Hi there!

We have been visiting Benidorm for the past eight or so years, usually for a fortnight in August.

We are visiting again for a week this year, at the beginning of April..

Last year we went for six days starting 1 April (Easter) You may recall, it was still icy cold back here, soit was a pleasant surprise to get out of the airport and actually feel some warmth!

Our first day was overcast, but warm enough to wear t shirt and shorts. The following days were beautiful, wall to wall sunshine and definitely bikini weather (although the pool was very very cold!!!) Our last day was a little cooler, we had a few spots of rain, but nothing to keep you indoors!

Obviously the evenings were cooler than those in August, but again, pleasant to walk in, and only required a light cardigan/jacket.

The actual Easter weekend was busy, not overly busy, but enough to give the streets and bars a nice atmosphere.

I am not sure where your apartments are, but we stay at The Terralta, on the Poniente side of Benidorm.

You will find lots of lovely restaurants and bars that serve food both in the Old and New Town.

A few of our favourites are Levis Showboat (fab food - 3 courses for 11E and entertainment), De Ja Vue (Old town), Two Palms (Old town). Sherrys (Old town), India Gate (Calle Gerona - start of the new town)...... to name but a few! You will be spoilt for choice where to eat, with the majority of places offering good quality food at a very fair price!

There are obviously lots of bars both in the Old and New Town, many offering entertainment (good entertainment too).

When you arrive, if you pop to the Tourist Information, they usually have a copy of a booklet (think it may be called Around Town, which will give you more info on what is happening during the time you are there, what acts are on where etc.....).

You are only a short bus/train ride away from both Albir and Altea, both pretty places to visit. You can also walk along the Promenade towards the Poniente area and over to La Cala, a beautiful little bay. We have also walked up to The Cross, amazing views from the top, but quite a hike! I am sure there are many people on HT that will have info on other places to visit too.

You will have a great time, Benidorm offers something for everyone, whatever age!

If there is anything else I can help with, just let me know :-)

Happy Holidays

Elaine!

First of all watch TV and laugh at the TV Program but it is not true to Benidorm

Poiente is more Spanish than Levante which is more Tourist based
This map will help http://www.allaboutbenidorm.com/mapadistribucion.php

Get a Vista card from the Tourist Info outside the Flash Hotel or install one on your mobile by saving the picture (saves your Data but lots of bars have free WiFi) http://www.vistacostablanca.com/ is the place to go lots of discounts at restaurants and freebies

There are lots of restaurants with offers too just browse around there are tons of show bars and plenty of places doing 1€ pints and thereby is the one thing that around Thursday lots of Brits arrive on Hen and Stag parties

I am not going to recommend anywhere there are some places we DO like and places we DON'T
We WILL be back for 3 weeks in September but we are bringing out Touring Caravan down as usual

Elaine, thank you so much for taking the time to post a 'mini' guide to Benidorm. There is loads of useful information there, and it has given me some great ideas!

It seems like the Easter holoday will have a bit of a buzz about it, which is great.
We're not really expecting hot weather, but it will be a real bonus if we get some nice warm days.

We will definitely take the bus to the two other resorts that you mentioned, and have a look around.

Really looking forward to it now. Counting down the weeks.

Hope you have a great time on your next trip

Thanks for the map lensman,- very useful.
we are looking at the programme on tv atm, and have watched if from the begining, but yes, i'm sure it bears little resemblance to reality.

The apartments we are staying in are apparently just a few minutes away from the sol pelicanos notel where it is filmed, so i think we'll have to go and take a peek. Lol..

Thanks for all the useful information. Roll on April

suncatcher wrote:

Thanks for the map lensman,- very useful.
The apartments we are staying in are apparently just a few minutes away from the sol pelicanos notel where it is filmed, so i think we'll have to go and take a peek. Lol..

Thanks for all the useful information. Roll on April :cheers

The swimming pool at the back is the one they use but they have finished filming so you will see very little all the inside shots are done in a warehouse

If you want to look at any photo's I have Albums on Facebook and Google +

Gray
Lensman

We've been at Easter, it's just starting to get busy then,
nearly all the bars etc. are open although some don't have
the full entertainment program on.
The Picasso apartments are in Rincon de loix which is
the opposite end to poniente.
They are up a slight hill and not far from the beach.
You will be close to the 3 Vincent's pubs known as the triangle
and close to Calle Londres which has some good bars and eating places.
They are about a 15/20 minute stroll away from "the square" which is where
the main nightlife is.
I would suggest that you wander around in the daytime, read the boards
outside the various bars and see what's on when, then go back to the
ones you fancy.
We have had lots of good holidays in that area but not actually stayed in the Picasso.

Any more questions ask away

There are some excellent restaurants in the Old Town. Two Palms has a very extensive 3 course menu and excellent food for 11 euros. The Vagabond opposite is a step above and the quality of the food is superb. It is run by a French couple, Freddie and Marie. Booking is advised for both places.

Monroe's carvery on Avenida de Europa is often missed and is excellent value for money. The carvery on its own is 4.95 euro, but at the moment they are offering a 3 course meal, including the carvery, a drink and a bottle of wine per person to take away for 11 euro. We avoided it when we first read about it as we thought it was too cheap to be any good. However a friend recommended it and I'm glad they did.

I had read that the Yorkshire Pride did a good roast dinner and that the portions were large. We have avoided as I'm not keen on British bars. However we tried it this trip and I have to admit that it was very good. They serve a Sunday roast of beef, chicken, pork or lamb with 5 fresh veg and do a small or large portion.

You can get the No10 bus to Altea which is a really pretty place for 1.5 euro. For theme parks there is Terra Mitica, Terra Natura, Aqualandia and Mundo Mar.

Elaine, where are Sherry's and De Ja Vue in relation to Carrer de la Palma where Two Palms is?

The reception area shown on screen was shot in the secondary reception of the beuna vista apartments.

luci HT Mod wrote:

Monroe's carvery on Avenida de Europa is often missed and is excellent value for money. The carvery on its own is 4.95 euro, but at the moment they are offering a 3 course meal, including the carvery, a drink and a bottle of wine per person to take away for 11 euro.

I had read that the Yorkshire Pride did a good roast dinner and that the portions were large. However we tried it this trip and I have to admit that it was very good. They serve a Sunday roast of beef, chicken, pork or lamb with 5 fresh veg and do a small or large portion.

You can get the No10 bus to Altea which is a really pretty place for 1.5 euro. For theme parks there is Terra Mitica, Terra Natura, Aqualandia and Mundo Mar.

IF you hire cycles then Altea is easy to reach by bike my 8mph class 3 mobility scooter has no problems getting there

I agree that Monroes is very good and we have bumped into some of the nightime entertainers eating there
Although we tried Yorkshire Pride 3 for breakfast and wasn't impressed (we stay up at the top of the Rincon at one of the campsites) We do enjoy the Mandarin WOK where you can get a three course Chinese with drinks for 4€95c in 2013

We visited Altea in December by bus from Benidorm and, although I thought it a nice resort there was lots of dog poo along the prom

Glynis HT Admin wrote:

We visited Altea in December by bus from Benidorm and, although I thought it a nice resort there was lots of dog poo along the prom :(

Did notice a little but didn't need to do many evasive actions on the scooter but I did notice the Spanish do not pick up dog poo like the British have to

We saw a woman with a Rottweiler who did a dump (Rotty not the woman ) at the far end of the prom where you can walk along a grassy footpath, she didn't pick up the doo doo

Thanks everyone. Feel i know the place already! Don't know if that's a good thing or not

Really looking forward to it though

You can get a good cheap breakfast in Marianos on Calle Gerona. For €2 you get 2 eggs, 2 bacon,2 toast, tomato, mushrooms and a glass of fresh orange. They also do spit roast chickens and there's always lots of them being cooked. Plenty of other dishes too. Bonus is they are open 24 hrs.

I'd try the drop inn or Yorkshire Pride2 for breakfast,
both on calle Londres, close to your apartments.

Thanks rennie. Will give them both a go

Hi Luci

So sorry, have only just been back on this thread, and saw that you asked where Sherry's and De Ja Vue in relation to Two Palms. Sherrys is a little English bar close to the church on the part that juts out separating the Poniente and Levante beaches (where they have little craft stalls in the evening) and De Ja Vue is down one of the little streets off the Walking Street, opposite side to Two Palms.

Going in two weeks. Counting down. Hope the weather is nice for us

My friends are off there on Wednesday and the weather looks good She reminded me that I was with them at the same time last year and we too had sunny days

Have a great time.