Summer in Alicante: Beach craft market returns alongside BeachBus network

Alicante is making it even easier to enjoy the coastline this summer, with the return of two popular seasonal attractions. Whether you’re browsing handmade crafts beside San Juan Beach or hopping on a BeachBus service to explore the city’s coastline, residents and visitors have plenty of ways to make the most of the warmer months while leaving the car behind.

Summer stalls return to San Juan Beach Craft Market

One of Alicante’s favourite summer traditions has returned as the popular San Juan Beach Craft Market opens for another season, with more stalls than ever before.

Running every evening until 6 September, the open-air market stretches along Avenida de Niza, offering visitors the chance to browse handmade gifts and local crafts while enjoying a stroll along the beachfront.

This year, Alicante City Council has expanded the market to 50 artisan stalls, making it the largest edition to date. The market runs from the start of Avenida de Nápoles to the junction of Avenida de Niza and Avenida de Benidorm, creating a lively shopping area just metres from the beach.

There’s plenty to discover, including handmade jewellery, ceramics, clothing, leather goods, wooden crafts, artwork and other unique items. Many of the products are made by local artisans, making the market a great place to find gifts or a special souvenir from the Costa Blanca.

The market opens every day throughout the summer. From Monday to Thursday, stalls trade from 6:00 PM until 1:00 AM, while on Fridays, Saturdays and the eve of public holidays, opening hours are extended until 2:00 AM.

Seaside rides with Alicante’s BeachBus network

More than 1.5 million people travel to Alicante’s beaches by bus every summer, and the popular BeachBus campaign is back to make getting to the coast easier than ever.

A total of 10 bus routes connect Alicante’s neighbourhoods and nearby towns with the coastline. Seven urban services, operated by Vectalia, carried more than 1.3 million passengers last summer, while three interurban routes transported almost 263,000 more.

The network provides easy access to Alicante’s main beaches. Postiguet Beach is served by routes 2, 5, 12, 21 and 22, while San Juan Beach, stretching for more than six kilometres, can be reached by routes 21, 22, 31 and 38, linking the beach with Alicante city centre, Mutxamel, Sant Joan d’Alacant, San Vicente del Raspeig and El Campello.

Those looking for quieter coves can head to Cabo de la Huerta on routes 22 and 28, while Albufereta and Almadraba beaches are served by routes 9, 21, 22 and 28. San Gabriel and Urbanova are connected by route 27.

During the busiest weeks of summer, several routes will operate more frequently, with buses displaying the BeachBus logo to make them easier to spot.

Passengers can check routes, timetables and live updates through the Alicante se Mueve app, the city council’s mobility website or Vectalia’s website.