Benidorm is often reduced to its clichés: a British holiday mecca with full English breakfasts, cheap pints and hen parties under the sun. But as Leah Pattem writes in The Guardian, there’s a deeper, more authentically Spanish side to this Costa Blanca city—one that’s increasingly relevant in a country facing the complex impacts of mass tourism.
In 2024, nearly three million people visited Benidorm, according to figures from the local council. Of those, close to 900,000 were British, continuing the long-standing tradition of UK tourists seeking sun, sea and affordability on the Mediterranean coast. But, as Pattem highlights, “it was actually Spanish nationals who made up the largest share, with more than one million domestic visitors.” And they weren’t necessarily coming for beans on toast. “I have a feeling,” she writes, “that these visitors did not come for the stereotype of full English breakfasts and pub crawls, but for something often overlooked by international tourists: the authentic, everyday rhythm of Spanish coastal life.”
Benidorm’s enduring popularity with locals and tourists alike lies in its origins. “The resort was ahead of its time – built to handle industrial numbers of tourists while not displacing residents,” Pattem notes in her article and reiterates in conversation with Euro Weekly News. At a time when other Spanish cities like Barcelona, Palma or Madrid are grappling with housing shortages and social backlash due to overtourism, Benidorm presents an alternative model—one that might hold some answers.
The city’s mid-20th-century transformation into a purpose-built tourist hub was once controversial. Today, that decision is beginning to look visionary. As Pattem points out, its grid-like layout, dense vertical architecture, and mixed-use zoning have allowed the city to absorb waves of tourism without displacing local life on the scale seen in cities where the “live like a local” Airbnb model has taken over.
“I’ve lived in Madrid for 12 years,” Pattem says, “and I’ve seen how the housing stock has shifted—more and more apartments are being used exclusively for tourists.” Benidorm, in contrast, has maintained a balance, offering space not just for tourists, but for permanent residents and returning Spaniards alike.
First time in Benidorm
Her first visit to Benidorm, she recalls, was on a package holiday in the early 1990s, when she was eight. “I vividly remember staying up late to play billiards with a rotating cast of kids, and language barriers didn’t matter,” she writes. “Their mothers – and what felt like every other señora in our 20-storey hotel – took turns pinching my cheeks.”
That nostalgia mingles with curiosity on her recent return. Pattem begins her day before sunrise on Poniente Beach—the quieter, more local stretch west of the old town. There, elderly men take morning dips, and señoras practice group yoga in the sand. As the day warms, the Spanish visitors migrate to more hidden beaches like Cala Almadraba or Cala del Tío Ximo, both nestled among pine trees and still largely unknown to international tourists. “Even in peak season,” she writes, “these smaller spots remain largely undiscovered.”
Lunchtime reveals another layer of authenticity. Pattem samples dishes at La Fava, where chef Fran Burgos serves Alicante-style fare like aubergine with honeycomb and parmesan soup. “It’s rooted in coastal traditions,” she tells Euro Weekly News, “but with elegance and restraint.” Other local favourites include Casa Toni, with its Andalusian décor and jamón-lined bar, or Ducado, a seafood institution serving up multiple types of paella—a staple in the region.
While Spanish culture dominates, there’s still room for comforting blends. One such space is Ray’s 1, a British fish-and-chip shop run by two generations of Teresas. “After I wrote about them for El País, they noticed a steady stream of Spanish customers,” Pattem notes. Just around the corner, Bar El Puente has been selling rotisserie chicken to loyal locals since 1968, offering a taste of continuity in a city known for change.
Basque pintxo bars
Wandering the old town, Calle Santo Domingo buzzes with Basque pintxo bars and international voices. But walk a little further and you’ll find more unpolished gems. Tapería La Mina, just off Avenida Ruzafa, serves six tapas and a bottle of wine for €11. Nearby, El Rincón de La Croqueta and Aitona provide simple, affordable Spanish meals, while La Mejillonera earns its name with towering plates of orange-fleshed mussels.
Still, as Pattem insists, Benidorm is more than beaches and bargains—it’s “a real Spanish city with real stories.” One such story belongs to Marina Sanchis, who returned from Madrid to open Casa Cremà, a pottery studio and creative hub. “Benidorm gave me back something I’d lost in the capital,” Sanchis told her. “Space, time, and a connection to community.”
Local creativity thrives here too. The Museo Boca del Calvari hosts free exhibitions of artists like María Moldes, whose photos of sun-soaked Spanish beachgoers mirror the saturated, surreal style of Carlos Pérez Siquier. “Despite being taken decades apart,” Pattem observes, “their images are almost indistinguishable.”
On social media, Benidorm has gained cult status among younger Spaniards. Barcelona-based satirical influencer Erik Harley calls it “my favourite place in the universe” and plans tours of its iconic high-rise architecture. One of its quirkiest characters is Mulero Ok, a sharply dressed pensioner who plays Spanish pop from his mobility scooter, drawing impromptu dance sessions wherever he goes.
A cultural city
Culturally, the city’s profile is rising. Since 2022, Benidorm Fest has been Spain’s official selection event for Eurovision—an annual spectacle that blends camp, glamour and national pride. This year’s winner, Melody’s Esa Diva, has become a radio hit. Pattem notes that “the festival has become a defining highlight of the city’s cultural calendar, earning Benidorm a new identity as the country’s unofficial capital of pop.”
Beyond Benidorm’s skyline, the nearby village of La Vila Joiosa offers colourful houses and a slower pace, just a tram ride away. Inland, the hilltop village of El Castell de Guadalest—with eight small museums and sweeping views—reminds visitors that Costa Blanca is more than its beaches.
For Pattem, Benidorm’s true achievement lies in its coexistence. “It wears its tourist-resort reputation with pride,” she says, “but it offers far more than the stereotypes suggest.” And in a country wrestling with overtourism and housing pressures, its model—far from being outdated—may be a glimpse into a more sustainable future. As she writes, Benidorm’s purpose-built design shouldn’t be dismissed as inauthentic. It’s a uniquely Spanish solution to a modern global challenge – and a city with space for everyone.”
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