Hunter-gatherers moved south from Central Europe into the Alicante region some 5000-7000 years ago, settling on Mount Benacantil, where the Castillo de Santa Barbara stands today. They began establishing ports along the Mediterranean around 1000BC in order to trade with the Greeks and Phoenicians. A few hundred years later, Carthage invaded the Iberian Peninsula and established the fortress of Akra Leuke as a defense against Roman troops. The Romans, however, eventually won and ruled Spain for over 700 years. When Rome fell into decline around the 5th century, Arabs took over the peninsula and introduced their own culture of Islamic art and architecture. It was not until the 1400s that King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella drove the last Muslim rulers out of the Alicante region and claimed victory for Spain and Catholicism.

Alicante became a major trading station during the 15th century, exporting rice, wine, olive oil and oranges, but when King Felipe III expelled many Arabs who had remained in the region after the wars, Alicante lost many skilled artisans and fell into decline. In frustration, the city supported various rebel groups, which led to even greater disfavor with the ruling government. It was not until 1975, when Spain began moving towards a more democratic government, that the region again became prosperous. Alicante is now the second-largest city in Valencia and enjoys a thriving tourism industry.