Tourism in Benidorm, over a hundred years of history

Since tourism leisure spread, the coast has always been a powerful attraction for tourists. The east coast and, by extension, Benidorm has a long history of over one hundred years of relationship with tourism, which is why today has a large infrastructure ready for the many visitors who continually receives. Campings in Benidorm, apartment complexes, hotel, the wide range of daytime and evening entertainment ... an entire infrastructure to serve the tourist.

The custom of "taking baths" perhaps copied from the wealthy and renowned families of Europe that used to travel to Baden Baden or Biarritz, is one of the first manifestations of tourism of which there is evidence in Benidorm.

The first known tourist brochure dating from 1893 in Benidorm is about the Baths of Virgin of Suffrage. At this time visitors came to the coast to take advantage of the medicinal and healing properties of sea water baths, which were so popular in Europe.

And that is how the tourist history of Benidorm begins...

Infrastructures, key in the history of tourism in Benidorm
As in many other attractive areas for visitors, tourism development in Benidorm is accompanied by the construction of infrastructure, especially roads. During the early years of the twentieth century the Silla-Alicante road opens, which improves communication with Benidorm, and, above all, the arrival of the railroad to Alicante occurs.

In 1914 the narrow gauge railroad, the Trenet of the Marina, links Alicante with Altea, Benidorm, and Villajoyosa and, shortly after, Denia. The arrival of the train makes the first collective movements of tourists appear; the so-called "train jug", which transports tourists from Alcoy, Alicante or even from Madrid. The curious name "train of the botijo" starts by the custom of these first tourists of carrying earthenware pitchers with fresh water to bear better the long journey in those slow and uncomfortable trains.

Another infrastructure that contributes to the arrival of mass tourism to Benidorm is the city itself. In 1956 the City Council approved urban planning that directed the city in a definitive way towards tourism. Wide avenues, respect the natural orientation of the beaches, accessibility and vertical growth of the city (hotels, apartments) foster tourism growth that occurs in Benidorm from this decade.

Today Benidorm is "the Manhattan of the Mediterranean", the town with more skyscrapers per capita in the world, behind only the US city in number of skyscrapers per square meter.

Foreign tourism, the key to growth in Benidorm
With the arrival of foreign tourists...bikinis came too. But, for Franco's Spain this bath wear was far too provocative. A fine of 40,000 pesetas made the visionary mayor, Pedro Zaragoza, who saw the future of tourism in Benidorm, climb on his Vespa and drive the 400 kilometres to Franco’s residence to ask him to legalize bikinis. The "mayor of the Vespa" got his prize and Benidorm was the first city in Spain in which people could wear bikinis while in the rest of Spain was banned.

The 60's were the years of the boom of tourism, especially foreign tourism, in Benidorm.

A fully vertical city, specially prepared to welcome visitors, sun, beach and great weather make Benidorm an international tourist centre. During that time the population living in Benidorm multiplied itself, from around 3.000 at the late 50s to over 12.000 in 1970. This increase in the population consists mainly of the large number of tourists coming to the city not only in summer; Benidorm has become a resort town throughout the year.

The Festival of Benidorm, a tourist attraction in itself
Perhaps the most widespread song from the Benidorm Festival is the one of Julio Iglesias in 1968 when he won the competition with the song "La vida sigue igual", since Iglesias becomes the image of the Festival for the following years. The Spanish Song Festival started in 1959 based on the Festival of San Remo in Italy, its main target was to present Spanish artists. Its stage has hosted stars like Julio Iglesias, the Duo Dinámico or Raphael in those 60s when the Festival had a deserved international reputation.

Nowadays Benidorm is the tourist town par excellence of the Spanish Mediterranean coast. Its mild climate throughout the year, its infrastructure and good communication both by air and land makes it a desired destination by both domestic and foreign tourists looking to enjoy their holidays in Benidorm.

But surely there are some moments in the history of Benidorm that are not popularly known, which one would you highlight in the history of Benidorm?

Camping Villasol
Camping in Benidorm
http://www.camping-villasol.com

Benidorm the favourite destination in the Madrid underground

More than 1700 TV screens of the Madrid underground network are showing during this week the wide holiday offers that you can find in Benidorm for the Easter days.


The Tourism Foundation has started a campaign to get some Spanish clients for the Easter holidays in Benidorm. The final target is to spread the wide selection of apartments, camping in Benidorm and hotels to enjoy a perfect holiday in Benidorm.

This campaign has been launched mainly in Madrid, although it is present in 10 Spanish cities more from Castilla León, Castilla La Mancha, Asturias, La Rioja, Euskadi, Cantabria and even in the Comunidad Valenciana. The main target is to get the holiday makers that are still on doubt on where to spend their Easter days; it is mainly focus on the possible clients of hotels and camping sites in Benidorm.

Benidorm main subject in the Madrid underground
People say that the sun comes out everyday in the Madrid underground. A video of the Benidorm weather, gastronomy and leisure complexes is being shown on the 1700 TV screens located in some platforms and underground cars.

The target for this advertising effort is an upper middle class urban young tourist not older than 39 years old, who is a potential client for camping sites and apartments.

Benidorm from the M-40 to the Cantabrian Sea
Benidorm image will be a constant up to the summer months through big hoardings in some important roads like the M-40, the A-3 in Madrid or the Valencia accesses in Madrid. You will be able to find publicity from the Costa Blanca in some other cities like Pamplona or Logroño and even in the train stations of Gijón, Santander or Bilbao.

Fashion and Benidorm together
This campaign is also considering the advertising action in some Spanish well known press media like Elle magazine. In the March edition you will be able to find a fashion photographic report with some Benidorm spots and establishments.

And, of course, Benidorm also in Internet
You can find this campaign on the internet in the travel website Muchoviaje.com. There you can find specific offers for the night leisure, sports, culture, etc. for any kind of preferences.


Camping Villasol
Camping in Benidorm
http://www.camping-villasol.com

Enjoy traditional food in Benidorm

Benidorm is known for its multiculturalism. Different nationalities share its streets, but it still keeps its traditional gastronomy.


Benidorm is a modern and cosmopolitan town. Considering that it is the tourism capital in the eastern coast of Spain, it is not strange that you can find a wide variety of cultures and nationalities that you can enjoy in your holidays in Benidorm.

Thanks to this city's open-minded relationship with other cultures, we can find nearly all national or international kind of food in any of Benidorm hotel or restaurant. Considering this you can either enjoy an excellent Asturian stew, a nice Japanese sushi or the typical English breakfast with bacon and eggs.

But, what could you eat in Benidorm before it became a touristic town?

Benidorm traditional gastronomy
Benidorm is placed in a privilege area considering both its geographic and its 'geogastronomic' location. The Mediterranean littoral is the cradle for the well known Mediterranean gastronomy.

As you can find in many of the towns and cities bathed by the Mediterranean waters, the traditional gastronomy is a healthy mixture of vegetables and meat or fish from the area. As many other different localities, Benidorm has its 'typical dishes' that were its gastronomic base when this town was only a small fishermen village; and what did they eat at the time?

Benidorm typical dishes
You can find different places to enjoy this town's typical old dishes. In between the most well known dishes we can point out these ones:
Rice with red mullets and pumpkin
Made with rice, fish and vegetables, this is one Benidorm typical dish.
This tasteful stew is made with the fish called red mullet, pumpkin and green beans. As we can find in many different rice dishes from this area, it is prepared with lightly fried garlic and some spices that will give this dish a special touch.

Rice with beans and turnips
Known as well as 'Arròs amb fesols i naps'. This succulent rice is made with soggy rice, meat broth and vegetables and it is perfect for a cold winter day. In this case the rice is prepared with pork pieces (ossobuco, feet and backbone) and 'blanquets', a typical sausage from the area. We mix everything up with white beans, turnips and cardoons.

Rice with white anchovies and spinaches
It is a typical kind of rice, not only from Benidorm; you can find it in nearly all of La Marina regions. The rice with white anchovies and spinaches is dry rice, as the one in paella. Its main ingredients are spinaches, white anchovies and delicious lightly fried ñora peppers, garlic and parsley.

Filled 'coca' and 'coca a la calda'
They are typical Roman recipes. Salty 'cocas' are one of the delicious traditional dishes you can taste in Benidorm. Their dough is similar to the one you prepare for bread, with round shape if they are for one person or with square shape if it is a family one. You can fill this salty dough with different food and that will create the different types of cocas, for example: tomatoes, roasted pepper, tuna and eggs filling or sausages and black puddings filling are the more typical ones in Benidorm.

Saint Blas bun
They are perfect for the sweet-tooth. This Saint Blas bun is one of the typical sweets form the Benidorm gastronomy. These buns have Arabic origin and they are prepared with almonds and cinnamon. They are traditionally made during the winter months, mainly in Saint Blas festivity.

There are loads of restaurants in hotels or campings in Benidorm where you can try these typical dishes. Once you know their names, you just have to look for them and enjoy!

What about you? Have you tried any of these delicious dishes during your holidays in Benidorm?