The ultimate guide to Benidorm (without partying) + full itinerary

Benidorm is one of those places we probably all have a preconceived idea of. I know I did before I went. I imagined it would involve being surrounded by hen and stag do’s, a very brits abroad feel, and there wouldn’t be much to explore.

I’m going to tell you now how wrong I was. After spending four days in Benidorm, I feel like I’ve only just scratched the surface of this vibrant city. I was surprised to find nature, beautiful coves to explore, and a phenomenal food scene. I can confidently say that I would visit Benidorm again (and will be!), as it’s the perfect place to have a week of adventures in the sun, and enjoy some really good food!

Our guide for the week, Sergio, said to us when he first met us that there is a Benidorm for everyone, and I can wholeheartedly agree with him.

So, if you’re looking to escape for some sun and adventure, here’s your guide to Benidorm on how to have the perfect holiday!

Where is benidorm

Benidorm is in the Costa Blanca, and you’ll find it on the east coast of Spain, near Alicante.

The reason it’s called Costa Blanca? The region is known for its beautiful white beaches, and they are gorgeous! The sea here is also crystal clear, and there’s a good reason why.

Benidorm is committed to environmental protection and have multiple ecological projects running. One of those was the POSIMED project, which was all about preserving the Posidonia meadows, which is why the sea in Benidorm is crystal clear.

How to get to Benidorm

There’s to Benidorm, as you fly to Alicante Airport and then it’s around 1 hour to Benidorm.

Want to may it super easy? If you book flights to Benidorm with Jet2 and have a holiday to Benidorm with Jet2Holidays, not only is your 22kg luggage included, it also includes transfers to your hotel, so you can be in holiday mode from the moment you step into the airport!

I flew from Stansted Airport, which was surprisingly easy to get to as you can get the train directly into the station (I love not having to worry about parking at the airport!). It’s definitely worth checking out flights from Stansted airport as it’s so east to get to (even from the north of England!).

Where to stay in Benidorm

There are so many hotel options in Benidorm, to suit every budget and type of holiday you’re looking for.

If you’re looking for a relaxing holiday, next to the old town, in walking distance of everything and right by the beach? Then Barcelo Beach Benidorm is the perfect place for you!

The vibe of this hotel is perfect – it’s relaxing, it’s cool and it’s very instagrammable. It’s right on the beach front, and most of the rooms have at least a side view to the sea – and this was my favourite place to sit in a morning!

The beds were really comfortable, and the rooms have lots of room. I especially loved the little vanity area – the perfect place to get ready for a day of adventures, and an evening of good food and cocktails.

Don’t worry about the breakfast buffet – there are so many different options here. My favourites? The fresh egg station where you can get omelettes, fried eggs and fresh pancakes!! It was a joy waking up each morning knowing this was how I was starting my day.

You can also book Barcelo Beach Benidorm with Jet2Holidays so your 22kg of luggage and transfers are all included!

Long Weekend Guide to Benidorm

Sometimes all you need is a long weekend in the sun. And sometimes you can find some really good last-minute holidays which are perfect for this! So if you’re heading to Benidorm for a long weekend, and wanting to have some adventures and good food, here is your guide to Benidorm.

Day one

You’ve landed in Alicante Airport and ready to start your holiday. And what’s a better way to start than with some incredible tapas?

Restaurante Ulia has gorgeous views of Poniente beach, and is the perfect place to sit back, enjoy some delicious food, and get yourself into holiday mode. The restaurant has been here for over 40 years, and you can expect fresh seafood here, and really traditional tapas.

We had tuna salad, ham and béchamel croquettes, and the biggest chicken paella I’ve ever seen! All of it was delicious, and the staff were so friendly here. However the standout dish for me was the calamari. It was light and crispy and oh so fresh. Genuinely the best calamari I’ve had!

Cycle tours of Benidorm

Something I didn’t know was that Benidorm has some incredible nature areas. The Sierra Helada Natural Park is 8km of clifftop views, hidden coves and a perfect cycle path to make it easy to explore.

We hired e-bikes with Tao Bikes, who are based in the centre of Benidorm. We went from Benidorm’s Levante Beach and luckily for us, easily went up the steep hills to the Sierra Helada Natural Park. Having an e-bike made it so easy and meant you weren’t out of breath and could enjoy the views. We stopped a few times en route at different viewing points, and it was stunning.

I’m not a natural bike rider – in fact, I get quite scared about it! But e-bikes made it super easy to do, and I actually really enjoyed it. Not something you typically think of doing in Benidorm, but it was brilliant to see the breathtaking views of the sea and the city.

Exploring Tapas Alley

Benidorm has some incredible places to eat, and I feel like I only scratched the surface with the food scene here. But if you only take one recommendation from this guide to Benidorm, it’s to take a visit to Tapas Alley.

This little alley that is just off the main pedestrian zone of Benidorm Old Town is pure magic. It’s vibrant, full of people laughing and enjoying their evenings, and smells of the most delicious food. It’s a food lovers heaven.

Whether you sit at one of the bars and choose some Pinchos, or you sit and choose some incredible tapas dishes, including the famous broken eggs.

We ate at La Taperia Aurrera and I can’t recommend it enough. The dishes we shared were;

• Iberian Cured Ham
• Padron Peppers
• Broken eggs with Iberian ham
• Beef sirloin
• Brie and jam Pincho
• French Toast with toffee sauce
• Basque style cheesecake
• Orange mousse
• Chocolate brownie

It’s safe to say we were all incredibly full after this feast, and every single thing was incredible. The broken eggs is something I’ve never had before, and seems to be traditional to the area. Once it arrives (beautifully presented), you mix it all up and whilst it ends up looking a bit of a mess, it’s so flavoursome and really enjoyable.

Day two

Kayaking around the coast of Benidorm

After exploring the paths of the Sierra Helada Natural Park yesterday, today we’re exploring the coast line of the same area. We spent an hour kayaking Benidorm Bay with Captain Kayak, and on our tour, El Capitan told us all about the coast line, and shared his Benidorm with us.

We got to see up close just how clear the sea is here, and paddle into the coves and see up close the hidden caves (that are perfect for parking up and having a picnic!)

The best way to see the Benidorm Coast line

If you’re wanting to look and feel really cool, and see Benidorm in a different way, then why not give Jet Skiing a go! It’s safe to say this is an exhilarating way to start your day, and I don’t think I’ve been that scared in a long time.

We went in pairs, one drove to Benidorm Rock and then we switched over, and the other drove back. It’s a great way to see Benidorm Rock, and you see the coast line in a different way as well.

Whilst it was terrifying, it was also so much fun! Driving is far easier than I thought it would be and you follow your guide for the route.

We booked this with Carlos Watersports and they’re based on the main beach and they have a boat which takes you to the Jet Ski’s (you do have to walk/swim to the boat which is slightly farther out but it’s easy to get to!)

The best place to have lunch in Benidorm

D-Vora Restaurant is in the Old Town, and has stunning views of Benidorm and the coast. As soon as you walk in, a calmness washes over you (which is needed after a very active morning!).

It’s a true experience coming to D-Vora, and one thing I loved here was not only how friendly the staff are, but how knowledgeable and passionate they are about the food, wine and area of Benidorm. It really enhanced the dining experience and I loved it.

Now onto the food, which was incredible. We shared a few starters, and then chose a main meal each and here’s what I had;

• Homemade bread with Alicante olive oil
• Astorga cured meat with foie, honey & pistachio.
• Chicken Ceaser Salad
• Seafood pasta

There’s only one word for this meal. Devine. Every single thing was so full of flavour, cooked to perfection and balanced perfectly.

If you’re having a glass of wine with your meal, I really recommend the Mendoza Rose – it’s a local winery and is a really pale rose and just perfection.

how to relax in benidorm

After a full on morning, it’s time to relax. The beaches here are beautiful, and perfect for relaxing. Along the beach, there was a big covered area with people playing chess, and even a little library for you to find your next beach read.

If you’re staying at Barcelo Beach Benidorm, there’s a rooftop pool and bar for you to enjoy. The pool isn’t huge, but it’s perfect for relaxing around, with one of the cocktails or mocktails that they have on offer.

The old town is beautiful to explore. I also loved Plaça del Castell aka the Balcony of the Mediterranean. It splits the two beaches of Benidorm – Levante and Poniente beaches and offers some of the most beautiful panoramic views of the bay and the city. It is the ruins of the fortress that was built there, and is now one of the most iconic places in Benidorm.

The best time to visit is in the morning, for sunrise, as it’s so quiet at this time, and you can see pink candy floss skies!

Or maybe you decide to explore the Benidorm strip, go in search of the filming locations of the TV series, and see the side of Benidorm that you more typically see.

There’s no right way to do Benidorm, but there is so much this beautiful city!

Day three

The best jeep tour you’ll ever do

I love a good jeep tour, they’re always so much fun! Our driver, Crazy Frank, picked us up from our hotel to take us on an incredible adventure. We quickly realised why he was called Crazy Frank – he knew how to off road, and his catch phrase of “bumpy bumpy” was the phrase of the day!

As well as off roading, he took us to the highest viewing point of Benidorm, La Crus Benidorm – or the Cross of Benidorm. This large cross looms over the city and the views from here are incredible – you get a 360 degree view of the sea, the city and the mountains.

There are also some really cool walking routes from here, which I’d love to go back and explore.

From here, we went through Benidorm and then up towards the mountains – through villages and towns, past orange and avocado trees and on our off roading adventure. I don’t think I’ve laughed as much as I did on this tour, and it’s certainly one way to wake yourself up in the morning!

Our jeep tour ended at Bodegas Enrique Mendoza where we said adiós to Crazy Frank.

wine tasting in Benidorm

Bodegas Enrique Mendoza is a local winery and is a 15 minute drive from Benidorm.

The main vinyard isn’t at the winery, however they have some of the original vines, as well as show you how they bottle and barrel the wine, before taking you over to the gorgeous tasting area.

There were 6 wines to try – one white, one rose and four reds – as well as a charcuterie board. On the board were meats and cheeses that would amplify the flavour profiles of each wine.

Our guide really knew what she was talking about and it was really interesting to hear about the history of the wine and how it’s made.

Where to eat on Levante Beach, Benidorm

Urban Beach is on the main promenade of Levante Beach, and whilst it looks nothing from the outside, inside is home to a gorgeous restaurant with some delicious food.

For lunch, we had;

• Ceaser Salad
• Croquettes
• Beef Bao Bun
• Lemon sorbet

Ot was delicious, and the beef bao bun was incredible, even though I was full I couldn’t stop because it was so rich in flavour!

It’s definitely the perfect place to relax for lunch after a morning of adventuring!

Where to get incredible cocktails with a rooftop view of the city in Benidorm

I’m pretty sure we found the best rooftop bar in Benidorm.

Selvatico Rooftop Bar is a vibe. With its DJ, stunning views over the sea and old town, and gorgeous cocktails – it’s the perfect way to end a holiday in Benidorm.

I had the Clover Club cocktail (gin, raspberries, lemon juice and egg white) and it was a perfectly fruity cocktail to enjoy as we watched the sunset.

This is where to get an unforgettable meal in benidorm

For Dinner, we ate at Exotico, which is in the same hotel as the rooftop bar, making it very easy to go between the two.

On the weekends (and in the summer weekdays as well), there are shows here as well, but for us it was just dinner, and just dinner was a show in itself.

As soon as you entered Exotico, it felt cool and you just knew that you were in for a treat. For dinner, I had;

• Marinated red tuna tataki with citrus and orange peel, truffle, roasted cherry tomato and ponzu
• Pan Bao of low temperature veal cheek, tzatziki, herb hummus and pickled onion
• Monkfish
• Cheese cake

It was out of this world incredible. I’m not someone who really likes tuna, but I can’t stop thinking about that tuna starter, and it’s been a week already! The monkfish came with this creamy sauce, and it just melted in your mouth. There were grilled artichokes on the side, and they brought a really nice crunch to the dish.

This meal really was unforgettable, and somewhere I would definitely visit next time I come to Benidorm!

Final thoughts on Benidorm

Benidorm is so much more than you think it is. There is a rich history here, the nature trails are spectacular and the food scene here is out of this world. I really hope this guide to Benidorm has changed your mind!

It actually makes me sad to think some people only think and sea Benidorm as a place to go and get drunk and have a 24/7 party on the strip. There’s so much more to the city than that – yes it’s there, and yes it’s a party, but there really is something for everyone here.

Trust me, give Benidorm a try, and go off the beaten track slightly, and you’ll be amazed at what you can find here!

Got some Benidorm recommendations? Share them in the comments! And If you’re looking for more travel guides, click here. For my foodies, we have so many food guides (and recipes!) in the food section, and if you’re looking for more everyday adventure inspo, make sure to follow me on instagram!

This post is written in collaboration with Jet2  however all views and opinions are my own