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This excellent jazz bar, with live performances, poetry readings, tertúlias (discussion groups) and temporary art exhibitions, is a great place to relax in the evenings.

Possibly the most eccentric bar in Alicante, Celestial Copas has a wacky, enjoyably kitsch decor. Flamenco, rumba and sevillanas for an older crowd.

A big favourite with the local Latino community, El Caribe is a huge and popular salsateca. Learn the moves at the free salsa and merengue classes.

This big, slick disco just off the lively Calle San Fernando is currently one of the most fashionable in Alicante (as the admission price of €10 reflects). An enthusiastic crowd dances to the latest house and techno tunes.

A genuine corner of Andalucía on the Costa Blanca, the Tablao Zambra in El Campelló (a few miles up the coast from Alicante) features flamenco music and dance by gifted Andalucian performers.

There’s an outpost of Pachá in almost every party town on the Med; this one attracts Spanish and international DJs, who keep the lively young crowd dancing until dawn.

For a family night out, try this big bowling alley, which has a café and an amusement arcade with slot machines to go with the ranks of bowling lanes.

Torrevieja’s splendid Modernista casino (see Casino, Torrevieja) has all the usual games, but it’s certainly the most atmospheric place to gamble away your holiday money. Dress fairly smartly (no shorts), and don’t forget your passport.

This beachside club with an outdoor dance area is a classic on the summer nightclub scene. Spanish pop is interspersed with house and techno.

This sophisticated bar in Alicante’s Hotel Melia offers perfectly mixed cocktails in a formal yet comfortable setting. Sink into an armchair and sip your drink as the resident jazz pianist tinkles away.