What are the shops like in Benidorm, and where do I find things?

Where can I replace prescription glasses or sunglasses?

At an optician in town. There are several, and one 2025 visitor paid €180 for an eye test, a pair of distance glasses and a pair of sunglasses. Take your prescription or your old glasses, and ask on day one so they're ready before you leave. For reading glasses and reading sunglasses, regulars point to the stall in the indoor market and the many similar stalls on the Sunday market, at similar prices. The bazaar shops on Avenida del Mediterráneo sell cheap sunglasses and clip-on lenses, though clip-ons can be clunky.

Is the Old Town good for shoes, or should I go to Alicante?

The Old Town is good for shoes. It has a run of shoe shops, and in 2024 a visitor confirmed a branded trainer store there was still open, with other shops stocking the same brand. For one Spanish women's brand, a 2026 visitor checked the maker's website and found two official stockists in Benidorm, so look before you trek to Alicante. Smart leather men's shoes at a fair price are where Alicante comes into its own. Sandals get noticeably cheaper after the summer peak.

Where can my friend find bigger sizes?

This comes up every year, and the honest answer is that the small boutiques mostly don't stock them. The best bets are the outdoor market on Wednesday and Sunday, and the chain stores at the La Marina shopping centres past La Cala. Bus line 2 runs there from Rincón de Loix, Levante and Poniente about every 20 minutes. For a bigger range, Alicante's department stores are 80 minutes away on TRAM line 1.

Where are the big shops and supermarkets?

At La Marina, past La Cala, where most of the chains are: bus line 2, about every 20 minutes. Line 3 goes to Carrefour from the bus station, the Old Town edge and Poniente. Line 15 runs from Hotel Bali to the shopping centres hourly. For gifts, gadgets and the odd thing you've forgotten, the Ale Hop shops, with the cow outside, are a regulars' tip.

What should I bring from home anyway?

Anything personal you depend on: prescription glasses, contact lenses (unusual strengths are hard to find), regular medication and creams, and the right plug adaptors. One 2026 visitor found a cream easier to order online than to find in town. Wellies are hard to find in summer; a regular suggests cheap plastic sandals for wet days instead.