Alicante · With kids

A lift through the rock from Postiguet beach lands inside the walls: cannons, tunnels, dungeons and a view over the whole bay. Ages 4+.

An hour by boat from the port to a car-free island with a marine reserve and shallow swimming. Ages 5+; take shade and book the return.

Long, flat and lifeguarded, ten minutes north on the tram, with playgrounds and gentle shelving. Better than Postiguet for toddlers.

Reconstructed dig sites and film rooms rather than glass cases; about an hour and a half, and air-conditioned. Ages 6+.

TRAM stops are step-free and buggy-friendly. Shops shut roughly 2pm to 5pm, which is when beach shade and a nap both make sense.