The city of Benidorm is famous, among other reasons, for its two large beaches, located on both sides of the Mediterranean Balcony. The Levante Beach is situated on Benidorm’s east side and extends more than 2km down the coast. Its golden sand is bathed by clear Mediterranean waters. And similar to Poniente Beach, Benidorm’s other main beach, Levante enjoys a southern orientation, ensuring great sunbathing throughout the entire day.
The Levante Beach area was the first part of Benidorm to be developed for tourism. Because of this, it has the greatest number of services and amenities. This is also where you will find "Benidorm's guiri area” (British nightlife area), where numerous discos and pubs are located.
Poniente Beach is Benidorm’s other main beach and its longest, at 3km. It begins at the rocky Tossal de la Cala hillside and extends all the way to the port. While not as developed (or overdeveloped) as Levante, you will still find lots of restaurants and bars along the modern and pleasant beach promenade.
Poniente is the newer side of Benidorm and is where you’ll find the city’s latest skyscraper designs, including the tallest of them all. The Intempo building towers over the rest of the skyline with its 198 meter height and 47 floors.
Another curious part of Poniente Beach that shouldn’t be missed is the Fontanelles, a spring that erupts with freshwater just 10 meters from the waterfront.
The Balcón del Mediterráneo (Mediterranean Balcony) is one of the most iconic spots in all of Benidorm. Also known as the "Mirador del Castillo” (castle lookout), it is situated on a small rocky peninsula between the Levante and Poniente beaches.
As you might have guessed by the name “Castle Lookout,” this is the same location where a fortress once stood. For centuries, this strategic position helped the inhabitants defend themselves from frequent pirate attacks.
Undoubtedly, the Balcony of the Mediterranean is a wonderful lookout where you can admire the turquoise waters of the coast of Alicante and take in the great views of Benidorm’s beaches. Make sure not to skip it since it’s one of the best things to do in Benidorm.
You can't leave Benidorm without getting lost in the narrow streets of the old quarter and discovering its huge contrast to the new part of town. Strolling around aimlessly will allow you to get to know such picturesque streets as the traditional Calle Santo Domingo, better known as Calle de los Vascos (street of the Basques). This is one of the most lively areas of the old town and where it’s easy to find a ton of tapas and their smaller Basque cousin, pintxos. This is a great place to get some traditional Spanish food.
Through the old town’s narrow streets you will also discover several squares, such as the Plaza de Santa Ana and Plaza del Castillo as well the Church of San Jaime and Santa Ana, the oldest in Benidorm.
However, if you are looking for views, go to the Plaza Castelar to take in the endless Poniente Beach. Opposite of the plaza is the viewpoint of Sant Jaume, also known as the "viewpoint of the Mediterranean" from which you get idyllic views of the Levante Beach.
With 200,000 m2 of surface area and 15 water attractions, visiting Aqualandia is a fantastic option for families with children but also thrill seekers. In fact, each of these attractions is rated by intensity and age. In addition, the park has fast food restaurants as well as picnic areas.
However, one of the most outstanding details of this water park is its Verti-Go slide, which, together with the free fall, is the highest in Europe. Without a doubt, Aqualandia is the perfect destination for the most adventurous travelers.
The Mirador de la Cruz de Benidorm is located at the highest point of the Serra Gelada Nature Park (217 meters above sea level). It offers some of the best panoramic views of Benidorm.
The cross that gives it its name was placed there by Franciscan monks in 1961 with the purpose of ridding the city of its sins - such as the use of bikinis!
Today, however, it offers visitors one of the most beautiful sunsets in town, especially when the sunlight reflects on the surface of the sea.
To get to the viewpoint, you can walk uphill for 40 minutes from the Rincón de Loix neighborhood or drive to the top.
Next to the old town of Benidorm, framed by the Balcony of the Mediterranean on one side and the port on the other, is the Cala del Mal Pas. The beach was created during the construction of the port in the first half of the twentieth century. In fact, the sand is a leftover from the dredging. The result is an intimate 100 meters long beach that is lined with palm trees.
Today, it is an excellent urban cove that is great for snorkeling, especially in the rocky part of Punta Canfali.
Terra Mitica is an amusement park with 33 rides, including impressive roller coasters - such as Magnus Colossus and Titanide. If rides and roller coasters aren’t your thing, there are also several different performances and shows to keep you entertained.
Opened in the year 2000, Terra Mitica has a theme that’s based on the ancient civilizations of the Mediterranean, specifically Egyptian, Greek and Roman. In fact, the park boasts a multitude of replicas of monuments and bridges in order to create an immersive experience.
Terra Mitica is definitely the best theme park to visit in Benidorm.
The Mirador de la Ermita Virgen del Mar is another one of the best lookout points in Benidorm. It’s located high up on the hillside at the western end of Benidorm, near the Roman archaeological site "Castellum Tossal de la Cala". From here, you get incredible views of Poniente Beach and can see all of Benidorm from end to end.
There are two ways to reach the viewpoint: on foot or by car. If you choose to arrive with your own vehicle, you should know that there is no parking at the top of the chapel, so you will have to leave your car next to the park on the hillside.
Although this urban sandy beach belongs to the municipality of Finestrat, its proximity to Benidorm makes it worth a visit. This rocky and unspoiled bay is characterized by its beautiful 200 meters long coastline.
Here you will find everything from restaurants and bars to jet ski and boat rentals. It also has its own paid parking.
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