Benidorm often gets treated as a drive-through — somewhere between Alicante and Calpe, good for a quick look at the skyline before moving on. That’s a mistake. The city earns a full day if you know where to go. Here’s a no-filler route that genuinely fits into daylight hours, whether you’re passing through or making a day trip from Calpe.
The Beaches
Benidorm has two big city beaches, and they couldn’t be more different. Playa de Poniente is the southern one, closer to Altea: wide, backed by a striking wave-patterned promenade designed by a well-known architect, and facing west — this is where people come for sunset. Playa de Levante is the northern beach, the one you’ve seen on postcards, with the Peñón de Ifach visible in the distance and high-rises rising right at the waterline. It faces east, so mornings bring soft light and noticeably fewer people than midday. On a hot day, it makes sense to wrap up beach time by 11am and come back to the water in the evening — Poniente is made for that sunset return.
A rocky headland with a lighthouse connects the two beaches — a short walk, but a scenic one, and worth doing on foot rather than skipping by car.
Old Town and Viewpoints
From the beaches, climb up into the old quarter — a compact maze of narrow streets lined with bars and tapas spots, with the Church of San Jaime marking the highest point. From there it’s a couple of minutes to the Balcón del Mediterráneo, a clifftop viewpoint that takes in both beaches, the port, and the skyline all at once. It’s the most photographed spot in town for good reason — the view is worth the ten-minute walk up. The best time to shoot it is early morning or the hour before sunset, when the sun isn’t hitting the lens straight on and the platform is less crowded.
Right next to it is the fishing port, with boats and a small promenade where you can still feel that Benidorm was a fishing village long before the high-rises arrived.
Where to Walk
If it’s not too hot and you’ve still got a couple of hours of energy, head for Serra Gelada natural park, which starts right behind Playa de Levante and follows the rocky coastline north toward Albir. The trail is marked, runs along the cliff edge with the sea below, and after just 30–40 minutes on foot you start getting the kind of panoramas people drive out to Benidorm specifically for. If you’re up for more, push on to the Albir lighthouse or all the way to Punta del Cavall, where the whole Serra Gelada cliff line comes into view. Wear closed, sturdy shoes for this part — there’s no pavement, and the trail is rocky.
Short on time? Even 20–30 minutes along the start of the trail from Levante already gets you that clifftop view over the city, without committing to the full hike.
Practical Tips
August is the busiest month by far — heat, packed beaches, and queues in the old town from midday into the evening. If your dates are flexible, June or September deliver the same climate with a fraction of the crowds. Whatever the season, it’s worth scheduling the beaches and the Serra Gelada walk for the morning — before the heat and before the main wave of tourists — and saving the old town and Balcón del Mediterráneo for the evening, closer to sunset, when both look better and feel cooler.
Food-wise, there’s nothing to hunt for — tapas bars in the old town and along the promenade run all day, and fresh fish and seafood show up on almost every menu; this is a coastal town, and the food reflects it. If you want to skip the crowds, walk a couple of streets back from the main tourist strips — the food there is usually just as good and noticeably cheaper.
If you’re staying in Calpe and want a day in Benidorm without renting a car or hunting for parking between the high-rises, it’s one of the popular routes we run regularly — including as a stop on the way from Alicante airport (more on the Alicante–Calpe route page). Sorting out the time and price takes 5–10 minutes over WhatsApp or Telegram — no form on the site, just message us where and when.
