Gabriel Miró Square

You’ve now arrived at one of Alicante’s most charming little squares, Plaza Gabriel Miró, named after the famous writer who was born here in the city. Locals sometimes still call it Plaza de Correos, a throwback to the old post and telegraph office on your left. Step into the centre of the square to find a beautiful fountain known as La Aguadora, or the Water Bearer. But this isn’t some anonymous allegorical figure, it’s actually a portrait of a young woman named Susana Llaneras Rico, who lived near the sculptor and whom he had secretly fallen for. The fountain was installed in 1918, replacing the old water spout that had been here since 1898, when Alicante first got its supply of drinking water. What really steals the show here are the towering ficus trees, which you may have started to recognise by now. The most spectacular is the Ficus macrophylla, also known as the Moreton Bay fig, originally from Australia. This tree has since spread to New Zealand, Hawaii, California, Florida, and the Valencia region here in Spain. In its natural, humid forest habitat, it can grow up to 60 metres tall! Its roots often climb up other trees, wrapping around and eventually suffocating them to take their place. For this reason, it’s also called a “strangler fig.” A frightening name perhaps, but don’t worry, you’re perfectly safe here. Take a moment to admire this massive, multi-trunked giant, with a circumference of over 24 metres.