Where to stay in Alicante
From Alicante-Elche airport a driver can base anywhere on the Costa Blanca. The city is about 17 km away by road, Torrevieja about 46 km to the south, Benidorm and Altea about 61 and 68 km to the north, and Xàbia about 102 km.
Last checked
How the areas differ
Alicante itself has the old quarters of the Casco Antiguo and Santa Cruz below Santa Bárbara castle, a city beach at El Postiguet and a centre for shopping and eating out. Playa de San Juan, about 8 km north-east, is the city's beach district of apartment blocks and a promenade.
North along the AP-7, Benidorm is the resort of high-rise towers on two beaches, Levante and Poniente, with the old town between them. Altea, a few kilometres further, is a white old town on a hill above a seafront and a marina. Xàbia, about 102 km from the airport, has a bay beach at the Arenal, rocky coves and villas on the hills.
South of the airport, Torrevieja is a resort town with town beaches and a rocky coast, closer to the airport than Benidorm.
Staying with a rental car
Alicante's historic centre is for residents with an authorisation; other drivers may request a one-off access authorisation within ten calendar days of entering. The city's low-emission zone, in force since January 2025, has three rings, and only the innermost, the Casco Antiguo, is restricted, with hotels and car parks inside able to register guests. Blue ORA street parking costs EUR 1.80 for the 2 hour maximum on most streets, charged on weekdays from 09:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 20:00 and on Saturday mornings, and free on Sundays and public holidays. Orange spaces cost visitors EUR 1.40 for one hour at most.
Benidorm works differently. Since 1 July 2025 cameras restrict its centre, in three parts called Centro, Levante and Poniente, to residents, public transport and permit holders, whatever the car's environmental label, and the same rules apply to foreign cars. A hotel or public car park inside registers the plate, so tell the hotel which car is coming. Blue zone spaces inside the zone are for residents and workers.
Tolls split the coast. The AP-7 north towards Benidorm and Valencia has been free since 2020; south towards Torrevieja and Cartagena it charges EUR 5.10 per barrier from June to September and over 17 days around Easter, and EUR 2.85 the rest of the year. In Xàbia the coves of Granadella and Portitxol had controlled access in summer 2026, at EUR 9 a car per day. GetCar's guide Driving in Alicante and on the Costa Blanca: Tolls, the Benidorm Camera Zone and Parking covers the roads in full.
What the tourist tax and registration rules mean for a guest
No tourist tax was found in force. The Valencian tax on tourist stays was created by Ley 7/2022 and repealed by Decreto-ley 12/2023 in November 2023, before it ever applied, and no newer regional or municipal tax was found.
Holiday flats are regulated by the region. Under the Valencian tourism law as amended by Decreto-ley 9/2024, a tourist dwelling is a whole property let for tourist purposes for 10 days or less to the same tenant, with a favourable municipal planning report, and rooms may not be let separately. Every advert must show the exact location and the number in the Registro de Turismo de la Comunitat Valenciana, and the letting contract must show the property's cadastral reference. A listing without the number deserves a question before paying.
In Alicante city, press reports say the council suspended licences for tourist flats in residential buildings for two years in December 2024, extended the suspension to apartment blocks, guest houses and hostels in July 2025, and in 2026 opened sanction files and suspended nine activities. At national level, the national registration procedure was largely annulled in May 2026, regional registers still apply, and whether a national number must still appear on a listing is unsettled as of September 2026. At check-in, every guest over 14 signs a registration form under Real Decreto 933/2021.
When to book what
The rule to plan around is the 10 day limit. Up to 10 nights, a registered tourist flat is a normal booking; beyond 10 days with the same tenant the let is no longer a tourist dwelling, and a longer stay needs a seasonal lease, which the monthly guide covers.
The toll south of Alicante costs more from June to September and around Easter, and the Xàbia cove barriers run through the summer, so a base in the north avoids the toll and a base near Xàbia means early starts for the coves.
Which area for which trip
A city break and a first visit on foot: Alicante old town and centre, with a hotel or car park that registers the plate.
The beach with the city close by: Playa de San Juan.
A resort holiday with everything on foot: Benidorm.
A slower stay in a white town: Altea.
Coves and a villa: Xàbia.
A long stay by the sea near the airport: Torrevieja.
Questions
Can a hotel guest drive into Alicante's old town?
The historic centre is for residents with an authorisation, but hotels and car parks inside the restricted ring of the low-emission zone can register guests. Other drivers may request a one-off access authorisation within ten calendar days of entering.
How much is street parking in Alicante?
Blue ORA spaces cost EUR 1.80 for the 2 hour maximum, charged on weekdays and Saturday mornings and free on Sundays and holidays. Orange spaces cost visitors EUR 1.40 for one hour.
Is the AP-7 a toll road near Alicante?
Only south of the city: EUR 5.10 per barrier from June to September and EUR 2.85 the rest of the year. North to Benidorm and Valencia it has been free since 2020.
How can a guest check that a Costa Blanca holiday flat is registered?
Every advert must show the Valencian tourism register number and the exact location. If the number is missing, ask before paying.
Is there a tourist tax on the Costa Blanca?
None was found in force; the regional tax was repealed in 2023 before it applied.