Is Benidorm worth it for a first-timer?
Dear Brenda
I've only ever seen Benidorm on the telly, and friends either love it or say they wouldn't go if you paid them. We're thinking of a first trip in late April, landing in the morning. Is it worth it, or is it all lager and fry-ups? Is it safe? And can we get out for a day without paying for an expensive tour?
Yes, late April is a good first go: days average about 19°C, hotels averaged €92 a room in April 2026, about half the August price, and the town is busy without being rammed. It isn't all lager and fry-ups: the British bars are real, around Calle Gerona and Rincón de Loix, but the Old Town has tapas on Calle Santo Domingo, Poniente feels Spanish and calm, and most visitors say Benidorm is as lively or as quiet as you choose. It's safer than its reputation: about 44.5 crimes per 1,000 people in town in 2025, mostly phone and bag theft, so keep your phone off tables and walk past the shell game on the prom. And yes, a day out is cheap without a tour: TRAM line 9 reaches Altea in about 15 minutes, bus 10 goes to Albir and Altea for €2.00, and the boat to Benidorm Island is €22 return. Landing in the morning, drop your bags and walk up to the Balcón del Mediterráneo in the Old Town for your first look at both beaches.
Who the regulars recommend
- The Old Town and the Balcón del MediterráneoThe first thing to see: the lookout between Levante and Poniente, with tapas on Calle Santo Domingo behind it.
- La Cava Aragonesa, Old TownA pinchos bar on Plaza de la Constitución since 1980, and the place to prove Benidorm isn't all fry-ups.
- VillajoyosaVisitors call it a short tram ride and well worth a visit; bus 54 goes there every 30 minutes too.
- Altea and AlbirAltea's old town is 15 minutes up the tram line; visitors call Albir lovely. Bus 10 serves both for €2.00.
- DéniaVisitors rate it as a great trip out on the tram: line 9, about 81 minutes each way.
- GuadalestThe hilltop village inland is the trip most people book; a coach tour is simplest as buses are few.
Watch out for
- Walk past the shell game on the promenade; the council says it is not a game.
- Keep phones off café tables and bags off chair backs; most crime here is theft.
- Leave gold chains and jewellery in the hotel safe, especially for promenade walks.
- Pay for sunbeds only at the official kiosks (about €6); fake sellers charge more.
- Late at night, stick to the main streets rather than quiet side streets, as you would at home.
Is it really like the TV show?
Parts of it, and only if you want it to be. The British bars, tribute acts and all-day breakfasts are real, and plenty of people come for exactly that. But the Old Town has tapas bars and the Balcón del Mediterráneo, and Poniente is calmer. In September 2026 British guests were 43.5% of hotel guests, with Spanish guests close behind at 34.8%. It isn't only us.
Is it safe?
Yes, for a normal holiday, if you mind your phone and bag. Benidorm recorded 44.5 crimes per 1,000 people actually in town in 2025, counting visitors, against 84.7 per 1,000 residents in England and Wales. The two count crime differently, so it's a guide, not a ranking. Most of it is theft: phones on tables, bags on chairs, gold chains on the prom. Pay for sunbeds only at the official kiosks, about €6.
Which part of town suits a first-timer?
Decide what a good evening looks like, then pick the area. A show and a singalong: Levante or Rincón de Loix, close to the bars. Tapas and a stroll: the Old Town or the Poniente end. A quieter beach and bigger views: La Cala. Visitors give first-timers the same advice again and again: say what you like, whether it's quiet beaches, bingo or walking, and the advice gets much better.
Can we get out for the day without a tour?
Easily, and cheaply. TRAM line 9 runs north every hour: Altea in about 15 minutes, Calpe in 36 and Dénia in 81. Bus 10 goes to Albir and Altea every 20 minutes for €2.00, and bus 54 runs to Villajoyosa every 30 minutes. Boats leave the harbour below the Old Town for Benidorm Island from 10:00, €22 return. For Guadalest and the Algar waterfalls a coach trip is simplest: from £29 to £40 depending on the booking site when we checked.
What will it cost, and do I need cash?
Less than you'd think outside summer, and some cash helps. Hotels averaged €92 a room in April 2026 and €175 in August 2026. Visitors in 2025 still said cash is king in some bars, and some set a minimum spend for cards, which must be shown before you order. Carry some euros, but keep most of it in the hotel safe.
What the regulars say
- Never play the shell game on the promenade; walk past.
- Say what you enjoy before asking where to go; Benidorm suits most tastes in different streets.
- Book trips at a shop in the resort or online, but compare prices first.
- Carry a few euros: some bars set a minimum spend for card payments.
- Pack a layer for April evenings; nights average about 13°C.
The numbers
| What | Figure | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Average hotel room, April | €92 | benidorm.co.uk/cheapest-time-to-go (INE, Apr 2026), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| April day / night average | 19.3°C / 12.7°C | benidorm.co.uk/weather (2016–2025 averages), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Crimes per 1,000 people present, Benidorm | 44.5 | benidorm.co.uk/is-benidorm-safe (Ministerio del Interior, INE 2025), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| British share of hotel guests, Sept 2026 | 43.5% (Spanish 34.8%) | benidorm.co.uk/cheapest-time-to-go (HOSBEC, 5 Oct 2026), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| TRAM line 9, Benidorm to Altea | about 15 min | benidorm.co.uk/buses-and-trams, checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Local bus, single ride | €2.00 | benidorm.co.uk/buses-and-trams, checked 15 Oct 2026 |
| Benidorm Island boat, return | €22 | benidorm.co.uk/boat-trips (harbour operator), checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Guadalest + Algar day trip | from £29 to £40 | benidorm.co.uk/excursions, checked 14 Oct 2026 |
| Airport coach (ALSA) | €7.99, about 45 min | benidorm.co.uk/alicante-airport-to-benidorm, checked 14 Oct 2026 |
Reader figures are what visitors reported in that year. We have not checked them ourselves unless the source says so.
Your other questions, answered
2026First time in Benidorm: where do we start?
Walk the prom from Levante to the Old Town on day one, then pick your area by the evening you want: shows in Levante and Rincón de Loix, tapas in the Old Town, calm in Poniente.
2026Can you book trips in the resort, or is it all online?
Both. There are travel shops in the resort, including one in Rincón de Loix, and the big booking sites. Compare first: the same Guadalest trip ranged from £29 to £40 on 14 Oct 2026.
2026Ideas for a day out in late April?
Altea by tram in 15 minutes, Villajoyosa by bus 54, or Benidorm Island by boat from 10:00 for €22 return.
2026Is it worth going to Benidorm?
For most people, yes, if you choose the part of town that suits you. Late spring and autumn give the best value.
2025Is cash still king in Benidorm?
Cards are widely taken, but some bars set a minimum card spend, which must be shown before you order. Carry some euros for small rounds.
2025Short trips out of Benidorm without a car?
TRAM line 9 runs hourly to Albir, Altea, Calpe (36 min) and Dénia (81 min), and bus 54 goes to Villajoyosa every 30 minutes.
2025A friend was robbed of gold jewellery: how do we stay safe?
Leave gold in the safe, keep to main streets late at night and keep your phone in a front pocket. If anything happens, the SATE police office for tourists at the top of Calle Gerona takes reports in English.
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