The Méndez Núñez Rambla, Alicante's main avenue, has not always borne this name nor had its current appearance. Its history begins with the demolition of the walls that ran from end to end. Previously, the area consisted of two streets: the carrer del Mur, on the inside, and the carrer del Vall, on the outside, referring to the fortification's moat.

Once the walls were demolished, it was decided to maintain the starting point and build a promenade on top, creating the first recreational area for Alicante residents. This work coincided with the Liberal Triennium (1820-1823), and the new promenade was dedicated to General Antonio Quiroga. However, the name Paseo de Quiroga lasted only a short time, as after the Liberal Triennium it was renamed Paseo de la Reina.

With the triumph of the Revolution of 1868, municipal authorities removed references to the Bourbon monarchy from the street names. The Paseo de la Reina adopted the name of Casto Méndez Núñez, a military figure with no direct connection to Alicante. Although many names were recovered with the Bourbon Restoration, Méndez Núñez's remained, as did that of Cádiz, the city where the revolution began.

At the beginning of the 20th century, there was already talk of transforming the promenade into a grand rambla, like those in other capitals. The popular toponym «La Rambla» became established once the elevated promenade was demolished and the resulting avenue was equated in modernity to fashionable ramblas of the time, such as Barcelona's. In 1941, Francoist authorities planned the opening of the Avenida de Méndez Núñez to the sea, demolishing houses and integrating streets like Padilla and Doctor Esquerdo into the new layout. Two years later, the popular name Rambla de Méndez Núñez was officially adopted, which persists to this day.

The Rambla underwent two significant reforms. The first, in the mid-1970s, modernized the avenue, removing staircases and providing it with a red and white pavement, and replacing the lush trees with date palms. The second reform was a consequence of the catastrophic Flood of September 30, 1997, which devastated the area. Anti-flood works initiated in 1999 led to a comprehensive reform, restoring the trees and old-style lampposts that remain today.