Elche

Elche is in the Valencia region, southeastern Spain. Elche is the Spanish name of the city, and it is also known by its Valencian name Elx.

Understand
A city of 225,000 inhabitants, Elche is located just outside Alicante and is the capital of the Baix Vinalopó region. The Vinalopó River divides the city in two. Elche has a history as an industrial city (especially known for its shoe industries). Today the industries are still present, but the city also offers different attractions and services for visitors — among them the huge world heritage listed palm grove.



By boat
The port of Alicante is 20 km away, with ferries from the Balearic Islands and Oran in Algeria.

By train
AVE fast trains run every 2-3 hours from Madrid Atocha or Chamartin, taking 3 hours via Albacete, Villena and Alicante, and continuing to Orihuela and Murcia. A regional train also runs between Alicante, Elche and Murcia every two hours.

Bus companies

 * Alsa, tel +34 902 422 242.
 * Autocares Melillense, tel +34 965 456 947.
 * Mollá (Grupo subús), tel +34 965 424 242.
 * Serrano, tel +34 965 456 146.
 * Autobuses Urbanos de Elche, tel +34 965 420 392.
 * Vegabús, tel +34 966 613 222.

By car
A-7 (European route E15) stretches along the Mediterranean coast and connects the city to the French border in the north and Algeciras and beyond in the south. Another main route is A-31 connecting Elche to Central Spain. Regional roads connects Elche to places like Alicante and Murcia.

By bus
Autobusos Urbans d'Elx (AUESA) operates a fairly extensive network of bus routes. A single journey costs €1.35, payable to the driver on entry; night journeys cost €1.45. If you plan to use the bus frequently, it may be worth purchasing a Bus Bono card, which will give you ten journeys for €8.40.

A route map can be downloaded here, and detailed route maps with schedules can be downloaded here. For travelers with smart phones, BusElche is a useful Android app with a route planner and estimated travel times.

By car
At certain times of the day it might be impossible to find a parking space downtown, therefore you're better off going by bus or foot.

Palmeral of Elche
One of the world's largest palm groves and the only one in Europe, this was established by the Phoenicians and expanded by the Arabs in the 8th and 9th centuries. The palmeral consists of several parts spreading across downtown. It was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2000.



Do

 * Football: Elche CF were relegated in 2023 and play soccer in Segunda División, Spain's second tier. Their home ground Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero (capacity 33,700) is by EL-20 three km east of town centre.

Buy
Thanks to Elche's shoe manufacturing history there are many shoe stores with good prices and wide selection. In the downtown area you can find Spanish chain stores like Mango, Zara, Druni, In-Faradis, etc.



Eat
Elche's most well-known dish is arròs amb crosta (Spanish: arroz con costra), which is a clay pot of rice, rabbit and/or chicken, sausage, beans, and chickpeas, cooked first on a stovetop, and with the addition of beaten eggs then baked in an oven. Another unique specialty are the delicias de Elche, dates stuffed with almonds and wrapped with fried bacon, served as tapas in many bars and restaurants. For dessert the tortada de Elche, a cake of ground almonds, eggs, and meringue (and no flour) is a favourite.

Drink
The Polígono Altabix (Altabix entertainment complex) is a former industrial complex which was transformed in the 1970s into a leisure area, with numerous clubs and bars as well as restaurants. There are also a number of bars and pubs around the centre of town.



Connect
As of Feb 2023, Elche has 4G from Vodafone, and 5G from Masmovil, Movistar and Orange.

Hospitals

 * Ambulatorio San Fermín, +34 966 913 319.
 * Ambulatorio San Fermín, +34 966 913 319.
 * Ambulatorio San Fermín, +34 966 913 319.
 * Ambulatorio San Fermín, +34 966 913 319.

Go next
Most onward routes take you through the big tourist resort of Alicante.