The city of Benidorm, located in the province of Alicante, is one of the most famous Spanish resorts. The proximity of the international airport, good bus connections to almost all major cities of the country conducive to seasonal inflows of both foreign tourists and residents of other regions of Spain. It is no coincidence that Benidorm is often called the «tourist capital of the Costa Blanca», as well as «Spanish Manhattan» and «New York of the Mediterranean». And it is not because the city is pretty significant in size, but because it is distinguished by atypical for Spain architecture with a large number of skyscrapers and bizarre-shaped buildings, there are in almost every district of Benidorm.
Popular neighborhoods of Benidorm
Three major districts – Levante, the Center or downtown, and Poniente are formally part of Benidorm, although actual city limits don’t end there, but runs through in the form of two small «enclaves» belonging to other localities, but situated a good distance away from them: Cala de Finestrat and Cala de Villajoyosa. Given that they attach closely to each other, and the city buses of Benidorm necessarily pass through them, these neighborhoods could perhaps be listed among the «tourist capital» itself, and not and not merely its suburbs.
The most bustling district of Benidorm – Levante
This is the most famous, bustling with life and at the same time unusual district of Benidorm, called`la Zona Guiri or Zona Británica» by locals, which means«area of foreigners». And in the neighborhood Rincón de Loix confirms the truth of this name at a glance: the large majority of bars and restaurants offer a classic range of specialities from English cuisine, and their visitors are 80 percent subjects of the Queen Elizabeth II. The Dutch Church here is also of no surprise to anybody, since the diversity of diasporas has already become a hallmark of Levante, not similar to any other district of Benidorm. Though of course, no one compares to the British not only in terms of the numbers, but also in many other parameters, including boisterous behavior and the frequency of run-ins with police.
At the same time, there is concentrated the lion’s share of the local entertainment industry – the Aqualandiawater park and the Aqua Natura zoo, the only casino around here – Casino Mediterraneo, the Benidorm Palace – a concert and entertainment hall, where the most popular Spanish and foreign artists often perform, a water skiing attraction for both amateurs and professionals, as well as zillions of discos and night clubs. The largest market of Benidorm, located just short distance away, held every Wednesdays and Sundays: people sell not only clothing and agricultural products here but also local handicrafts.
But this is not just about entertainment: in a more or less peaceful place in the Levante district, the prestigious private school Lope de Vega is located, which is consistently ranked among the best schools in the Valencian community from year to year.
In General, Levante could claim for being the «best district of Benidorm», if it wasn’t the dominance of British amateurs of rollicking fun and debauchery as well as… concrete slabs at the entrance to the water on the beach, stretching for a hundred meters and ending by a three-meter cliff in depth.
The central district of Benidorm (Centro, Ciutat Vella)
All the main commercial establishments that sell products of world-famous brands are located in the centre of Benidorm, where there is everything not only for shopping, but also for gastronomic tourism. In a pretty small area, there are placed numerous bars offering the cuisine of Asturias, Galicia, the Basque Country and other autonomous communities of Spain. At the same time, this area of Benidorm is not entirely commercial or tourist, because the main state institutions (the City Administration, the Police Headquarters, the Social Welfare Services, etc.) are concentrated here too. Furthermore, all the main holidays and celebrations organized by the authorities and not only, are held here too, mainly in the L’Aiguera Park.
Of course, the centre of Benidorm is full of hotels and apartments for rent, although it should be borne in mind that they are largely suitable for those who are not going to spend most of their free time within four walls. On the coast, in addition to the small beach with crystal clear waters of Mal Pas, there is an observation deck, as well as a small port. At a distance from the sea – on the one hand, it seems to be decent, on the other – could easily be made on foot or by bicycle – is the final station of tram – a kind of two-car hybrid tramway with an electric train. Nearby this is the Sport center «Foietes», where several children’s football sections are working, and in the summer there is organized a football camp named after Guillermo Amor, the most famous player from Benidorm.
The bus station is also located in the central area of Benidorm, but getting to it on foot is not the best idea: there are taxis or city buses for that. The station is equipped with the latest technology: a very budget hotel, the supermarket Mercadona, several small shops, a bar and a fitness center are placed in the same building.
The best district of Benidorm – Poniente
Many Spaniards who were born and grew up in this city believe that the best neighborhood of Benidorm is Poniente. It has all the necessary infrastructure for a comfortable life, although most residential buildings are located at a decent distance from the beach, and the first line is usually occupied by hotels. At the same time, the length of the local beach is much longer than in the Levante area, not to mention others, and even at the height of a resort season, one can find a place at a considerable distance from neighbors.
It’s no coincidence that the famous Gran Bali hotel is located in this area, where various international events are held: in particular, dance and chess competitions, as well as parties «for those who are over», where one can see pensioners in their late 70s, dancing and enjoying themselves on a night out. Previously, Bali was considered the symbol of the city, but later this title passed to the InTempo skyscraper, which is one of the five tallest structures in Spain. However, the fate of this building in the shape of the letter «M» is still uncertain, despite the fact that its construction and decoration are under way for many years.
At the same time, no matter how densely built up the area of Benidorm Poniente, there was still a place for a new luxury real estate project called Delfín Tower. It clearly differs from the surrounding buildings and designed for clients with upper-middle income. In addition, not so long ago, the «deal of the century», as it was called in Spain, took place, according to which all the vacant areas on Poniente will be built up in the coming years: and this is not only about houses, offices and shops. In this case, the population of this city, where less than 80 thousand people are registered, and even fewer live permanently, will exceed half a million in the summer.
Other areas of Benidorm – Finestrat and Villajoyosa
It is quite common to face the opinion that the best areas of Benidorm are Cala de Finestrat and Cala de La Villajoyosa, although they are not officially a part of it. Experience shows, they are usually chosen by lovers of peace and quiet, who are primarily interested in nature, ecology, and least in bars and discos. This is the part of the city where representatives of European countries (mainly Britons, Germans, Scandinavians etc.) prefer to settle. Golf courses, large comfortable homes and wonderful views – that’s what attracts them here.
Are you interested in real estate in Benidorm? Please see our catalog, which offers a large selection of properties in Benidorm, Finestrat, Villajoyosa and Polop, both on the secondary market and in the market of new buildings.
