If you have taken advantage of our “Fly & Apply” Scheme to apply for your NIE certificate then you may find that after the completion of your appointment with the National Police you have some time on your hands before your return journey and are wondering what to do. The NIE application normally only takes approximately one hour and is usually finished by approximately 10am so if you have the whole day, or even just a few hours, then you have plenty of time to take a trip to Llici (as the Romans called the original location of Elche!).
Elcheis an authentic Spanish city in the Alicanteprovince and part of the Valencian community. It has a population of approximely 229,000 people and is the third most populated city in this region, after Valenciaand Alicante, as well as being the 20th largest city inSpain.
Elcheis famous for it’s beautiful date palm trees and the Palm Grove of Elche (Palmerar d’Elx or Palmeral de Elche) is well worth a visit. This is an orchard of over 200,00 palm trees and is a world heritage site. It was built around the time of the end of the 10th century AC when the Muslim city Elche was built. You can also see the Royal Mill, Rotonda (an impressive open air theatre) and the Park Museum. The old mill is where the Palm Plaiting workshop is located and it is here you will find the palms that are carried in the Palm Sunday processions (March 24th 2013)
If palm trees are not your thing, then take a trip to one of the more than 1,000 shoe factories located inElche. Here you can see shoes being made and buy them at a discounted price. The footwear industry is one of the most important inSpainand a large part of the economy inElche.
Should you have children with you and want to keep them entertained for a few hours, then take a visit to thePalaentologicalMuseum. For only 2 euros you can see the more than 1,200 fossils and models on display showing the history of life on this planet. There is also a section showing the geological history ofAlicante. If you are brave enough, there is also on offer a “Night at the Museum”!
Once you have had your fill of sightseeing, La Marina beach is located not far from Elche so why not take in a little sun and enjoy a dip in the Mediterranean before returning to the airport, which is only a short drive away, knowing you have had a wonderful time exploring some of Spain as well as taking care of your NIE application.
For more details on our “Fly & Apply” Scheme please contact us at info@NIEin1day.co.uk. All emails will be answered within 24 hours.