Benidorm.............. ... (Benidorm)

Member Name: Superlexia24

Product:	Benidorm
Date:	14/01/02 (2610 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Beaches are clean, lively, full of things to do

Disadvantages: quite built up, alot of 'fellow' tourists, can be expensive

After just getting back from my holiday in Benidorm, i feel i have to write an opinion about the place.

Benidorm is Situated Approximately one hours drive from Alicante airport, along the Costa Blanca's coastline. Flightime from the Uk is around 2hrs 20 mins. The resort offers fantastic beaches, an old town - with a spanish feel- and the new town, which is there maily for us tourists! Benidorm has thousands of bars, restaurants, nightclubs, and if you fancy it - British Pubs!

There are two beaches in Benidorm, the Levante Beach, which fronts the new town, and Poiente beach which front the old town. These beaches are the most fantastic i have ever seen. The cleanliness of them are superb, but with daily clean ups, you can see why. With the blue flag award, and an award as on of the cleanest beaches in europe, i can hardly disagree!!! All along the beaches, about 200m apart are play areas for the kids, which helps out as extra entertainment for the kids. The sea is totaly clear, and i had no problem in letting my kids play and swim. (i live in southend, and i never let my kids play on our beach). After going to Greece for my holidays all my life, i must say this beach puts alot of the greek beaches to shame.

The old town is where the locals live. There are Tapa's bars in abundance, and lots of small windy streets, that are just begging for you to explore! This is where the spanish shop, so there is a wide range of shops, from tourist shops, to local fashion outlets. The area itself is quite cramped, but after all, a majority of the houses were built before our car era! The spanish are extremely friendly, but please be aware this is where they live. I have read others complaining about the amount of cars and the spanish having dirty cars, well they don't have to wash their cars!!!

The New town is aimed at the tourists. Most importantly, it is aimed at those tourists, who don't like to be adventurous, i
e, there is an abundance of fast food, and english restaurants. So if you feel safer with your eggs and bacon, then your best bet is to stay here.

There is alot to do in Benidorm, i will tell you about the excursions we did, but let you know of other places to visit.

Our favourite place was 'The Isle of Benidorm', or 'Peacock Island'. To get there you need to go by boat. The trip costs around £15 for a family of four, and is well worth the money. After taking the scenic tour along Benidorm's fantastic coastline, you arrive on the island. Then you are transfered to a mini sub, nicknamed the Aquasub. This fits around 20 people. You are surrounded by glass, and the the sub rides around the island. It is an amazing feeling, watching the fish swim along side you, my kids were glued to the glass, it was out of this world, the tour under water lasts around 10 minutes, and then you are brought back to the island. You then can wander around the island, which is a conservation area. This island has thousands of rare birds nesting, and although i am not a bird watcher, or tree lover, the optional free tour by the island's warden was fasanating, and a real eye opener. The boat returns every 60 minutes and so you have the option of returning whenever you want.

My most favourite of all was the Castell Comte d'Alfaz. This is a purpose built medieval castle, owned by the Amigo's group (watch out for my opinion on this group). Here on a friday and saturday night you are transported back to a medieval night. You are sat on either the green side or the red side. You are given a crown to wear, and basically you are cheering for your colour Knights. The staff are dressed in authentic dress, and the food is delicious. Starting with bread and 'gruel'(which is a thin suop, it was delish), followed by chicken, ribs, and potatoes - one catch though, there are no spoons and knives and forks, you have to eat t
he good old fashioned way, and you can pick as much as you want, as the staff bring a hige platter to choose from. All the mean time, your knights are fighting to their death to gain a knighthood from the king! This was a truly professional show, and was thouroughly entertaining, i would recommend this night to all, the kids loved it!

The resort also offers its very own seaworld - Mundomar. With shows going on daily, this is well worth a visit. Aqalandia is a waterpark just outside of the maintown. The Benidorm Palace (recently been on tv) offers you a dazzling night of caberet and magic shows, for around £15 pp inluding dinner and wine, this is a good night out. Also the newly opened Terra Mitica theme park, offers you a thrilling day out.

Overall the resort itself has everything, so will suit most tastes. This holiday will NOT suit people that like a quiet peacefull holiday, you simply won't get it here! Benidorm is a lively resort, that is the most revisited resort in europe. If you like quiet quaint villages, you won't find it here, what you will find, is a resort with absoultuly everything to do, bursting with fun. Families and old people alike come here year after year, and we will be one of those families. There must be something about the place if people keep going back.........

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