The other day, we found ourselves in a city not far from Alicante — one we’d never explored before — and, like seasoned visitors everywhere, we did what you do: we booked a walking tour. The usual drill applied. Find the group. Locate the brightly coloured umbrella. Introduce yourself. Prepare to be whisked off into history.
Except… no. Not quite.
What unfolded over the next couple of hours was a gentle reminder of why we created our own Walking Tour Alicante in the first place.
When the Walking Tour Experience Doesn’t Quite… Walk
Our guide, friendly enough, was clearly reading from a script learned during a hurried weekend. Every question from the group earned an answer that didn’t quite ring true — the sort of response where your instinct says, “Hmm… I’m not sure that’s historically sound,” but politeness keeps you quiet.
And then came the emphatic sentence endings.
Every. Single. One!!!…As if adding dramatic weight might compensate for the lack of actual content:
“You guys are going to see something amazing now…”
Which, without wishing to be unkind, turned out to be a perfectly ordinary archway.
The stories weren’t really stories, just facts dripped out in uneven spurts, and by the end, we were being promised excitement at every turn — the verbal equivalent of a children’s TV presenter who has had too much sugar.
It became clear that this was a familiar issue: many so-called “free walking tours” are led by well-meaning people in between jobs or studies, given a script to memorise and a hope that enthusiasm will carry them through. Some guides do brilliantly. Others… well, let’s say they try their best.
But a city deserves more than “trying your best”.
And that day reminded us of exactly why we created our own Walking Tour Alicante.
Why We Decided to Make Our Own Walking Tour Alicante
A good tour — a truly good one — is built on stories. Not dry dates or half-remembered facts, but lively threads of history that unfold around you as you walk. Alicante is a city shaped by invasions, legends, revolutions, sailors, merchants, and all the human drama that a Mediterranean port naturally collects over the centuries.
I first discovered VoiceMap when I stumbled on a London tour narrated by Sir Ian McKellen. That was the moment I realised audio tours didn’t need to feel like school field trips; they could be immersive, atmospheric, beautifully produced. Real storytelling.
And that was the spark.
I wanted Alicante to have a tour of the same quality. One that did justice to the city’s past without relying on umbrella choreography or tip jars. So we created one — and later, Anabel recorded a full Spanish version so local visitors could enjoy the same experience.
Who Are VoiceMap?
VoiceMap is a global storytelling platform that works with historians, writers, actors, journalists and local experts to create high-quality GPS audio tours in cities around the world. Their production team handles everything from sound design to pacing, ensuring each tour feels immersive, polished and genuinely engaging. It’s the same team behind our Walking Tour Alicante — and a big reason why the narration, atmosphere and overall experience feel so well crafted.
How Our Tour Differs from the Typical “Free Walking Tour Alicante”
1. You Get Real Stories, Not Recited Scripts
Our tour takes you from Roman origins to pirate raids, from kings to naval attacks, from medieval alleyways to modern boulevards — with narrative threads that connect one century to the next. Nothing is improvised on the spot or multiplied for dramatic effect.
2. Professional Sound Design
Some moments feature subtle music or sound effects — not gimmicks, but atmosphere. The VoiceMap production team is exceptional, and they treat each tour like a crafted audio documentary.
3. No Group Awkwardness
No standing in a semicircle pretending you can hear the guide over the traffic.
No shuffling behind tall people.
No strangers breathing on your shoulder.
No “Where are you from?” introductions.
Just you, your pace, your headphones, and Alicante.
4. One Simple Fee — No Tip Calculus
The “free” in free walking tour rarely means free.
There’s the awkward end ritual: everyone fumbling for notes, trying to guess what’s appropriate, wondering whether they’re being judged.
Our tour costs one transparent price. No guilt. No envelopes.
5. Take Breaks Whenever You Like
If you want to stop for a tapa, a beer, a coffee, an ice cream, or simply to stare at Santa Bárbara because the light is perfect — you can.
Pause. Resume. Pick it up tomorrow if you like.
6. Lifetime Access
Once downloaded, it’s yours forever.
You can listen again on your next visit, or from your sofa in Manchester, Madrid, or Montreal.
7. Ideal for First-Timers and Repeat Visitors
Some people complete it in a single go (around two hours). Others break it into two mornings.
People tell us they use it to orient themselves on day one, then return to favourite stops later in the week.
But Don’t Just Take Our Word For It
Here are some of the things travellers have said after taking the tour — quoted directly from VoiceMap reviews:
“This was one of the best audio tours I’ve taken anywhere. The storytelling was wonderful and incredibly well researched. It gave us a real understanding of the city beyond the surface level.”
“The production quality was superb — the sound effects and music made the experience feel immersive without being over the top. I learned so much, and at my own pace.”
“We do walking tours everywhere we travel, and this ranks at the top. Clear instructions, great stories, and a great mix of history and human detail. Excellent value.”
These aren’t our words. They’re from people who walked the same streets you will, listened to the stories, paused for coffee, and came away genuinely moved by what they discovered.
Alicante Deserves a Tour With Depth
Alicante isn’t a city you skim.
It’s a city you uncover.
It rewards the curious — the wanderers who want to know why a street bends a certain way, who built that fortress on the hill, who carved those symbols into a medieval stone, and why the city still celebrates Saint John with fire.
If you want a tour that rushes you through facts, there are plenty.
If you want a tour that tells a story, one that stays with you long after you’ve flown home, then our Walking Tour Alicante was created for exactly that purpose.
Ready to Explore Alicante Your Way?
Take it slow, take it fast, split it across a weekend, or do it in one go.
Walk alone, walk with a friend, walk with family.
Pause for churros, wine, a photo, or simply a moment to breathe.
The city will still be there.
And so will the story.
👉 You can find the tour, read all the reviews, and download it here:
https://voicemap.me/tour/alicante/spain-s-city-of-light-alicante-s-history-and-highlights
