Elche Travel Guide
21km (13 miles) SW of Alicante, 56km (35 miles) NE of Murcia, 406km (252 miles) SE of Madrid
Sandwiched between Alicante and Murcia, the little town of Elche is famous for its age-old mystery play, lush groves of date palms, and shoe and sandal making.
On August 14 and 15 for the past 6 centuries, the Misteri d'Elx (Mystery of Elche) has celebrated the Assumption of the Virgin. It is reputedly the oldest dramatic liturgy in Europe. Songs are performed in an ancient form of Catalan. Admission is 9€, but it's hard to get a seat unless you book in advance (visit misteridelx.com or call 90-244-43-00).
Unless you visit at the time of the mystery play, the town's Palm Grove holds the most appeal. The 600,000-tree palm forest is unrivaled in Europe. It's said that Phoenician (or perhaps Greek) seafarers originally planted the trees. A thousand years ago, the Moors created the irrigation system that still maintains the palms. Stroll through the Huerto del Cura (Priest's Grove), open daily from 10am to dusk, to see the palm garden and collection of tropical flowers and cacti. In the garden, look for the Palmera del Cura (Priest's Palm) from the 1840s, with seven branches sprouting from its trunk. Admission is 6.50€ adults, 4.50€ students and seniors.
A replica of the ancient limestone bust La Dama de Elche (the original is at Madrid’s archaeology museum) presides over the Museo Arqueológico y de Historia de Elche (MAHE), Calle Diagonal del Palau, 7 (tel. 966-658-203), installed in the old Altamira Palace. These archaeological exhibits, many of them in underground galleries, illuminate Elche’s significance as a center of Iberian Celtic culture from the late Neolithic era on, even before the Phoenician traders arrived. Much of the museum is under renovations and admission is free until they are completed. It is open Monday to Saturday 10am‒6pm, Sunday 10am‒3pm. Post-construction admission is expected to be 3€ adults, 1€ students, and 1.50€ seniors and large families (free admission on Sun).
An industrial park on the edge of Elche is home to factory outlet stores of two dozen Spanish makers of clothing and—most notably—shoes. Marked-down, discontinued styles or sample sizes can save you up to half off retail. The best shop is Pikolinos Tienda Museo (Calle Marie Curie, 33; tel. 96-644-41-23). Ask at the tourist information office for directions and a list of factory outlets.
