Benissa is an upmarket coastal resort situated on the Northern Costa Blanca in Spain and is neatly sandwiched between Moraira to the north, an upmarket tourist resort and the ever popular sea side resort to the south of Calpe with it’s Penon de Ifach, the Calpe Rock, being the dominant landmark.
Benissa is located just off the motorway and the N332 with a ninety minute drive from Valencia and Alicante Airports. Benissa is one of the oldest towns on the Costa Blanca.
Sights and Attractions
Benissa is a popular villa holiday resort destination as there is a hillside of villas to rent by the week many of which have spectacular sea views of the Mediterranean Sea or look towards Calpe.
Benissa also has an assortment of hotels for those in need of services, such as the Hotel Casa de Maco, Hotel Montemar, Al Zaraq, Hotel la Magruda and the Cases de Sant Jaume. There is also a good selection of budget accommodation such as at the Refugio Marnes.
Benissa has a golf course which is located on a hillside not far from the resort centre. San Jaime Golf Club is a nine hole sixty par course.
Benissa has approximately four kilometres of coastline and four main beaches which are the Cala Lobella, Baladrar, La Fustera and Cala Pinet.
Of course to the north of Benissa in Moraira Spain there are some more small beaches while Calpe to the south has some long golden sandy beaches with a promenade and fantastic restaurants.
Benissa is also popular with scuba divers as there is a good variety of marine life as well as caves to explore.
The heart of Benissa Old Town straddles the N332 and here you will find an attractive selection of supermarkets, shops and boutiques as well as the Cathedral of the Marina Alta which dominates the town square with its palm tress and children’s playground. Market day in Benissa is on a Saturday.
Benissa is one of the few towns on the Costa Blanca which also has an Iceland which stocks all those hard to get of beloved British food items at fairly reasonable prices. Iceland also employs many expats and is known to pay above average wages.
Restaurants
Eating out in Benissa as recommended by the Trip Advisor can best be enjoyed at the Restaurante Pedramala, Casa del Maco, Verd di Vent, Casa Eusebio and the Pizzaria La Tartana S.L.
Nightlife
Of course Benissa nightlife cannot be compared to what Benidorm has on offer but there are several places where you can dance the night away such as at the Mambo Disco Pub and the Exit Disco Pub.
Outside of Benissa you can play golf in Javea and Calpe, while Benidorm with its theme parks and nightlife is about forty minutes away by car. Altea with its attractive Old Town and marina is a good twenty minutes away by car.
Best Hotels in Benissa
There are only two main hotels in Benissa, both are three star hotels.
Only 500 metres away from the charming Cala Baladrar bay, this family run Benissa hotel is a great place to spend a relaxing holiday on the Costa Blanca.
If you are looking for hotel accommodation in Benissa in the peak summer months you may have a problem finding a hotel room because of the limited number of hotels in Benissa so do make your reservation as early as you can.
Hostels & Pensions
A really cheap alternative to staying in a Benissa hotel is to book into a Benissa hostel. Be advised that these hostels are very basic accommodation traditionally sought out by student travelers and backpackers.
Below we have the address of the two Benissa tourist information offices who have English-speaking staff to help you with queries about sights, things to do and see, accommodation assistance etc. They also have handy maps of the local area.
Website: https://www.benissa.net
Opening Times: Monday to Friday from 10:00 to 14:30 h. Saturday from 10:00 to 13:45 h. Closed 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 and 6 January.
Benissa Tourist Office
Address: Avenida País Valencià 1, 03720, Benissa (Alicante – Alacant).
Telephone: +34 965 732 225.
Email: benissa@touristinfo.net
Opening Times: Monday to Friday from 9:30 to 14:00 h. and from 16:00 to 18:30 h. Saturday from 10:00 to 13:45 h. Closed 24, 25 and 31 December and 1 and 6 January.
Image above: Esglesia de la Purissima Xiqueta, Benissa – Photo by Joan Banjo, Wikimedia Commons
Moving to Benissa
If you are thinking of moving to Benissa, then you must read our expat interview with Karin Dragt of Dragt Villas below:
Karin, what would you say would be the advantages to living in Benissa compared to other Costa Blanca towns?
The real Spanish lifestyle, authentic, basic and a very social community. The hidden old town with all the beautiful historic buildings.
Would the area not suit certain types of people, i.e. are there any possible downsides?
People who love to go out and who want fancy bars, etc.
What proportion of the local population are Spanish?
I don’t know. It’s an international community.
What are your favourite things to do in the area?
Walking with my dogs, biking, picnicking. And I’m living in Benissa so my daily life is here. On Saturdays, there is the fresh produce market and once a month, Mercado. San Antonio International market, paella competition etc. And all the other fiestas like the Moros and Christians.
Can you give us some insider tips to the best bars or restaurants?
Casa Cantó, Casa Eusebio and Casa del Maco. The latter is expensive but it’s very good. And Bar FRAU. Here, you can meet local people.
Are there many facilities such as doctors and dentists, shops etc?
Yes. The Centro de Salud is fantastic here in Benissa. There is a Dutch doctor, Max Meertens with a clinic. You can also find a chiropractor, dentists as well as a widely known vet.
In terms of transportation, Benissa has its own train station, public buses and access to the AP7. So it only takes a short time to travel when going to the airports in Valencia and Alicante.
With schools, there are kindergartens, public schools, junior and senior schools which provide English classes.
There are also various supermarkets such as the Mercadona, Lidl, Iceland, Consum, Mas y Mas and some smaller grocery shops.
Image above: Old quarter of Benissa – Photo by Espencat, Wikimedia Commons
Are there smaller villages nearby that you might also recommend?
Yes. Lliber, Jalón and Senija. They are part of the Vall de Pop area.
What are the nearest international schools and how good are they?
Coming onto buying property, what is the market like now in terms of prices going up, or down or staying the same?
Staying the same. But I don’t know what the influence will be after this Brexit.
Is this a good time to buy and are there any repossessions or very cheap properties still available to buy?
Yes. Here, you can find apartments that are very cheap. I’m a specialist in rustic properties like Casas de Camp en Fincas although you may find them still not being cheap. But there are also small houses that you can find in various prices.
What urbanisations are there and can you describe each one and how they might differ from each other?
Monte Mar, an urbanisation built in the 80s and by the Vaph which is a big building company based in Benissa.
How much are typical property prices in Benissa for apartments, villas etc?
Difficult to say. They are lower in prices compared to the ones in Moraira or Calpe.
Any tips and advice to people looking to buy in Benissa or surrounding area?
Look in the surrounding areas from Benissa and not only on the coastal or those that are close to the beaches. There is so much more to explore.
Karin, thank you so much for taking the time to help our readers with your experiences in Spain. If you want to contact Karin at Dragt Villas, you can find the details below.
The video below shows the main landmarks & attractions in Benissa:
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