 21 and 22
- Albufereta and Almadraba: buses 9, 21, 22 and 28
- Playa de San Juan: buses 21, 22, 31 and 38
- Cabo de las Huertas: buses 22 and 28
- Urbanova and San Gabriel: bus 27
Check current departure times through the Alicante Se Mueve app or the Vectalia website before leaving. Summer bus timetables are helpful, but they are not legally obliged to align themselves with the precise moment you finish lunch.
Three easy summer escapes
For anyone who wants a break from organised events, Alicante offers several straightforward summer days out.
Tabarca Island
Boats leave from Alicante’s port for Tabarca, with the journey taking approximately one hour. Allow enough time to explore the walled village, swim and have lunch before the return crossing. Take water, sun protection and something for your feet if you plan to explore beyond the main village. We found that there isn’t a lot of shade on the beaches here. the water is crystal clear though.
Cabo de la Huerta
The rocky coastline and small coves around Cabo de la Huerta offer a quieter alternative to Alicante’s main sandy beaches. Wear sensible shoes, take water and avoid the hottest part of the afternoon.
Santa Bárbara Castle at sunset
The castle is open from 10:00 until 23:00 during the summer season, making an evening visit far more pleasant than climbing in the midday heat. Access is available on foot, by shuttle or using the lift opposite Postiguet beach.
Explore Alicante on our self-guided walking tour
For something you can do at your own pace, our self-guided Alicante walking tour covers the city’s history, landmarks and some of the stories that are easily missed when you are simply wandering about hoping to stumble across something interesting.
The tour runs through the old town and central Alicante using your phone, so you can stop for coffee, lunch or emergency shade whenever you please.
Book the Alicante audio walking tour
Coming next: Alicante Pride march
Alicante Pride continues through July, with the main Pride march taking place on Saturday 18 July, immediately after this week’s guide ends. We will include the confirmed route, time and associated events in next week’s article.
As always, times and programmes can change, particularly where outdoor events and fiestas are concerned. Check the organiser’s page before making a special journey.
