Skip to content
Voykit
Set your trip — dates, party, bagsPlanner

Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Major city · Spain

ElcheElx

Base in Elche for one night, or use it as a half-day from Alicante: the palm grove, the Misteri basilica and the archaeology museum fit in a morning.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
EUR
Best months
Mar–May, Oct–Nov
avoid Jul–Aug (38 °C+ heat), and the 13–15 August festival nights if you want a quiet hotel
Airport
ALC
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
  • Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
  • Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
  • Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
  • Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
  • Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
  • Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

Elche is a working city of about 230,000 people 20 km inland from Alicante, and it holds two separate UNESCO designations: the Palmeral, Europe's only large date-palm grove, was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 2000, while the Misteri d'Elx, a medieval sung drama performed each August in the Basilica de Santa Maria, was proclaimed a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in 2001. The historic core is compact and walkable in half a day; the palm groves, the MAHE museum and the Arab baths are all within about 15 minutes of each other. Most travellers see it as a day trip from Alicante, but a night here is cheap and the evening streets around the basilica are quiet and local.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Elche, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee€1.20–2 (≈ US$2–3)
  • Beercaña at a bar / can at a shop€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3)€0.60–1.20 (≈ US$1–2)
  • Taxi, about 5 km5 km taxi€8–12 (≈ US$10–14)
  • Metro or bus rideCity bus ride€1.35 (≈ US$2) (€1.45 (≈ US$2) at night)
  • Museum or sight ticketHort del Cura entry€6.50 (≈ US$8) adult
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per person€22 (≈ US$30)
  • Mid-range bedHotel double room, a night, per room€90 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedHotel double room, a night, per room€170 (≈ US$200)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget €45 (≈ US$55) · Mid €80 (≈ US$95) · High €140 (≈ US$170)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Palmeral of Elche (UNESCO palm grove)Misteri d'Elx (UNESCO medieval drama, August)MAHE archaeology museum and Palau d'AltamiraPalm Sunday procession and Moros i CristiansShoe manufacturing and outlet shops
Airports
ALC Alicante–Elche Airport (L'Altet) (13 km from Elche; transfer by taxi or bus (check operators and times) — the Cercanías C-1 train does not serve the airport.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Elche: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

17°C

7°C

4 rd

Feb

18°C

8°C

4 rd

Mar

20°C

10°C

4 rd

Apr

22°C

12°C

5 rd

May

26°C

16°C

4 rd

Jun

30°C

20°C

2 rd

Jul

33°C

23°C

1 rd

Aug

33°C

24°C

2 rd

Sep

29°C

20°C

4 rd

Oct

25°C

16°C

5 rd

Nov

20°C

11°C

4 rd

Dec

17°C

8°C

4 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The centre is flat and walkable; the Palmeral, basilica, MAHE and Arab baths sit inside a 1.5 km loop. AUESA city buses run across the city; single and ten-ride Bus Bono fares are check. Bus R4 links the centre to Elx AV high-speed station about every 10 minutes (check). Driving into the centre is a bad idea: parking is scarce, so park at the edge and walk or take the bus.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Alicantego

Door to door: About 45 min (check)

Cercanías C-1 from Elx Parc, every two hours

Castle, old town and the port; contactless bank card works at most barriers.

Torreviejacaution

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min (check)

Bus from Elx bus station

Beach town; check the operator and timetable the day before.

Benidorm

caution

Door to door: 2–2.5 h (check)

Train or bus via Alicante, then tram or bus north

Long for a return day; better as a move than a day trip.

L'Alcúdia archaeological site

go

Door to door: About 30 min (check)

CV-855 towards Dolores, about 3 km; taxi or local bus

Where the Dama de Elche was found; the original is in Madrid.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Centre / around the Basilica de Santa Maria

Best for one night on foot: palm groves, MAHE and the market are all within 15 min.

Elx Parc station area

Train and bus stations 200 m apart; practical if you arrive late or leave early.

Elx AV (high-speed station)

6 km south-west of the centre; only useful if you are connecting by AVE and not sightseeing.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
€45–70 (≈ US$55–85) excl. bed
Mid
€70–120 (≈ US$85–140) excl. bed
High
€120 (≈ US$140)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Hotel double room1 × 1 night × €90€90
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × €80€160
Cercanías Alicante–Elche, both ways2 × €5€10
AUESA bus single ride2 × €1€3
eSIM, about a week of data2 × €15€30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge€29
Trip total≈ €161 per person per day, bed included€322≈ US$400

2026 estimate in euro; flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee€1.20–2 (≈ US$2–3)
Menu del día (weekday lunch)€10–15 (≈ US$12–18)
Beer: caña at a bar / can at a shop€1.50–2.50 (≈ US$2–3) / €0.60–1.20 (≈ US$1–2)
5 km taxi€8–12 (≈ US$10–14)
City bus ride€1.35 (≈ US$2) (€1.45 (≈ US$2) at night)
Hort del Cura entry€6.50 (≈ US$8) adult
MAHE + Palau d'Altamira combined€3 (≈ US$4) adult, free Sunday

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Elche is a low-risk city; the real problems are summer heat, pickpockets around the market and basilica on festival days, and unlit paths in the palm groves after dark. Use 112 for anything urgent.
  • Summer afternoons in July and August are hot; do the palm groves early or late (check current temperatures).
  • The Museum of Contemporary Art (Museu d'Art Contemporani) has been closed; check before you plan around it.
  • The Misteri d'Elx final performances on 14–15 August are free but fill hours ahead; rehearsals are ticketed and sell from May.
  • Some city buses and the AUESA website have had broken links; use the MovilidadELX app for routes and times.
  • Elche CF home games at the Estadio Martínez Valero (3 km east) close roads and fill buses on match days.

Emergency numbers

All emergency services
112
National police
091
Guardia Civil
062

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

ElcheElx

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

A esta dirección, por favorTo this address, please

Emergency

  • All emergency services112
  • National police091
  • Guardia Civil062

Embassy

No embassies in Elche; the US has a consulate-general in Barcelona and an embassy in Madrid, the UK and Ireland have embassies in Madrid. For most consular help, Alicante and Valencia have honorary consulates only (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Cercanías Elche → Alicante: about €2.50 (≈ US$3), 25–30 min
  • Taxi ALC airport → Elche centre: about €20–25 (≈ US$25–30), 15–20 min
  • Bus R4 centre → Elx AV: about every 10 min

Say or show

  • Hola / Buenos días — Hello / Good day (OH-lah / BWEH-nos DEE-as)
  • Gracias — Thank you (GRAH-syas)
  • La cuenta, por favor — The bill, please (lah KWEN-tah por fah-VOR)
  • ¿Cuánto cuesta? — How much is it? (KWAN-toh KWES-tah)
  • ¿Dónde está el baño? — Where is the toilet? (DON-deh es-TAH el BAH-nyo)
  • ¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta? — Can I pay by card? (PWEH-doh pah-GAR kon tar-HEH-tah)

Tourist Info Elx, Plaça del Parc 3: Apr–Oct Mon–Fri 09:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–19:00, Sun 10:00–14:00; Nov–Mar Mon–Fri 09:00–18:00, Sat 10:00–18:00, Sun 10:00–14:00 (check).

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Elche. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Mar–May, Oct–Nov · avoid Jul–Aug (38 °C+ heat), and the 13–15 August festival nights if you want a quiet hotel · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 5 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for ALC: last Cercanías and bus times field-checked, taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: basilica and centre, Palmeral and Hort del Cura, MAHE and Altamira, Elx Parc station.
  3. Place pages with verified cutoffs (Hort del Cura, MAHE, Arab baths, Basilica tower) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Festival fixtures (Palm Sunday, Misteri d'Elx, Moros i Cristians) so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Spain

Sources