Not just a popular Beatles song, but a concept that is emerging
amongst British holidaymakers. It is now so easy to take advantage of
c
heap flights from the UK (to either Valencia or Alicante airports),
cheap hotels or budget
villa rentals in Benidorm and head further out to explore this amazing area.
There are various places along the Costa Blanca to whet anyone's
appetite for virtually anything so here is a selected list of five
places you really must see.
Things to see outside of Benidorm
If you are staying in the city during your trip, or not, it is well
worth a good look around Benidorm at the sights, smells and sounds of a
fascinating, awe inspiring and very quirky place, so much loved by the
hordes of British tourists who come here each year, especially fans of
the TV show "Benidorm".
Here is Mateo's bar, which is at the Sol Pelicanos hotel, near to Levante beach.
The city is by far the
premier destination along
this section of coast and boast the highest hotel in Europe (the gran
hotel Bali) and also has the largest concentration of skyscrapers in
Europe. Not satisfied with that accolade, Benidorm also has the largest
concentration of skyscrapers per square metre outside of New York, which
adds to the feel of a very cosmopolitan city.
Venture out of Benidorm and discover another world
1. Become closer to nature.
A short drive from Benidorm is the natural park of
Serra Gelada (ice mountain)
which is a rugged area on the coast, which rises more than 300
metres over Benidorm, Alfàs del Pì and Altea. This is an amazing place
for many reasons: Tranquillity, nature, fresh air and the most amazing
view that could be had anywhere in the whole of eastern Spain.
The mountain can be climbed on foot and takes around 2 hours but it is for very fit people!
The more "Normal" of us can take various journeys up the mountain by
various means, and there is a even a service where a 4X4 Jeep takes
visitors to the top and then they cycle back down, which has to be said,
does not involve a great deal of pedal power!
2. Scare the hell out of the children.
No, not take them to a dungeon and leave them for the duration, however tempting, but a reference to the areas
theme parks
which are quite amazing, as good as anything you will find in the USA,
and they cater for most tastes, although the thrill seekers get the
golden egg on this occasion.
The main theme parks in the area are
Terra Mitica, a sort of "around the world" themed park,
Aqualandia, a crazy water slide themed park,
Mundomar (which is basically a small version of Sea World), and
Terra Natura, a wildlife themed park, all of which have been seen at some point in the Benidorm TV show.
3. Visit Calpe.
Calpe is a delightful seaside town which is dominated by a large rocky outcrop called the
"penon de lfach" and is often likened to the rock of Gibraltar, although smaller in size.
The town is full of sleepy side streets, lazy tapas bars and 2 lovely
churches which are well worth a visit for some quiet contemplation, or
even just to escape the scorching summer sun! These lovely old Spanish
churches are worth a visit and are quite close to each
other too. They are the Iglesia Antigua and the Iglesia de la Senora de
las Nieves.
A visit to Calpe, a small, beautiful, quaint and traditional place
steeped in History will be very much a highlight on anyone's holiday and
visitors come back time and time again to soak up the real atmosphere.
4. Visit the city of Valencia!
If car hire and driving is not a problem whilst on holiday here, then
venturing a bit further afield, the regional capital city of Valencia
is about an hour and 40 minutes drive north from Benidorm and is a must
see. There are many attractions too, and something for all the family,
such as the quite astounding city of arts and sciences which encompasses
a museum, opera house, 3d cinema and a massive aquarium.
5. Algar Waterfalls.
Lastly, a visit to the Costa Blanca could not really be marked as
complete without a visit to the unspoilt beauty spot of the waterfalls
of Algar, 10km from Albir and situated near the small inland town of
Callosa d'en Sarria.
The weather during the summer time around the Costa Blanca can be
quite a shock for many people and to escape the heat, there is nothing
better than to swim in the crystal clear waters of the algar, which
whatever the weather, always stays very cool and is a great way to
recharge the batteries whilst on holiday.
The site includes a refreshments area, toilets, a picnic area and a small camp site.
A
family holiday to the Costa Blanca
does not need to be just sun, sea and sand. There is so much to do and
see, and the list above is a tiny fraction of the things to do and
places to go whilst visiting eastern Spain.
Source: spain-holiday.com
