Benidorm
Benidorm Spain - Information - History - Map - Fiestas - Weather - Hotels
Costa Blanca Resorts - Benidorm
Location: Marina Baixa district (Comarca), Alicante province, Comunidad de Valencia, Spain.
Population: 67,627 (2006 census).
Municipal Area: 38.5 km2
The Area: Benidorm is located north of Alicante in the Costa Blanca region of Spain, the town area itself is flat but is backed by mountains.
History: Since the time of the Arab occupation of the Iberian Peninsular, Benidorm has been a small, fairly insignificant fishing village. That is up until the 1950's and 1960's when the re-planning of the town together with cheap flights and increased leisure time, saw a huge rise in tourism to the area. Benidorm stepped up to the mark, and began to cater for this increasing demand. The town has grown into one of the most important seaside resorts in Europe, welcoming over 4 million visitors every year. There is evidence of settlements as far back as 3000BC and also Roman and Punic artefacts found in the surrounding bay suggest that both Carthaginians and Romans landed here. Benidorm was established as a town by the Moors, bringing their unique fishing and agricultural methods to the region. Benidorm was re-conquered for the Christians in 1245 by troops under Jaime I of Aragon, although over the following centuries the town suffered many damaging attacks by Barbary pirates who sailed these coasts looking for easy targets. Fishing was the main industry for the town and its fishermen earned a reputation as fine tuna fishermen, fishing remained the prime source of income until the arrival of tourism.
Benidorm Fiestas: Las Fallas de San José (March), Semana Santa (Easter), Fiesta De La Creu (May), Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians Fiesta) held in October, November Fireworks Festivals, dedicated to San Jaime and the Virgin Mary, Fiesta de "La Carxofa" (November) and of course the various Christmas celebrations.
Economy: Tourism, fishing.
Benidorm Postcode: 0350X
Places of Interest: Benidorm is basically a modern resort and its biggest attraction is its theme parks which are big, bold and brash. These include the Terra Mitica, Aqualandia, Terra Natura and the Mundomar Marine and Exotic Animal Park, all are very busy during the summer months. Those with more cultural interests can still find plenty to see and the old town is a good place to start. The Castillo Mirador site of the former Benidorm castle, now a delightful square with stunning views of the surrounding beaches and coast. The 18th Century Iglesia de San Jaime with its blue tiled domes is one of the best known landmarks in Benidorm. Outside of Benidorm one of the most popular places to visit is the Castell de Guadalest, an amazing mountain top village with an ancient Moorish castle.
Benidorm Map:
Benidorm lies north of Alicante city on the N-332 coast road.
The map to the right has 'zoom' and 'pan' features which enable you to use the buttons on the top left to zoom in and get a detailed street map of Benidorm, or pan around to view any number of the surrounding towns and villages which include Alicante, Villajoyosa, El Campello, Callosa D'En Sarria, Albir, Guadalest, Altea, Finestrat, Calpe and Moraira.
Benidorm can be easily accessed from the N-332 coast road or from the AP-7 (E-15) motorway (take junctions 65 or 65A) and is about 35 minutes from Alicante airport.
Benidorm Weather: Benidorm enjoys a superb warm Mediterranean climate with hot summers and mild winters, making it a perfect place to visit all year round. Benidorm enjoys over 300 days of sunshine every year and suffers very little rainfall. There is a huge selection of accommodation in Benidorm with hundreds of hotels, guest houses and privately owned rental accommodation. There is also a good selection of property to buy in the area with new developments being started all the time.
Benidorm Beaches: Benidorm has 2 main beaches which are long, wide and sandy, to the south of the old town is Playa Poinente and to the north is Playa Levante. Both are backed by a huge number of shops, bars and restaurants and numerous high-rise hotels and complexes. The 2 beaches stertch in total for about 6 kilometres and both have 'Blue Flag' status for cleanliness.
Benidorm Markets: Outdoor street markets are held in Benidorm on Wednesdays and Sundays in the town centre, you can also visit the El Cisne Flea Market on Sundays and one Saturday per month.
Benidorm Taxis: Euro Taxi - Avenida de Alfonso Puchades, 2, 03501 Benidorm, España. Telephone Number: 965 861 818 (taxi).
Benidorm Locksmith: Francisco Cano Gomez - Venus Street , 5, 03 501 Benidorm , Spain. Telephone: 620 041 916 (locksmith / cerrajero)
Benidorm Hotels: There are a huge range of hotels of all standards available for your stay in Benidorm. The best advice is to search the internet for the best deals and prices, dont forget to book your Benidorm Airport Transfer while you are online.
Today's featured Benidorm hotel: Calas Marina - Calle de Asturias, 1, 03502 Benidorm, España. Telephone: (0034) 965 850 216? (hotel).
More Benidorm Info: MAP - WEATHER - HOLIDAY RENTALS - HOTELS - SPAIN
More Costa Blanca Resorts: Cabo Roig Southern Costa Blanca
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