James Bryce
BRITISH tabloid The Sun has faced a backlash after labelling Spain’s most famous resort ‘Benidoom’.
Holidaymakers set up a Facebook campaign demanding an apology after the newspaper claimed Benidorm was in a ‘pit of depression and despair’.
One campaigner called the article ‘blatant lies’ by a writer ‘who did not do his homework’.
In particular the town is angry that they used photos of two totally different beaches for a ‘then and now’ pull-out box.
But it is a sh*t hole! Loads of concrete tower blocks and not enough infrastructure. Just the way the local spanish want it.
I used to holiday there in the early ´60´s the beach was huge like Tarifa and the buildings were tiny… lots of fishing boats… sweet can´t quite beleive this pic… my daughter is there now… be interesting to see her NOW pics…
Just love the smell of Benidorm in the morning nothing like cold grease, vomit and a whiff of stale beer
If you travel to the other side of Malaga (to the east) you will find plenty of small Spanish towns, beautiful beaches, no mass tourism, and high flats. This region is called the Costa Tropical, the coast of the province of Granada.
Sonja: Wherein lies lovely Nerja, with its sewage-clad beaches. Then Almunecar and Salobrena. Try going there at weekends,when most of Granada decants on to their beaches, clogging the roads in and out. Benidorm may not be to everyones taste but it certainly brings in the punters. It’s easy to sneer but millions of people go, have the type of holiday they want, and at a price they can afford. Don’t let’s be snobs eh? If it’s not your cup of (English) tea, don’t go! There’s always the Costa De La Luz, Cadiz, Seville, Jerez, umpteen places for those who want to avoid their countrymen and women and get a taste of “real” Spain.
Nerja is part of Costa del Sol, not the Costa Tropical. The only busy period is during the first three weeks of August, when Spanish families come down from Madrid and Granada, but nothing compaired to the villages west of Malaga. A town like La Herradura for example, is a perfectly clean, nice local town, with a great beach. The Costa Tropical is relatively unknow, but loved by people that are looking for quieter locations. There are lots of Europeans that do not like to come to Spain, because they think it is like Benidorm or Torremolinos. For people looking to party these places are perfectly fine. But it is important the people realise there is also another kind of Spain.
Sonja : The Costa Tropical is a recently made-up entity. On most maps the Costa Del Sol runs directly into Costa Almeria. But Nerja is definitely well to the east of Malaga. If you want another kind of Spain I would recommend the places I mentioned. In fact, anywhere north of Tarifa will do it.
And if the Spanish have their way, the whole cost of Spain will be like Benidorm. Lots of concrete, restaurants with pictures not words, and a few very wealthy politians. Even Tarifa is about to have another major development in a beauty spot…
But stefanjo is right – if getting p*ssed in the sun is all some want in life, and theres people willing to profit from it, who are we to object…