Costa Blanca / Benidorm

Benidorm is approximately 40 kms north of Alicante on Spain's Costa Blanca. It is the most popular resort on the Spanish mainland and attracts thousands of visitors every year from across Europe.

Benidorm boasts two of the finest beaches in Europe, the Levante and the Poniente. Benidorm headland which contains the old town separates these two large bays.

The Levante beach is popular with English and other European holidaymakers, while the Poniente is dominated mostly by Spanish tourists. In Spanish, Levante means "sunrise" and Poniente "sunset" The sun rises on the Levante beach and sets on the Poniente.

The main attractions for people visiting Benidorm are the beaches, the nightlife and the shops.

Added to this there are now two large theme parks Terra Mitica and Terra Natura which are proving extremely popular with tourists. There are also two fantastic new golf courses belonging to the fabulous Real de Faulla Hotel complex.

South of the Levante area is Benidorm old town. It seems surprising how few British tourists manage to find their way to this area. If you'd like to discover a bit of the real Spain, you must make the effort to see this part of Benidorm.

Wander down on a hot summer evening and you'll find a different world. The narrow streets are full of people savouring the atmosphere. There are tapas bars serving an amazing variety of small dishes. Try a couple, you don't have to speak Spanish, just point to what you'd like to try.

Most things are obvious but there are some dishes which you might not like the look of so stick with what you know. Perhaps the most popular tapas bar is the Caya Aragonesa, This is usually standing room only.

When the Spanish use the serviettes they just throw them on the floor. This goes against the grain for most English people but you'll soon find yourself doing the same.