Benidorm is a love it or hate it place. Because most of the Costa Blanca towns were once tiny fishing villages it does seem a shame when they get spoiled with high rise developments but if you visit or live on the Costa Blanca, you wouldn't want all the towns to be the same. You need some big centres were you can go for nightlife or great shopping. Benidorm is certainly that place.

As you approach Benidorm it looks like Manhattan with the huge high rises towering into the sky but somehow it seems appropiate unlike perhaps Calpe which is hemmed in by mountains and looks cramped. Benidorm is a big sprawling metropolis and although there's no way we would think of living there, we love it!

Benidorm is Spain's largest resort and very well-known because of the amount of British who have been on package holidays here. Because of this Benidorm has suffered from a somewhat tacky image being linked with being cheap and cheerful, full of fish and chip shops and brimming with drunk English lager louts. Thankfully the Benidorm tourist board are now addressing this negative image and looking to take the resort more upmarket. It also should be pointed out that a tremendous amount of Spanish people enjoy holidays in Benidorm too.

There is a superb amount of attractions in Benidorm, of course there are nightclubs, bars and restaurants galore but Benidorm also a number of unique attractions not found elsewhere namely the theme parks, Terra Mitica, Aqualandia and Mundomar.

The reason Benidorm has become so large and so popular is the beautiful setting. There are two wonderful sandy bays, Poniente and Levante, separated by a rocky promontory that offers great views in each direction. The Benidorm beaches are long and wide although very crowded in summer. Levante (to the left) is probably the busier than Poniete. There is also a very good beach south of Poniete at Finestrat.

Benidorm also has an old town near the castle with narrow streets.

Needless to say Benidorm is packed with restaurants, pubs, bars, cafes and nightclubs, many of them English and Irish.

From the Benidorm beaches you can see a rock known as Peacock Island because of the birds there. You can catch a boat there from the port or even better catch the boat to Calpe. The waters are very clear and filled with schools of fish.

The Benidorm Palace offers a Las Vegas-style show complete with dinner with with dancers, flamenco, juggling, magicians and big band/orchestra.

South of Benidorm towards Villajoyosa is the International Casino which often hosts well-known acts. There is an entrance charge and you need your passport to get in.

Mark Eastwood is the publisher of  costablancauncovered  - Practical and useful tourist information for both residents and visitors to the Costa Blanca coast of Spain.

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