Towns of the Costa Blanca – Benidorm and Alicante
One of the most regularly visited regions in the whole of the European country of Spain is the Costa Blanca, which is located in the south-east of the country on the beautiful Mediterranean coastline, the Costa Blanca is completely within the province of Alicante which in turn is part of the Communidad de Valencia.
The Costa Blanca coast is lined with lovely seaside resorts and the whole area is renowned for its superb, golden sandy beaches. Two of the most popular towns along this busy coastline are the vibrant and brash resort of Benidorm and the capital city of the province, Alicante.
Benidorm is the biggest and the most visited seaside resort on the Costa Blanca by a long way, and in fact welcomes more holidaymakers than any other coastal resort in Europe, with over four million heading for Benidorm every year, many returning again and again, for there is so much to see and do in the town. Benidorm is located between Valencia and Alicante and is very easily accessible from Alicante (El Altet) airport (around thirty minutes drive) or also by way of Valencia airport (somewhat further). Benidorm is especially popular for its varied and busy nightlife scene, its wide, golden, sandy beaches, its fine old town and its amazing theme parks. Benidorm has long been associated with ‘lager lout’ types but if you keep away from the main pub district, this need never affect your stay, in any case Benidorm has much more to offer than just its nightlife.
Even so, Benidorm nightlife is second to none, with a varied selection on offer, from friendly ‘English’ style pubs and tiny Spanish style tapas bars to sensational cabaret shows at venues like the Benidorm Palace with top acts and entertainers on show. If you are looking for comedy, adult entertainment, magicians, hypnotists or just a decent live singer, you will find it all in Benidorm.
The fabulous beaches of this resort stretch for many kilometres and the two primary ones are Playa Levante and Playa Poinente, there is plenty of room for sun worshippers but they can still get very hectic during the hot summer months, so to claim the best spots, be sure to arrive early. Benidorm weather is warm and sunny all year round with over 300 days of sunshine each year, so it is an ideal resort for a winter break. The fantastic Benidorm theme parks which are worth a visit on their own merit comprise the Terra Mitica, Aqualandia, Mundomar and the Terra Natura Safari Park. There are a great selection of Benidorm hotels to choose from, so you should have no difficulty in finding accommodation, there are also plenty of privately owned apartments and villas to choose from, so have a good look around before deciding.
The capital city of the Costa Blanca is Alicante, which has a distinguished and interesting past. The second largest city in the Valencian Community it has a population of around 300,000 and a history stretching back the the fourth century BC. Originally settled by the Greeks, Alicante was later occupied by Iberians, Romans, Visigoths and Moors, before returing again to Christianity in the 14th Century. One of the best known landmarks in Alicante is the amazing Santa Barabara Castle, dating from the 9th Century, and one of the biggest medieval fortresses in Europe, it looks down on Alicante from its lofty position high on the nearby Mount Benacantil. The vast majority of visitors to the Costa Blanca arrive at Alicante airport and this fine airport has good road and motorway links to most of the other towns and resorts plus Alicante also has a railway line running to Denia and known locally as the ‘Lemon Train’, this serves many of the Northern Costa Blanca resorts. The Costa Blanca itself takes in around 200 km of beautiful coastline, and extends roughly from Pilar de la Horadada in the south to Gandia in the north, it also has a large hinterland with regions of mountains, sierras, plains and Natural Parks. This part of the coast has been important for the production of salt since Roman times and the salt lakes at Torrevieja, La Mata, Calpe and Santa Pola being of particular importance, the Romans used salt as a currency and it was known as ‘white gold’, the Romans were also responsible for many of the roads and agricultural systems, later taken over by the Moors.
If you are visiting Spain or the Costa Blanca soon be sure not to miss two of its finest towns Benidorm and Alicante.