daydreaming benidorm

Daydreaming inBenidorm

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Daydreaming in Benidorm

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Index


Benidorm: an introduction to the city 4Benidorm – facts and figures 7

The history of Benidorm 8

Discovering the town 10The beaches 10

Walks around town 11Benidorm Island and La Llosa 12

Walks in the Sierra Helada 13

Places of interest 16Leisure options 16

Monuments and places of interest 18

Calendar of fiestas and events 22

Food and drink 32

Business tourism 34

Shopping 36

Nightlife 38

Sports 40

Excursions from Benidorm 42

Accommodation 52

Preparing your trip 70

Index of resources 75

Benidorm


s there anyone who hasn’t heard aboutBenidorm? A small, manageable town

with numerous attractions and long whitesandy beaches. It’s a place where leisuretime is all about having fun and that’s basi-cally what Benidorm is: somewhere whereit’s impossible for tourists to be bored.

It’s a spacious town that’s grownupwards, encouraging an optimistic view oflife that’s vital when it comes to holidays.Someone once called the town one big theme

reaches a maximum height of 965 metres onthe Collado de Llam. The coastline stretch-es for 12.3 kilometres and there are longbeaches, all well equipped and cleaned dailyand small coves hidden away from the hustleand bustle.

Benidorm is only 41 kilometres fromAlicante. National and international flightsland at El Altet airport, only 60 kilometresfrom Benidorm.The excellent road connec-tions include the N-332 main road and the

park. It’s not a bad description when youthink about how privileged it is, with every-thing the town has to offer its visitors: themeparks, beaches in the centre of town, myriadaccommodation options, food and drink forall tastes and, above all, the fantastic, ever-changing show you can enjoy - the people andthe streets of the town themselves.

Benidorm is in the northeast of AlicanteProvince, in the Marina Baixa region. Thetown stretches as far as the Sierra Cortina inthe west and the Sierra Helada in the east. Ithas a surface area of 3,788 hectares and

AP-7 motorway, with direct exits toBenidorm. A narrow-gauge railway runs upand down the coast with daily trains andthere are comprehensive coach servicesjoining Benidorm with many Spanish andEuropean cities.

The latest town census gave a figure of67,627 inhabitants (National Statistics Insti-tute 2006), of whom almost 18,000 areforeigners. The population has grownincredibly, especially when you think thatthere were just over 6,000 inhabitants whentourism first started in Benidorm in 1961.

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Benidorm: an introduction to the city

Poniente beach

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Benidorm dates back to 1325, when thetown charter was signed by Sr. Bernat deSarriá in the shadow of Polop Castle. In theKingdom of Valencia, town charters weregranted to colonise the area with Christiansand the system was used until the Moorswere finally expelled in the 17th Century.

The history of the town in later yearswas marked by its relationship with the seaand with agriculture.However the links withthe sea aren’t based on the “Benidorm, the

opportunity for Benidorm's outstandingoffer for nautical activities.The city is morethan ready to offer accommodation andenjoyment for all lovers of sailing, as it wel-comes over 6 million tourists from differentcountries and different walks of life everyyear.These visitors love Benidorm and mostof them swear they’ll be back for anotherholiday in this town designed for leisure.

little fishing village” cliché, as its sailors notonly fished in local waters but ventured farout into distant oceans. They not onlyworked as trap-netters in Andalusia but alsocrewed Basque vessels which sailed roundthe world.

Benidorm walks the tightrope betweenthis maritime tradition dating back fourhundred years and the dizzying script of atourist movie which really began a hundredyears ago but “mass tourism” wasn’t invent-The hosting of the 32nd America's Cup in theRegion of Valencia marks an unbeatable

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Levante beach


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Benidorm: an introduction to the city

The two main beaches are called Levante andPoniente and they are the main assets of thetourism which grew up alongside them. Thereare other, smaller beaches, such as Mal Pas,which nestles between the two giants and pro-vides the backdrop for the famous Balcony ofthe Mediterranean, a viewpoint shaped likethe prow of a boat which dominates the wholecoastline of Benidorm and has been pho-tographed countless times.

El Castillo is the area before the Balconyand has panoramic views of the town. Unfortu-nately, no trace remains of the fortress thatonce existed here and, before you get there,you mustn’t miss the Old Town, the birthplaceof Benidorm, with narrow streets lined withpicturesque little houses.

These ancient streets lead to the 18th cen-tury iglesia de San Jaime, a church with thetypical Mediterranean blue dome.You should-n’t miss the carrer dels Gats, a street whosecobbles depict scenes which bring to mind thefishing village of bygone days.

The theme parks are another option and inBenidorm there are no less than four! TerraMítica is Benidorm’s nº 1 theme park, dedicat-ed to Mediterranean civilisations, its thrillingrides and attractions are based on ancient times.Aqualandia, on the slopes of the Sierra Helada,was one of Spain’s first water parks. Mundo-mar, lying nearby on the same mountain range,is a small nature park where you can see dol-phins, sea lions and many different species ofbird. Last but not least, there’s Terra Natura,with animals and plants from three continents.

If you just want to relax, you can just sun-bathe on the beaches with guaranteed sunshine

or go on organised trips. As well as the themeparks already mentioned, there’s La Isla deBenidorm, better known as L’Illa, a triangularisland which is an outlier of the Sierra Heladasurrounded by sea.A regular boat service takesvisitors to the island, where you can walk up asignposted track to the summit. The islet is aprotected area, so you mustn’t stray from themarked paths.

From Benidorm, you can go on excursionsto nearby towns such as Altea, La Vila Joiosa,Xàbia and Dénia. Inland, you can discover nat-ural springs in La Nucia (La Favara), Polop dela Marina (with a square where dozens of waterspouts represent different towns in theprovince) and the waterfalls and natural poolsof Las Fuentes de El Algar in Callosa d’En Sar-rià.A bit further away, lie the capital city of Ali-cante and Elx, with the largest palm grove inEurope, declared to be a Mankind HeritageSite. We mustn’t forget the trails which leadfrom Benidorm into the Sierra Helada range,or those running through the mountains ofAitana and Bèrnia.

For those of you who want to do some-thing more active, there is an endless list ofsports on offer, ranging from swimming tohorse riding, not to mention skateboarding andbicycle hire. But water sports take centre stagehere, with a complete range on offer whichincludes a sailing school, jet ski hire, motor-boats and parasailing (a parachute pulled alongby a motorboat), yacht hire, cable-ski, scubadiving and many other activities.

Having fun is another strong point, asBenidorm celebrates more fiestas than mosttowns – almost 40 if we count the small neigh-


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bourhood fiestas. Benidorm is unique becauseit is home to people from other parts of Spainand Europe, all of whom want to show off theirroots in the different celebrations.

The patron saint fiestas in honour of La Vir-gen del Sufragio are held on the second week-end in November. Other important dates onthe fiesta calendar are Las Fallas, Las Hoguerasde San Juan, the Fiestas del Carmen and theMoors and Christians, as well as the days ofCastile-La Mancha, Asturias and the San Fer-mines.

But the biggest and best fiesta in thistourist town starts at nightfall, with the contin-uously changing, multicoloured show offeredon the seafront promenade of Levante beachwhich stretches to Calle Mallorca, the streetarea where British visitors spend their nights.The many discos and shows combine with thealmost 1,300 bars and pubs to ensure that theopen-air nightlife is the best show in the citythe whole year round.

Poniente beach

Benidormfacts and figures· Population: 67.627 inhabitants

(INE 2006)· Surface area: 38.5 km2

· 38,149 hotel beds(hotels and guesthouses)

· 343 restaurants· 255 cafés · 4 leisure and theme parks· 176 disco-pubs· 25 discos and nightclubs


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The history of Benidorm

enidorm also has a history. It was

forged from both land and sea, from its

town charter and by its sailors. However, the

first traces of man in the area appear in El

Tossal de La Cala, a small hill on Poniente

beach. Remains of an Iberian settlement with

its nearby burial ground dating back to

between 4 and 1 B.C. were uncovered here.

The remains of nets discovered show that the

settlement depended on fishing even then. A

beautiful terracotta bust of the Punic goddess

tre grew up on the rocky promontory known

nowadays as El Castillo.

However, the 15th Century was troubled

by pirate raids which left the town almost

without inhabitants. Soon after, the castle

was refurbished and enlarged and the

defences were improved. In the 17th Centu-

ry, the town was owned by the Barony of

Polop, and the Rec Major de l’Alfàs i

Benidorm was built in 1666 - a milestone for

population growth, as water was brought to

Tanith was also unearthed here. The Romans

left their mark as well and there are remains

of a Roman villa in La Partida del Moralet, as

well as remains of Punic and Roman vessels

shipwrecked in the bay.

The history of present-day Benidorm

begins in the 13th Century with King Jaime I

and the Christian repopulation of the area to

combat Muslim power. The conquered lands

were divided up and most of the Marina Baixa

area was given to Admiral Bernat de Sarriá

who granted the Town Charter which led to

the birth of Benidorm in 1325.The town cen-

the town along channels from inland areas of

the province.

Population growth brought with it

increased use of trap netting, using nets to

catch the tuna fish as they migrated. This

method had been used in the town for sever-

al centuries, but it was in the 18th century

that the skill of the fishermen of Benidorm

became famous all over the Mediterranean.

Apart from fishing and agriculture, mar-

itime trade was the cornerstone of the econ-

omy in those far-off years, but improved

communications would radically change this

Mediterranean lookout point

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situation. The Silla-Alicante road was built in

the 19th Century and the railway reached Ali-

cante from Madrid, leading to the arrival of

the first tourists from Alcoy and Madrid.

Meanwhile, the brilliant star of the merchant

seaman gradually waned, influenced by the

loss of the overseas colonies of Cuba, Puerto

Rico and the Philippines in 1898 and tourism

began its slow march to prominence.

It was after the Civil War that the present

social and economic activity of Benidorm

Nowadays, according to the 2004 data

from the National Statistics Office, Benidorm

has a population of 64,956, although this rises

to over 300,000 in the high season.

began to grow steadily.The fifties saw the clo-

sure of La Almadraba del Racó de l’Oix (bet-

ter-known as Rincón de Loix). Many families

had earned a living from it but a new activity

took its place - tourism. At the same time the

conditions were created to allow the village to

become a spacious town. Town plans were

approved to create spacious avenues parallel

to Levante beach and hotels were built to wel-

come not only visitors from Alcoy and Madrid

but also new tourists from other parts of Spain

and abroad. The population grew rapidly, ris-

ing from 2,726 in 1950 to 12,003 in 1970.

Benidorm island


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The beaches

The best-known features of Benidorm are

undoubtedly its beaches. Levante beach is

2,084 metres long and is the most cosmopoli-

tan. Here you find people of all nationalities

and countless restaurants beneath the skyscra-

pers which surround the inlet. Levante beach

isn´t regarded as one of the best city beaches

in the world for nothing. Poniente beach is

3,100 metres long and quieter, being espe-

cially popular with Spanish tourists.

They are both city beaches, with full safe-

ty and life-saving equipment, medical care

centres, life-savers and sea borne safety

patrols. This sensation of safety is reinforced

by significant numbers of Local Police,

equipped with jet skis, zodiacs and quads, who

ensure that tourists have a relaxing time.

To all this we must add the scrupulous

cleanliness of the beaches. This has been car-

ried out daily for years using machines and

workers who care for the fine sand of the

beaches. Indeed, both these beaches and Mal

Pas, a small cove separating them, have been

awarded European Blue Flags for their quali-

ty since 1987.

We could go on forever talking about the

advantages of these beaches, but perhaps we

could just mention the other services which

make up an all-embracing offer that leaves all

our visitors more than satisfied.These include

the beach libraries - quiet, roofed areas where

you can leaf through Spanish and foreign

newspapers - the children’s play areas, the

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Discovering the town

Rincón de Loix area

Poniente beach

Mal Pas cove


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recreational-sports areas and another service

which is vital to ensure that nobody is denied

a good swim – the accessible points where

those with reduced mobility can have a good

dip sitting on amphibious chairs and helped

by specialised staff.The ecological foot wash-

ers and toilets put the final touches to the

painstaking attention paid to the beautiful and

pampered beaches of Benidorm.

Ti Ximo and Almadraba are two coves

which are also popular with tourists who pre-

fer to escape from the crowds. These two

small rocky coves with fine sand lie at the foot

of the Sierra Helada but are still watched over

by lifeguards.

Walks around town

In the streets around el Racó de L’Oix (or

Rincón de Loix) there are many hotels and

apartments whose clients are normally visi-

tors from Britain. This has led to the cre-

ation of a town within a town, with numer-

ous British-style pubs offering typical

British food and drink. There are even

supermarkets where the British can buy

their favourite products.

La Calle Mallorca is a street which

acts as the nerve centre of the British area,

with many pubs offering entertainment for

all tastes. The nights are long in these

streets, where our British visitors enjoy

themselves as if they were at home and Eng-

lish is the language you hear most.

Another lively area is the Levante

beach seafront promenade. Here the

restaurants are open all day long and by

night the pubs attract their customers with

different kinds of music. Families avoiding

the nightlife walk along a promenade where

there are so many different types of people

that the crowded streets themselves

become the best show in town.

The Poniente beach seafront prome-

nade is almost 3 kilometres long and offers a

quieter alternative for a stroll. You could

start from the Port, a small anchorage for

yachts presided over by a modern Yacht Club.

A few metres away find Parque Elche, so

named because the park was planted with

palm trees from Elche. The promenade

begins properly once you have crossed the

park, offering a walk of almost 3 kilometres

if you include the Avenida Vicente Llorca

Alós in La Cala. At the end you come to the

Paseo de los Tamarindos where fisher-

men come at night to try their luck – it’s a

pleasant spot where you can relax to the

sound of the waves breaking on the rocks.

The Gran Hotel Bali is just a few short

minutes away. It’s the highest hotel in

Europe, with 50 floors.You can take the lift

up to the top floor to see fantastic views over

the town.Why not take a few once in a life-

time photos too?

If you carry on towards Alicante, the

first turn-off takes you to another beach -

La Cala de Finestrat in Finestrat.This is a

smallish beach with all the necessary facili-

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ties. It’s also famous for the many restau-

rants specialising in fish and rice dishes –

the perfect place to enjoy a good meal while

you spend the day on the beach.

Back in the centre, you shouldn’t miss the

Old Town.The walk starts at the beginning

of Levante beach and climbs el carrer dels

Gats. This is a narrow street with steps and

designs made out of cobbles on the floor,

crowned by small archways holding pots with

colourful blooms. At the end of the alley we

come to la iglesia de San Jaime.This 18th

Century Neoclassical church contains the

chapel of La Virgen del Sufragio, the patron

saint of Benidorm.

A small tunnel leads to the famous

Castillo, unfortunately with nothing

remaining of the castle which existed here in

ancient times. In its place there is an open

area which is at its most attractive at night.

Here is where artists meet to paint portraits

and draw caricatures of their customers in the

cool night air.

A few steps bring you to the antechamber

of the viewpoint.You have to go down a fair

number of steps before you reach the Balcony

of the Mediterranean, from where you can

see the whole coastline of Benidorm. Its

black and white tiled floor and the white

balustrades provide one of the town’s best-

known images. This is a privileged spot,

where you can watch the great geyser as it

sends water spouting 60 metres into the air.

You retrace your steps to the Castle and

then follow the railing to another square – La

Señoría. On summer nights it hums with

the activity of a crafts market, where vendors

sell handmade items from the stalls on the

quadrangular square with its monument to

those lost at sea.

Yet more steps lead you around Mal Pas

beach and down to the Port.

Benidorm Island and La Llosa

Closing off the bay there’s a triangular-shaped

island called both L’Illa and La Isla de los Peri-

odistas (Journalists’ Island), which never fails to

draw the attention of visitors. Old stories say

that the giant Roldán created it. Legend has it

that Roldán fell in love with a beautiful lady

who fell ill and only the sun’s rays seemed to

keep her alive. In desperation Roldán smashed

open Puig Campana mountain to create the

famous gap which can still be seen today. The

rock he gouged out ended up in the sea and

created L’Illa island. In this way he delayed sun-

set for a few minutes more. Later the inevitable

happened and the fearsome giant carried the

body of his lover to lay her to rest on the island

and drowned there while still holding her hand.

It’s a lovely story, but the island is really

part of the promontory leading under the sea

from the Sierra Helada. Small boats aptly

named “Golondrinas” (swifts) travel back and

forth to L´Illa all year round, taking about

twenty minutes to get there. On the island

there’s a protected walk which leads to the

summit.You can also take a trip on one of the

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Discovering the town


glass-bottomed boats and see fish, squid and

even moray eels lurking in the rocks. Back on

shore, you can have lunch in the little restau-

rant – you can even bring your own food to eat

upstairs.

About 300 metres south of the island is La

Llosa, only 6 metres above sea level at its high-

est point, while beneath the surface its walls fall

over 30 metres to the sea floor. La Isla de

Benidorm and La Llosa are both protected

marine reserves, with a great variety of habitats

that make them ideal for scuba diving.The area

is home to predators such as the Yellowtail, the

European Barracuda and the Red Snapper, as

well as providing shelter for other species such

as moray eels, octopus, sargos, etc. Different

types of seaweeds provide the predominant veg-

etation.There are many seabirds on the islands,

especially important being two protected

species: the Storm Petrel and Audouin’s Gull.

Walks in the Sierra Helada

Some of the most interesting walking routes

run through the Sierra Helada (Frozen

Mountains), so called because of their microcli-

mate which is a little cooler than the rest of the

town.The range stretches for 6 kilometres from

Punta del Pinet to Punta Bombarda (or El Albir)

in the neighbouring town of L’Alfàs del Pi.

The first route leaves from the street Calle

Hamburgo in Racó de L’Oix.We climb up the

road and reach a crossroads where we can turn

off to visit the Punta Llisera viewpoint with

San Jaime church

Benidorm island

Seabed

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the remains of an Iberian-Roman settlement.

Steep steps bring us up to the Cueva del Bar-

bero (Barber’s Cave). The other road takes us

to Punta de la Escaleta, with views over the

cliffs from a 17th Century watchtower.

Another route goes to La Cruz. Once

more, we start from the Calle Alcalde Manuel

Catalán Chana, turning left off this street at the

first crossroads. After 5 kilometres we reach

the Cross, which is illuminated at night.

Sierra Helada

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Benidorm viewed from the Rincón de Loix

El Pico del Moro


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View of Benidorm


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Places of interest

Leisure options

Aqualandia Aqualandia offers a world of fun with waterand there’s something for everyone – fromthrilling attractions to gentle lagoons andstreams which let you drift through the seawa-ter pools of the theme park. It was the firstpark of its type to open in Europe and its sizeand rides mean that it’s still the nº 1 of its type.The company aims to add a new attractionevery year. Speed lovers will enjoy the twokamikaze runs, including the black hole with itsfree-fall into blackness. Other areas reproducesuch paradises as the Niagara Falls, with itsbeach lapped by calm waters, or mountaincaves and waterfalls.

You can drift gently down the Amazon orfrolic in Atlantic Surf, an artificial beach withwaves included. Dozens of lifeguards watchover the park to ensure that there are no prob-lems in or out of the water.

If you fancy a bite to eat, then there aremany alternatives inside the park. From pizzasand hamburgers to restaurants specialising inbarbecues and rice dishes.

Partida Sierra Helada, s/nRincón de LoixTel. 965 86 01 00www.aqualandia.netOpen from May to October

Check prices and opening times

Mundomar Mundomar is one leisure centre you definitelyshouldn’t miss. It was one of Spain’s first waterparks and has many mammals and exotic birds.

Apart from the dolphin, sea lion and birdshows, there are other special activities,including dolphin therapy to stimulate thereactions of special needs children.

Partida Sierra Helada, s/nRincón de LoixTel. 965 86 91 01www.mundomar.esOpen all year from 10:00 a.m., exceptDecember 25th and January 1st

Check prices and opening times

Terra NaturaTerra Natura is a place of contrasts, where flo-ra, fauna and world cultures take centre stage.Terra Natura combines history, culture,nature, leisure and entertainment. The greatvolcano that overlooks Pangea marks thebeginning of a journey that begins in the cen-tre of the Earth and then visits Asia, Americaand Europe. Mediterranean pine forests, greenlagoons, dunes and rivers are the spectacularhome for over 1,500 animals from 200 differ-ent species, 54 of them in danger of extinc-tion.

Foia del Verdader, 1Tel. 902 52 23 33www.terranatura.com The park opens at 10 a.m. Closing timedepends on the season. Closed onJanuary 1st.

Check opening times, rates and specialoffers


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Terra Mítica

Terra MíticaTerra Mítica is Benidorm’s nº 1 theme park, aleisure centre which recreates Mediterraneancivilisations and combines them with the latestattractions.The park is at the foot of the SierraCortina mountains, only a few kilometresfrom town. Frequent buses take visitors to thepark where they find fun for all tastes and allages. Dizzying attractions include the Flight ofthe Phoenix (free-fall) and the Tizona (aninverted roller-coaster), which travels 665metres in 35 seconds, not forgetting the excit-ing big dipper and other water-based attrac-tions such as the Rapids of Argos and theCataracts of the Nile.

Don’t miss the many other, more relaxingattractions such as the Labyrinth of the Mino-taur, the Pyramid of Cheops, designed to letyou get to know the symbols of Mediterraneancultures included in the park: Greece, Rome,The Islands, Egypt and Iberia.

All the cultures have special shows in theRoman Amphitheatre, as well as a variety ofexcellent restaurants for all tastes and pockets.

Carretera Benidorm-FinestratPartida Moralet, s/n Tel. 902 02 02 20www.terramiticapark.com In Summer, the park is open from June1st to September 11th

Check opening dates for the rest of theyear.

Check prices and opening times.

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Places of interest

The town hallAt the entrance to the Parque de l’Aigüera avery different monument greets visitors – thenew Town Hall. The unique structure hasaroused the interest of architects and manypeople come to visit it. The building is like abridge which acts as a doorway to the greenL’Aigüera park. It juts out over the road andyou can walk underneath it. This “horizontalskyscraper” is supported by four pillars and thepotential problem of heat caused by the glassfacade was resolved by covering it with thickslats with the names and surnames of the over60,000 inhabitants engraved on them.

Pl. SS.MM. los Reyes de España, s/n Tel. 965 85 55 00 Fax 965 85 59 39www.benidorm.org

The Municipal LibraryThe Municipal Library is near the Town Hall.This comfortable, airy building is equippedwith cutting-edge technology and here you canconsult information, surf the Net or simplyspend a few pleasant hours reading. The townhas two more libraries, on in the neighbour-hoods of Rincón de Loix (where foreign read-ers play a leading role) and Foietes.

Pl. SS.MM. los Reyes de España, 3Tel. 965 85 50 98

Open Monday to FridayFrom 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.Saturday, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The maritime cultural centreEntrance is free to this small house containingan exhibition of model ships and other nauticalexhibits, such as fishing boats, anchors andknots.

Paseo de Colón, s/nTel. 965 85 13 11

Open Monday to FridayCheck opening times

Iglesia de San Jaime and Santa AnaThe Iglesia de San Jaime is a church dedicatedto the patron saint of the town, set at the verytop of the Old Town on a hill called Canfali. Itis a Neoclassical building, built in the 17thCentury with the typical blue Mediterraneandome. Inside you’ll find a statue of the Virgendel Sufragio, the well-loved patron saint ofBenidorm.The Virgin has her own small chapelcontaining the little sculpture which, as thestory goes, was found on a boat adrift on thehigh seas.

Pl. de Sant Jaume, 1Tel. 965 85 40 24

Monuments and placesof interest


19The town hall

L´Aiguera park

The Parque de l’AigüeraL’Aigüera is somewhere else not to be missed.This park was designed by the architectRicardo Bofill and is a long green park in theneoclassical style, separating the old quarterfrom the newer buildings. The two amphithe-atres are used for shows and cultural eventsthroughout the summer. The park ends at thebullring and a fairground site where attractionsare set up for the many fiestas.The park takesfull advantage of the course of the old ravineand beneath lies a large drainage pipe whichtakes storm water safely away.

Av. de l´Aigüera Pl. SS.MM. los Reyes de España


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Places of interest

The port at sunset

The iberian settlement of El TossalAt the very end of Poniente beach, you canfind the Iberian settlement of El Tossal de LaCala. The hill at the end of Benidorm bay wassettled in the late Iberian period (3rd to 1stCentury B.C.).You can get to the restored areaby going to the end of Poniente beach and fol-lowing the signs from the La Cala junction.

Two watchtowers: Torre Morales orEscaletes. Punta del Cavall or Seguró

Other remains from bygone times that havebeen declared as Cultural Assets include theTorre Morales (or Escaletes), an 18th Centurywatchtower used by sentries who scanned thehorizon to give early warning of the frequentpirate raids. The Punta del Cavall (or Seguró)watchtower served the same purpose.You canfind both watchtowers in the Sierra Heladamountains.

Rincón de LoixSierra Helada, s/n


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Calendar of fiestas and events

who have chosen to live here, something thathas clearly enriched the character of its inhab-itants over time.

There has also been considerable interestin recovering ancient fiestas that had almostbeen lost and which have now re-emergedstronger than ever to delight visitors withtheir traditional charm.

CarnivalsThe weekend before Ash Wednesday.Over these days the town is inundated withrevellers, both young and old, who take partin processions, masked balls and the tradi-tional “burial of the sardine”.

The Fallas de San JoséFrom march 16th to 19th.The Fallas originated in the province ofValencia and were imported to Benidorm bygroups of Valencians who founded the firstFallas Commission over 30 years ago. The

Fallas are held around March 19th. The firstpart of the fiesta is the plantà (or setting upof the papier-mâché monuments) and floralofferings.The fiestas have their Falleras May-ores (ladies of honour) and the love of gun-powder is reflected in the despertàs

(early morning parades which wake every-one up with music and fireworks)and mascletàs (very noisy fireworksbarrages).

The fiestas welcome the spring and fin-ish with the inevitable cremá (burning) of themonuments. The six monuments, three for

Fallas celebrations

he exceptional leisure options ofBenidorm - a town designed for visi-

tors to have a good time - are complementedby many varied and colourful official fiestas.This variety is part of the city itself, part ofhow it grew up with people from all parts ofSpain and many foreign countries.This multi-cultural identity has led to one of the uniquefeatures of modern-day Benidorm: the exis-tence of more than 45 fiestas which reinforcethe inter-cultural nature of the town and those

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adults and three for children, are burnt atdifferent times so that all those who want toattend the different acts can do so. ThreeCommissions represent the Centre, Els Tollsand the Rincón de Loix and are responsiblefor organising the fiesta.

Holy weekVarying dates.Holy Week in Benidorm, like most of thefiestas and leisure events in the town, has its

Festa de la Creu(or Fiestas of the Cross)May 1st.This popular and traditional fiesta has its rootsin the original celebrations of bygoneBenidorm, when it was a small village, as yetunaware of how much it was to grow in thefuture. It’s a simple fiesta where the Commis-sion meets to offer fresh flowers todecorate the cross from which the square takesits name. It indicate the limit of the city.

roots in many regions. The first and oldestgroup celebrating Holy Week is made up oflocal people from Benidorm, but the otherscome from a wide range of backgrounds.Especially important are the Brotherhoodsfrom Andalusia and Castile, each offeringtheir own special way of experiencing andinterpreting Holy Week.

It’s strange how Holy Week in Benidormcoincides with the arrival of the first touristsof the year, when the quiet devotion of somecontrasts with the lively nightlife of the bars,nightclubs and leisure centres.

Romería del CorpusJune.This is a very Andalusian fiesta, and theAndalusians who arrived in droves to work inthe tourist industry are the driving forcebehind it. There are more people fromAndalusia in Benidorm than from any otherSpanish region.

They pay homage to the Virgen del Rocíoon the Mercasa site, where they hold theattractive June Fair, the warm nights resound-ing to the sound of Sevillanas and the clink ofsherry glasses. Apart from the Fair, a mass is

23

Moors and Christians parades


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held in honour of the Virgin, as well as musi-cal concerts and the “bajá” (descent) of theVirgin.

The Hogueras de San JuanFogueres de Sant JoanJune 20th to 24th (approx.).This fiesta is also linked to fire, but this ismore in the Alicante style. Although traditiondemands the burning of old items in thesefiestas, the nearness of the capital has led tothe appearance of other, more refined cus-toms. As in March, monuments are built andexhibited, later to be burnt to the ground – asymbolism that defines the fiesta as destroy-ing old feelings and experiences to make wayfor new hopes and desires.

The belleas - the Queens of these Alicantefiestas - parade happily through the streetsaccompanied by floats and music. The bon-fires in El Mercado, La Cala, El Campo andthe Bali-Entrecalas bring the fiesta right in tothe different neighbourhoods.

We should highlight a spontaneous eventwhich has led to a parallel celebration inrecent years. The night before the officialbonfires are burnt on the night of the 24th,thousands of people flock to the Levante andPoniente beaches to celebrate the Night ofSaint John (the Summer Solstice) withcharms and symbols relating to the fiesta,where they jump into the sea to welcome theeagerly-awaited summer.

24


Fiestas del CarmenJuly 16th.It’s inevitable that Benidorm would have fies-tas directly linked to the work on the sea, avital part of the history of the town. Therehas been a sea borne procession ever since1941, when a local family paid for a sculp-ture to replace that of the Virgen del Car-men which had been destroyed in the CivilWar.The main seafaring families took part inthe parade until an accident led to their sus-pension for several years.

However, the tradition was recovered afew years ago by the children and grandchil-dren of the founders of the fiesta.The fiestashonouring the Virgen del Carmen are heldon or about July 16th, with concerts, fire-work displays, open-air dances and a fair.But the most solemn act is the sea borneparade led by old fishermen in the “golon-drinas”, who sail along the Bay past Ponientebeach to La Isla de Benidorm escorted by amultitude of vessels in this moving andcolourful parade.

Moors and ChristiansSeptember/October.One of the most spectacular and extravagantfiestas takes place in early October – theMoors and Christians. This fiesta is a recentone and is similar to many held in surround-ing towns, based on the victory of the Span-ish Christians over the Arabs. The fiesta inBenidorm has a more modern air, and moreimportance is placed on the cordial agree-ments between Moors and Christians thanon the battles.


Highpoints include the meeting in ElCastillo and the parade of the Moorish andChristian filaes. Immigrants from Alcoy andits surroundings play an important role inthis fiesta, something that shouldn’t come asa surprise when we realise that the Moorsand Christians fiestas of Alcoy are of Inter-national Tourist Interest.

The Patron Saint FiestasSecond Week in November.The town fiestas begin on the second Satur-day in November and are undoubtedly themost important. Many years ago the fiestaswere linked to the discovery of a statue ofthe Virgen del Sufragio, the patron saint ofthe town, adrift on the high seas. But thedate wasn’t at all convenient for the sailorsand trap-netters. So the fiestas were movedto a more convenient date, so they had timeto prepare and enjoy the fiesta at the end ofthe trap-netting season, together with thefamilies from whom they had been separatedfor so long.

The fiesta is in honour of La Virgen delSufragio and San Jaime, the patron saints ofthe town. Fifty years ago, when Benidormwas taking its first steps as a tourist resort,the fiestas were shorter – although fireworksdisplays and religious events played animportant part even then. The estampetes areimportant in the latter, as they are fireworkswith an image of the Virgin which are set offin her honour at the end of the processions.

These simple fiestas have evolved overthe years to become some of the mostimportant to be held in the Marina Baixa

Moors and Christians festivals 25

Fireworks


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26

the high point comes on Sunday night withthe cremà of the carxofa (burning of the arti-choke), which is made of cardboard and hasbeen hanging in the centre of the squaresince the beginning of the fiesta, where live-ly open-air dances are held to say farewell tothe summer.

Christmas festivitiesLate December and First Weekof January.The Christmas festivities are not only the lastof the year’s celebrations, they have also beenadapted to modern times. If the midnight masson Christmas Eve used to be the spiritual heartof the season, nowadays the cultural and festiveprogramme offers entertainment for differentage groups over several family-focused weeks.You should also see the exhibition of nativityscenes organised by the Amics del Betlemassociation.There are scenes in several streets -in La Calle Pal, in La Casa del Fester on La Bigaand another life-size scene in the PlazaTriangular. The Asociación Recreativo CulturalLa Barqueta also sets up their nativity scene intheir headquarters at Calle Tomás Ortuño, 62.

The Benidorm song festivalThe Benidorm Song Festival has long been thebest-known event held in the town. It was firstheld in 1959 and has gone through several sta-ges since then, finally being redesigned as theup-to-date contest reflecting modern tastesthat it is today.

The Festival is held in June in the JulioIglesias auditorium in the park of L’Aigüera.The event attracts wannabees and famous

region. New events have been added, such asthe crowning of the Queen, the comedyparade and the parade of floats. But the mostimportant factor has been the creation of thepeñas - the carnival supporters’ clubs.

These peñas provide all the fun andhurly burly that was missing from the townfiestas. They are the stars of the comedyparade, a very important part of the fiesta inrecent years, where they describe currentaffairs with irony, sarcasm and original cos-tumes. Dozens of tireless groups bring lifeto the streets and the number of cultural andchildren’s activities grow every year. Thereare also sports competitions, but the mainattraction is provided by the fireworks dis-plays – especially the final display which putsan end to five days of fiestas.

These autumn fiestas have become atourist attraction over the years. They’re sopopular that many British visitors book theirholidays specially to coincide with the townfiestas, because they know what they’re likeand have had such a good time in previousyears. All this makes November a welcomebreak before winter, a time of the year thatis still almost high season in Benidorm.

Fiestas of La CarxofaThird Weekend in November.Held at about the same time as the townfiestas, these celebrations are linked to theartichoke harvest, on sale in the marketsduring this month. It’s a small, local fiestawhich takes place in the square La Plaza dela Constitución, where the market used tobe held.Visitors can taste local products and



singers who compete and promote the nameof Benidorm all over the world for 2 days. ElDúo Dinámico, Julio Iglesias, Dyango, EmilioJosé and other internationally famous artistsgot their feet on the first rung of the ladder ofsuccess by winning the Festival.

We should also remember that Benidormhas started holding major concerts in recentyears. In a few short years, we’ve seen PlácidoDomingo, the Rolling Stones, Sting, EltonJohn and Supertramp performing in the town.Opera, pop and rock stars who you wouldnever have seen in the town just a few yearsago. But now Benidorm is on the world con-cert circuit, meaning that top internationalstars come to perform at the bullring or themunicipal football stadium.

The Benidorm internationalmarathonThe Marathon is the nº 1 sporting event andyou can see how international it is by glancingat the dozens of entrants from different coun-tries, especially runners from Britain andSpain. The Benidorm Marathon and HalfMarathon take place on the last Sunday ofNovember and were held for the 22nd time in2004. The route goes along the main avenuesand seafront promenades of the town, bothpromoting the town and showing its commit-ment to supporting sport.

27Opposite San Jaime church

Levante beach promenade

Julio Iglesias auditorium


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February

March March April

5th 17th

16th to 19th

Three Kingscavalcade

16th Virgen delSufragio

Fallas de San José

Holy week

Fiestas ofSan Antonio

Abad

Carnival

A parade through the mainstreets of town. The routenormally runs from the Port toPlaza de la Hispanidad square.

Different events take place tocommemorate the birth ofBenidorm. The main event is aplay with amateur actors.

A play is staged on Ponientebeach with locals playing18th century characters.

With three commissions andsix monuments.

Date varies and severalbrotherhoods take part: theytake their routes throughtheir corresponding neigh-bourhoods.

Fiestade La Cruz

Procession and floral offeringin Plaza de la Cruz square.The estival committee meetsto offer flowers to La Cruz.

Held on the 17th in the her-mitage of Sanz in the coun-tryside outside the city, withblessing of animals.

On Carnival Friday there is achildren’s parade, with theadults parading on Saturday.To finish everything off the“Burial of the Sardine” takesplace the following Tuesday.


January JanuaryCalendar of Fiestas

May May

8th Commemorationof the town

charter1th Romería del Corpus

The Andalusians celebratetheir most important fiesta.Dates vary.

June


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21th to 24th 6th to 7th

4th to 8th

Mid-year peñacelebrations

Fiesta de AsturiasVirgen de Covadonga

Fogueres de Sant Joan San Fermín · San CristóbalThe peñas or fiesta clubs arethe life and soul of the PatronSaint Fiestas and celebrate thehalf-way point between thetown fiestas. Competitionsand a night-long open-airdance are organised and allare welcome.

The GrapeHarvest festival

The Grape Harvest festival isorganised by the Casa deCastilla-La Mancha and alsooffers traditional dances,music, food and drink.

The descendants of sailorspay homage to their patronsaint in the week of July 16th,with religious ceremonies,open-air dances, fireworksand a sea borne parade.

Is a very special day, when SanJaime is honoured with a pro-cession, mass, fireworks andan open-air dance.

Anyone is welcome to go tothe L’Aigüera park to enjoyAsturian food, drink and tra-ditional dances and music.

The Hogueras remind us ofthis tradition so typical of Ali-cante.

Those born in Pamplona alsohold their fiesta in the townand celebrate it on the 6th

and 7th with the chupinazo,dances and typical food anddrink from Navarre.

June June July

July July September

16th Fiestas delCarmen 25th The Patron

Saint Fiestasof San Jaime

September OctoberOctoberMoors and Christians

The main events are militaryparades, reveilles, floralofferings, embassies, the par-liament and the reconquest.The fiesta takes place the firstweekend of October.

7th Virgen delRoser

Popular celebrations in theHermitage of Sanz.


November

October October November

Patron Saint Fiestasin honour of the Virgen

del Sufragio andSan Jaime Apóstol

Imalsa II Fiesta de la Carxofa

Popular fiestas taking placein the Hermitage of Sanz,once an agricultural area.

The most important Fiestasin Benidorm, which includethe Hallazgo, the offering,parades, fireworks and theambience of the peñas.

December

Christmas25th

Exhibitions of nativityscenes and Christmas-themed cultural activities.

Held during the first week-end of October.They are thefiestas of the area of thesame name, with paellas,playback competitions, e.t.c

The artichoke fiesta is alwaysheld on the weekend afterthe patron saint fiestas.

7th to 10thFiesta del Roser

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Mediterranean lookout point


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ou’ll be amazed when we tell you aboutthe immense variety of food and drink

that you can enjoy in Benidorm. Most nationshave their typical food and drink in the enor-mous marketplace that is Benidorm. InRincón de Loix, La Calle Mallorca, Lepantoand neighbouring streets there are many barsand restaurants serving typical British food.Nearby and in other parts of town there areBelgian and Swedish establishments whichoffer their somewhat lesser known dishes.

However, oriental food such as thatoffered by the dozens of Chinese restaurantsis popular with both Spanish and British.There are also Indian,Thai,Turkish and Mex-ican restaurants, all with their different spicesand aromas. The many Italian restaurants arevery popular and the meat prepared in theArgentinean establishments is deservedlyfamous.

As regards Spanish cuisine, there are“ambassadors” from many regions. Theseinclude restaurants run by families fromAsturias and Andalusia, and of course wemustn’t forget Mediterranean gastronomy.Many restaurants offer rice dishes, but somespecialise in both traditional and innovativedishes made with this very traditional localingredient.

Special mention should be made of the“tapas”, and there is a special tapas route inthe old town. The streets of Santo Domingoand Martínez Oriola around the Plaza de laConstitución square welcome hundreds ofvisitors who stroll from bar to bar enjoyingthe “tapas” and “pinchos”. Most of the bars arerun by Basques who offer their traditional

Food and drink

dishes, but pay special care to cook their typ-ical, quickly prepared pinchos. This is one ofthe town’s most popular meeting-points andis very busy both in summer and in winter.

To sum up then, in Benidorm you canfind food ranging from the simple and ubiqui-tous hamburger, paellas, buffets, cheapmenus and more painstakingly prepared dish-es. These are adapted to modern times andmore demanding palates with dishes based onMediterranean products and treated in amodern way to create dishes with pure, cleanflavours which delight diners. You can eventaste the delicious offerings of some restau-rants that appear in the prestigious MichelinGuide.

Turning to traditional cuisine, we shouldhighlight the traditional Benidorm stewsoffered in some restaurants. Here agricultur-al products are blended with products fromthe inshore seas. The town’s most typicaldishes include arroz caldoso de salmonetes ycalabaza (rice soup with red mullet andpumpkin); arroz con habichuelas y nabos(rice with baby broad beans and turnip); andarroz de boquerones con espinacas (rice withanchovies and spinach). Sweets include thetypical Bollo de San Blas, a delicious Arab tartspecially made from almonds and sugar forthis fiesta in early February.

The countless beachfront restaurantswith their terraces are perfect should youwish to have lunch without leaving the beach.They’re all different - international dishes,fast food, British food and complete meals,offering a welcome break to regain strengthto carry on enjoying your day on the beach.

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As well as the wide range of food anddrink available in Benidorm itself, other near-by places have their own attractions. La VilaJoiosa is famous for its rice and fish stews andvariations on local dishes. In recent years thetown has managed to make a name for itselfat Tourist Fairs with its fish, rice and itsfamous chocolate.The latter has only becomevery famous in recent years, even thoughchocolate has been made in La Vila for hun-dreds of years. The gastronomy competitionshave given a further boost to this close neigh-bour of Benidorm.

Another village just along the coast isAltea, where, apart from the excellentMediterranean cuisine offered by a number ofrestaurants, – a unique feature is delivered inthe form of its extremely relaxed setting.Thewhite houses of the old town are home todozens of establishments, especially pizzerias,French restaurants and other internationalestablishments. They are simple but veryauthentic restaurants. One of the local spe-cialities with its own denomination of originis the loquat from Callosa d’En Sarrià.

33Benidorm island viewed from San Jaime church


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enidorm is also becoming increasinglymore attractive for business tourism.

The number of hotel beds increased by 4,721between 1996 and 2004 and the establish-ments have adapted to changing marketdemands. For example, today’s hotels havespacious open facilities for holding congressesand conventions.This type of tourism is morepopular with each passing year, as Benidormoffers a pleasant stay and guaranteed goodweather.

Convention tourists attend meetings inthe hotel but have several hours a day to get toknow the town and surrounding areas andthat’s exactly what they do after the conven-tion. Guided tours and visits, both to neigh-bouring places of interest and to local leisurecentres are always very popular. Businesstourists take maximum advantage of their freetime and like to use it by visiting new placesand doing interesting things.

Benidorm offers many of these pro-grammes for the 2 or 3 days the meetings lastand after which visitors look for relaxation orlocal gastronomy – another of the favouriteactivities of those attending conferences andconventions.

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Business tourism

For more informationplease contact

Turismo de Benidorm

Benidorm Convention Bureau

Pl. de SS.MM. los Reyes

de España, s/n

Tel. 966 81 54 63

www.benidorm.org

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Night view


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L’Illa de Benidorm


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ver 2,000 shops in Benidorm offerall kinds of goods and are distributed

in well-defined areas. In the town centre,there are a lot of clothes and gift shops in thestreets around the old town. You can findthem along one of the central streets - LaCalle Alameda, where the local fiestas havealways been held, as well as down La CalleMayor and neighbouring streets.

However, most shops selling a widerange of goods are to be found on the avenueof La Avenida de la Carretera, and the streetscalled La Calle Gambo and Martínez Alejos.Here, you can find most of the shops sellingthe latest designs by the best known Spanishand international brands.

A stroll from Gambo towards Rincón deLoix brings you to the la avenida delMediterráneo. This avenue offers you over 2kilometres of unadulterated shopping temp-tation. Every square inch at the foot of thetall buildings has been used to display theirwares on the pavement ready for potentialcustomers. Hundreds of shops sellingclothes, shoes and articles for the beach linethis great street which was built to symbol-ise modern-day Benidorm. When the 1966Town Plan designed this four-lane avenuewith broad pavements, many people thoughtit would be too big for the town.

Tourists also love the street markets, andthere are certainly a lot of them in the Mari-na Baixa area, so many that you could go toa different town every day in search of prod-ucts. The municipal market is held in theFoietes area of Benidorm every Wednesday.A spacious open-air site with hundreds of

Shopping

stalls separated into areas specialising infood, mainly vegetable and fruit, and cloth-ing. It’s a sunny, pleasant spot to spend awinter’s morning and, while you’re there,buy that special bargain you’ve alwayslonged for. On Sunday you can go shoppingfor food and clothes in the MercadilloPueblo, near Rincón de Loix.

Markets are held in Callosa d’En Sarriàand La Nucia on Monday; next to the sportscentre in Altea on Tuesday; in Polop de laMarina on Wednesday; next to the Centrobeach in La Vila Joiosa on Thursday; next tothe Casa de Cultura in L’Alfàs del Pi andFinestrat on Friday; and the La Nucia fleamarket is held on Sunday. The latter wasstarted by a group of foreign residents inter-ested in crafts and antiques and is visited bymany people looking for old furniture torestore.

Craft products are readily available inthe area, a good example being theBenidorm crafts market held in the squareLa Plaza de la Señoría. The craftsmen stay inthe square all summer selling their hand-made products. A little further up the street,there are artists who use paint and charcoalto draw caricatures and cartoons of thepassers-by, giving the area a truly bohemianatmosphere in the cool night air under theenormous summer moon.

From June to September, there’s a fasci-nating crafts fair in the La Plaza de la Iglesiasquare in Altea. It’s been going for manyyears and is especially interesting for thehandmade products you can buy – very dif-ferent from the usual factory-made goods.

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Benidorm viewed from the Mediterranean lookout point


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ight-time is party time and indeed, ifBenidorm is already one big party

during the day, by night this is doubly true.Over 150 disco-pubs, a score of discos andnightclubs and over 86 arcades mean thatthere’s something for everyone. The townsparkles at night with fiestas and the multi-coloured atmosphere. There’s a lot on offerand there are always a lot of revellers, but thetown is not over noisy and tourists who pre-fer spending the day with their families co-exist quite happily with the night owls.

First stop on our nocturnal tour is Lev-ante beach, with a whole range of disco-pubsall offering different music, from the latesthits to relaxed spots that play rock and bluesfor the more mature visitors. They are allvery different and cater for different agegroups although youngsters obviously pre-dominate. On the other hand, the cafés offershows ranging from small musical groups toothers that encourage the mainly older mem-bers of the audience to take part in the show.

La Calle Esperanto, is a street withanother, more relaxed atmosphere for youngpeople, where the pubs play modern Spanishmusic and classic rock. Later at night, peoplemove on to the discos lining the main road onthe way to Altea but still in Benidorm.This isthe “disco zone”, with something for alltastes, where they open after midnight andclose hours after sunrise.

Calle Mallorca and Calle Lepanto are twostreets where British visitors enjoy them-selves in much the same way as they do athome by partying in the pubs. You’d find ithard to believe you weren’t back home inBritain if it weren’t so late and so warm!

In this shop-window for different trends,we must include another kind of visitor - thegay tourist. Although the experts can’t agreewhen it comes to defining this demand exact-ly, it is obvious that gays like Benidorm. Thismeans that special hotels, as well as bars, dis-cos, restaurants and places of leisure havebeen opened for the gay market in recentmonths.

Nightlife

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Benidorm balcony and geyser


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Nightlife


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ater sports are traditional inBenidorm, thanks to the fantastic

climate that endows the bay with favourablewinds and a sea that tempts you to set sail,meaning that you can take part in many dif-ferent activities, including cable-ski, a sailingschool, windsurfing and catamaran and yachthire, not to mention the scuba-diving clubsfor lovers of this exciting sport.

There are more boat trips than everbefore, and you can enjoy several excursions

which leave Benidorm port, including theone going to the island, La Isla de Benidorm.One cruise takes you all the way up the coastto Calpe, well known for the rocky outcropof the famous Peñón de Ifach. You can alsotake shorter excursions to La Vila Joiosa andAltea. The latter allows you to spend a fewhours in their respective flea markets beforereturning to Benidorm. Some of the cruisesmoor the boats offshore and you can use thegoggles provided to skin dive and marvel atthe beautiful seabed.

You have just as many options in themountains. Groups of 4 to 12 can go on

organised walks and there are 4x4 routeswhich pass through typical villages along for-est tracks in the local mountains and the restof the Costa Blanca.

The municipal sports centre has anindoor sports hall and outside facilities forathletics, tennis, five-a-side football, basket-ball, volleyball, climbing, pelota andpetanque. There’s also an Olympic-sizedopen-air swimming pool. All facilities can bebooked in advance. The Illa de Benidorm

Sports Center has modern facilities for prac-tise many sports, between them Pilota Valen-ciana.

The town also has many private facilitiesand others that can be used by members ofthe public. For a small fee you can swim orplay tennis, basketball, football, pelota andother sports which include bowling alleys,pool halls and bicycle hire.

Sports

Mal Pas cove

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Sports facilities

Benidorm Yacht ClubPaseo Colón, 2Tel. 965 85 30 67

Municipal sports CentrePartida Foyetes, s/nTel. 966 80 48 14

Sport Centre L’Illa de BenidormPartida Salto del Agua, s/nTel. 966 83 10 50

Activities and services

BeniquadsRancho Sierra Helada, s/nTel. 650 74 44 41

Cable Ski BenidormPlaya de LevanteRincón de LoixTel. 639 61 27 13A company specialising in water-skiing,especially cable-ski, as well as skippered motoryachts.

Club de Buceo PoseidónC/ Santander, s/nEdificio SilviaTel. 965 85 32 27Scuba diving courses and dives in La Llosa andLa Isla de Benidorm.

Costa Blanca Sea ChárterC/ Tomás Ortuño, 17, 6º izda.Tel. 965 85 65 62 · 619 92 09 68Boat charter, with and without skipper, basedin Dénia Marina, Greenwich Marina in Altea,La Vila Joiosa Yacht Club and the AlicanteMarina.

Chárter Náutica BenidormBenidorm Port Tel. 965 85 06 33 · 608 07 61 24

Daily 3-hour excursions along the coast leav-ing from Benidorm.Passenger vessels with toilets and fishing.Night cruises as well.

Real de Faula Club de GolfAv. Alcalde Eduardo Zaplana HernándezSoro, s/nTel. 966 81 30 13www.realdefaula.com

Las Rejas Golf Pitch and PuttAv. Alcalde Vicente Pérez DevesaTel. 620 269 061

Benidorm Sea CruisesBenidorm Port Tel. 965 85 00 52Daily service from 10 a.m. to dusk.Trips to LaIsla de Benidorm on the “golondrinas”.Underwater tours around the island.

Horse RidingRancho Sierra Helada, s/nTel. 678 98 31 19Horse-riding with guide

Marco Polo ExpedicionesAv. Europa, 5Tel. 608 46 30 01 · 965 86 33 99www.marcopolo-exp.es Leisure and free-time activities on both landand sea. Catamaran cruises around La Isla deBenidorm continuing up the coast to thePeñón de Ifach in Calpe.

Scuba Diving BenidormC/ Otto de Habsburgo, 10Tel. 655 23 99 26Scuba diving courses, dives and intensive courses forbeginners.

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enidorm is the leisure centre for the

whole Marina Baixa area, providing

accommodation for thousands but, as well as

its countless leisure options the surrounding

area has many other attractions which mean

your stay in the town is sure to be both pleas-

ant and full of different experiences.

L'Alfàs del Pi, just next to Benidorm, isknown in the area as a “multinational centre”because residents from 54 different national-ities live there. There is an interesting routealong the local part of the Sierra Helada,ending up at the lighthouse El Faro del Albir.Leave El Albir and climb the street La CalleAntiguo Camino de la Cantera and then taketwo left turns down Sirio and Neptuno to

An excursion to the Peñón de Ifach and Montgó (70.6 kilometres)

reach the recreational area. It’s only small,with wooden tables and chairs which fit inperfectly with the old fence made of treetrunks which lines the whole 2.5 kilometreroute. Then, you go through a tunnel to seethe cliffs on the other side: the route is linedwith fragrant plants and borders the moun-tains as they fall into the sea. Down on yourleft, you can see the old Roman and Phoeni-

42

L’Alfàs del Pí beach

Excursions from Benidorm

B Route 1:L’Alfàs del Pi • Altea • Peñón de Ifach • Calpe Benis-

sa • Teulada/Moraira • Xàbia • Dénia • El Montgó

Route 2:La Vila Joiosa • El Campello • Alicante • Elx • Isla de

Tabarca

Route3:La Nucia • Polop • Callosa d’En Sarrià • El Castell

de Guadalest • Bolulla • Tàrbena

Route 4:Finestrat • El Puig Campana • Relleu • Sella


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cian ochre mines, while on the right there isthe enormous cave known as the “Boca de laBallena” (Whale’s Mouth).The route ends atEl Faro del Albir, but just before you getthere those of you who don’t have a fear ofheights can walk along a steep mountaintrack to a viewpoint with spectacular viewsof the cliffs and seagulls soaring just belowyour feet. The famous L’Alfàs del Pi FilmFestival is held in June and has been com-memorated with the Paseo de las Estrellas

buzzes with an atmosphere blending cultureand leisure. During the summer, artists andstallholders display their handmade cre-ations. The crafts blend in seamlessly withthe many restaurants and bars where drink,conversation and music combine to offeryou a more relaxed way of life. A few yearsago, La Plaza was complemented with theAltea Auditorium, a modern building whichholds the latest plays and concerts, avant-garde exhibitions, etc. all in all it’s an outlet

(Avenue of the Stars), a small seaside avenuebordering the beach.

Near L’Alfàs, there is another townfamous for its serene and simple beauty: thisis Altea, the white town. White housesclimb the hillside towards the Parish Churchat the top.You can start your walk up to theblue-domed church from the La Plaza delConvento, climbing steep streets up fromthe square to La Plaza. In the conventsquare, you will find all kinds of artists,something typical of the town, which hasbeen home to many creators. La Plaza

for cultural aspirations which also has aplace for local groups that flourish in theFine Arts Faculty. Altea also has sun and qui-et pebbly beaches with clear water and atranquil atmosphere making them popularwith less boisterous holidaymakers.

On the way from Altea to Valencia,you’ll soon see one of the Costa Blanca’smost famous sights - the Peñón de Ifach inCalpe. This geological symbol on the coastsoars to 332 metres and you can go on guid-ed visits to the summit of this enormousrock, which has been a Nature Park since

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Altea’s coastlineThe Peñón de Ifach


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1987. Calpe also has an interesting old townincluding the tower of El Torreó de la Peçaand the city walls. Or why not take a strollalong the seafront promenade to watch thefishing boats returning to port in the after-noon to sell their catch at the fish auction inLa Lonja.

The Nacional 332 main road takes us toBenissa, identified by its white church,known as the Cathedral of the Marina Altaand beautifully illuminated at night. Start

and all the facilities you could wish for, or LaCala Pinets and L’Advocat, where sand androcks combine.

Next to Benissa, we find Teulada andits tourist resort of Moraira. Here, thereare many holiday home developments butsome agriculture remains, especially thevineyards producing Muscatel wine. Thesewines have won major awards and you canbuy a bottle or two at the local wineries.There are several monuments, including a

from the Town Hall and take a stroll, admir-ing the magnificent farmland surroundingthe town and the starting point of the roadused by the old “ribereros” (workers whoemigrated from Benissa for the rice harvestnear Valencia).The nearby streets are perfectfor a relaxing walk - narrow and quiet, thehouses have cast iron balconies overflowingwith flowers. You can also visit the Ethno-graphic Museum, housed in the oldest build-ing in Benissa - La Lonja de Contratación.The town has 4 kilometres of secludedbeaches, like La Fustera, with its fine sand

defence tower known as Moraira Castlewhich dominates La Ampolla beach. Teuladais an inland, agricultural town with a smallfishing industry and Moraira is famous fortourism and its yacht marina. Nearby thereare tiny coves, such as L’Andrago, PuntaEstrella, Cap Blanc and La Cala.

Further north, we come to Xàbia,nestling between two capes - San Antonioand La Nao. Pirate raids made the originalinhabitants move 2 kilometres inland to pro-tect themselves behind the walls of today’sold town. Within the old town you should

44


XàbiaAudouin’s gull on the Peñón de Ifach


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visit the Town Hall, the Market, the Cultur-al centre, the Archaeological and Ethnologi-cal Museum and the Chapel of Santa Ana.Two kilometres from the old town we findthe port area of Xàbia, known as Las Adua-nas del Mar, with the unusual church ofNuestra Señora de Loreto, shaped like aship’s keel. Take the coast road to visit theArenal area, with the only Parador de Turis-mo (Luxury State Hotel) on the Costa Blan-ca overlooking La Playa del Arenal beach.

ing passengers to the Balearic Islands.Another of the landmarks of Dénia is theSierra del Montgó. This Nature Park isespecially striking for being so high and soclose to the sea.Take a walk on the mountainand submerge yourself in the scent of herbsthat blends with the salty tang of theMediterranean.

Xàbia has 20 kilometres of coastline, withsmall coves combining sea and mountains,some of which are nudist beaches.

The next stop is Dénia, capital of theMarina Alta. It too has a long 20 kilometrecoastline with beaches such as Les Marines,Les Bovetes, Les Devesses and L’Almadrava.Les Rotes lies to the south and is a veryrocky beach with beautiful scenery. Thetown has always had very strong links to thesea, and is known for the red prawn and thefacilities of its yachting marina. It is also avery important ferry port, with vessels tak-

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Dénia


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and is now the centre of tourist activity. Thecoastline stretches for 23 kilometres and hasall kinds of beaches, from the very busyMuchavista beach next to San Juan Playa tothe rocky coves of Coveta Fumá.

Alicante became the provincial capital in1883, a few years after the demolition of itsmediaeval walls. One of the most famoussights of the city are the red, black and creamtiles which pave La Explanada, a promenaderunning parallel to the seafront.The beach LaPlaya del Postiguet and the park El Parque deCanalejas are also important parts of an urbanlandscape that are completed with La Lonja dePescado, the old fishmarket which is now amajor exhibition centre. To get a really goodview of the town you need to climb up thestreets of the old town to the castle - El Castil-lo de Santa Bárbara. Nearby you have theneighbourhood of Santa Cruz with its brightlycoloured houses.The MARQ is the provincialarchaeological museum, outstanding both forits significant archaeological exhibits and forits avant-garde display techniques.

Not far away, you can visit the town ofElx set in the interesting Bajo Vinalopó coun-tryside. Here you’ll find the largest palmgrove in Europe, with over 300,000 palmtrees. The Palmeral was declared a MankindHeritage Site by UNESCO, as was the Misterid’Elx passion play held in the town. Elx is setin the Palmeral d’Elx, an area which includeshills, farmland and several towns and villages.

Heading south from Benidorm, the first townwe come to is La Vila Joiosa, the historicaland administrative capital of the Marina Baixafor many years. The town has always livedfrom the sea and trade. This trade led to anearly knowledge of chocolate, with companieswhich have grown from humble beginnings tobecome large factories famous throughoutSpain.The sea also lies behind the origin of themulti-coloured houses along the coast andbeside the dry bed of the River Amadorio -they were painted in different colours sosailors could recognise their houses from afar.The old town of La Vila Joiosa is somewhereyou must visit, it’s very big and drops downfrom the town centre to the sea. Part of thetown walls are preserved in the La CalleCostera de la Mar, the street that takes us toCentro beach, where the Moors and Chris-tians fiesta (recently declared to be of Interna-tional Tourist Interest) is held. La Vila has sev-eral beaches, both sandy and pebbly, whereyou can scuba-dive in coves with crystal-clearwater such as El Bon Nou and La Caleta. Someof the coves are set aside for nudists.

El Campello borders on La Vila Joiosaand it is well-known for its tower.This watch-tower was built in 1554 to protect the coastfrom the raids of the Berber pirates andbecame the symbol of the town. The townitself lies further inland on a small hill.The oldfishing quarter huddles around El Carrer delMar or Paseo Marítimo (seafront promenade)

An excursion along the south coastand across to Tabarca island(81.5 kilometres from Benidorm)


It’s not just one massive forest of palm trees,but a group of small farms adorned with palmtrees. The most popular place for a visit is ElHuerto del Cura, a palm grove right in thetown itself. It’s worth visiting Elx just to seethe date palms and the beautiful effect theycreate. Nearby, you can visit El Fondo and ElClot de Galvany, two areas of great ecologicalinterest.

You can’t come to the Costa Blanca with-out visiting at least one of the islands, andthere are organised trips to La Isla de Tabar-ca. The island is 11 kilometres from Alicanteand 4 from Santa Pola. It’s a long, narrowislet, the most westerly outcropping of theBetic Cordillera. One hundred houses huddleinside the village walls, built on a grid patternaccording to the plans drawn up by the mili-tary engineers of King Charles III.There are acouple of interesting buildings outside the vil-lage, a tower called La Torre de San José andan old lighthouse rising almost 28 metresabove sea level which was repaired andimproved in 1894. Apart from the sandybeaches, the island also has hotels and restau-rants.

Colourful houses at La Vila Joiosa

The island of Tabarca

Huerto del Cura park. Elx

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We take La Avenida Beniardà to leave Benidormand it’s not long before we get to La Nucia.Thearea has many holiday home estates, inhabitednot only by foreigners but also by Spaniards whowork in Benidorm but live in La Nucia. A shortwalk through the spotlessly clean white towncentre brings us to El Lavadero. La Nucia’s pop-

An excursion through themountains of Alicante(23.8 kilometres from Benidorm)

ing lion” silhouette. Gabriel Miró was Polop’smost famous summer visitor and his housebacks on to the famous Font dels Xorrets, with221 spouts each named after a town in Ali-cante. Other illustrious visitors include OscarEsplá and Benjamín Palencia, whose workshopcan still be visited.

ular flea market is held in a wide avenue nearbyand the town comes to life on Sundays, with thearrival of visitors from all around who come insearch of bargains. It’s also worth taking a pleas-ant stroll around the park of La Favara, recentlyenlarged and with the famous fountain fromwhich it takes its name at the far end.

From the flea market, you can see theunmistakeable silhouette of Polop, on theslopes of the Sierra Aitana, with its housesclimbing the hill towards the cemetery.

The 1,181 metre El Ponoch towers overthe port with its instantly recognisable “sleep-

Back on the local road, we head for Cal-losa d’En Sarrià, famous for loquat produc-tion and for the springs and waterfalls ofFuentes del Algar.This is one of the most beau-tiful spots in the area, where water plays theleading role. Las Fuentes are a series of water-falls with pools where you can swim, a kind ofnatural water park with natural swimmingpools (tolls) filled with cool, crystal-clearwater. After paying the entrance fee, you canalso visit the Arboretum and the Environmen-tal Museum. There is also a campsite, picnicarea and a Water Museum.

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Fuentes del Algar. Callosa d’En Sarrià


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Callosa d’En Sarrià is best known forFuentes del Algar, but there are many otherattractive places on the so-called “culturalroute” which passes through El Portal, a gate-way which used to be part of the 14th centurywalled area of town. The 18th Century her-mitage - La Ermita de Santa Bárbara, the 16th

and the reservoir which gathers the waters ofthe River Guadalest running down the valley.

You’ll find the bell tower, dungeon, Castleof San José, the modern cemetery, the man-sions of the Orduñas, the Parish Church andthe Moorish fortress of Alcozaiba at the verytop of the town. Before going up, stroll

Century church - La Iglesia de San JuanBautista, and the Ethnological Museum are justsome of the interesting cultural sights in thetown.

From Callosa, we cross a low mountainpass to reach El Castell de Guadalest. Thisis one of the most picturesque villages in thearea, indeed on the whole Costa Blanca, with atall bell tower you can see from afar and a tun-nel bored through solid rock which leads youto the old town clinging to the steep granitecrag. It’s a natural monument, a geologicalfortress with amazing views of the mountains

through the Arrabal, with its crafts shops,museums and restaurants. There are severalmuseums and they’re certainly the mostunusual in the province.

From Callosa, you can also visit Bolullaand its Moorish castle, or Tàrbena, perchedhigh over the rocky countryside with its manyravines and springs. Remains from its pastinclude the castle El Castillo de los Moros,while emigrants from Majorca who settledhere in the 17th Century have left their markon the local dialect and delicious dishes suchas the spicy spread, sobrasada.

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El Castell de Guadalest


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Relleu, set in rough terrain.At the beginningof the 20th century, the town grew up arounda castle built by the Moors. Later, the popula-tion began to fall before starting to rise againwith the arrival of tourism, especially ruraltourism, with an increasing number of housesof this type available for rent in the area.

We descend the pass of Relleu and thenclimb towards Sella. The village clings to aridge and its main attraction is the setting,lying between the unquestionably beautifulravines of l’Arc and Tagarina, both popularwith mountaineers.

Sella lies on the slopes of the SierraAitana, a very interesting spot for naturelovers nature and those who enjoy activetourism. Places of interest in the villageinclude the hermitage of Santa Bárbara andthe old castle of the lord of the manor.

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Sierra Aitana

Finestrat is another mountain town,although it also has a beach at La Cala, bor-dering on Benidorm’s Poniente beach. How-ever, in recent years the town has concen-trated on making itself worthy of its envi-ronmental award, by paying special attentionto the Puig Campana. The mountain is

At the foot of the Puig Campana(33,2 kilometres from Benidorm)

1,410 metres high and its famous gash dom-inates the whole of the Marina Baixa area.The mountain is perfect for hikers, who canwalk to the summit, as well as for theclimbers who come to conquer its walls.Thebase of the mountain is at La Font del Molí,a spring with pure drinking water that filtersdown from above. There is a recreationalarea nearby, with tables and barbecue facili-ties where visitors can relax after theirwalks.

If we leave Finestrat towards the left, weclimb a mountain pass that takes us to


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Puig Campana


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Accommodation

alking about accommodation inBenidorm is to talk about an infinite

variety of establishments which is increasedand complemented, if such a thing is possi-ble, by the accommodation offered by othertowns further inland with other attractiveand dynamic tourist options.

There are about 40,000 hotel beds inBenidorm, to which we have to add 500 inboarding houses and 400 in guesthouses.Wemust also include the incredible number ofself-catering tourist apartments, officiallywith almost 20,000 beds, not forgetting the11 campsites where Spanish visitors sharetheir summers and Easters with foreignerswho spend longer periods here throughoutthe year enjoying the open-air life.

T Hotels

Hotel Westin Real de Faula Golf Resort& Spa ��

Av. Alcalde E. Zaplana Hernández-Soro, 7Tel. 966 80 38 52Fax 966 83 12 [email protected]

Hotel Agir ��

Av. Mediterráneo, 11Tel. 965 85 51 62Fax 965 85 89 [email protected]

Hotel Avenida ��

C/ Gambo, 2Tel. 966 80 58 88Fax 966 80 55 [email protected]

Hotel Belroy ��


Hotel Benidorm Centre ��

C/ Gerona, 4Tel. 966 80 84 84Fax 965 85 87 [email protected]

Hotel Benidorm Plaza ��

Vía Emilio Ortuño, 18Tel. 902 20 15 49Fax 965 85 22 [email protected]


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Hotel Best Western Hotel Victoria ��


Hotel Castilla ��

C/ Jaén, 3Tel. 965 85 15 14Fax 965 85 17 [email protected]

Hotel Cimbel ��

Av. Europa, 1Tel. 965 85 21 00Fax 965 86 06 [email protected]

Hotel Corona del Mar ��

Av. Jaime I, 3Tel. 965 85 03 12Fax 965 85 32 [email protected]

Hotel Los Dálmatas ��

C/ Estocolmo, 4Tel. 965 85 22 00Fax 965 85 22 [email protected]

Hotel Deloix ��

C/ Dr. Severo Ochoa (esq. C/ Rumanía), 34Tel. 965 86 90 70Fax 966 80 69 [email protected]

Levante beach

An overall view of Benidorm


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Accommodation

Hotel Diplomatic ��

C/ Gerona, 9 - 11Tel. 965 85 44 50Fax 965 85 22 [email protected]

Hotel Don Pancho ��


Hotel Dynastic ��

Av. Ametla de Mar, 15Tel. 965 85 36 00Fax 965 85 89 [email protected]

Hotel Flamingo Oasis ��

Av. Dr. Severo Ochoa, 3Tel. 966 81 35 30Fax 966 81 35 [email protected]

Gran Hotel Bali ��

Av. Montebenidorm, 1Tel. 966 81 52 00Fax 966 81 35 [email protected]

Gran Hotel Delfín ��

Av. Montbenidorm, 13Tel. 965 85 34 00Fax 965 85 71 [email protected]

Hotel Levante Club ��

Av. Dr. Severo Ochoa, 3BTel. 966 83 00 00Fax 966 83 00 [email protected]

Hotel Madeira Centro ��

C/ Esperanto, 1Tel. 965 85 49 50Fax 965 85 73 [email protected]

Hotel Marina ��

Av. Cuenca, 6Tel. 965 85 37 62Fax 965 85 15 [email protected]

Hotel Mediterráneo Benidorm ��


Hotel Meliá Benidorm ��

Av. Dr. Severo Ochoa (esquina C/ Zamora), 1Tel. 966 81 37 10Fax 966 80 21 [email protected]

Hotel Palm Beach ��

C/ Viena, 2Tel. 965 85 04 00Fax 965 86 53 [email protected]


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Hotel Princesa ��

C/ Mirador, 3Tel. 965 85 08 22Fax 965 85 07 [email protected]

Hotel Sol Costa Blanca ��

Av. Alcoy, s/nTel. 965 85 54 50Fax 965 85 09 [email protected]

Hotel Agua Azul ��


Hotel Alameda ��

C/ Alameda, 34Tel. 965 85 56 50Fax 965 85 56 54

Hotel Los Álamos ��

C/ Gerona, 7 Tel. 965 85 02 12Fax 965 86 91 [email protected]

Hotel Ambassador Playa I ��


Hotel Ambassador Playa II ��


Hotel Atenea ��

C/ Montera, 10Tel. 965 85 04 20Fax 965 85 25 [email protected]

Hotel Benikaktus ��

C/ Alcalde Manuel Catalán Chana, 12Tel. 965 85 43 00Fax 966 80 36 [email protected]

Hotel Benilux Park ��

C/ Panamá, 5Tel. 965 85 28 50Fax 965 85 71 [email protected]

Hotel Bilbaino ��

C/ Virgen del Sufragio, 1Tel. 965 85 08 04Fax 965 85 75 [email protected]

Hotel Brisa ��

Av. Madrid, 31Tel. 965 85 54 00Fax 965 85 54 [email protected]


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Accommodation

Hotel Bristol Park ��

Pl. Dr. Fleming, 2Tel. 965 85 14 48Fax 965 85 11 [email protected]

Hotel Cabana ��

C/ Perú, 33Tel. 965 85 25 50Fax 965 85 52 [email protected]

Hotel Calas Marina ��

C/ Asturias, 1Tel. 965 85 02 16Fax 965 86 39 [email protected]

Hotel Calypso ��

Av. Derramador, 4Tel. 965 85 43 50Fax 965 85 22 [email protected]

Hotel Carlos I ��

C/ Arnedo, 7Tel. 965 85 71 90Fax 965 85 46 [email protected]

Hotel Condal ��

C/ La Garita, 19Tel. 965 85 86 86Fax 965 85 85 [email protected]

Hotel Cristal Park ��

C/ Ruzafa, 4Tel. 965 85 18 11Fax 965 86 84 [email protected]

Hotel Les Dunes Comodoro ��

Av. Médico Miguel Martorell, 1Tel. 902 32 01 60Fax 966 80 16 12 [email protected]

Hotel Fenicia ��

C/ Mercado, 9Tel. 965 85 11 46Fax 965 86 61 91reservasfenicia@hoteles-costablanca.comwww.hoteles-costablanca.com

Hotel Fiesta-Park ��

C/ Arnedo, 5Tel. 965 85 17 66Fax 965 85 43 [email protected]

Hotel Gala Placidia ��

C/ Roma, 4Tel. 965 85 32 08Fax 965 85 33 [email protected]

Hotel Helios ��

Av. Filipinas, 12Tel. 965 85 58 50Fax 965 85 73 [email protected]


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Hotel Jaime I ��


Hotel Lido ��

C/ Alcalde Manuel Catalán Chana, 16Tel. 966 80 56 01Fax 966 80 56 [email protected]

Hotel Magic Rock Gardens ��

C/ Bonn, 6 Tel. 965 85 11 75Fax 965 86 33 [email protected]

Hotel Marconi ��

C/ San Pedro, 28Tel. 965 85 41 00Fax 965 85 41 [email protected]

Hotel Milord’s Suites ��

Paseo de la Carretera, 52Tel. 966 83 16 00Fax 965 86 79 [email protected]

Hotel Mónaco ��

Av. Escritor y Periodista E. Romero, 11Tel. 965 85 52 00Fax 965 85 11 [email protected]

Hotel Montemar ��


Hotel Mont Park ��

C/ Manila, 5Tel. 965 85 18 46Fax 965 85 23 00

Hotel Nadal ��

Av. Madrid, 41Tel./ Fax 965 85 19 [email protected]

Hotel Nereo ��

Av. Ametlla de Mar, 12Tel. 965 85 07 07Fax 965 85 40 [email protected]

Hotel Oasis Plaza ��

Pl. de España, 7Tel. 966 80 77 05Fax 966 80 82 [email protected]

Hotel Olympus ��

C/ Acacias, 11Tel. 966 80 02 71Fax 966 81 25 [email protected]

Hotel Orange ��

C/ Mallorca, 11Tel. 965 85 17 20Fax 965 85 21 [email protected]


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Accommodation

A Terrace in Benidorm Poniente promenade

Hotel El Palmeral ��

C/ Altea, 2Tel. 965 85 01 76Fax 965 85 97 [email protected]

Hotel Poseidón ��

C/ Esperanto, 9Tel. 965 85 02 00Fax 965 85 23 [email protected]

Hotel Poseidón Palace ��


Hotel Poseidón Playa ��

Av. Armada Española, s/nTel. 965 85 48 50Fax 966 80 42 [email protected]

Hotel Presidente ��


Hotel Prince Park ��

C/ Primavera, 3Tel. 965 85 03 65Fax 965 85 15 [email protected]

Hotel Pueblo Benidorm ��

C/ Ibiza, 17Tel. 965 85 31 50Fax 965 86 62 [email protected]

Hotel Residencia Venus I ��



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Benidorm with the Puig Campana in the background

Hotel Rialto ��

C/ Amsterdam, 7Tel. 965 85 34 50Fax 965 85 34 [email protected]

Hotel Riudor ��


Hotel Rosaire ��


Hotel Rosamar ��


Hotel Royal ��


Hotel Sol ��

C/ Pintor Lozano, 5Tel. 965 85 06 11Fax 965 85 05 [email protected]

Hotel Sol Ocas ��

C/ Gerona, 45-47Tel. 965 85 23 50Fax 965 85 21 [email protected]

Hotel Sol Pelícanos ��



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Accommodation

Hotel Sol y Sombra ��

C/ Florida, 3Tel. 965 85 11 47Fax 965 85 25 [email protected]

Hotel Tánit ��

Av. Almendros, 1Tel. 965 85 36 12Fax 966 83 00 [email protected]

Hotel Torre Dorada ��

C/ Avilés, 2Tel. 965 85 42 50Fax 965 85 42 [email protected]

Hotel Venus ��


Hotel Villa de Benidorm ��


Hotel Villa del Mar ��

Av. Armada Española, 1Tel. 965 85 45 50Fax 965 85 45 [email protected]

Hotel Vista Blanca ��


Hotel Voramar ��

Av. de los Almendros, 6Tel. 965 85 51 50Fax 965 85 07 [email protected]

Hotel Acapulco ��

C/ Ricardo Bayona, 7Tel. 965 85 15 48Fax 965 85 02 11

Hotel Andalucía ��

C/ Florida, 2Tel. 965 85 03 38Fax 966 80 11 [email protected]

Hotel Los Ángeles ��

C/ Los Ángeles, 3Tel. 966 80 74 33Fax 965 85 31 [email protected]

Hotel Bermudas ��

C/ Estocolmo, 17Tel. 965 86 59 24Fax 965 85 39 [email protected]

Hotel Brasil ��

C/ Apolo XI, 27Tel. 965 85 48 00Fax 965 85 45 [email protected]

Hotel Caballo de Oro ��

C/ Kennedy, s/nTel. 965 85 28 62Fax 966 80 69 [email protected]


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Hotel Camposol ��


Hotel Canfali ��

Pl. San Jaime, 5Tel. 965 85 08 18Fax 965 85 00 [email protected]

Hotel Centro Playa ��

C/ Mayor, 16Tel. 965 85 43 43Fax 965 85 42 [email protected]

Hotel Colón ��

Paseo Colón, 3Tel. 965 85 04 12Fax 965 85 43 [email protected]

Hotel Don José ��

Ctra. del Alt, 2Tel. 965 85 50 50Fax 965 85 50 54

Hotel Fleming ��

C/ Maravall (esquina Puig Campana), s/nTel. 965 85 32 62Fax 965 85 56 [email protected]

Hotel Golden ��


Hotel Internacional ��

Paseo de la Carretera, 40Tel. 965 85 02 71Fax 965 85 06 [email protected]

Hotel Jamaica ��


Hotel Joya ��

Av. Andalucía, 2Tel. 965 85 15 25Fax 965 86 25 [email protected]

Hotel Lope de Vega ��


Hotel Mar Blau ��


Hotel Mayna ��

C/ Ruzafa, 25Tel. 965 85 44 12Fax 965 85 44 16

Hotel Melina ��

Pl. de España, 2Tel. 965 85 43 12Fax 965 85 43 [email protected]


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Accommodation

Hotel Paca ��

Av. Los Almendros, 19Tel. 965 85 03 02Fax 965 85 62 [email protected]

Hotel Primavera ��

C/ Gardenías, 12Tel. 966 80 91 11Fax 966 80 91 [email protected]

Hotel Rambla ��

C/ Atocha, 10Tel. 965 85 23 37Fax 965 86 29 [email protected]

Hotel Regente ��

C/ Mónaco, 5Tel. 965 85 54 12Fax 965 85 54 [email protected]

Hotel Residencia Esmeralda ��

C/ San Pedro, 14Tel./Fax 965 85 13 [email protected]

Residencial Hotel Club Europeo ��

Foia Manera, s/nTel. 966 80 02 70Fax 966 80 02 [email protected]

Hotel Residencia Perla ��

C/ Lepanto, 18Tel. 965 85 23 05Fax 966 80 11 05www.hotelperlabenidorm.com

Hotel Residencia Santa Faz ��

C/ Santa Faz, 18Tel. 965 85 40 63Fax 966 81 22 48

Hotel Río Park ��

C/ Murcia, 16Tel. 965 85 56 12Fax 965 85 52 [email protected]

Hotel Teremar ��


Hotel Las Vegas ��

C/ Tomás Ortuño, 13Tel. 965 85 40 04Fax 966 80 63 [email protected]

Hotel Vista Oro ��

C/ Ruzafa, 39 Tel. 965 85 45 00Fax 965 85 45 [email protected]

Hotel Iris �

C/ La Palma, 47Tel. 965 85 31 29Fax 965 85 07 94

Hotel Marbella �



63Poniente beach

Benidorm port

Hotel Molí �

C/ del Molí, 5Tel. 965 85 23 96

Hotel Palm Court �

C/ Mallorca, 16Tel. 966 83 06 43Fax 966 83 02 49

Hotel Residencia Bristol �

C/ Martínez Alejos, 1Tel. 966 80 93 99Fax 966 80 33 [email protected]

Hotel Residencia Celymar �

C/ Apolo XI, 19Tel. 965 86 20 01

Hotel Residencia Condestable �

C/ Condestable Zaragoza, 40Tel. 965 85 40 48Fax 965 85 40 48

Hotel Rocamar �

C/ Cuatro Esquinas, 18Tel. 965 85 05 52Fax 965 85 28 [email protected]

Hotel Rosabel �

C/ Tulipanes, 4Tel. 965 85 13 45

Hostal Asturias �

C/ Garita, 8Tel. 965 85 14 56Fax 965 85 14 56


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Accommodation

Hostal La Jirafa �

C/ Oviedo, 30Tel. 965 85 04 59Fax 965 85 04 [email protected]

Hostal El Primo �

C/ Antonio Ramos Carratalá, 1Tel. 965 85 03 02Fax 965 85 62 [email protected]

Hostal Queen's �

Pl. Constitución, 5Tel. 966 81 29 96Fax 966 81 29 [email protected]

Pensión BabylonC/ Alicante, 28Tel. 966 88 95 60Fax 966 88 95 [email protected]

Pensión Don JuanC/ Santa Faz, 28Tel. 966 80 91 65Fax 966 80 48 [email protected]

Pensión DoraC/ Tomás Ortuño, 84 Ed. Ema I, 2º-ATel. 965 85 00 09

Pensión La EstrellaC/ Maravall, Ed. Aranjuez II, 1º-D, 11Tel. 965 85 70 24

Pensión JardínC/ Tomás Ortuño, 8Tel. 965 85 06 20

Pensión del MarC/ Pintor Lozano, 5Tel. 965 85 82 69

Pensión La OrozcaC/ Ruzafa, 37Tel. 965 85 05 25

Pensión PardoC/ Limones, 14Tel. 965 86 29 83

Pensión RocaAv. Beniardà, 3Tel. 965 85 24 57

Pensión RosaC/ Venus, Ed. Algar Esc 2 1º-F, 1Tel. 965 85 00 [email protected]

Pensión TabarcaC/ Ruzafa, 9Tel. 965 85 77 08


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Campings

Camping Excálibur1ª CategoríaCamino Viejo del Albir, s/nTel. 966 86 71 39Fax 966 86 69 [email protected]

Camping Villasol1ª CategoríaAv. Bernat de Sarrià, s/nTel. 965 85 04 22Fax 966 80 64 [email protected]

Camping Arena Blanca2ª CategoríaAv. Dr. Severo Ochoa, 44Tel. 965 86 18 89Fax 965 86 11 [email protected]

Camping Armanello2ª CategoríaCtra. N-332, km. 123 - Partida ArmanelloTel. 965 85 31 90Fax 965 85 31 00 [email protected]

Camping Benidorm2ª CategoríaAv. Dr. Severo Ochoa, s/nTel. 965 86 00 11

Camping Benisol2ª CategoríaAv. Comunidad Valenciana, s/nTel. 965 85 16 73Fax 965 86 08 95

Camping El Racó2ª CategoríaAv. Dr. Severo Ochoa, 9Tel. 965 86 85 52Fax 965 86 85 [email protected]

Camping Titus2ª CategoríaAv. Comunidad Valenciana, 124Tel. 966 80 67 50

Camping La Torreta2ª CategoríaAv. Dr. Severo Ochoa, s/nTel. 965 85 46 68Fax 966 80 26 53

Camping Villamar2ª CategoríaCtra. del Albir, km. 0`300Tel. 966 81 12 55Fax 966 81 35 [email protected]


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Accommodation

Touristic Apartment blocks

Apartamentos Roybel1ª CategoríaAv. Europa, 5Tel. 965 85 02 03Fax 965 86 37 [email protected]

Apartamentos Les Dunes Suites1ª CategoríaAv. Madrid, 8Tel. 966 80 41 10Fax 966 80 51 [email protected]

Apartamentos Flamingo Benidorm1ª CategoríaC/ Marbella, 2Tel. 965 86 53 53Fax 965 86 34 [email protected]

Apartamentos Levante Club IV1ª CategoríaC/ Estocolomo, s/nTel. 965 86 27 83Fax 965 85 68 68reservas@hlc.grupo-centauro.comwww.apartamentosturisticoslevante.com

Apartamentos Terralta1ª CategoríaAv. Nicaragua, 44Tel. 966 81 35 16Fax 966 81 16 60recepcion@apartamentos-terralta.comwww.apartamentos-terralta.com

Apartamentos Alpha2ª CategoríaC/ Kennedy, 8Tel. / Fax 966 80 49 [email protected]

Apartamentos Atlántida2ª CategoríaC/ San Pedro, 22Tel. 965 85 24 50

Apartamentos Bahía2ª CategoríaC/ Gijón, 1Tel. 965 85 30 94

Apartamentos La Barca2ª CategoríaC/ Condestable Zaragoza, 6Tel. 966 80 36 32

Apartamentos Benimar2ª CategoríaC/ Emilio Ortuño, 29Tel. / Fax 965 86 81 07

Apartamentos Cala Marina2ª CategoríaC/ Oviedo, 6Tel. 965 85 69 65

Apartamentos Don César2ª CategoríaPl. del Torreón, 1Tel. / Fax 965 85 05 [email protected]

Apartamentos La Era-Park2ª CategoríaC/ Verano, 8Tel. 966 80 66 51Fax 966 80 66 [email protected]


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Apartamentos Flamingo Arena2ª CategoríaC/ Esperanto, 30Tel. 965 86 53 52Fax 966 80 21 [email protected]

Apartamentos Flamingo-Playa2ª CategoríaC/ Esperanto, 32Tel. 965 85 53 52Fax. 966 80 21 [email protected]

Apartamentos Halley2ª CategoríaC/ Londres, s/nTel. 965 86 40 56Fax 965 86 52 [email protected]

Apartamentos Levante Beach2ª CategoríaC/ Estocolmo, 11Tel. 966 80 23 02Fax 965 85 68 68reservas@hlc.grupo-centauro.comwww.apartamentosturisticoslevante.com

Apartamentos Levante Club I2ª CategoríaC/ Bruselas, 8Tel. 965 86 27 83Fax 965 85 68 68reservas@hlc.grupo-centauro.comwww.apartamentosturisticoslevante.com

Apartamentos Levante Club II2ª CategoríaC/ Estocolmo, 8Tel. 965 86 27 83Fax 965 85 68 [email protected]

Benidorm island viewed from the beach


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Accommodation

Terrace overlooking the Mediterranean

Apartamentos Levante Club III2ª CategoríaC/ Estocolmo, 8el. 965 86 27 83Fax 965 85 68 68reservas@hlc.grupo-centauro.comwww.apartamentosturisticoslevante.com

Apartamentos Levante Lux2ª CategoríaC/ Estocolmo, 44Tel. 966 80 91 00Fax 966 80 92 02reservas@hlc.grupo-centauro.comwww.apartamentosturisticoslevante.com

Apartamentos María Victoria2ª CategoríaC/ Ibiza, 2Tel. 965 85 07 22

Apartamentos Michel Angelo2ª CategoríaC/ Primavera, 6Tel. 965 85 71 50

Apartamentos Niza2ª CategoríaC/ Cuenca, 7Tel. 966 80 52 19

Apartamentos Picasso2ª CategoríaC/ Bruselas, 4Tel. / Fax 965 85 73 11

Apartamentos Primavera Dos2ª CategoríaAv. Derramador, 9Tel. 966 81 23 84

Apartamentos Primavera Park2ª CategoríaC/ Primera, 4Tel. 965 86 04 20Fax 965 86 94 [email protected]

Apartamentos Residencial Josefina2ª CategoríaC/ Parcela, 6 de la U.A. 1Tel. 965 86 01 56


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Apartamentos Sunsea II2ª CategoríaC/ Murcia, esquina C/ Lepanto s/nTel. 965 85 27 91

Apartamentos Sunsea III2ª CategoríaC/ Hamburgo, 15Tel. 966 80 81 25

Apartamentos Viña del Mar2ª CategoríaAv. Mediterráneo, 47Tel. 965 85 06 52


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On the Internet

www.comunitatvalenciana.comThe Region of Valencia’s tourist gateway con-tains detailed information to help you prepareyour trip, as well as real-time pictures fromthree web cams in Benidorm. If you selectBenidorm in the section devoted to the differ-ent towns, you’ll find information on accom-modation, tourist information offices, restau-rants, beaches, water sports, leisure parks,local cinemas, cultural calendar, fiestas, monu-ments, museums, etc. The real-time weatherinformation and the 5-day forecast are espe-cially useful.

www.benidorm.orgBenidorm Town Hall’s official website offerscomprehensive information and services for bothresidents and visitors alike.There is a full touristguide with information on leisure activities,transport, routes, facilities, etc. There is also alink to the www.laplazadebenidorm.comwebsite specialising in leisure activities.

Climate

The climate is one of the main attractions ofBenidorm. It is sited on a bay that is dividedinto two and protected by mountains, giving ita mild climate which is quite unique in thearea. The average temperature is 23.7º inspring, 31.7º in summer, 19.2º in autumn and18.7º in winter.

Its location means that the town is pro-tected from the Levante winds, as the area isbordered by the Sierra Cortina to the west and

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Preparing your trip

the Sierra Helada to the east. And to ensurethat the cold north winds can’t get past, block-ing the way there’s the Puig Campana, a moun-tain 1,410 metres high and famous for the sil-houette of the gash known as El Tajo de Roldán

Language

Spanish and Valencian are the two official lan-guages, the latter being the local language ofthe Region of Valencia.

Opening times

Most shops open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.(some in the centre close for a time at mid-day).Banks: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.Government offices: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.Lunch is usually served in restaurants from 12a.m. to 3 p.m. and dinner from 7 p.m. to 11p.m.Late-night bars: 11 p.m. to 3:30 a.m. and dis-cos open from 6 p.m. to 7:30 a.m.

Public holidays

January 1st and 6st. New Year’s Day andEpiphany.March 19th. San José.Good Friday and Easter MondayMay 1st. Labour Day.August 15th.The Assumption of the Virgin.October 9th and 12th. Day of the Region ofValencia and Day of the Hispanic World.November 1st. All Saint’s Day.


Monday and Tuesday of the third week inNovember. Patron Saint Fiestas.December 6th, 8th and 25th. Day of the SpanishConstitution, The Immaculate Virgin, Christ-mas Day.These dates depend on the official calendar approved every year.

Communications

The city is connected by road through theN332 main road and the AP-7 motorway, theFGV (Ferrocarril de la Generalitat Valenciana)railway connects Alicante and Dénia; there areregular bus services to the rest of Spain andEurope, and the El Altet airport (Elx) is 60kilometres away.

Estación de Autobuses (Bus station)Av. de la Comunidad Europea, s/nTel. 965 851 311

Local busesLlorente BusC/ Castellón, 4 Polígono Industrial de Finestrat, 25

The bus company routes cover the whole townand some towns in the neighbouring area suchas La Playa del Albir, L’Alfàs del Pi,Altea, Calade Finestrat, Finestrat and Guadalest.The mainbus stops are in La Plaza de la Hispanidad,Rincón de Loix and the Parque de Elche. Thelocals call the service “la gua-gua”.

Coach servicesAlsaEstación de Autobuses (Bus station)Av. de la Comunidad Europea, s/nTel. 965 851 311

Poniente beach seafront promenade 71


Passenger coach service covering the Alicante-Valencia route, stopping at towns in between,as well as others that go non-stop along the AP-7.They also offer daily services to Barcelona, aservice covering the local area that visits LaNucia, Polop de la Marina, Callosa d’En Sarriàand Guadalest and a transport service Airport-Benidorm-Airport.

BilmanbúsEstación de Autobuses (Bus station)Av. de la Comunidad Europea, s/nTel. 965 851 311

A regular bus service to the Basque Country.There are two routes: Benidorm-Logroño-Vitoria-Bilbao and Benidorm-Pamplona-Tolosa-San Sebastián-Irún.

International coach servicesAlsaEstación de Autobuses (Bus station)Av. de la Comunidad Europea, s/nTel. 965 851 311

Buses travelling to and from different parts ofEurope.

Iberbús-LinebúsC/ Portugal, s/n · Alicante Tel. 965 22 93 36 · 965 22 95 04

An international company linking Benidorm tosuch European countries as Belgium, Hollandand Italy.Their main offices are in Alicante butyou can get tickets from different travel agentsin Benidorm.

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Preparing your trip

The old town

Poniente seafront promenade


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TrainsFerrocarriles de la Generalitat Valenciana (FGV) C/ EstaciónTel. 965 85 18 95

You can travel along the Costa Blanca on thenarrow-gauge railway. Benidorm is halfwayalong the route and from here you can go onsome interesting excursions. The Alicante-Dénia line has a special late-night service in thesummer that makes it easy to visit the discosand nightclubs along the way. The train isknown as the “trensnochador” – theovernighter.

RenfeAv. Salamanca, s/n · Alicante Tel. 902 24 02 02

You can take the train from Alicante to all partsof Spain.

By airEl Altet Airport L'Altet (Elx) · Tel. 966 91 94 00www.aena.esSpanish and international flights.

TaxisRadio TaxiTel. 965 86 18 18 · 965 86 26 26

A 24-hour service. There are taxi ranks atstrategic points throughout the town.

Tourist information

Contact Center Comunitat ValencianaTel. 902 12 32 [email protected]

Tourist Info Benidorm CentroC/ Martínez Alejos, 16Tel. 965 85 32 24 · 965 85 13 [email protected]

Tourist Info Benidorm EuropaAvda. Europa, s/nTel. 965 86 00 [email protected]

Tourist Info Benidorm Rincón de LoixAv. Derramador, s/n (confluencia C/ Gerona)Tel. 966 80 59 [email protected]

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Consulates

Dutch ConsulateCtra. Finestrat, 7Urbanización El PlanetEdificio SERVITURTel. 965 85 70 12

Finnish ConsulateC/ Almendros, 37-2º-izdaTel. 965 86 69 42

Icelandic ConsulateAv. del Mediterráneo, 37Edif. Casa de las FloresTel. 965 85 16 67 · 965 85 08 63 965 85 65 04

Norwegian ConsulateC/ Pal. Edif. Aurea-6º A y B, 1Tel. 965 85 21 66

Honorary Consulate of theCzech RepublicC/ Ibiza, 15Apartamentos TriomarTel. 965 85 32 83

Useful telephoneNumbers and addresses

Emergencies 112

Emergency ServicesFire Service 085 Local Police 092National Police 091

Benidorm Town HallSwitchboard 965 85 55 00

Health ServicesCounty Hospital 966 85 98 0024-hour Health Service 900 16 11 61Hospital Clínica Benidorm 965 85 38 50Hospital de Levante 966 87 87 87

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Preparing your trip


Index of resources

resource coordenada page

on map guide

Monuments and buildings1. Balcón del Mediterráneo

viewpoint C6 122. Castillo (Castle) C6 123. Torre Morales (Escaletes) tower F7 20

Religious monuments1. Iglesia de San Jaime C6 6,12,18

Museums1. Iberian settlement of El Tossal A7 202. Maritime cultural centre C5 18

Gardens and green areas1. L´Aigüera park C5 192. Island of Benidorm and La Llosa C7 6,12,133. Sierra Helada F7 13

Theme parks1. Aqualandia F5 6,162. Mundomar F5 6,163. Terra Mítica A2 6,174. Terra Natura B1 6,16

Places of interest1. Town hall C5,D5 182. Municipal library C5 18

Sports1. Benidorm yacht club C6 412. Municipal sports centre C4 413. Sports centre D3 41

Transport1. Railway station (FGV) C4 732. Bus station D3 71

*Tourist resources in this guide and on thetown map

75Benidorm island viewed from the lookout point


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Conselleria de Turisme, 2007ISBN:84-482-4205-XLegal deposit: V-4872-2005Design and layout: Skala · Comunicación · MK · Consultoría


daydreaming benidorm

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