Santa Bárbara castle and the Barrio de Santa Cruz

The Benacantil rock rises straight out of the city, and the castle on top of it is the reason Alicante photographs the way it does: from the terraces you get the port, the marina, Postiguet beach and the whole curve of the bay in one frame, with the sea behind. The walls are pale limestone that goes warm an hour before sunset.

Getting up is part of the shoot. A lift runs through the inside of the rock from the Postiguet side, a road curls around the back, and a footpath climbs from the Barrio de Santa Cruz — the old quarter of low houses painted blue, ochre and pink, with steps, flowerpots and washing lines that work beautifully for close, unposed frames.

Walking the castle grounds is free; the lift is ticketed and its hours change with the season, so check them when you fix the date. In July and August do this early: the rock holds heat and the terraces fill by mid-morning.