Benidorm practical guide: tourist tax, GHIC, hospital and beach rules
The things UK visitors ask before they go: is there a tourist tax, does the GHIC work, where is the hospital, and what can you be fined for on the beach.
Checked 14 Oct 2026.
Tourist tax
None. The Valencian regional tourist tax was passed in 2022 but repealed in November 2023, before it took effect. The regional government said in March 2026 it plans no new tax this term. A bill to bring it back was tabled in May 2026, so we check this every month.
Sources: BOE, Decreto-ley 12/2023; ABC, 20 Mar 2026; Las Provincias, 12 May 2026. Checked 14 Oct 2026.
Healthcare and the GHIC
- Carry a UK GHIC, or a UK EHIC that is still in date. It covers medically necessary state healthcare on the same terms as a Spanish resident: free or at reduced cost.
- It does not cover private clinics, and it does not replace travel insurance. It will not pay to fly you home.
- Prescriptions: you pay 50% of the cost (10% if you get a UK State Pension).
- Lost or forgot the card? Call NHS Overseas Healthcare Services on +44 191 218 1999 for a Provisional Replacement Certificate.
- The GHIC is free from the NHS website. Do not pay a third-party site for it.
Source: GOV.UK, healthcare for UK nationals visiting Spain, checked 14 Oct 2026.
Hospital and doctors
- Emergency number: 112.
- The public hospital is Hospital Marina Baixa, Avda. Alcalde En Jaume Botella Mayor s/n, 03570 La Vila Joiosa (Villajoyosa). It is in the next town south, not in Benidorm. Switchboard 966 907 200.
- A&E (Urgencias) is open 24 hours: 966 907 235 or 966 907 236.
- In Benidorm: Centro de Especialidades 966 870 200; health centres La Cala 966 870 400, Foietes 966 870 500 and Racó de l'Oix 966 816 350.
Source: Departamento de Salud Marina Baixa (GVA), checked 14 Oct 2026.
Sunbeds and parasols
€6 a sunbed and €6 a parasol, per day. There are 21 sunbed sectors: Levante 1–10, Poniente 11–20 and Mal Pas 21. Hours are 10:00–18:00 in low season and 10:00–19:00 in high season.
Source: playasbenidorm.es, checked 14 Oct 2026.
Beach rules and fines
| What is banned | Offence | Fine |
|---|---|---|
| Swimming when the red flag is up | Serious | €751–€1,500 |
| Glass bottles or glasses on the beach | Serious | €751–€1,500 |
| Fires, barbecues, gas bottles or cooking | Serious | €751–€1,500 |
| Tents, camping or fixed structures | Very serious | €1,501–€3,000 |
| Buying, selling or drinking alcohol on the beach | Minor | up to €750 |
| Litter, including cigarette ends | Minor | up to €750 |
| Loud music | Minor | up to €750 |
| Ball games or bat-and-ball that bother others | Minor | up to €750 |
| Dogs on the beach | Minor | up to €750 |
| Urinating in the sea or on the beach | Minor | up to €750 |
| Soap or shampoo at the foot showers or in the sea | Minor | up to €750 |
| Buying from unlicensed sellers, massages or photos | Minor | up to €750 |
Source: Benidorm beach ordinance (BOP Alicante, 29 Apr 2009). The council has changed some beach rules since 2009 (for example smoke-free areas on Levante and Poniente from July 2024), so check signs on the beach. Smoking is banned in marked smoke-free areas; we found no fine for it in the ordinance.
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