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Benidorm is a major city lying along the Costa Blanca, about 45 km north of Alicante, in Valencia, Spain. Home to over 65,000 people, it is the fifth most populous town in the Alicante province. However, outside of Spain, the popularity of Benidorm is borne out of the fact that it is one among the much sought after tourist resorts along the Mediterranean coast. Despite its modern look and feel, the city is synonymous with night life and beaches, and a popular vacation hotspot. The mild weather is another factor that attracts lots of tourists to Benidorm.

Benidorm was a small village until the beginning of the 1960s. That was when the earlier waves of tourism industry started to caress the quite settlements in and around Alicante. Once the pace was set, Benidorm's transformation from a sleepy village to a bustling tourist center was almost sudden, and soon the town was hosting thousands of vacationers and beach goers, whose numbers only increased with the every passing year, to the point where it is today. According to tourist statistics, every year during summer, the population of Benidorm swells to over 1.5 million, a million of them tourists from different parts of Europe, especially Britain.

As mentioned already, the major attractions of Benidorm are its sandy beaches and the thrilling nightlife that not many towns in Spain can claim to have. The three major beaches in Benidorm are Poniente, Levante, and Mal Pas, all with a blue flag, the best quality standard recognized by the European Union. The Poniente and Levante beaches are about 5km in length. However, since a heavy traffic road passes by Poniente, the scene can be a bit noisy. Hence, if you are looking for a quiet and relaxing bath by the sun, opt for Playa de Levante. Regarding nightlife, the city has over 30 discos and 1000 odd restaurants; the entertaining mix of good food and leg tapping music, party lovers can have it in plenty in Benidorm.

Other Benidorm attractions include the casco antiguo - the old Benidorm city center  Terra Mitica, the theme park, the animal park Terra Natura, Mundomar Park, and Aqualandia Water Park. The latter two are located on the Lavente side, at the city outskirts, while the Terra' parks are located at the foothills, outside Benidorm town limits. For golf lovers, there are few top class golf courses in and around Benidorm. The yearly Benidorm International Song Festival is a major event in the town. Try not to miss it if you are in the town during the occasion.

The best mode of transport in Benidorm is by car. You could hire a car for rent during your stay in the town. Alicante is the nearest airport. It has connections to all parts of Spain and Europe. From the airport to Benidorm, one can either go by car or bus, or can take the narrow gauge railway. Alicante is connected to Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona, or Seville by daily bus and train services.


Lee Smith writes about Benidorm in Spain.
Benidorm