Benidorm is a party. Alicante’s summer haven is not only famous for its skyscrapers, its beach and its retired residents. If anything has boosted Benidorm, it’s its nightlife. Bars, pubs and clubs make partying in Benidorm an essential part of the Spanish Levant for all kinds of people and tastes.
In this article we describe the main party areas in Benidorm, so that you know how to get around on summer nights in the town of Alicante. From now on, partying in Benidorm will be a piece of cake.
La Carretera: the club area in Benidorm
Without a doubt, the most sought-after area for young people in Benidorm is the so-called “Carretera”. This is none other than the exit from the city on the national road 332 (N-332) in the direction of Altea, which is where the large Benidorm clubs and some after-hours clubs are located. This is the place to go around 4 a.m., which is when La Carretera starts to get busy.
In La Carretera you can find the most famous clubs in Benidorm: the iconic Penélope, KU, KM, Privilege or Space, where electronic music and house music take centre stage to round off the night, once the clubs in the Levante beach area have closed. You have to pay to get in to this kind of big venue, of course.
Zone 9 or calle Esperanto in Benidorm
But before all those clubs, there’s nothing like starting the night on calle Esperanto, popularly known as Zone 9, because of the former pioneering pub in this part of the city. Zone 9 no longer exists, but there are many other bars to visit before a night out in Benidorm.
Calle esperanto is very central, halfway between Levante beach and La Carretera. It is perfect for dinner and that first drink, as there are bars and restaurants of all kinds with a purely Spanish clientele. Some classics in Zone 9 are El Bandolero, El Dados, La Salamandra and Las Gaviotas.
The old town: Callejón de los Gatos
The tiny old town of Benidorm also offers some drinking spots for the first part of the night. These are typical small bars with affordable prices and where you can find all kinds of music. The epicentre is the so-called Callejón de los Gatos, a small street near the church of San Jaime and Santa Ana. It’s named after the cats that grace this section of the street.
Some of the most popular places in the Callejón are Marrs, Bar Callejón or Kakao. The main advantage of this area is its small size, which allows you to jump from bar to bar to find what you’re looking for. From here it is very easy to continue to the clubs located on Levante beach.
The Basque area of Benidorm
Within the variety offered by the Benidorm nightlife there is also room for the north of Spain. In the so-called Los Vascos area you will find tapas and pintxos bars in the truest Basque style. The Basque area is also in the old town, near the Callejón, in the streets between the Plaza de la Constitución and the Paseo de la Carretera.
In the area of Los Vascos you can try good pintxos at La Txapela, El Gaztelutxo, Aurrera, Tragantona, La Cava Aragonesa or at Taberna Saltoki.
The English zone
Of course, British tourists have their own party zone in Benidorm. It is located between calles Girona, Lepanto, avenida de Mallorca and their surroundings. The establishments are very focused on the British tourist, with Anglo-Saxon pub styles, activities such as karaoke or pub quizzes, and classic offerings for tourists with happy hours, mechanical bulls, stag do’s and hen parties and varied shows ranging from carnival-like ones to striptease shows.
Some of the most famous bars in the English zone are Red Dog, Hippodrome or Joker’s. However, we only recommend coming here if you’re willing to mix with this type of nightlife.
Pubs in Benidorm
In addition to the English area, and continuing with the touristic atmosphere, in Benidorm you will find many British-style pubs, ideal for having a pint, eating a hamburger and enjoying some televised sport. These are bars where the party can get very lively.
Among the leading pubs in Benidorm are Jumping Jacks, Collier’s Bar, Morgan Tavern, Western Saloon, The Explorers Club or Union Jack. Nevertheless, the list is endless and they’re all over town.
Clubs on Levante beach
For the period between 1 and 5 in the morning, the bars and clubs on Levante beach are an alternative. Some of the places have terraces in front of the beach, where there are even gogo dancers on summer nights.
The hub of this area of Benidorm nightlife is Avenida de Alcoy, converted into a promenade right on the sand of the beach. Some nightclubs on Levante beach are the beach version of La Carretera’s clubs, such as KM Playa, Penélope Playa or KU Playa. Next to them, you can find Bay Beach, the Moon Beach Club, Daytona Rock or Richard New Look Playa.
Do you want to know more about this tourist haven? Be sure to check out our articles on what to see in Benidorm and where to eat in Benidorm to complete your trip.
