Benidorm...
The name is known to almost
everyone in the UK and ROI and many have visited it at some time or other, or know someone who has. Sadly, this historic Spanish town
became known as the Manhattan of Spain and is sometimes associated with drunkenness and bad behaviour from a
variety of different nationalities. However, there is much more to the
town and for tens of thousands of
people both holiday maker's and residents alike, Benidorm has a special magic. It was the
start of the package holiday some 40 years ago which focused the attention of the British on Torremolinos on the Costa del Sol and Benidorm on the Costa Blanca. Crowds of tourists began
to flock to both coasts, attracted by climate and the long white sandy beaches stretching along
the Mediterranean coast. On the Costa Blanca, the quiet fishing village of Benidorm quickly became
an important tourist resort. The old city with its narrow streets huddles atop a rock tongue, the
"Balcon del Mediterranea", dividing what would be a 10km long beach into two long stretches.
Benidorm is famous for its huge (and these really are big) sandy beaches which run from one end of the town to the other. These beaches are claimed to be among the finest in Europe. Benidorm enjoys all the advantages of the Costa Blanca climate but due to its particular position, it also benefits from its own micro-climate. Facing the sea, Benidorm is protected from the north winds by the surrounding mountains of the coast. The average daily temperature is 23 degrees Celsius or 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Sea temperatures average 20 degrees and the average relative humidity floats between 50 - 70 per cent. With its huge hotels, Benidorm is able to exploit its climatic conditions to the full and is popular with both national and international tourists. During the winter months, Benidorm hotels offer incredibly low rates and many pensioners from the UK and other EU states find it cheaper to live there than at home in their own country. This activity has resulted in Benidorm being accused of factory farming pensioners! Contrary to belief, Benidorm does not have its own airport, using instead Alicante which is just one hour away. Like Benidorm or not, many expatriates have chosen to make it their home, opting for a permanent holiday environment, enjoying the hustle and bustle of a vibrant, somewhat noisy and constantly changing population. However, there are areas of Benidorm which are exclusive and where a relatively modest property sells for well over £500,000.
Learn the Language...
Learning to speak Spanish will give you tremendous advantages...
It will also give you pride and confidence so even before you get here try to
learn the basics. There are several methods, some claim to be fast but
that all depends on you, not the course, so choose what's best for you.
Our useful links page carries a couple you might consider as a starting
point.
Spanish PDQ is from Linguaphone and is a fun, holiday-style course aimed at beginners wanting to
learn basic Spanish. It uses proven teaching methods and has a strong focus on
essential vocabulary, so you will quickly be able to handle a wide variety of
everyday situations. At less than £30 it's a bargain.
Learn to speak, read and write Spanish to an elementary level.
Learn 500 essential Spanish words and phrases.
Perfect your accent by listening to native Spanish speakers.
Focus on the vocabulary that you need.