Elche is located about 20 km from Alicante. This city was built by the Arabs during the 10th century. Palm trees have been planted throughout the city. There are about 30,000 palms in all which provide the city with an exotic atmosphere. A visit to the city of Alicante is worth while due to its many attractions. For example, here you will find the castle of Santa Barbara towering over the city. This was originally an Arab fortress, but was rebuilt by King Philip II. Later it was rebuilt again and expanded. The castle of San Fernando was built to defend the city against the invasion of Napoleon's armies. Unfortunately the fortress was never completed and now serves as a theme park. The church of St. Mary is a Gothic building which was built upon the foundation of an Arab mosque. The summit is in the baroque style. For water lovers, next to the Mediterranean, in Torrevieja you will find a large water amusement park with twelve different pools and water slides.