The rule in Europe is, if you have a nice port, you have to have a castle to defend it. Alicante Spain has a nice port, so the Santa Bárbara Castle was built on Mount Benacantito to defend it.

Santa Bárbara Castle sits above the shoreline and high rise buildings of Alicante.

This is the tunnel that leads to the elevator up to Santa Bárbara Castle. It was at least a one mile walk ( 1.6 Kilometers ) from the ship to this tunnel. Once at the tunnel entrance, you had to purchase a ticket for the elevator up to the Castle. As normally happens when a cruise ship pulls in, there are sometimes a crush of people at the tourist sites. So after the walk, we were treated to a 15 minute wait in the somewhat oppressive heat and humidity to purchase the tickets. It was nice and cool in that tunnel.

View looking North from the Santa Bárbara Castle at Alicante.

The ship docked in the far right of the photo was ours. We walked from the cruise ship Westerdam to the castle. It was a good bit of exercise. I usually lose weight on cruises even though it’s all you can eat all the time.

View of Platja del Postiguet from Castle Santa Bárbara.

A Turibus passes by as we work our way through the city and back to the ship.

After several hours in the Sun it’s time for beer and sugar water.

Local delicacies on display. I am not very adventurous food wise at home. I am way less so on extended cruises.

Sunset glowing Orange over the stern ( back end ) of our ship with fellow cruisers enjoying the view.