Locals share what you should do when you visit Benidorm – and it often plagues them for tourists to do it.
Staying in Spain is one of the most popular places for British visitors, thanks to budget-friendly accommodation, affordable food and drinks, plenty of free activities and wild nightlife.
It is known for its reputation as “overseas British” and for its many foreigners living there. Therefore, you are surrounded by English speakers.
Due to the party's reputation, there is a lot to do is to annoy the people who live there. Following discussions about Reddit, during my visit to Benidorm, I did not share nine local things.
It said after a holiday attendee visiting Benidorm in September, “What should I keep in mind to avoid annoying locals?”
They added: “I just want to be a good guest. I don't drink much. I'm not that sociable. I'm mostly going to hang out on the warm beaches, take walks and see new sights.
Thankfully, one resident was on hand to provide top nine advice. This is what they had to say.
1. Be careful where you drink
Locals said, “You shouldn't get drunk during the day, especially in public areas that are family friendly. I've lived in the UK for almost a decade and it was normal for adults to see shit roaming around at lunchtime. That's not the case in Spain.”
2. Dress properly
The Spaniard added: “I wear a T-shirt whenever I enter the shop and sit for lunch. I see a lot of indications about this in the most tourist locations. Many places refuse to enter if the torso is exposed.”
This includes wearing shoes outdoors. Redditor explained: “Not only is it safer for your feet, but no one wants to see your black dirty feet while sitting next to them on the bus.”
3. Don't humiliate Spain
Locals encourage people to embrace the fact that they are in Spain on their holidays. They should enjoy the sunlight, not moaning about not having all the comforts of the home.
They write: “You may not be able to find Marmite in the supermarket. You may have a hard time having dinner at 5pm. You may not be able to find a bar to watch the latest rugby games. The cashier can only speak Spanish.
4. Show respect on the beach
The Spaniard warned: “Don't move anyone's stuff on the beach, it doesn't matter if you've never seen anyone use that towel in the last three hours.
5. Nudism is not permitted
Some people may be sunbathing topless, but this doesn't mean you can go to Starker completely. Locals added that the exception is “going to a nudist beach.” There, clothes to wear are the standard.
6. Don't smoke inside
We all know we don't do this in the UK, but some assume they are allowed to lighten up on holidays.
An expert at Benidorm advised, “If you want to smoke somewhere, ask the staff and they may be able to point to the nearest possible location to you.”
7. Don't stop trash
Treat holiday hotspots just like you in your own space. It's a beautiful place. So make sure you don't lie down with garbage.
8. Please reduce the noise
No one wants to hear an uncomfortable holiday all day long. Redditor writes:
While this may seem like a long list of rules, the Spaniards are purely asking locals to respect. They also said there was nothing to worry about to tourists.
The commenter concluded:
And another agreed: “It's definitely true. It's a glass of wine with lunch is absolutely fantastic, even in a family-friendly place, that's the problem!”
