So if you have read my blog before and seen the background photo, or follow any of my social media you would have seen a gorgeous panorama that I took of the city of Alicante and the sea. If you were wondering where I took a picture of such an amazing view, the answer is el Castillo de Santa Bárbara. Upon arriving to Alicante, and basically everywhere that you walk in the city you will see this castle. It is the most prominently featured part of the city. (And one of the most beautiful). I was fortunate enough to climb to the top of it along with my group from Spanish Studies Abroad just before sunset on one of the first nights I spent in Alicante. The view is indescribable. You can see the port, the sea, the city and the mountains. Pictures do not even do it justice.
Clearly I wasn't lying! It made me so excited about the beautiful place I was living. Furthermore, this castle is full of history regarding the city. It was originally constructed by the Moors who invaded the Iberian Peninsula in 711. Ownership went back and forth between the Moors and the Christians for centuries. The most prominent feature of this castle is not the amazing views, but rather, La Cara del Moro, or the face of the Moor that can be clearly seen from several places in the city. There are several legends regarding the face in the mountain, but they all seem to agree that the face belongs to to Moor King who is grieving the loss of his daughter. Regardless of the truth of the legend, there is no denying that a face can be clearly seen in the side of this mountain. My host mom took me on a walk to the point in the city where you can best see it! This face and the castle are the real symbol of the city and this should definitely be the first thing you visit upon arrival to Alicante!
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