If you want to discover another side of Alicante, the city is bringing back guided tours of its Spanish Civil War air raid shelters.
From Friday 20 March, residents and visitors can once again explore these underground spaces through themed walking routes. The tours highlight locations connected with the city during the Spanish Civil War.
The programme includes six routes that combine visits to the city’s eight accessible shelters with other historic sites. Their routes explain how Alicante experienced the war and the bombing campaigns of the 1930s.
Councillor for culture Nayma Beldjilali encouraged residents and visitors to take part. She said the tours help people understand the city’s past and the impact the conflict had on daily life.
Tour times and booking
Guided tours will run throughout the week:
- Monday to Friday: 17:00
- Saturdays and Sundays: 10:00
Visitors must book in advance by emailing: refugios@guiasoficialescv.com.
Tickets cost €4.95 for the general public and €2.97 for educational groups. The new prices represent a 10% reduction compared with previous tours.
Routes exploring Alicante’s wartime history
Each route focuses on different locations and aspects of Alicante’s wartime experience.
One itinerary includes the Civil War Interpretation Centre and the shelters at Plaza Séneca Shelter R31 and Plaza Balmis Shelter R46.
Visitors can see historical displays and a model explaining the Bombing of Alicante Central Market, when more than 300 people lost their lives on 25 May 1938.
Defence systems and wartime bombing
Another route visits shelters at Avenida General Marvá Shelter R35 and Plaza Músico Tordera Shelter R38, together with Mercado Central de Alicante.
This itinerary explains the defence systems used in the city and the bombing attacks Alicante suffered during the war.
Social impact of the war
A third route links the Mercado Central with shelters at Plaza Castellón Shelter R36 and the Fábrica de Tabacos de Alicante.
This walk focuses on the social impact of the war, including the role played by women during the conflict.
Historic centre and republican exile
Another route explores several historic locations in the city centre. Stops include the Alicante City Hall, the Civil War interpretation centre, Calle Villavieja, the Explanada de España and the monument to Archibald Dickson.
Dickson commanded the SS Stanbrook, which became a symbol of the Republican exile at the end of the war.
Life in the countryside during the conflict
Another itinerary travels through the historic Torres de la Huerta and the Monasterio de la Santa Faz. It also visits the Santa Faz air raid shelter.
This route explains daily life in the agricultural areas surrounding Alicante during the conflict.
Final days of the war at Alicante port
The final route explores the Benalúa Sur Shelter R96 and the surrounding port district.
Stops include the former Estación de Murcia Alicante, the Real Club de Regatas de Alicante and the harbour area.
These locations played a key role during the final days of the war, when thousands of people gathered in the port hoping to escape into exile.
Preserving Alicante’s historical memory
Through these routes, Alicante aims to highlight the heritage linked to the Spanish Civil War while giving residents and visitors the chance to connect with an important chapter of the city’s collective memory.
