Hi all. We are considering escaping the end of winter next year for 4-8 weeks and are deciding between these three cities. I would appreciate people's thoughts on these places. We spent 3 weeks in Spain last fall and absolutely loved it. Argave looks interesting as well plus I have never been to Portugal. I am looking for a warm spot with a nice local vibe. I realize weather may be in the 60s and 70s but don't want to experience a lot of rain. Since we will be there for a long while, we plan to take some side trips to nearby cities but mostly just chill out and feel like a local.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
6547 posts
I’ll vote for Alicante. There are many places within a couple hours from it, from Valencia and Murcia to Cartagena. There are also plenty of lesser sights inland, as well as Albacete. Since you want to be like a local that’s a part of Spain that isn’t as heavily touristed, with some exceptions, as the Algarve or Malaga areas.
Posted by
Barcelona ☀️ Sweden ❄️
3904 posts
I agree with jaimeelsabio, my pick would be Alicante. Lots to do and see in the city and wider region, excellent cuisine especially seafood and paella, and great weather.
Since you want to be like a local that’s a part of Spain that isn’t as heavily touristed as the Algarve or Malaga areas.
Well as long as you steer clear of places like Torrevieja and Benidorm, then you should be able to get the local Spanish experience. Although Benidorm may be interesting to see as a daytrip, it's the city with the most skyscrapers in Europe, and only was a humble fishing village 50 years ago!
Posted by
Portland
3600 posts
In the school year, ‘94/‘95, we were living in London. By December, we were more than ready to spend some time in a warm, sunny place. I was surprised that my planning research revealed that the Algarve isn’t terribly warm at that time year. I would check if climate change has affected that.
We wound up spending the two weeks in Sicily and loved it. The weAther was mild and mostly sunny. Sicily is just crammed with places to see, and the food is fantastic.