Ельче

Spring and autumn are the best seasons, with warm, sunny days. Summer is very hot, and winter is mild and mostly dry.

The Mystery Play of Elche (Misteri d'Elx), a medieval religious drama sung in Valencian, is performed on 14 and 15 August. It is a UNESCO listed tradition.

• Palmerar d'Elx is a large grove of date palms with irrigation channels. Parts of it are open as gardens, and the palms shade many streets in the center.
• The Hort del Cura is a garden in the palm grove, known for a very old palm with many branches.
• The Basílica de Santa María is the main church, with a Baroque façade and a large blue dome.
• La Calahorra is a medieval fortified tower beside the river.
• The Palau d'Altamira is a medieval palace with Moorish features in the old center.
• La Alcudia is an archaeological site on the edge of the city, where the famous Lady of Elche sculpture was found in 1897. The original is now in a museum in Madrid.

• Walk through the palm grove in the morning, before the heat builds.
• Visit in August for the Mystery Play, which takes place in the Basílica de Santa María.

• Alicante (about 25 km, 20 minutes by train or car): the provincial capital, with a castle and a long beach.
• Orihuela (about 25 km, 30 minutes by car): a historic town with churches and a university.
• Torrevieja (about 40 km, 40 minutes by car): a seaside resort with salt lakes.
• Benidorm (about 60 km, 1 hour by car): a large beach resort.

Other places nearby:

• Provincial capital: Alicante.
• Coast: Torrevieja and Benidorm.
• Big city: Valencia.

• By air: Alicante-Elche airport (ALC) is about 10 km from the center and is the main airport for the area. Buses and taxis link it with Elche.
• By train: Trains stop at Elche-Parque and Elche-Carrús stations. Book on Renfe.
• By bus: Buses link Elche with Alicante, Murcia and the coast.

• On foot: The old center and the palm grove are compact and flat.
• Cycling: The city is flat, and cycling is easy.

• Is a car worth it?: Not for the center. A car helps for the beaches and nearby towns.
• Parking: Use a car park near the center.
• Restrictions: The old center has limited access for cars.

Elche is known for arroz con costra (rice baked in a pan with a crust of egg on top) and for its dates. Fresh vegetables, rice dishes and seafood from the nearby coast are common.

Most restaurants and tapas bars are in the center and around the palm grove.

Elche is a safe city. Summer heat is strong, so avoid the middle of the day, carry water and wear sun protection.

Elche has been settled since ancient times. The Iberians lived at La Alcudia, and the Romans later built a colony there. The Moors planted the palm groves and built the irrigation channels.

The city grew in the Middle Ages, and the shoe industry became its main business in the 19th and 20th centuries.

Quick practical facts for Spain at a glance: