Elche Attractions
Elche, situated on both banks of the Río Vinalopó in one of the hottest parts of Spain, is noted for its palm grove, a feature unique in Europe. There were Iberian, Phoenician and Greek settlements on the site, and the Romans founded the colony of Julia Ilici here. With its flat-roofed white houses and domed churches the old part of the town, set on the edge of an oasis of palms, has an Oriental air. Elche is now a center of shoe manufacture.
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Palmeral de Europa
The Palmeral de Europa is a huge palm grove surrounded by walls and hedges. Guided tours are available.
Archeological Museum
North of Santa María, in the 15th century Palacio de Altamira, is the Archeological Museum, with a fine collection of prehistoric, Iberian, Greco-Roman and Islamic antiquities.
Hours
| Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat | Sun | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Open | Closed | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 | 10:00 |
| Close | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | 13:00 | |
| Open | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | 16:00 | |
| Close | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 | 19:00 |
Always closed on:
Elche Mystery Play - Spain (August 11~15)
Valencia Day - Spain (October 9)
Valencia Day - Spain (October 9)
Huerto del Cura
The garden is famous for its great grove of palms, El Palmeral. The great trees cast deep and welcome shade on winding paths. The Mediterranean orchard are intermixed with other exotic flowering plants.
Museum of Contemporary Art
Farther south from Puente de Santa Teresa is the Museum of Contemporary Art, with a collection of pictures, graphic art, sculpture and ceramics, mainly by Catalan and Valencian artists.
Procesión del Domingo de Ramos
The Palm Sunday Procession is mainly of interest to Spanish travelers.
Puente de Santa Teresa
There is a very fine view of the town from the Puente de Santa Teresa, a bridge in Gothic style (1705) which spans the Río Vinalopó a little way southwest of the Plaza Baix.
