Benidorm in 1 Day: all you need to know

Benidorm is a seaside resort town in the province of Alicante. The municipality is known, both nationally and internationally, for its tourist character. However, Benidorm is not only reduced to that. If you are planning a trip to this Alicante town and can't think of anything to see and do in Benidorm, read on.

With this Benidorm 1 day trip itinerary idea, you will discover that this town has much more to offer besides its beaches. Plus, you'll get the most out of your visit.

The first thing you should see on your day trip to Benidorm is the old town. It stretches from the Elx park to the triangular square. I recommend that you walk through its streets and browse its stores and restaurants. Since your visit to Benidorm is only one day, you will not be able to stop much in the different monuments that make up the historic center of the city; however, you can see the most important ones.

One of the favorite places of tourists and locals is the balcony of the Mediterranean, also called the viewpoint of the Castle. It is located between the two main beaches of Benidorm and it contains much of the history of the city.

Where today is located this viewpoint, in the past there was a castle built in 1325, it was destroyed during the War of Independence.

In addition to the viewpoint, I also recommend that you visit the Torrejó square, which was where the old town hall of the city was located. It is located next to the Levante beach and today houses the Municipal Tourist Office of Benidorm.

Finally, another of the main monuments of the city is the church of San Jaime, of neoclassical style. This temple was built after finding the Virgin of Suffrage in a drifting boat, which is why she became the patron saint of the city.

Elx Park is one of the most important parks in the whole city and is also known as the Park of the Pigeons, due to the large presence of these birds in the place. Depending on the date you visit Benidorm, it may coincide with some of the events held in this park, such as the medieval market, which is held during the month of May in Benidorm.

If you walk to Elx Park from the church of San Jaime and Santa Ana, it will only take you about 15 minutes. All you have to do is walk up Emilio Ortuño street until you reach the park that starts the old town. You can also do this tour on a Benidorm tourist bus route.

The park of L'Aigüera was designed by the architect Ricardo Bofill in 1980. It consists of a total of 120,000 square meters full of palm trees. The park is located on a ravine between the Plaza de Toros and the new city hall. Two open-air auditoriums are located here: the Julio Iglesias Auditorium and the Oscar Esplá Auditorium. This is where many of the concerts held in Benidorm take place.

If you go to L'Aigüera Park, from Elx Park, you will have to walk along Winter Street, which will take you less than 10 minutes.

You also have the option of arriving via Alfonso Puchades Avenue, as well as Emilio Ortuño Street. Since the journey on foot takes about the same amount of time as by bus, I do not recommend this second option unless you have trouble walking.

If you want to enjoy the best views of Benidorm, I recommend you to go to the viewpoint of La Cruz. To get to this place from the park of L'Aigüera, you will have to take the car and drive along Tokio Avenue.

The journey takes approximately 15 minutes. Not that you can't walk, but it will take you about an hour to get to the viewpoint. Since you are only visiting the city for one day, it is not recommended that you spend so much time moving from one place to another.

The Benidorm Cross was built in 1962 and is located at the top of the Sierra Helada. The origin of this cross was a protest of the Catholic Church against the Franco government's authorization to wear bikinis on the beaches of the city. Thus, a procession took the cross up to the top of the mountain, where it is today.

Halfway between the Benidorm Cross and your next destination is the restaurant La Cava Aragonesa. It is located just over 20 minutes from your previous stop. It is a tapas bar specializing in Alicante gastronomy with rice dishes and daily set menus.

The specialty of La Cava Aragonesa is its tinder, which is nothing more than toasted Catalan-style bread with olive oil and tomato. These can be customized with more than 100 varieties of sausages, salted, smoked meats and cheeses.

In addition to trying the famous tinder as a starter, I also recommend that you order one of their rice dishes, although you will have to reserve it in advance. You can choose between arroz a banda, rice with lobster, cod and vegetables, cod and scallops, the classic seafood paella or the exquisite black rice.

I continue with another of the most important viewpoints of the city, the viewpoint of the hermitage of the Virgen del Mar.

This place is just opposite the viewpoint of the Cross and you can access from one to the other by a very well signposted road, both by car and on foot. As I mentioned with the viewpoint of the Cross, it is best that you move by car, because walking the journey takes about 2 hours.

From the viewpoint of the Virgen del Mar hermitage you can see the Poniente and Levante beaches. In addition, of course, you can also see the hermitage Virgen del Mar, which gives its name to the viewpoint. In it is the Virgin with the child in her arms and is usually adorned with flowers.

If you want, you can take the opportunity to take a bike ride of the most charming. It is a safe and easy ride that you will enjoy enormously.

Another of the best places to contemplate the views of Benidorm is the terrace viewpoint of the Gran Hotel Bali. It is one of the most important hotels in the city and has 182 m high, which are divided into 53 floors.

To go up to the viewpoint and enjoy one of the best activities to do in Benidorm, you can do it in an elevator with glass walls. Once you have gone up, you must buy a ticket to enter the terrace viewpoint, which includes a drink at the pool bar in the hotel.

As a curious fact, the Gran Hotel Bali is the tallest hotel in Europe and for a time was the tallest building in Spain, however it was surpassed in 2006 by the Torre Espacio, which is located in Madrid. Initially, it was to have a total height of 210 meters.

To get to the hotel from the Mirador Ermita Virgen del Mar you will have to walk for 15 minutes along Calle de la Ermita and Calle Asturias. If you want to go by car, you will have to take Vicente Llorca Alós Avenue.

Benidorm welcomes thousands of tourists from all over the world every summer. The city is a paradise of fine sandy beaches and crystal clear water. In addition, most of Benidorm's beaches have all kinds of services, from showers to beach bars, including playgrounds for children.

The two main beaches of Benidorm are the Poniente and Levante beaches. Regarding the Poniente beach, it is the longest beach of Benidorm, with a total of 3 km. It is the closest to the Gran Hotel Bali, being only 8 minutes walking distance. It is somewhat quieter than the Levante beach and has a promenade with a large number of bars and restaurants. Like the previous one, it also has many services, such as floating platforms or biblioplayas.

The Levante beach runs a total of 2 kilometers long and is located between Punta Pinet and Punta Canfali.

This beach has a Blue Flag and environmental quality certificates. Among the services available, I can highlight the surveillance posts, children's play areas, footbaths and rental of sunbeds and umbrellas. I recommend that you enjoy the beach in a different way and practice some water sports. For example, there are many kayaking activities in Benidorm.

Other beaches in Benidorm

In addition to the above mentioned beaches, Benidorm also has other natural paradises where you can sunbathe and take a dip. Since you only have one day in the city, you will probably not have enough time to see these other beaches. However, it is true that they are less crowded than those of Poniente and Levante, so you may prefer them.

One of my favorites is the Mal Pas cove, which is located in front of the island of Benidorm and offers beautiful views of it. Below the island is the La Llosa Marine Reserve, one of the best places for scuba diving in Benidorm. The beach of Mal Pas has a Blue Flag and occupies a total of 120 meters in length.

In addition to Mal Pas cove, you can also opt for Tio Ximo cove, located on the north coast of the municipality. This is the ideal place for you if you want to escape from the tourists and enjoy a quiet afternoon. It is also ideal for snorkeling.

After spending some time on the beach, it is time to take the car to visit the town of Villajoyosa. This town is less than 20 minutes drive from Benidorm and is one of the most beautiful in the province of Alicante.

The town has many things to see, but I will tell you the most important, since you have little time. My recommendation is that you go to the hanging houses, one of the most characteristic constructions of the town.

Below the houses themselves, you will see a walk along the river, which ends at the coast of the town. Afterwards, I advise you to go up to the old town, where you can see the seafaring character of Villajoyosa. You will also see ancient remains from the Bronze Age, as well as from the time of the Roman Empire. As you walk through the streets of the old town, you will be able to see medieval walls and Roman ruins.

To end the day in Benidorm in style, I propose a special dinner in one of the best restaurants in Villajoyosa. The Hogar del Pescador restaurant is located in the Club Nautico and offers beautiful views of the port of Villajoyosa. Its menu specializes in fish and seafood and its dishes are prepared with products from km 0.

Among the specialties of this restaurant, you will find the fideuá, the lobster stew, the fish and seafood casserole or the chicken and monkfish suquet. The establishment also has an extensive wine list. To finish the dinner, try one of the desserts of the Hogar del Pescador, such as the Rocherr Gold or the caramelized torrija.

If you are not too late and you have some more time, I recommend you to take a walk around the port of Villajoyosa. Next to it is the promenade, which reaches the center of town.

As you can see, there are many things you can do in Benidorm during a day. The city offers a wide range of activities beyond its well-known role as a summer party place, you can find from plans with children in Benidorm to plans in Benidorm in December, January or any other month of the year. It is clear that on any occasion Benidorm will always have a perfect plan for you.