48 hours.
in Sant Joan
Two days in Sant Joan are a lot of work. On the first day we recommend breakfast in theSorrento cafeteria. From there you can visit the Parish Church of San Juan Bautista (XVII-XIX centuries), where the Baroque chapel of St. John the Baptist (XVII-XIX centuries) stands out. Christ of Peace.
Afterwards, you will find it interesting to visit the Pedro José estate (19th century) and the El Reloj estate (19th century), where you can enjoy pleasant gardens of pine trees and other Mediterranean species.
Pedro José Farm
El Reloj Farm
From there you can take the Camí de Lloixa, a medieval path, to get closer to Santa Faz. You can do it by car, bike or on foot, always depending on the time you have available. After leaving the gardensJardines La Concepción and Manzaneta, and passing by the defense tower of Bonanza, you can take a detour to Salafranca to visit the tower (XVI century) and the hermitage of ermita de Santa Ana (XVII century). Next to it is the mound of Mount Calvario crowned by its hermitage (XVIII century), from which interesting views of the Huerta de Alicante can be seen.
Calvari Hermitage (Sant Joan d’Alacant)
Returning to the Lloixa road, you will reach Santa Faz, where one of the most important relics of the Passion of Christ is located. The hamlet still retains its traditional flavor and the monastery (XVII-XVIII century) houses the chapel where the Santa Faz is; entering it is a journey back in time to the seventeenth century. At the end of the tour we can have an aperitif or a coffee at the Hotel Santa Faz.
Follow your route
through the food market
On Saturday mornings you can’t miss the street market (clothing, footwear, accessories, decoration, food, local products from the Huerta, etc.) that is held in Sant Joan, around the food market. Lunch at the market canteen is a good option.
That day Sant Joan is a hive of bustle and atmosphere and what better time to approach the downtown shopping area. You can also take the opportunity to go shopping in the various commercial establishments in the center of Sant Joan, or have a snack in the many bars in the surrounding area. On some Saturdays you can also enjoy the concerts of Música a la plaça, in any of the squares of the town.
Eat
It’s time to eat, and what better way to do it than to go to Al Plato Vendrás Restaurant, recognized as the most popular cachopo in the world in 2023 according to the Cachopo Guide. Another option is La Cervecería Los Hierros.
In the afternoon, we suggest you to visit the city of Alicante, closely linked to Sant Joan. In the city, an essential visit is to go up to the Castle of Santa Barbara, a medieval fortress founded by the Muslims on Mount Benacantil – at the foot of the Postiguet beach and the Port – which was renovated in the Modern and Contemporary Ages, and from which you can enjoy interesting views of the Mediterranean Sea and the port of the capital.
Afterwards, we invite you to visit the old part of the city, where the Basilica of Santa Maria (XV-XVIII centuries) is highly recommended.
Alicante
TOWN TO VISIT
from which you can appreciate a fantastic panoramic view of the face of the Moro del Benacantil, or the Co-cathedral of San Nicolás (XVII-XVIII centuries). To complete the visit to the city, we recommend a walk through the Esplanade of Spain, which highlights its pavement in Crema Marfil and Rojo Alicante, Alicante stones and Negro Calatorao, a stone from Zaragoza, built in the mid-twentieth century with millions of tesserae with undulating decoration. Once back in Sant Joan, you can enjoy one of the cultural activities of the Casa de la Cultura. Every week, theater, dance or music, have an appointment in Sant Joan.
Alicante
TOWN TO VISIT
from which you can appreciate a fantastic panoramic view of the face of the Moro del Benacantil, or the Co-cathedral of San Nicolás (XVII-XVIII centuries). To complete the visit to the city, we recommend a walk through the Esplanade of Spain, which highlights its pavement in Crema Marfil and Rojo Alicante, Alicante stones and Negro Calatorao, a stone from Zaragoza, built in the mid-twentieth century with millions of tesserae with undulating decoration. Once back in Sant Joan, you can enjoy one of the cultural activities of the Casa de la Cultura. Every week, theater, dance or music, have an appointment in Sant Joan.
In the afternoon, we suggest you to visit the city of Alicante, closely linked to Sant Joan. In the city, an essential visit is to go up to the Castle of Santa Barbara, a medieval fortress founded by the Muslims on Mount Benacantil – at the foot of the Postiguet beach and the Port – which was renovated in the Modern and Contemporary Ages, and from which you can enjoy interesting views of the Mediterranean Sea and the port of the capital.
Afterwards, we invite you to visit the old part of the city, where the Basilica of Santa Maria (XV-XVIII centuries) is highly recommended.
Walking and dining
For dinner we recommend La Amstelería, on Avenida de la Rambla. Another interesting option may be the Pizzeria Nando, next to the Municipal Park. If you like Chinese cuisine you can go to Nan King restaurant, located in the center, and if you prefer Japanese food we recommend El Taiyo, very close to the City Hall.
Enjoy.
After dinner, the wide range of pubs will allow you to choose where you want to go. If you feel like a Chill Out atmosphere we recommend the Hanami. Another option is to visit the Irish pubs: the St. John or the St. Patricks. If you like Jazz, definitely visit El Refugio.
Dance.
If, on the other hand, you are a Rock lover, a good option will be El Euterpe. And if you feel like dancing or an atmosphere with more commercial music, you can go to the OCLOCK PUB.
Day 2
in Sant Joan
We encourage you to have breakfast at Churrería San Juan. Afterwards, you can go to Benimagrell – the village of Muslim origin – which has preserved its original layout.
Once there, we suggest you visit the traditional ovens (Forn de Ginés and Horno Antiguo) that produce one of the most appreciated breads in the region of l’Alacantí, where many people from Alicante come to buy bread from these bakeries every weekend. We also recommend that you walk down the street to the end, where you will find the Villa Ramona estate (pre-19th century), and visit the late-Gothic chapel of San Roque (16th century). On Sundays you can also go to the Craft and Food Market.
We suggest you continue with a visit to the Sant Joan Assut (XVI-XVIII centuries) on the bed of the Seco river, an imposing ashlar construction, which served to divert part of the water from the Tibi reservoir to Sant Joan through the Gualeró irrigation channel and which irrigated all the orchards in this area. Although accessing it on foot or by bike would be highly recommended, if you do not have much time we recommend doing it by car. If we are lucky and it has rained recently we will be able to see the waterfall formed by the river water falling down the wall. From there you can return through Mutxamel, the neighboring inland town that shares the heart of the huerta with Sant Joan.
In this town we highlight the traditional neighborhood of Ravalet, the alameda and the hermitage of Montserrat, the Palace and the Gardens of Peñacerrada (XVIII century). It is also advisable to visit the Parish Church (XVI-XVIII centuries) of which the defensive tower (XVI century) and the chapel of the Virgin of Loreto stand out.
After this, we return to Sant Joan, where on the second Sunday of each month you can enjoy in the Plaza de España (Town Hall) of the Arrels Craft Market of agricultural and organic products. It is also a good opportunity for you to have a snack in the local bars such as the Nou Bar Pepe, located in the Maisonnave square, one of the oldest in Sant Joan, in whose canopies the huertanos auctioned water every Sunday.
Eat
At lunchtime, a very interesting option is the restaurant Mi Casa, specializing in rice, in the center of town you can find excellent quality restaurants such as Almantoni and / or Amstelería.
In the afternoon, after lunch, we recommend that you go to the sea to enjoy a few moments of relaxation. The best way to do this is by the Caputxo- Vereda de Benimagrell, one of the traditional paths of the huerta. Another option is to perform the Torres de la Huerta itinerary by bicycle through La Condomina, Sant Joan and Mutxamel, a very pleasant route in plain that can be done in two hours, starting with the Torre Cadena on Avenida Pintor Pérezgil, near the Hospital de San Juan, turning off at a moment’s notice.
for a visit to the beach of San Juan, and then resuming the route to return to Sant Joan.
It can also be a good time to enjoy the activities of the Casa de la Cultura.
A well-deserved dinner after a bike ride in any of the bars or restaurants in the center of town. Afterwards, again a good drink in one of our pubs to end the day, never hurts, while you start planning your next visit with us.