Visit the Alicante Host City website here.

Download the Alicante Ocean Live Park Programme of Events

Download the course map of the Leg 1 start

The ancient Spanish city of Alicante sits on the country’s Mediterranean coast and is the second largest in the country’s Valencian region with a population of around 350,000 people.

Situated in the wide bay formed by the Cabo de las Huertas and Cabo de Santa Pola headlands, Alicante is a modern city providing services and commerce to the entire Alicante province of which it is the capital.

Alicante’s metropolitan tram system provides easy transit around the capital and the surrounding area and there are excellent transport connections via the nearby Alicante-Elche International Airport as well as by road and rail.

Along with the University de Alicante, several important organisations have their headquarters in the city, amongst them: the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO); Casa Mediterráneo; the Department of Innovation; the Science and Digital Society of the Valencian Government; and the Comunitat Valenciana Digital District.

Alicante is also home to the Archaeological Museum of Alicante (MARQ), the Museum of Contemporary Art (MUBAG), as well as the The Ocean Race headquarters and a free-to-enter The Ocean Race Museum.

Meanwhile, located on the outskirts of the city is the Monasterio de la Santa Faz, where, according to tradition, a fold of the cloth with which Verónica wiped the face of Christ is preserved.

The nearby Tabarca Island is surrounded by Spain’s oldest marine reserve. Established 33 years ago, the reserve covers an area of 1,754 hectares around the island, within which the Posidonia oceanica seagrass beds – which purify and enrich the seawater and provide an area of refuge for a large number of larvae, fish, and other marine life – are in excellent condition.

Alicante has hosted the start of the last four editions of The Ocean Race dating back to 2008 Alicante – earning the city a unique place in the history of the race and in the hearts of the sailors and race fans.

As well as being chosen as the start port for the 2022–23 around-the-world race, Alicante is also scheduled to host the start of the 2026 edition.