Hi Frank!

We've just returned from Benidorm (been going since our first visit 5 years ago). We've done the Cross a couple of times, and well worth it too. If you walk along the Levante Front, right until the end (past McDonalds) and take the steps at the side of Hotel Lido, keep heading up and its pretty straight forward from there. You pass some lovely villa's on the way, and once you get to the top, the views are amazing! Take plenty of water! We did it early in the morning (around 7.30 am) and stopped for a coffee at the last restaurant along the front before our trek! Apparently this year, the Mariano's snack bar (opposite the cable ski) are doing breakfasts for 2E, haven't been though, so can't comment on the food!
We've also walked the Poniente sea front.............lovely and such a contrast once you get off the promenade onto the quite road adjacent to the sea. If you haven't visited for ten years, you will be very impressed with the new, colourful promenade!
We also did Finestrat......had a taxi there, as it was early evening, very hot and we were going for a meal. We ate at the recommended Molly Malones, which was excellent, overlooking the bay, good choice of food and very reasonably priced. If you choose to go , I would recommend booking a table (and ask for one outside on the front). From there, it's a lovely walk back, up a hill, down some steps, then a lovely stroll back along the Poniente.
We also visited new bars and had a fantastic time.....I'm getting all depressed now.....and wishing I was back (and I've only been home a week!)
Have a fantastic time, and if you get to do the bike ride and the island, please let me know what its like.......they're on our list for next year!
Best Regards
Elaine

Thanks for the route Elaine. I thought it was somewhere in that direction but wasn't too sure of the details. I wasn't too clear I'm afraid - it's not ten years since I last went to Benidorm but it's ten years since I first went. From what I've seen of the Poniente side it looks lovely.

I'm looking forward to the island trip for the opportunity of getting a different view of Benidorm.

Don't forget, you can always go on Google Street View for your Benidorm fix! Photos seem to have been taken between 2007 and 2010 judging by the area around the Square on Calle Gerona.

Hi Frank, enjoy trying your new things to do.
We have been going to Benidorm for 11 years now and always try to have a list of new things to do on each visit. We have done the Theme Parks and days out on the train. We always try to try a new bar every day. Belive it or not our new things to try are the bars with entertainment on, tried a few when our son was younger but he got bored so we haven`t realy done many of them but now hes older we can try them all Can`t wait to go back and get started.

Just goes to show that it will take you lifetime to see everything in Benidorm.

Cheers Christine. I'm even trying to plan which ones to go into. I may even come up with some more things to do yet.

Frank, we went a few years ago with some friends,it was their first time and we told them how reasonable the food and drink was. They couldn`t belive it and we spent the week sampling the drinks, we set a challenge to see who could get the cheapest round in and who could get the dearest. They bet us on both challenges but it was fun.

Cheapest if i can remember was around £3-£4 in Costa Games 2 (was when euro was first in and everything was mega cheap) I am sure we got a cup of tea, soft drink, a sherry, 2 wines and a short and mixer.

Dearest was £2 each for brandy and coffee but the brandy was so large my friend was very tipsy (it was 11 in the morning though).

Have fun what evers on your list and if you don`t complete them all there`s an excuse to go back again to try again.

Haven't managed to do any of them yet. Downhill bike ride is a.bit too.dear for my finances as it's €37.

We did the train ride to denia last week,was a nice ride and denia is lovely but it took 2 hours each way,there's long term engineering works on for the next 3 or 4 months so there's no train between olla altea and calpe,it's only one stop and there's a bus laid on that takes more or less the exact same route as the train but when you arrive at calpe on the way out,or olla altea on the way back there's a 25-35 minute wait for the next train. we went anyway and actually quite enjoyed the break in the journey,it was 5.75 each return.

If you do go then walk along denia seafront from the port to towards the beach and stop in a tapas restaurant called el morill,amazing food.