The Serrella route, in the heart of the Costa Blanca

Posted by syameses on 28 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: tours, travel, benidorm, tourism

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Costa Blanca is not all about sun and the beach, there are also many other exciting events such as mountainous routes and today we are going to offer you one of those routes thanks to the awesome blog called Linkalicante.

As a starting point, we will begin in the small town of Quatretondeta. Here is a map to help you get here by car from Benidorm.

Once we get to Quatretondeta by car, we start the route by leaving the town by a asphalt slope, which passes along walnut trees. From this point there are signs describing the trail.

Initially you walk on a path between terraces, then to pass along to a great oak and a huge mansion. From there on, the trail gets a little steep until you get to the Espinal fountain.

From the fountain, the forest trail is transformed into a trail that climbs meandering between a grove of pines. Once we leave this forest we will come to a stone quarry, not very big, at the end of which there is a vertical wall. On the right we see the side branches that lead us to “Els Frares.

Then comes one of the most beautiful parts of the trail where everything seems to become level again, but still at a great altitude. We approach what would be the cleavage formed by the two major slopes. On the left, the other side of the ravine, there is a huge stone quarry, about five hundred meters long. A bit farther we pass through a narrow passage, which appears to have some little steps. Then we move towards the cleavage, until we reach another little fountain.

After we resume our march along a forest track we get to a crossroad. Towards the left we find a pile of cut firewood. The peak is around here, looking towards Guadalest, so we must go up. We we see precious plains along the trail which are marked. A few more steps and we arrive at a very large snowfield. A little more and we will culminate the trail in a cross with the sign, Plà de la Casa, 1.379 meter.

source Linkalicante

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The Church of Saint James reopens its doors after eight months of restoration

Posted by syameses on 27 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: benidorm, tourism

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One of the most important heritage buildings in Benidorm is now ready for the high season of tourism. The Church of St. James and St. Ana, aret he oldest and most emblematic religious buildings of the tourist capital of the Costa Blanca.

The temple will reopen its doors tomorrow afternoon after eight months of intensive work and a 900,000 euros investment to improve the interior of the building.

This church was built by the benidormenses between the years 1740 and 1780, therefore needed a face lift to recover its original splendor.

The restoration will make that the church have better lighting, both in the main hall and the side altars. In addition, windows have been installed and a new air conditioning system.
source Diario Información

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The beginning of the Lemon Express trail has moved to L’Alfàs del Pi

Posted by syameses on 26 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: travel, alicante, benidorm, altea, Denia, tourism

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There is still about a year for the Lemon Express to resume its march. Of course, this means this very peculiar transportation will change its original itinerary significantly  between Benidorm and Gata de Gorgos. In fact, the starting point for the tourist train will be moved from Benidorm to L’Alfàs del Pi.

Once the renovation is completed of the Alicante-Denia line to Benidorm- which is scheduled to be finished in a month it will have increased activity because it will be the new point of trans boarding of passengers who continue the journey towards Denia in the diesel Convoys or those from the capital of Marina Alta and who will continue to Alicante on TRAM trains.

Currently, they have already completed the repair of 24 of the trains the classic one, a prerequisite for the Lemon Express to be able to circulate again, after temporarily ceasing its activities in May 2005.

Except at the point of departure, the new Lemon Express recovers its traditional route as regards tourism. This service is provided under concession stations between Benidorm and Gata de Gorgos, from Tuesday to Saturday.

Over the 40 miles the train runs through a wide range of landscapes, from the plains between Altea and Benidorm until the cliffs of the Sierra Bernia and Barranco del Mascarat, Peñón de Ifach, among other areas in the interior of the Marina Alta. The trip to to the final destination used to be done at a slower speed than the return trip so the travelers could enjoy the most spectacular reference points of the scenery.

source Las Provincias

Photo from Flickr by sergial

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The Vila Joiosa hosts the VIII Mostra Cuina Marinera

Posted by syameses on 25 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: gastronomy, La vila Joiosa

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One of the great attractions of the Costa Blanca is its rich and varied cuisine. Surely many of you have enjoyed the kitchen of our land.

One of those jewels is La Vila Joiosa thanks to the intense flavors of fish and rice as its star products. The  traditional and seafood dishes , developed with the top quality raw materials that its sea and land offer have made this town on the Costa Blanca very famous.

The Mostra Cuina Marinera is a summary of all this. From February 25 to March 2nd seventeen restaurants will participate in this eighth edition, they will offer rich tasting menus, developed especially for the occasion, in which tradition and innovation merge with spectacular results.

This sample has gained prestige since it began in 2001. Today is the source of all initiatives covered under the brand name La Vila Gourmet created by the municipality of La Vila Joiosa to promote cooking and food in the city.
source Generalitat Valenciana

Photo captured by zell0ss

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The hotel occupation rate increses in the first half of February

Posted by syameses on 22 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: travel, benidorm, tourism, hotels in benidorm

The hotel occupation rate during the first half of this month reached 67.60 percent, which supposed a 2.2 point increase with respect to the first 15 days of February of last year, according to the data provided  by the Benidorm hotel association HOSBEC.
This occupancy figure is a result of the medium data obtained by the different lodgings of the area, the two star hotels reached 91.5 percent, three star reached 66.5 percent and the four star hotels a 66.10 percent.
40.60 percent of the visitors were Spanish and the rest of the 59.40 percent were foreigners, mainly from the United Kingdom (46.80percent), Belgium (6.10 percent) and Holland (4%).
The forecast for the second half is to reach 68.40 percent.

source La Verdad

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Campeones de Alegrías will organize a charity football match in Benidorm

Posted by syameses on 21 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: curiosities, benidorm, sports

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The Campeones de Alegrías charity, whose president is Adans Peres, will organize a football match between Spain and Italy to raise funds for the construction of a new dolphinarium. The ultimate goal is to extend the number of children who will benefit from the treatments of dolphin-assisted therapy.

Dolphin-assisted therapy is very beneficial for children affected by general developmental disorders such as, cerebral palsy or genetic disorders such as Downs Syndrome.

The match will take place at the Benidorm football field the month of June. The orginizers estimate that they will be able to accommodate a group of at least 15,000 people, and if it were necessary, 5,000 more. The poster of the event is still unknown.

source Grupo Noticias

photo from Flickr from RuedaLaderas

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Spain will compete for the European Cup soccer-beach championship

Posted by syameses on 19 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: beaches, benidorm, sports

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The Levante beach in Benidorm will be the host of the European qualifying pahse for for the World Cup beach-soccer championship  that will be celebrated from the 13th to the 18th May, this year it will  take place on the beach of Prado Marseille.

This competition will determine the four teams that will represent Europe in the World Championships.

The competition will be televised  in 130 countries and the mayor of Benidorm has stated that this event will contribute to the international dissemination of the image of the city.

source 20 Minutos

Phto Flicker bychapos

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Fandi, Jose Maria Manzanares and Cayetano will perform in Benidorm

Posted by syameses on 14 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: entertainment, benidorm, Events

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Bullfighting fans living near Benidorm will enjoy the beautiful with the commissioning of the new long season. It has prepared a luxury list of events to inaugurate the taurino year.

In this regard, Francisco Romero´s firm, who leads the exploitation of the bullring in Benidorm, has completed the list of events for the new season. The celebration will take place on Friday, March 21st, taking advantage of the thousands of tourists who spend Easter in the capital of tourism on the Costa Blanca.

David Fandila the Fandi, Jose Maria Manzanares and Cayetano Rivera Ordóñez will be the stars of this great event. The bulls will be provided by Brothers Garcia Jimenez.

source Las Provincias

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Benidorm has tripled luxury hotel rooms in 8 years

Posted by syameses on 11 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: entertainment, beaches, travel, benidorm, terra mitica, tourism

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The evolution of tourism in Benidorm has been spectacular. In fact, the luxury hotel rooms in the tourist capital of the Costa Blanca have tripled over the past 8 years. In this sense, the supply of hotels of four and five stars is already at about 35% of the total.

Data confirms that, in 2000, Benidorm had 33,143 hotel rooms, of which 4,472 were four stars, thats to say, 13.49% of the offer. For the next season, it will have climbed 22 percentage points to reach 34.7%, or 13,023 persons within a supply of 37,500 beds.

Thus, Benidorm has gone from not having any five-star establishments in 2000 to having three, and from having 12 four-star hotels eight years ago to having 25 facilities in the present.

The city is enhancing its image in order for Benidorm not be associated only with the sun and sand. In fact, it has been demonstrating in recent years that the town has great  leisure offers including golf courses, theme parks and entertainment such ast he Count of Alfaz Castle , Terra Mitica or Terra Natura.
source El País

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Benidorm will host the finals of the World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics

Posted by syameses on 08 Feb 2008 | Tagged as: benidorm, sports

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Benidorm continues to promote major events, and will host the first final of the World Cup Rhythmic Gymnastics taking place in Spain. The event will take place at the Palau d’Esports L’Illa between the 1st and 5th of October.

In this final the twelve best gymnasts classified for the Olympic Games in Beijing which take place in August,  and the eight best teams classified by country will participate.

The International Federation of Gymnastics has selected Benidorm for its sports facilities, hotels and apartments and climate against the other candidate to become headquarters in Russia.

This sporting event will have tremendous television coverage in Europe, especially in countries of the east, and the United States, especially during the weekend with the finals.

source Europa Press

Photo in Flickr by Chocolatito

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