Irish Bars

Among the many entertainment venues in the city, holidaymakers are always assured of a warm welcome when visiting the Irish bars in Alicante. Whether it's to do with ‘the craic' or just the international popularity of Guinness, out of any country, Irish bars are the most widespread worldwide and can be found in just about every city on the planet. With their hardy temperament the Irish have long been a nation of navvies, and with a natural love of the open road have travelled far and wide in the last few centuries, laying down roots in every corner of the globe, and bringing with them their taste for a pint or two of the ‘black stuff'.

I'm sure a vast majority of the roads and railways constructed during the expansion of Alicante had their share of Irish construction workers who, at the end of a hard days work wish for nothing more than a satisfying pint of Guinness to sooth parched throats. Nowadays visitors can enjoy the warmth and camaraderie of a number of Irish bars in Alicante during their stay.

Murphy's Irish Pub – It would be rude not to start my reviews of Irish bars in Alicante without the most iconic Irish surname Murphy. Located in the Old Town on Rambla Méndez Núñez, with its green and gold facade and etched glass windows, Murphy's certainly looks the part, and when entering the cool dark interior the wooden panelling and old fashioned stripped wallpaper adds to the feel of a traditional Irish watering hole. The shelves behind the bar groan under the weight of all the whiskey bottles, and of course Guinness takes pride of place as the number one beer choice. Murphy's serves hearty pub grub and at times features live music.

Dubliners – Run by the not very Irish Juan Carlos and featuring Spanish beer and cocktails on the menu board, opening an Irish bar is one way to draw in the tourists, and Dubliners does a great job. Located slightly outside the city centre on Av. Pintor Xavier Soler, the bar gets packed during the peak summer months with both Spanish locals and visiting holidaymakers. Prices are very reasonable, especially if you go for the offers such as 2 bottles of Bud for 3€ or pay an extra 50c and prepare to be blown away with 2 bottles of super strong Voll Dam.

O'hara Irish Pub – With an outdoor terrace overlooking the beautiful Explanada de España and marina, this is an Irish pub with a view to die for and is the perfect spot to watch the world go by whilst enjoying a pint of Guinness or Murphy's Irish Stout. They also do a great cocktail but their fantastic location is unfortunately reflected in their prices. There is a second O'hara's handily located next to the Luceros Tram Station on Placa de los Luceros 8 that offers pretty much the same drinks menu, but at a more affordable price than their seaside location.

The Little Duke – Just a short walk up from the marina along Av. Dr. Gadea is one of the best known Irish bars in Alicante, The Little Duke that's hard to miss with its bright postbox red doors. Famed for their perfect pint of Guinness, this little bar is popular with Irish expats living in the city as well as a faithful following of locals drawn to the friendly atmosphere. A good place to watch football, the bar is open all day and has a pleasant outdoor terrace.

The Place – Not all of the Irish bars in Alicante are located in the city, and for a few bevvies when visiting the wonderful beach in the neighbouring residential area of San Juan, you are assured of a friendly welcome in The Place. With a typical green and gold facade, the bar offers indoor seating as well as a nice terrace, and aside from the usual local and imported drinks, they do inventive cocktails and have regular live bands on the weekends. The Place is located on Av. de la Condomina before you reach the beginning of San Juan Beach, and a bit further north in the residential area of Sant Joan d'Alacant you will find a further two Irish bars, The St. John and St. Patrick's which are just a short walk between the two.

British Bars

Surprisingly for the size of the city there are not that many British bars in Alicante, especially when compared to the likes of Benidorm where, if it wasn't for the palm trees and warm Mediterranean weather