Bendorm
 

I have holidayed in the Caribbean and the Greek islands in the last few years but have been given a good deal in Benidorm. I do know that this is a young persons resort but is it also good for a late 40s person who loves socialising and seeing local culture? any help would be much appreciated!!

The BBC ran a series on Brtis in Benidorm, which strikes me as Spain's version of Atlantic City. Did not seem appealing at all, packed with highrise condos and hotels. It definitely catered to the young, particularly young Brits, but there were retirees (older than you) living on the outskirts. Your "good deal" may be in a hotel filled with 20-something Brits who are shouting and partying all night, throwing up all morning, then sleeping on the beach all afternoon. Local culture was there, but given the nonstop onslaught of raucous Brits on holiday, the locals seemed to have gone into hiding or decamped elsewhere.<BR>

thanks, I did think it was too good to be true.Maybe I'll just stick to Crete!!

Hi Frank,<BR>if the good deal is for the next winter months, you will find plenty of old people who go there running away from the cold. <BR>Bye, Cova<BR>

oh boy! what a choice! Full of kids throwing up in the summer and oldies in the winter!!!!I seem to be just the wrong age!!!Is there ANYTHING there for people in their 40s?I'm not into raves and bingo and ballroom dancing!

You can make fun where ever you go. I am 39 now but was there in my 20s and my freind and I almost had a heart atack when we saw all over 70s crowd.<BR>But, we had a great time,and made some fabulous freinds. Our dinner conversation was some of the most memorable ever.<BR>I do recall some great day trips by train.<BR>One was a place called Quadelest(sp) and some nearby towns.<BR>TYhe old section was fun.<BR>The dollar should be strong there, fun and cheap souvenirs<BR>go for it

Benidorm used to be a sleepy fishing village surrounded by rugged mountains but it is now a sort of little Manhattan, a kind of what the Mediterranean area has turned out to be, but it still preserves a cozy small centre, a beautiful viewpoint over the beaches called Balcon del Mediterraneo and things to do almost for everyone. There are plenty of interesting places in the surroundings as the white village of Altea, the picturesque town of Guadalest overlooking the reservoir, Elche and its palm tree gardens unique in Europe, Fuentes del Algar, a nice waterfall inland or Canalobre caves also inland, but not far away. I would get that deal.

anne and pedro<BR>I'm now completely stuck! Your answers were what I was hoping for to begin with. I have NEVER had a bad holiday- instead of whinging I always make the most of them. This is a second holiday as I am already going to the Far East,so maybe I should just go for it!!! If there are some nice places within Benidorm and some excursions to go on then thats a good start! Thanks everyone for the input!!!

Frank, please don't do it. Benidorm is cheap for good reason, and is why it attracts so many gangs of British and German teenagers. It is everything bad about mass tourism packed into one place. The Blackpool of Spain.<BR><BR>Think high rise hotels, building sites, mock English "pubs" serving sausage and chips and all night clubs full of 16 year olds.