Excursiones recomendables at the Costa Blanca
Elche
 Elche
is one of the few cities having two Treasures to humanity granted
by the UNESCO: the Palmeral and the Misteri de Elx, a representation
of a sacred-lyrical drama whose theme is the "fall sleep and assumption"
of the Virgin to heaven, as interpreted by ilicitano singers and is celebrated
on the 14 and 15 of August in the Basilica Santa Maria.
All around the city of Elche a visitor will find palm trees,
the most spectacular and outstanding attraction in Elche. 
In the "Huerto del Cura", a botanical
garden, you can see the Imperial Palm: the only example of a date
palm with seven children, which was dedicated because of its beauty and
symmetry to the empress Sissi of Austria. In this quiet place there is
also huge variety of mediterranean and tropical plants.
You can enjoy and admire the wonderful collection of palms and
cacti, coming from everywhere in the world and now adapted to the
local climate.
Elche owns the most extensive orchard of palm trees in
Europe with more than 200.000 trees. The Parque Municipal
with all its palm trees, wells and monuments, such as the Molí
del Real, is a quiet and shadowy place in the middle of the busy city
and and ideal place to have a stroll and relax.
 On
the outskirts of the city is the »Alcudía«: a place, which
was inhabited from Neolithic times to Visigothic times. Five millennia
of history lie in an area of ten hectares in which the Dama de
Elche, a masterpiece of iberian art dated from the 5th century,
was found in 1897.
 Apart
from the above mentioned places, it is recommened to have a stroll around
the small streets in the city of Elche, visit the museums and the Baños
Árabes from the XII century and to buy shoes in some of the
shoe factories, for which Elche is famed. And after all that you can take
a break and revitalise yourself on the long sandy beaches of Elche.
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