Benidorm
Benidorm is the liveliest and most flamboyant resort in Costa Blanca, drawing thousands of tourists to it every year. Rows of shops line the sea front offering a variety of seaside goods and some delightful places to sit and have lunch. The resort's popularity is partly due to the three miles of fine white sand beaches, with the warm waters of the Mediterranean lapping against the shores and development of hotels, apartment buildings and shopping centres means Benidorm has every amenity available to visitors. There is a vast range of choice in food, accommodation and shopping in the resort and the nightlife is lively with wide range of bars and clubs offering evening entertainment through till the next morning. The relics of Benidorm's history are hidden away in corners of the resort and situated in Casco Antiguo are the ruins of a fourteenth century castle, which was originally built to fend of Berber pirates. In addition the bars and cafes in Playa de Levante offer a sophisticated atmosphere and the resort caters to British tourists predominantly.
Benidorm is a shopping Mecca for tourists, with a vast range of gift shops, supermarkets, boutiques and an open-air market every Wednesday. The prices in the resort are relatively cheap for local crafts and the supermarkets also offer value prices on a variety of well-known products and are excellently priced for cigarettes and alcohol. In addition nearby Alicante is the main shopping city, with well-known stores and a shopping haven of busy high streets.
Benidorm pubs and restaurants are British influenced, with pubs like the Queen Vic, the Kings Arms and the Yorkshire Pride offering full English breakfasts and traditional Sunday roasts. All of the well-known fast food restaurants are evident in this resort, along with a wide range of cafes and burger places. The resort also houses many Chinese, Indian and Italian restaurants and in the old harbour there are traditional Spanish restaurants, some excellent seafood restaurants and quite a few good tapas bars along the sea front.
As one of the largest nightspots on the Mediterranean coast, Benidorm offers entertainment and activities to suit all visitors to its tropical shores. Many of the bars offer live shows, drag shows, karaoke, bingo a variety of live English bands covering rock and pop classics and playing original music. 'The Square' is the meeting point for the younger generation, with clubs like the Hippodrome and Cafe Benidorm offering lively nighttime adventures. The main area for Gay bars resides in the Old Town with a variety of flamboyant bars nestled in the narrow streets. Levante Beach is the clubbers haven, with massive clubs like Pacha, Space, Ku and KM.
