The port, the Explanada, the walk

Where the port sits

Barceló's guide says the port of Alicante runs alongside the Explanada de España, the famous boulevard, and sits at the foot of Santa Bárbara Castle. It describes the port as naturally connected to the rest of the city. El Mentidero is at Muelle de Levante 6, on the Levante pier. Put that address into a map app, because reviewers on the booking page say clearer directions to the venue and its entrance would help, and the port is a large area with many piers.

The Explanada

Wikipedia calls the Explanada a palm-lined promenade that runs from the port toward the Gran Vía, with a floor of millions of marble tiles in a wavy pattern, and a popular place for evening strolls and outdoor concerts. Barceló's guide calls it a lovely seaside promenade lined with scores of palm trees, considers the marina part of it and names it as the best way to reach the port. For a flamenco evening it works as an unhurried approach on foot.

The marina after dark

Barceló's guide says the Marina Deportiva, built in 1999, has 748 berths, and is the most lively section of the port, with most of the entertainment venues filling up after nightfall. It lists restaurants, bars and nightclubs, including a restaurant specialising in rice dishes and seafood. A tablao fits into that evening picture. The guide also records that the port's standing as a maritime port goes back to 1271, under Alfonso X of Castile.

Eating nearby

Barceló's guide names several places on and around the marina. It lists Dársena, founded in 1961 and specialising in rice dishes and fresh seafood, the Casino Mediterráneo with an à la carte restaurant and a buffet, and the Real Liceo Casino, in one of the city's emblematic nineteenth-century buildings. Venues change, so check current opening details before you plan around any of them. If you choose the show-only ticket for El Mentidero, a meal nearby is a natural pairing, and if you choose the tapas ticket, the meal is part of the evening.

The castle above

Wikipedia says Santa Bárbara Castle stands on Mount Benacantil, in central Alicante next to the sea, and that its origins date to the 9th century. It says lifts have been installed inside the mountain. The castle is also where a separate booking takes place: a short guided wine and tapas tasting, with a choice between three wines or three premium reds. It is a daytime activity and not a flamenco evening.

Tabarca island

Wikipedia says Tabarca is a small islet off the coast of the Valencian Community, about 15 km south-south-east of Alicante, and that several boats connect it with Alicante, with more frequent service in summer. It says the waters around it became Spain's first marine reserve in 1986. A round-trip ferry from Alicante is bookable as a separate activity, with free time on the island. It makes a daytime outing, leaving the evening free for the tablao.

Getting to Alicante

Wikipedia says Alicante Airport is the busiest in the Valencian Community and serves Madrid, Barcelona and many European cities, and that the railway station offers commuter rail, long-distance Renfe trains and high-speed AVE links to Madrid since 2013. It also says the Alicante Metropolitan TRAM connects the city, its metro area and coastal towns. Check current timetables with the operators, because services change.

A sensible evening

Check the start time on your confirmation, allow time to find the entrance, and treat the walk along the Explanada as part of the outing. Wikipedia describes the Explanada as a popular place for evening strolls. If you take the show with the tapas menu, expect a longer evening, and if you take the show alone, you may have time to eat nearby before or after. Drinks are bought separately in either case.

Read next: Show only or tapas at the tablao

Who this isn't for

This guide is for visitors who will walk, not drive, and it does not cover parking or taxis. It is not a transport timetable either: services and sailings change, so check them with the operators. And it is not a substitute for the booking page, which carries the start time and the terms of the ticket. The booking page lists wheelchair access for the show, but check your own route to the port before you set out.