Last month I jetted off to Benidorm on a press trip with Jet2 and Visit Benidorm. This was my first press trip outside of the UK so I was super excited!
Benidorm is located on Costa Blanca on the South East side of Spain and we took Jet2 flights from Manchester to Alicante to get there.
The flight was only two and a half hours long but the closest airport to Benidorm is Alicante, which is a further 40 to 45 minute car journey to the city centre.
As soon as we’d check into our hotel, we were off exploring the city and spent a packed three days in Benidorm.
Benidorm is a city that found its fame through a British television programme of the same name, which portrays an image of the city that neglects many of the city’s best parts.
Our trip was designed to showcase the alternative side of the city and we discovered that Benidorm has a lot more to offer than cheap clubs and high rise hotels!
There’s the beautiful Benidorm old town, lots of natural scenery and plenty of activities for all ages.
What really struck me when I was there was the abundance of activities for adventure-types and people that like to go on activity holidays or sports holidays.
The warm weather in Benidorm means that outdoor activities are possible here all year round. We were visiting Benidorm in October and temperatures were still higher than 20 degrees would you believe!
This is one of the best things about Costa Blanca and is undoubtedly why tourists continue to flock here all year round.
So, I’ve curated a list of 11 fun things to do in Benidorm all year round!
Electric Bike Tour
One of the first things we did in Benidorm was an electric bike tour around Tio Ximo Cove and the mountains of Sierra Helada.
We were all shocked at the natural beauty of Benidorm here, which was far from anything we’d expected.
There’s beautiful sand-coloured rock for miles and I was stunned by the clear, deep blue sea beneath. We biked all the way up to this spot in Sierra Helada, which was actually scouted as a Game of Thrones filming location!
We rented our bikes from TAO BIKE where prices start at €12 for 2 hours of biking. This is more than enough for a quick trip round the Tio Ximo but if you could spend a whole day biking round Sierra Helada and the surrounding regions if you wanted to.
There are a number of different types of bikes you can rent from Tao Bike in Benidorm including those suitable for children.
Jet Skiing
Sadly we weren’t able to go jet skiing during our time in Benidorm in the end due to poor conditions out at sea, which I was gutted about because this is supposed to be one of the best activities in Benidorm.
Jet skis are the perfect activity for those with a need for speed. They usually go up to speeds of 70mph so you really are flying over the water here!
It can be a scary experience at first but once you get the hang of it (and learn to grip onto the jet ski like your life depends on it), you’ll love it.
You can choose to ride solo or share the jet ski with a companion though riding on the back of a jet ski whilst someone else drives is arguably even more scary than driving it yourself.
You can rent a jet ski from Carlos Water Sports Benidorm from both Levante Beach and Poniente Beach. This isn’t a cheap activity as just half an hour on a jet ski costs €80 but split between two people this is more reasonable.
Half an hour may seem short but it’s plenty of time to whizz around the coast on a jet ski.
Find out more about water sports in Benidorm from Carlos Water Sports Benidorm. They also offer parasailing, fly fishing and a banana boat!
Jeep Safari
One of my absolute favourite things we did on our trip to Benidorm was the Jeep Safari in Benidorm with Marco Polo. We were picked up from our hotel by our guide and taken on a quick tour of Costa Blanca’s rough countryside.
From our high vantage point, we could see the Benidorm high rise buildings from afar as well as the beach and the surrounding mountains. This was but a taste of what Marco Polo offer on their full day jeep tours and I’d love to go back to experience the whole day!
I must warn you though… it’s a very bumpy ride! If you’re prone to being car sick or not a fan of being jolted around the back of a jeep then this activity may not be for you.
I loved experiencing Benidorm’s surrounding mountains this way and was surprised how quickly you can go from the centre of touristy Benidorm to the secluded forest and mountain areas above.
On a full day tour they take you through lots of different terrains and scenic spots. Expect mountains, valleys, canyons, reservoirs and riverbeds. You’ll need to pack a swimming costume because you’ll be given the chance to stand under the Algar Waterfalls!
A three-course lunch is included in the day and it costs €62 per adult and €35 per child. Find out more on the Marco Polo website.
Snorkelling
Snorkelling is one of the best family-friendly activities you can do on a beach holiday in Benidorm and there are three coves that are great for snorkelling: Almadraba Cove, Tio Ximo Cove and Benidorm Island.
The waters here are clear and there’s lots of marine flora and animal life to observe under the waves. For the best snorkelling routes, you can find lots of information on the Visit Benidorm website where they’ve already mapped them out for you.
As I already mentioned, the weather in Benidorm never drops too low so the water temperature remains fairly warm all year round. So if you want to know where to go snorkelling in the winter then Benidorm is a great option!
Diving
For those who are more experienced in the water, diving is also possible in Benidorm. Under the sea here you’ll find golden sand and lots and lots of Posidonia seaweed.
You can visit “La cueva de la virgen” (The Virgin’s Cave), see large octopi and moray eels, and observe the wonderful brightly coloured nudibranch.
These are multicoloured molluscs that have shed their shells, multicoloured water slugs if you will!
Find out more about where you can safely dive in Benidorm on the Visit Benidorm website.
Golf
We were booked into Melia Villaitana for our press trip, which is a beautiful villa just outside of Benidorm where we had magnificent views of the Benidorm skyline and beyond.
This hotel has its own golf course and we tried our hand at golf on the driving range. I’m not sure any of us were any good but hitting golf balls is a great stress reliever!
For the golf pros, you can rent a buggy and all the equipment you need for a day on the course. There are two 18-hole golf courses at Melia Villaitana so there’s plenty of golfing terrain for you to explore.
From both courses you will get spectacular mountain and sea views, but don’t let those distract you from the golf!
Numerous guests stay here just for golfing holidays and never venture out to Benidorm city centre since the hotel is more like a small village of its own.
Horse Riding
Another family-friendly activity in Benidorm is a horse ride in the countryside surrounding Sierra Helada. If the jeep safari didn’t take your fancy but you still want to explore the countryside then you can book a one-hour excursion on horseback with small groups of no more than 8 from €25.
You will always be with a guide and they will take you through the beautiful scenery surrounding Benidorm. If you’re an experienced rider you’ll also have the chance to ride some of the horses at the riding school upon your return.
Find out more and book your excursion from Excursiones Benidorm.
BASE jumping
This activity is for the real daredevils among you.
I’m kidding, please do not attempt anything like this unless if you are an expert!
Every year the base jumping world championships take place at The Benidorm Gran Hotel Bali. If you don’t know what base jumping is, I suggest you search for a video on YouTube. It essentially involves vaulting yourself off a very, very tall building!
For those who like to keep their feet safely on the ground, this is still a great event to watch as you will see 25 experts jumping off Europe’s tallest hotel. Just seeing people attempt this feat is enough to set your heart racing and your blood pounding.
The championships usually take place in autumn so definitely add this to your list of things to do in Benidorm in October.
If you’re into ridiculous sporting activities but would never attempt to parachute off a building (wise of you), then perhaps a Tower Run would be more suitable.
Every year The Benidorm Gran Hotel Bali also holds a Tower Run which involves running up a whopping 52 floors and 924 steps! This is the tallest hotel in Europe at 210 metres high and you’ll need to have legs of steel to attempt this feat!
Hiking
Sierra Helada Natural Park in Benidorm covers more than 5600 hectares so there are plenty of opportunities for hiking in the region. There are a number of different official trails from 2km to 11km so no matter your age or fitness level, there’s sure to be something for you!
Options include a hike to the top of the second highest mountain in Alicante at Puig Campana or the famous Benidorm Cross. I was blown away by the beauty of the cliffs from our short bike tour around Tio Ximo Cove and there are sure to be many, many photo opportunities on these hikes.
And if you’re looking to push yourself one step further, you can also find many climbing routes in Sierra Helada!
For more information on the best route to take for your fitness level, check what Visit Benidorm has to say.
Spa
At the end of a long day of activities, there’s nothing better than relaxing in the warm waters of a spa. And if you’ve been doing all of the above, then you’ll definitely want to give your muscles a break!
Plus, it’s an indoor activity, making it one of the things to do in Benidorm when it rains. Although the weather in Benidorm is mostly sunny all year round, it’s not guaranteed, so if the weather is looking murky on your trip then add a trip to the spa to your Benidorm itinerary.
Our lovely hotel Melia Villaitana had its own spa which I would highly recommend. There’s a hydrotherapy pool as well as numerous steam rooms, saunas and even a floating pool. You can also go the extra mile and book yourself a beauty treatment or massage. Find out more about what Yhi Spa at Melia Villaitana offers here.
Wine Tasting
Another slow activity you can participate in in Benidorm is wine tasting. I visited Bodegas Mendoza winery one overcast day and this is one of the top things to do in Benidorm for adults.
For just €20 you will be given a short tour of the vineyard whilst learning the history of this winery.
You’ll be lead through the production process learning lots of snippets of info about the how they go from grape to bottle. Then we get onto the good stuff – the wine tasting.
We were treated to eight different wines (pretty full glasses!), which were often paired with Spanish ham and cheese. Nom.
Find out more about visiting Bodegas Mendoza and how to book a wine tasting on their website here.
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All of the above are great things to do in Benidorm in October, which was when we visited Costa Blanca.
*This press trip was kindly arranged by Jet2Holidays and Visit Benidorm. I did not pay to participate in the activities above but, as always, all opinions are my own.
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Further reading:
3 Day Barcelona Itinerary
10 Things to do in Berlin
10 Things to do in Prague
Cinque Terre Day Trip
Where to Get the Best View of the Alhambra
9 Hidden Gems in Europe
One Day in Athens
Laura
Founder & Editor of What’s Hot?