Бенидорм и Аликанте – бюджетный потрясающий отдых для пар и семей Benidorm and Alicante - Amazing Budget Holidays for Couples and Families

Part 1. Benidorm

I was not just there, I lived in Benidorm, in my apartment, and in Alicante - Benidorm was sold, bought in Alik. But I’ll tell you as a traveler, especially since a couple I know works as realtors, and I’m a teapot (or coffee pot) in this.

Before buying an apartment in Benidorm, I got acquainted with both the photo and the map for a long time, then my husband and I decided. While we were completing the paperwork, we lived at the Princessa RH hotel - this is a chain of good 4-star hotels.

I’ll say right away: for tourists, the Costa Blanca, if you want to relax on a budget, is the best option. Here you can find apartments at very modest prices, and in supermarkets, the prices please our compatriots, and the quality of the products is incomparable. And wine. . . Cola is more expensive!

Levante Beach

Benidorm, built in the 70s "Spanish New York", is the only city in Spain where all the skyscrapers are solid. Since there are many apartments for a small town, prices are falling. There are, of course, cooler ones, on the very shore or in the English quarter, but I am writing about budget housing. Since the city is stretched along the sea, no matter where in the city you choose accommodation, in a maximum of 15 minutes you will get to one of the two beaches, Levante, the largest and most popular, or Poniente, smaller, but those who love a relaxing holiday, the second will like it more .

The advantages of more distant houses - several houses form their own "comunidad" with infrastructure. Very often it includes a playground, a shady alley, parking and - oh, a miracle! - swimming pool. Once we arrived in July, and we are not early birds, and the sun did not let go to the beach until 6 pm. Umbrellas for 6 euros and sunbeds for 4 (and there are two of us, so already 8 euros) I do not respect, and my own flimsy ones do not give me the shade I need. Therefore, they spent this hot vacation, lying under olives and magnolias on the beach of "their" Olympic-sized pool. When they went to the sea, people were already returning from it.

Nearby, at 1000m and 400m, there were two giant supermarkets - the famous Mercadona, and another Gigamarket, so we did not go hungry. At 7 pm, there is a complete cacophony on the main promenade - dressed-up ladies with necklaces and shiny clutches are already walking before dinner, and right there - beachgoers in pareos and slippers, and sometimes even with mattresses and other watercraft.

If you do not live near the sea, all paths will lead you to the Old Town with narrow shopping streets, cafes, and one small square on the cape, left over from the 17th century. They mostly take selfies there.

The beaches are clean, white sand. I prefer Crimean pebbles, but the Spanish coast didn't ask me. But it is comfortable to lie on towels.

A little about the predilection of the British for Benidorm. Many have accommodation there, many come for the "drunk week end" - before Brexit, flights from England (I don't know from which airport, maybe from several) scurried around like trams. English Quarter - end of Levante beach - should be visited at any time, but not in the evening - it smells bad. . .

Somehow, walking along the sea, I was in the sand at the very walking path....I saw a corpse in the sand. The corpse belonged to a woman with her nose in the sand, in a black evening dress, with a string of pearls and a closed clutch, that is, she, apparently, was not robbed. A little far away, a hundred meters away, a drunken company of young compatriots was having fun. They saw the corpse, but they were in no hurry to help drag it into the shade or call the police. Noon, the very sun, and THIS lies. I turned the woman over, not without apprehension; her bleary eyes stared at me blankly. In English, I offered to help her move into the shade, closer to the sea. My husband nodded in agreement, saying that he would help to drag. But the lady objected:

-I'm fine? - and again dived into the sand with her nose.

By the way, about vacationers and the sun. From childhood we were taught to wear panama hats, then caps, baseball caps and elegant wicker hats. So, I did not see a single English child with a covered head on the shore. I just wanted to buy panama hats in a nearby shop and nail them to children's heads, But they have their own parents with pounds, so this is their own business. That's enough about the British, but you can watch the TV series "Benidorm" translated into Russian.

Let's move on to food. You need to eat away from the promenade, in narrow streets. As soon as you see that in some open - and in the summer they are all open - there are a lot of people in the cafe - sit down. This is a sign that the food here is inexpensive, but tasty. The portions, as in all of Spain, are huge, so first order one for two, and then decide if you need to order anything else. If you live a 10-minute walk from the beach, "far" by local standards, you will definitely find a grill-type cafe with all conceivable meat dishes (but not fish) at ridiculous prices. You can eat there in the cafe, you can take it home and heat it up in the microwave. Locals gather in the cafe, so it's more fun there. During the day, such places work unpredictably - either magnana or siesta, the two sacred cows of Spain, but from 7 pm until late they are always open.

There are, like everywhere else, religious and other holidays, but you need to rest at this time and be aware of them.

Next, I'll tell you about the sights between Benidorm and Alicante. This is a separate interesting topic.

Here I added a few more photos from Benidorm, and now let's move on to two parks: Terra Natura and Aqua Natura

Terra Natura and Aqua Natura Parks

Terra Natura Zoo is a modern arboretum that uses "Zooimmersió n" technology. For those who are ignorant of the terminology (I myself am) - the maximum is provided with animals, barriers and protective structures are practically invisible . . The park has an area of ​ ​ ​ ​ as many as 320 thousand square meters. inhabited by animals and birds from 4 thematic zones: the entrance to the park proper, Pangea, America and Asia. Trees and shrubs also correspond to the zone.

Be sure to take your children with you, this is truly an unforgettable experience. If you're lucky, you can get to the performance with animals and birds. The flora and fauna are impressive, and to be even closer to nature, buy a bag of grain or other food for 1 euro, then you can feed the birds and animals. Signs are posted where this is not allowed. It is also written in Spanish, English (but not in Russian) that you can’t knock on the glass to the birds, they are nervous. And really, the line to the arboretum in the summer is wow, there are a lot of you if everyone knocks. . .

You will have to walk for a long time, in the sun put on hats or pour cold water on your head from bottles, they are sold in vending machines at every step. Exchange money for one euro or small change.

The queue moves quickly, don't be afraid of the long tail. Now about tickets. You can separate the two parks, but I propose to combine them into one day

Price of tickets for 1 day to Terra Natura Park:

One more tip: instead of carrying food and drinks in bags and baskets, buy a picnic along with your ticket. In the park area there are several sheds with tables and seats. The "picnic" includes a 3-course meal for everyone - and - attention! - as many as 3 non-alcoholic drinks! It's worth it!

The cost of the full all-inclusive package, what I called a picnic:

(It's 1 day at Terra Natura + Aqua Natura + 1 menu (3 meals) + 3 drinks)

Look at the difference: an adult in both parks costs 35, with food - 39. For only 4 euros and eat and get three bottles or cans of a chilled drink of your choice (water, sprite, cola, etc. ) - it's just great, and you don't need to carry anything with you.

After Terra Natura you find yourself in the Aqua Natura park, the element of water. A paradise for children and especially for very young ones, since the main pool there is knee-deep. There are not as many slides as in a separate AquaLandia park, but you don’t pay that kind of money for it.

Tickets to Aqualandia cost:

In Aqua Natura you will be given towels and flip flops, put money and other valuables in a safe, things in a locker. Sun loungers by the pool are generally paid, but after 15-16 hours you are no longer checked - someone paid for them and left. Moreover, you will most likely be in the water. And if you are with children, you should not start with water procedures, but read the schedule for the day. Every hour there is some kind of entertainment - for example, foam baths on the beach.

How to get to Terra Natura and Aqua Natura from Benidorm:

Take bus 001 in Benidorm at Av. Beniardá.4 (this is the city center, shopping avenue, here is the intersection of Alcala street and career de-Orchestra) take bus 001, carrier Llorente Bus. Drive 20 minutes (5 km), get off at Terra Natura station. Ticket - 1-2 euros, depending on age. Opening hours today: Fri to Sun 10:30 - 17:00 (until 19 in summer).