Бенидорм: История и современный туристический центр Испании

Benidorm (/lang/'/b//ɛ//n//ɪ//d//ɔr//m/ BENidorm, , beniˈðoɾ) is a municipality in the province of Alicante, Valencian Community, on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Benidorm has been a tourist destination within Spain since 1925, when its port was extended and the first hotels were built, though it would not be until the 1950s that it became renowned as a summer destination for people coming from inland Spain, especially Madrid. Today it is known for its hotel industry, beaches, and skyscrapers and receives as many tourists from abroad as from Spain. According to the 2020 census, Benidorm has a permanent population of 70,450 inhabitants, making it the fifth most populous town in the Alicante province and the ninth in Valencian Community.

It is thought there were settlements in the Benidorm area possibly as far back as 3000 BC, including evidence of Roman and Punic remains. However, settlements in the area were small and it was not until the arrival of the Arabs that the local population began to grow during the era of the Umayyad dynasty. The Christian King James I of Aragon conquered the region in 1245 and Benidorm first officially became known in 1325, when Admiral Bernat de Sarrià of Polop awarded it a town charter as a way of removing the Moors and allowing Christians to inhabit the area. Strategically, the town was also used by Bernat de Sarrià to stop the rising power of Admiral Roger of Lauria, lord of Altea, in the south of the Kingdom of Valencia. Benidorm's history for the next few centuries was plagued by attacks from the sea by Ottoman and Barbary pirates. The 17th century saw conditions improve for Benidorm and its people, most notably with the construction of an advanced irrigation system in 1666 to channel water to the region. By the 18th century Benidorm fishermen had become famous and sought after all over Spain and beyond. Tuna was their main catch and they perfected the ancient almadraba technique dating from Islamic times. The success of the fishing industry, together with improved local agriculture, helped to fuel a strong local economy. Coastal traffic increased too, bringing more wealth to the region with the town becoming a base for sea captains and the building of their vessels. In 1952 Benidorm's fishing industry went into decline; this was a factor in encouraging the town council to approve many new development plans aimed at the tourist market.

Benidorm is popular with tourists from the UK, Ireland, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands. Benidorm's initial growth in popularity can be attributed to the package holiday explosion, and continues year round, due to the night life based around the central concentration of bars and clubs. The large number of free cabaret acts that start around 21:00 and continue into the early hours sets Benidorm apart from other similar cities. The author and Guardian journalist Giles Tremlett identified the city as the birthplace of package tourism in the book Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country's Hidden Past and remarked that culturally the city contradicted conservative notions of National Catholicism that General Franco had espoused. The accessibility of Benidorm to a wider social strata made the town into an ever so easy target for highbrow sarcasm, as by Jani Allan in the Sunday Times in 1990: "These days you just have to look at the numbers of wide bodied jets bearing wide bodied holidaymakers to Benidorm to realise that package holidays and airborne cattle trucks make fun in the sun accessible to everyone." In the 1980s Benidorm developed a reputation for British drunken lager louts and violent binge drinking. This did not happen all year round but mainly in the summer months of July and August. The town is now very popular with families. Also, many elderly people from northern Europe pass the winter there. This made 'Benidorm' into something of a synonym for elderly people in those countries, as can be seen in the Flemish candid camera programme Benidorm Bastards. Benidorm has three major beaches: Playa de Levante (Valencian: Platja de Llevant), Playa de Poniente (Valencian: Platja de Ponent) and Playa de Mal Pas (Valencian: Platja del Mal Pas); all of them have had a blue flag since 1987, the maximum quality standard recognised by the European Union. The Gran Hotel Bali, a four star hotel located in this city since 2002, is a 186 metre tall building which stood as the tallest skyscraper in Spain for five years, until it was surpassed by the CTBA towers in Madrid and Intempo building, also in Benidorm. Intempo building is currently the fifth tallest of Spain and the tallest building in the Valencian Community.

Each summer, since 1959 to 2000, the city celebrated the Benidorm International Song Festival, a song contest where international or Spanish celebrities such as Julio Iglesias, Raphael or the Dúo Dinámico became famous. Loosely based on the song festival, RTVE signed, in 2021, a four year contract with the city of Benidorm to hold the preselection to determine the Spanish entry for the Eurovision Song Contest, naming the event Benidorm Fest. Since 2010, in July, Benidorm celebrates an indie music festival, with national and international music groups, called "Benidorm Low Festival". In 2019, a counterpart of Primavera Sound, Primavera Weekender, premiered at Magic Robin Hood Camp. In 2011, Benidorm hosted the start of the Vuelta a España, one of cycling's three grand tours. Benidorm is home to annual open water swimming competition of Oceanman series. Benidorm boasts three family oriented theme parks: Terra Mítica is inland from the city, at the foot of the mountain, and Aqualandia and Mundomar are located on the outskirts of the city on the Levante side. Benidorm offers activities for all ages. With all the family attractions available, Benidorm has been described as one of the most family oriented holiday destinations in Spain and Europe. In addition to large shopping and commercial areas. An episode of the hit British sitcom Only Fools and Horses was set in Benidorm. The episode was called "It Never Rains ". A TV series called Benidorm has aired on ITV (with replays on ITV2) in the UK. Actors include Jake Canuso, Steve Pemberton, Sheila Reid and comedian Johnny Vegas. Airing of the tenth series began in February 2018. In 2020 a Spanish comedy series of the same name starring Antonio Pagudo and María Almudéver premiered on Atresplayer Premium.

Benidorm is one of the most culturally diverse cities in Europe with a high immigrant population. The population in 2010 was 71,198. These figures are for those registered as formal residents and not long term visitors. + Citizenship makeup top 10 CountrySpainUKRomaniaEcuadorArgentinaColombiaMoroccoBulgariaMainland ChinaPakistan Population46,3465,2352,8281,3671,3161,1781,1361,066820779 Percentage65.2%7.4%4.0%1.9%1.9%1.7%1.6%1.5%1.2%1.1%

The École française Pablo Picasso, an annex of the Lycée Français d'Alicante, a French international school, is located in Benidorm.