Elche

Elche not far from Alicante has a pleasant city centre and old quarter , market hall and numerous shops.

Once famous for its shoe industry  - this is now in decline due to the importation of cheap shoes from the Far East.

Many parks abound in Elche giving it a pleasant green touch .

This is a Basilica I am told - my dictionary tells me that a Basilica is a church that has been granted special privileges by the Pope !

My informant was most insistent that I call it a Basilica and not a Cathedral or Church.

When the Arabs ( Moors ) ruled this area in the Middle Ages they introduced the palm. Today Elche has many thousands of palms growing and is famous throughout Spain for the production of these trees.