BENIDORM
Area: Costa Blanca
Country: Spain


Location:
In SE Spain, on the Costa Blanca, directly on the Mediterranean Sea. 26 miles NE of Alicante and 32 miles NE of its El Altet airport. 65 miles S of Valencia.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Website:
http://www.gva.es/benid/benidorm.htm

Position:
Against a backdrop of some irregularly shaped, barren mountains, the coastal plain shelves gently to a S-facing Mediterranean shore.

Description:
Benidorm was a sleepy fishing village 50 years ago. Today, the old town, with its blue-domed church, port, esplanade, white houses and narrow streets, struggles to retain any traces of character in a forest of tower blocks and unsightly post-1950 developments. The appeal of its beaches, lively nightlife and almost year-round sunshine, though, is strong for a sizeable sector of the holiday market. There is more to Benidorm than the popular idea of sun and English-style bars and restaurants, and its large expatriate community, but not very much. Away from the old town, the heaviest concentration of skyscraper hotels is at Rincon de Loix, and a half-mile-wide strip behind the Playa de Levante.

Suitability:
Young, fun-seeking singles, couples and families looking for beaches, plenty of evening entertainment and a place that caters to the British tourist. Not for those seeking an upmarket holiday or local culture. From November to April, the age profile rockets up to retirement age.

Accommodation:
A heavy concentration of high-rise holiday hotels and apartments, mainly good but of no great quality, specialising in bulk bookings. Few 5-stars.

Shopping:
Concentrated in the old town. No shortage of souvenir outlets. Open-air market on Wednesdays. Shoes and leather goods are particularly good buys. Alcohol and cigarettes are bargains compared to the UK.

Beach:
Rated among the best in mainland Spain, for those who like big, sandy and often crowded. There are two main beaches, separated by the old town, both with attractive promenades, and sunbeds and parasols for hire in summer. E of the old town is Playa de Levante, about 1» miles of clean sand and safe bathing, stretching to the Rincon de Loix. The other main beach, Poniente, W of the old town, reaches as far as the area known as La Cala, some 2 miles away. There are fewer hotels this side, and the beach is much quieter and less congested.

Entertainments:
Daytime: water-skiing by cable tow, fishing, scuba-diving, boat trips (including semi-submersible). Drier activities include tennis, squash, riding, golf, go-karting and rambling in the nearby hills. Wax museum, aquarium and water theme park. A huge theme park, Terra Mitica (Mythical Land), opened in 2000 just outside the resort; divided into themed areas such as ancient Rome, Greece, Egypt, etc, it includes rides, shows and interactive games. Nightlife: the town throbs to the beat of dozens of discos. Amusement arcades; hundreds of bars. An entertainment centre with shows, 3 miles SW. Most attractions are lively and noisy, catering for the UK market. More sophisticated choices are in the old town.

Eating:
Throughout the resort are fast-food outlets, as well as local and international restaurants. Seafood, rice dishes and tapas are typical local specialities. British food is easy to find. Upmarket restaurants in the old town. Prices are very reasonable compared to the UK.

Public-transport:
12 relatively easy to use and efficient bus routes cover the resort. Buses run regularly to nearby towns and cities. A delightful narrow-gauge railway runs along the coast between Alicante and Denia. Taxis and hire cars are readily available and reasonably priced.

Local-excursions:
Guadalest Castle; the Algar waterfall; Aitana Safari Park. Cactus-landia at Altea and beauty spots in the mountains are popular. Shopping and cultural trips to Alicante and Valencia.