Is winter time to think about summer? Of course! It's when we miss the sun and heat the most, so it makes you want to schedule your summer vacations. Thinking about that today we have to talk about Benidorm, on the coast of Alicante, in Spain.
Beaches, tourism of all kinds, night, nature, lots of sun. That's what Benidorm is all about, so read this post carefully and save it for when the icy days come and you want to be wrapped in its golden sands. Here we go.
Benidorm
The area where this is summer destination It was occupied at the time by the Muslims although there is evidence of the previous passage of the Romans, for example. In the thirteenth century it was reconquered by the Spanish but it is not that quiet times began as it was followed by attacks by Ottoman pirates and barbarians.
It began to be more populated, to dedicate itself to fishing and to allow itself agriculture, a development that lasted until the middle of the XNUMXth century.
It was for the 50s that in the face of the crisis in the fishing sector, the compass began to reorient itself towards the new tourism industry. And with great success! The numbers say that around five million people visit each year.
Geographically speaking the city is on a hill between two beaches. At the same time is divided into five parts and each one has its own. There is the old town, El Castell, Westeros, Get the Funds!, each of these two with its own beach, La Cala and El Rincón de Loix.
Between the two beaches there is a stone promontory and the port of Benidorm. Urban design is a genius that bears the signature of Pedro Zaragoza Orts, mayor of the city in the 50s.
According to his Major Planning Plan Each building should have its own recreation area, ensuring over time that everything does not end up being a squeeze of buildings. And the result is very clean, so to speak. By last, Benidorm is connected to Alicante and Dénia by train. With Alicante currently there is a tram service every half hour and the train to Dénia runs every hour.
The English, Danes, Belgians, Dutch, Germans and Irish love Benidorm. Is it because of its incredible sun and pleasant temperatures? Surely yes.
What to do in Benidorm
The beach comes first so let's get to know them. The most popular and with people is the Levante beach. It is one of the best known beaches in Europe, too, and it has its own all year round. It is two kilometers long from Punta Pinet to Punta Canfali. It is made of fine golden sands and its waters are calm and transparent.
Get the Funds! has many services, 4.600 sunbeds, 1.400 umbrellas in ten areas, 19 showers for the feet, walkways to avoid getting burned by the sand, two ecological toilets, playgrounds for children and lifeguards. In addition to its many restaurants and bars. It has an average width of 55 meters although it reaches in parts about 75 meters.
Another popular beach is Poniente beach, south of the port. It is the longest in Benidorm at three kilometers long. Is a urban beach with a new and modern boardwalk designed by Carlos Ferrer and with many bars, restaurants and nightclubs. The other services are the usual ones: showers, deck chairs, umbrellas, games. In Levante and Poniente there is a lot of sun all year round, even in winter.
Between these two beaches, in the old town and under the shelter that forms the Canfali hill, there is a beautiful little cove called Bad pas. In front of her is the Benidorm island which is a well-known destination for those who practice diving and snorkeling because it has a submerged platform, La Llosa, which is an important marine reserve. The beach of the cove is barely 120 meters long, has golden sands and is a super quiet place. Oh, and it has had a Blue Flag since 1987.
In addition to the Mal Pas cove you can also visit the Tio Ximo cove and La Almadrava cove. The first is at the foot of Sierra Helada and north of the city. It's hidden between two high cliffs, has crystal clear waters, and is great for snorkeling. It is barely 60 meters long and the sand is mixed with rocks but luckily it has lifeguards, umbrellas and deck chairs.
For its part, the La Almadrava cove is at the foot of the Sierra Helada and reaches a hundred meters long. Beneath its crystal clear waters there is a lot of marine life and a rocky bed, so if you like to dive or snorkel it will be your destination. It only offers 47 sunbeds so don't be too late.
Does Benidorm have night life? Of course! In the city there are around 160 pubs or discos and they are everywhere, on the boardwalk, in the old town, on the road, on the outskirts towards neighboring Altea. There is a very popular area known as the English Zone which is marked by the streets Ibiza, Mallorca, Gerona and London. As you may be imagining here, pubs, beer, cider, live music and people from all over the world abound all night long.
In addition, Benidorm has a circus, a show center called Benidorm palace, a casino, a medieval challenge, a bingo and the best, for those who drink a lot of alcohol and get drunk a service called Microparty.
It is a micro bus that picks up people who go out to party. It operates between 8 pm and 8 am and each bus carries up to 15 people at a price of 100 euros. The group is taken to five discos, bars or pubs in the area.
You can sign up for this Microfiesta service up to 24 hours before and you pay before. The areas where it works are Sella, Finestrat, ASIfaz del Pi, la Nucia, Villajoyosa, Relleu, Polop and Callosa d'en saria. Did you ever do the Pub Crowl? It is something like that but motorized.
Finally, the city is always organizing events. The most famous of all is that it takes place since 1959, the Benidorm Song Festival. There is also a music festival indie since 2010. As you can see, this Spanish city has a lot to offer to tourism. Have I convinced you to go?