For first time visitors who don’t have friends or family in the city, transport in Benidorm is one of their main concerns. It can be a bit overwhelming, especially during the peak summer months, when you first arrive in Benidorm and your senses are assaulted by all the noise, hustle and bustle and high rise buildings. Looked at from above, the city is not as large and confusing as it looks, and the layout of the main roads is pretty simple. It’s the smaller lanes and alleys that interlock the main roads that pose the biggest problem when navigating your way around Benidorm. A good idea is to look at a map of the city and note down some of the main roads running parallel to the beach, as well as running up from the beach; this way if you find yourself lost in a confusing rabbit warren, you will eventually find one of the roads you have noted down and be back on track.
Transport in Benidorm comes in all forms, and a good way to initially get to see some of the highlights, and familiarise yourself with the layout is to take one or both of the city bus tours. These are open top double decker buses and both start the journey in Rincón de L’oix. The first is ”line 30” and mainly journeys through the city centre, Av. del Mediterráneo which is the main road along the beach front, Paseo de Poniente and then Cala de Finestrat. The second is ”line 31” that travels along Av. Ametlla de Mar and also goes through the residential area of Albir and the picturesque town of Altea. There are audio systems in 5 languages providing information about the routes and a single journey costs 5€. Additionally travellers can purchase tourist bus cards that allow you access to all the tour buses as well as the urban transport. These come at discounted rates if compared to single journeys, and can be purchased for unlimited journeys of 24hr, 72hr and 7 days. Note : The validity of these tickets starts from your first journey.
Other forms of transport in Benidorm include bicycle, scooter, motorcycle and car hire. There are also single and double electric mobility scooters, but in recent years these have been abused by people and even groups that have no disability whatsoever. Due to this fact, when hiring one of these you may be asked for proof of your medical condition, and a simple driving disabled badge will not be accepted as proof in most hire companies. A bit of a novelty way of getting about are Segways and ”Go-Ped” type electric scooters which do not require a licence but are not meant to be used on the roads; not that anyone pays attention to this. Also, you will pay for the privilege of hiring one of these, around 20€ per hour!!
If you are staying within the city, walking is by far the best way to explore, and you will discover so many interesting places and hidden little gems that you would otherwise miss when using a vehicle. Av. del Mediterráneo is the main road that is one block up from Levante Beach and runs along its entire length. This is a busy part of the city and the road is lined with countless shops, boutiques, bars and restaurants, making for fierce competition between the various establishments. This is great news for visitors, as it keeps prices down and you can find a pint of beer or glass of wine for as little as 1€ Food is also good value and you will see loads of signs with special offers and great value menu del dia’s (menu of the day)
At the end of Av. del Mediterráneo the two main beaches are separated by the lovely Old Town with its narrow cobbled streets lined with little shops and boutiques. There is also a great choice of bars, restaurants and tapas bars, as well as the famous Tapas Alley, located opposite Queen’s Hotel where you can enjoy these tasty little bites in a number of establishments, some more traditional, and others serving tapas geared more towards the tourist palate. There is so much more to tapas than sardines, olives and chorizo, so be adventurous and try something different. Close to Tapas Alley is the locally named Walking Street, a pedestrianised street that runs through the middle of the Old Town and is Benidorm’s main shopping area where you will find popular high street brands such as Zara and Body Shop. The Old Town is also home to an area of gay bars and clubs known as Gay Village where you can enjoy watching some fantastic drag shows in establishments such as the famous, Rich Bitch. The headland area is where you will find the pretty church of San Jaime with its colourful blue domed roof. Here you can stroll through the Paloma Park to the fluttering of flocks of white pigeons, and enjoy great views over the beaches and sea.
Running alongside the Old Town is Benidorm’s largest park, Parque de L’Aiguera that takes up a good portion of the city, and during the summer months hosts a variety of concerts and live performances. This is a lovely setting for a picnic and the shady trees offer welcome relief from the afternoon sun. At the far end of the park is Benidorm’s Bull Ring and at the other end is the new Town Hall. Along the city’s beaches, and in the marina area visitors can enjoy a selection of exciting water sports, and public transport in Benidorm will take you to a number of the city’s excellent attractions. The most famous of these is the long established Benidorm Palace that makes for a fantastic night out. Here visitors can combine a delicious 4 course meal with a mesmerising show. The menu choices include steak, fish, vegetarian, gluten free and children’s meals. The shows, bands, cabaret acts and solo artists are all top class and you can occasionally see well known international singers and bands performing at the Palace.