Overview:
Rows of shops selling beach buckets and flip-flops line the sea
front of Benidorm, the Costa Blanca's largest and liveliest resort
town where hordes of tourists throng the streets 24 hours a day. Of
the thousands who come to holiday here on the town's three miles
(five km) of white sandy beaches each year, many have stayed and
purchased apartments in the numerous blocks that now dot the
skyline. Benidorm, north of Alicante, is the party capital of the
Costa Blanca with an unrivalled nightlife and a daytime
carnival-like beach culture. Remnants of Benidorm's historic past
are now well hidden, but tucked into the Casco Antiguo section are
the ruins of a castle built in the 14th century to fend off Berber
pirates. Benidorm's spectacular sunsets are best viewed from the
castle's 'mirador' (balcony). The place to see and be seen in the
town however is the Playa de Levante, a two-mile (three km)
boardwalk lined with trendy cafes and bars.
Shopping:
The streets of Benidorm are lined with gift shops catering for
British tourists and the supermarkets are well stocked with
well-known brands. Prices in the resort are cheap, particularly
alcohol and cigarettes. There is an open-air market every Wednesday
and a 'rastro' (car boot sale) every Sunday next to
the railway station. The town of Altea is worth a visit on Tuesdays
for its outdoor market or simply for a leisurely stroll along the
promenade, while Alicante is a good destination for shoppers in
search of some more sophisticated shops.
Restaurants:
The restaurants and pubs in Benidorm are not known for their
imaginative menus, or names: some of the most popular include the
Queen Vic, the Geordie Bar, the Kings Arms, the Pig andamp; Whistle
and the Yorkshire Pride. They all serve good English breakfasts and
Sunday roasts but don't expect haute cuisine. All the major
fast food restaurants are here, as well as plenty of Chinese,
Indian and Italian restaurants. The old harbour is the place to try
out the local cuisines, here it is possible to get a taste of Spain
and enjoy some tapas and local seafood. One of the best tapas bars
is La Cava Aragonesa, along the front.
Nightlife:
Benidorm is one of the biggest nightspots on the Med with
something to suit all tastes. There are loads of bars hosting live
shows, quizzes, bingo, karaoke and drag shows and lots of
English live bands playing everything from Abba to ZZ Top. Young
party animals tend to congregate in 'the Square' in the New Town,
at nightclubs like Cafe Benidorm and the Hippodrome. The Old Town,
with its bars flanking narrow streets, is a mecca for Gay tourists
during the height of the season. The Gay bars are buzzing till
about 4am. There are more clubs up towards Levante Beach, but
serious clubbers of all persuasions will find their dreams come
true at the huge clubs like Ku, KM, Pacha and Space on the top
road.
Activities:
Benidorm's major attractions are its spectacular
beaches. The two huge sweeping crescents stretch for over three
miles (five km) and are known as Levante and Poniente - Spanish for
sunrise and sunset. They are kept meticulously clean and are
consistently voted among the cleanest and most popular beaches in
Europe. All sorts of watersports can be organised from the beaches
from swimming and diving off the man-made rafts to jet skiing,
banana boat rides, parasailing and scuba diving. On the outskirts
of town tourists can visit the water parks or Terra Mitica,
Spain's largest theme park with a terrifying roller
coaster. There are also loads of options for those wishing to
escape Benidorm for a day; beautiful mountainous countryside
surrounds the resort and jeep safaris and cycle trips around this
rugged interior are becoming increasingly popular. Alicante, 25
miles (40km) south of Benidorm, is the Costa Blanca's main city and
has a number of interesting sights. Other good days out include a
coach trip to the ancient mountain fortress at Guadalest, built by
the Moors in 715, and the town of Altea with its delightful
medieval cobbled streets and beautiful Mediterranean views, eight
miles (13km) north of Benidorm.
|
|
Customer favourites
 Dynastic
This beach hotel modern and actual style, inaugurated in 2005, is composed by a main building of 20 floors and an annex...
|
 Rosamar
This beach hotel with relaxing and familiar atmosphere , recently refurbished, has 14 floors and a total of 364 twin r...
|
 Pueblo Benidorm
This beach hotel, with a cosy and familiar atmosphere, has a main building of 16 floors and 5 annex buildings of 3 floor...
|
 Mediteraneo
This beach hotel recently build, with a relax and familiar atmosphere, has 3 floors and a total of 176 double rooms, wit...
|
 Don Gregorio
This apartment, with a cosy atmosphere, has a 14-storey building with 28 one-bedroom apartments. It offers a lobby with ...
|
 Perla
This beach hotel, with a relaxing atmosphere, has 5 floors and a total of 112 rooms, 5 single rooms and 107 double room...
|
 Servigroup Orange
This beach hotel, with a cosy atmosphere, has a main building of 11 floors and an annex building of 6 floors, with a tot...
|
 Nereo
This comfortable beach hotel with a relaxing ambiance has 10 floors and a total of 195 rooms, 9 single rooms and 186 twi...
|
 Palm Beach
Built in 1973 and renovated in the year 2000, this beach hotel comprises 10 floors with a total of 299 rooms, of which 2...
|
 Melia Benidorm
This impressive hotel, composed of 2 buildings with 23 floors each, offers a total of 526 rooms of which 520 are doubles...
|
|
