Benidorm in 1 Day: all you need to know

Benidorm is a seaside resort in the province of Alicante. The municipality is known, both nationally and internationally, for its tourist character. However, Benidorm is not just about that. If you're 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'll discover that this town has a lot more to offer than just 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. This stretches from the Elx park to the triangular square. I recommend that you wander through its streets and browse its shops and restaurants. As your visit to Benidorm is only one day, you won't be able to spend much time in the different monuments that make up the old town; however, you will be able to see the most important ones.

One of the favourite places for tourists and locals is the balcony of the Mediterranean, also known as the Castle viewpoint. It is located between the two main beaches of Benidorm and is a great part of the history of the city.

Where this viewpoint is located today, there used to be a castle built in 1325, which was destroyed during the War of Independence.

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

Finally, another of the city's main monuments is the neoclassical church of San Jaime. This temple was built after the Virgin of Suffrage was found 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 Parque de Las Palomas, due to the large presence of these birds in the area. Depending on when you visit Benidorm, you may be able to coincide with one of the events held in this park, such as the medieval street 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 only takes about 15 minutes. All you have to do is walk up Emilio Ortuño street until you reach the park which starts the old town. You can also do this route on a Benidorm tourist bus route.

L'Aigüera Park was designed by the architect Ricardo Bofill in 1980. It consists of a total of 120,000 square metres filled with palm trees. The park is located on a ravine between the Plaza de Toros and the new town hall. It is home to two open-air auditoriums: the Julio Iglesias Auditorium and the Óscar Esplá Auditorium. This is where many of the concerts held in Benidorm take place.

If you are heading 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 Avenida Alfonso Puchades, as well as via Calle Emilio Ortuño. Given that the journey on foot takes about the same amount of time as by bus, I don't recommend this second option unless you have trouble walking.

If you want to enjoy the best views of Benidorm, I recommend you head for the viewpoint of La Cruz. To get there from L'Aigüera Park, 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 advisable to 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 by the Catholic Church against the Franco government's authorisation of the wearing of bikinis on the town's beaches. Thus, a procession carried 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. This is just over 20 minutes from your previous stop. It's a tapas bar specialising in Alicante cuisine with rice dishes and set menus.

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

As well as trying the famous 'yescas' as a starter, I also recommend you order one of their rice dishes, although you will have to book 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 path, either by car or on foot. As with the Cruz viewpoint, it is better to go by car, as the walk takes about 2 hours.

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

If you wish, you can take advantage of the opportunity to go for a lovely bike ride. It is a safe and easy route that you will enjoy enormously.

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

To go up to the viewpoint and enjoy one of the best things to do in Benidorm, you can do so in a glass-walled lift. Once you've gone up, you'll need to buy a ticket to enter the viewing terrace, which includes a drink at the hotel's pool bar.

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. Originally, it was to have a total height of 210 metres.

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 are equipped with all kinds of services, from showers to beach bars and children's playgrounds.

The two main beaches in Benidorm are Poniente and Levante. The Poniente beach is the longest beach in Benidorm, with a total length of 3 km. It is the closest to the Gran Hotel Bali, being only an 8 minute walk away. 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 beach libraries.

The Levante beach is 2 kilometres 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 lifeguard posts, children's play areas, footbaths and sun loungers and parasols for hire. I recommend that you enjoy the beach in a different way and do some water sports. For example, there are many kayaking activities in Benidorm.

Other beaches in Benidorm

In addition to the beaches mentioned above, Benidorm also has other natural paradises where you can sunbathe and take a dip. Given that you only have one day in the city, you probably don't have enough time to see these other beaches. However, it's true that they are less crowded than the Poniente and Levante beaches, so you might prefer them.

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

In addition to the Mal Pas cove, you can also opt for the 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 snorkelling.

After spending some time on the beach, it's 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 prettiest in the province of Alicante.

The town has many things to see, but I will tell you the most important ones, as you only have a short time. My recommendation is to go to the hanging houses, one of the most characteristic constructions of the municipality.

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

To end your day in Benidorm in style, I suggest 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 specialises in fish and seafood and its dishes are prepared with 0 km products.

Among the specialities of this restaurant are fideuá, lobster stew, fish and seafood casserole or chicken and monkfish suquet. The establishment also has an extensive wine list. To finish off your dinner, try one of the desserts at the Hogar del Pescador, such as Rocherr Gold or caramelised torrija.

If it's not too late and you have a little more time, I recommend you take a stroll around the port of Villajoyosa. Next to it is the promenade, which leads to the centre of the town.

As you can see, there are many things to do in Benidorm during a day. The city offers a very 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's clear that whatever the occasion, Benidorm will always have something perfect for you.