Benidorm is one of the Mediterranean’s most recognisable skylines — a cluster of high-rise towers rising dramatically from a sun-scorched coastline — yet most visitors never venture beyond the beach. As a cruise port, it punches well above its weight, offering everything from hidden mountain villages to world-class entertainment, all within easy reach of the pier.
Arriving by Ship
Benidorm itself doesn’t have a dedicated cruise terminal, so most ships calling here tender passengers ashore or dock at the nearby Port of Alicante, roughly 45 kilometres to the south, using it as the gateway to Benidorm. Some smaller vessels and expedition ships use the local marina directly. If your ship tenders, water taxis will ferry you to the waterfront promenade, dropping you within walking distance of both beaches and the old town. The whole process is typically smooth, though it’s worth checking your ship’s newsletter the night before for tender times, especially during peak summer months when traffic can slow things down.
Things to Do
Benidorm’s two sweeping beaches — Playa de Levante and Playa de Poniente — are genuinely beautiful, and a morning spent on the sand is never wasted. But the real revelation lies inland. Just 20 minutes from the coast, the hilltop village of Guadalest is one of the most dramatic sights in the entire Valencia region: a medieval castle perched on a rocky needle above a turquoise reservoir, accessible only through a tunnel carved into the mountain. Combining Guadalest with the spectacular Algar Waterfalls makes for a perfect full-day excursion. 🎟 Book: Guadalest and Algar Waterfalls Tour from Alicante or Benidorm If you’d rather keep it lighter, the half-day trip that pairs Guadalest with the charming whitewashed village of Altea is equally rewarding. 🎟 Book: Guadalest and Altea Day Trip from Alicante or Benidorm
For families, Terra Natura Benidorm is an impressive wildlife park that blends a zoo with a water park, and three hours gives you a solid taste of both. 🎟 Book: Terra Natura Benidorm Entrance Ticket Back in town, the old quarter — Casco Antiguo — sits on a rocky promontory between the two beaches and rewards aimless wandering: narrow cobbled lanes, blue-domed churches, and panoramic viewpoints that put the skyscrapers into strange, beautiful perspective.
Local Food
Don’t let Benidorm’s reputation for fish and chips fool you — the local culinary scene is genuinely excellent if you know where to look. Head away from the main tourist strip and into the old town, where family-run tapas bars serve classic Valencian dishes. Arròs a banda, a saffron-laced rice dish cooked in fish stock (and served without the fish, which comes separately), is the regional speciality you absolutely must try. Fideuà — a paella-style dish made with noodles instead of rice — is another local favourite, particularly good when ordered fresh at a beachside chiringuito. Wash everything down with a glass of local Alicante wine, which tends to be robust, full-bodied, and very affordable.
Shopping
The old town and the streets behind Playa de Levante are lined with independent shops selling ceramics, leather goods, and esparto grass basketwork — traditional crafts from the Valencia region that make for genuinely distinctive souvenirs. The weekly market (held in the town centre on Wednesdays and Sundays) is worth timing your visit around if possible, with stalls selling everything from fresh produce to handmade jewellery. For bigger brands and air-conditioned relief on a scorching afternoon, the Puerto Marina shopping complex near the marina has a solid selection of Spanish fashion retailers alongside waterfront cafés perfect for a final coffee before tendering back to ship.
Practical Tips
Benidorm sits on the Costa Blanca and enjoys over 300 days of sunshine per year, so sun protection is non-negotiable even in spring. The town is very walkable once you’re ashore, but taxis and ride-share apps are inexpensive if you want to venture further. Euros are the local currency, and most places accept cards, though smaller tapas bars in the old town often prefer cash. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, but a few words of Spanish or Valencian will be warmly received. If you’re tendering, aim for an early tender to make the most of excursions — the mountain villages get busier through midday.
Cruises That Visit Benidorm Spain
Benidorm is most commonly featured on Western Mediterranean itineraries, with Costa Cruises and MSC Cruises among the most frequent visitors, often including the port as part of wider Spanish coastal sailings that also call at Barcelona, Valencia, and Palma de Mallorca. These voyages typically run between seven and fourteen nights and depart from home ports including Barcelona, Genoa, Marseille, and Civitavecchia (Rome).
P&O Cruises and Royal Caribbean occasionally feature Benidorm or Alicante on their Mediterranean programmes, particularly on cruises departing from Southampton or Barcelona. These sailings often range from ten to fourteen nights and attract a largely British clientele given the resort’s longstanding popularity with UK travellers.
River and boutique expedition lines operating smaller vessels sometimes dock directly at Benidorm’s marina during spring and autumn coastal cruises, offering a more intimate experience of the town than the larger ships allow. Sailings from Palma or Valencia are common for these vessels.
The best time to cruise here is late April through June or September through October, when temperatures hover between 22°C and 28°C, the beaches are uncrowded, and tender queues are far more manageable than in the peak summer months of July and August.
🚢 Cruises That Stop at Benidorm Spain
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Benidorm rewards the curious traveller who’s willing to look beyond the beach umbrella and the tourist menu. Whether you’re scaling medieval ramparts inland, lingering over a bowl of arròs a banda in the old town, or simply watching the sunset paint those extraordinary high-rises gold, this is a port that surprises nearly everyone who gives it a proper chance.
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📍 Getting to Benidorm Spain
Use the interactive map below to explore the port area and plan your route from the terminal.
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