What's the point of going abroad if you're just another tourist (1 Viewer)

[Larrynwin]

When in foreign lands we consume the local food and drinks and explore all the local sights but if that makes us tourists so be it, it's seeing how others live that adds to variety of life. Never been to Benidorm.

 

[2657]

Probably as many Spanish holidaymakers as Brits in the winter.

 

[Alistair33]

When in foreign lands we consume the local food and drinks and explore all the local sights but if that makes us tourists so be it, it's seeing how others live that adds to variety of life. Never been to Benidorm.

You still get to see how others live ………trust me on that one !

Today we are off to loo for the culture side

EDIT hat should read

Today we are off to look for the culture side

Welli hope it should!

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[Richard n Ann]

Today we are off to loo,for the culture side

Only kidding Enjoy

 

[Welsh girl]

View attachment 190705
Bottom end now flooded. We were the first out

It was like that in January when we're were there. Not going this year but I enjoyed our time there. Not everyone's cup of tea I know.

 

[Alistair33]

Just been talking to @hymermick on my way back from the loo…………… it’s a small world isn’t it?

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[Alistair33]

We’ve had our couple of days in the infamous Benidorm and today we move south.

We found Benidorm to have a few faces, there is the for want of a better title, the “party people”, singles, young and old together, of all nationalities, a sexual imbalance 80:20 male to female, shirtless loud and drunk, a sexual balance on this point ! While there idea of fun many not appeal to me and many sometimes interfere with others enjoyment, they are here to have fun so, who am I to complain?

The next group are those who are living on udbanizations, in static, touring caravans, and have in many instances been routed to the same spot for a along time. (Before settling on a site we did visit a couple of others which counjoured up images of third world shantytowns or refugee camps.) They have the sun, the weather, and here, everything they could want of their home country with the exception of, Home.
Their adventure before dementia appears to be over.

Motorhomers now. (and tourers that move) …………… a mixed bunch as you may well imagine, some like us are passing through quickly others put down routes for a season in the same place year on year and visit with those that too survived the colder climates of Northern Europe’s summer.
55 appears to be on the young side with no apparent upper limit, we heard of a 90 year old women still touring!

Now the most important group, the locals who are here ethier by chance of birth or design. They make money off the rest, with a smile and hopefully a happy heart, for they are blessed with a climate and a country that all the others wish to call Home.

Someone in a post here suggested that Alicante was a good place for food and shopping ………… while we’ve not made it that far on this trip we did visit by plane a couple of years ago and the many wedding dress shops are incredible !

 

[magicsurfbus]

But we bought the rain and God it’s torrential!

But were there still sodden German beach towels on the sunbeds by 5am the following morning? God knows why but I was thinking of that exact Monty Python sketch in your OP only yesterday.

 

[jimlagos]

Spain has everything. Now they have opened a lot more Aires (free parking) It's so easy to explore the countryside and towns. One of my regular stops is Vallidolid, free parking near the centre of a historic and bustling town, with loads to see. Spain has areas of breathtaking scenery, beautiful unspoiled old towns, and various copies of Blackpool! Wintertime I have long tours of Portugal and Spain, as summer gets too hot for me. One of the problems is the people who had an all inclusive holiday in Spanish resorts like Benidorm and Majorca say they've been to Spain. Believe me they haven't!

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[Alistair33]

Spain has everything. Now they have opened a lot more Aires (free parking) It's so easy to explore the countryside and towns. One of my regular stops is Vallidolid, free parking near the centre of a historic and bustling town, with loads to see. Spain has areas of breathtaking scenery, beautiful unspoiled old towns, and various copies of Blackpool! Wintertime I have long tours of Portugal and Spain, as summer gets too hot for me. One of the problems is the people who had an all inclusive holiday in Spanish resorts like Benidorm and Majorca say they've been to Spain. Believe me they haven't!

We are planning on heading up from Alicante to Madrid then Granada, and in the general direction of Portugal …………… I’d welcome any details you have of suitable Aires in this general route?

 

[DBK]

I guess one advantage of Spain is the campsites are mostly open at this time of year. We've just started crossing France, east to west, and we will be using aires probably all the way. Virtually all the sites are closed now which must be a problem for those towing a caravan. Southern Spain is much more geared up for the winter, though most of the north coast sites, like in much of France, will be closed.

Edit: I've just checked on the ACSI app and like the CamperContact app you can use a filter to search for sites open now. Sadly, I haven't downloaded the data for France and as it's over 500Mb I won't be on my PAYG sim - must find free WiFi!

 

[StephandJohn]

We went to Benidorm in December a few years ago on a coach trip from La Manga (a place I definitely wouldn't go to again!) and were really pleasantly surprised. Had a good lunch in the old town at a Spanish restaurant where they didn't speak English and some good tapas there later.
The promenade along the beach gives you a good walk and you can easily avoid the bars if you don't want them.
Probably horrible in July and August though.

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[irnbru]

Add Cadiz and El Rocio in afterwards. Both worth a visit

 

[irnbru]

We are planning on heading up from Alicante to Madrid then Granada, and in the general direction of Portugal …………… I’d welcome any details you have of suitable Aires in this general route?

See here maybe.

https://www.motorhomefun.co.uk/forum/threads/madrid-or-close-by.160621/page-2#post-2537129

 

[jimlagos]

I would strongly recommend "All the Aires locator map" for Spain and Portugal. You can buy from Vicarious books..
I've just bought the 5th edition, as more Aires are being installed every year. Every Aire is listed, co ordinates, and complete information about what is available etc, with a photo of each one. There is a large folded map showing each one. I use their books for France etc. Every Aire is regularly inspected (wish I had that job!) If you can, try Valladolid, it is free although on the edge of a charging car park. Just remember to get a FREE ticket from the kiosk. It has water and emptying facilities. Stroll into town and enjoy real historic Spain

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[Jim]

Every Aire is listed,

I’ll have to take look at their new books. As that was never always the case. They used to be missing loads. I tend to always use the official guide which we presume is the de facto list and updated each year. But I’m rarely on an up-to-date one. It’s in French but it’s simple to follow. I don’t really need an English version, I find coordinates written in French are easy to translate and a French address written in English happens to look exactly like it’s written in French.

 

[Alistair33]

We’ve had various comments on he Ares book but as we are in the U.K. for a week and they do overnight delivery I’ve ordered it so will be able to give a definitive answer from our point of view soon! Look out for it in the for sale section if it doe st look good!

 

[jimlagos]

Some of the Aires are wonderful while some not so good, but I find the descriptions and photographs are useful in deciding for yourself before you get there. Quite a few campsites, I've used years ago, before I found these Aires were frankly rubbish!

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[filopastry]

Not heard much with regards to Italy out of peak season, do they suffer as we do in France from sites closing down at the end of the peak season?
@DBK can you please explain to a thick Yorkshireman how to use the filter within asci to check sites open today and in the near future. Trying to organise a little jolly for a few days to Italy off peak and it won't work for me.

 

[DBK]

Not heard much with regards to Italy out of peak season, do they suffer as we do in France from sites closing down at the end of the peak season?
@DBK can you please explain to a thick Yorkshireman how to use the filter within asci to check sites open today and in the near future. Trying to organise a little jolly for a few days to Italy off peak and it won't work for me.

Using the app, which I find much easier than the web version, this is how I use the filters. The app has recently been upgraded and the filters are a bit different to how they used to work. I using Android but I guess it will be the same if you have the iOS version.

Start at the home page. This is the one with a round bit in the middle with a MH in it and four other sectors around it.

Click on the "All Sites" bit in the middle. You could choose "Motorhome Parkings" instead which will only return aires but if you do "All Sites" it will include any campsites which might be in the area.

In the top left of the next page is "Filters" written in orange. Click on this which will take you, not unsurprisingly, to the filters page.

If you just want to see what is open scroll down and click on "Open" then select in turn the "Start" and "End" dates and finally click on the orange bar at the bottom. If you selected today's date (03 Nov) the bar will say "Show 17822 locations". Your number might be slightly different as I haven't updated my app for a while and new sites may have been added. However, clicking on this bar will show the full map and you can then zoom in to where you want to look.

But the clever bit is you can use multiple filters. Here's an example.

If instead of clicking on the Orange bar to show the map you click on "Back" in the top left you will return to the filters page. Now select "Available Facilities" and tick the box "Discharge chemical toilet". Click "Back" again and select "Price" and check "Free". Click "Back" again and select "Rating" check "7 or higher". The orange bar will now say something like "Show 1396 locations" which will lead to a map showing only places which are free, have services, are open and are rated quite high. You can choose other filters of course such as a country but I never bother, it works fast enough without having to do this.

I often use the ratings filter as a way of reducing the choice in places where there are a lot of aires or you are planning say a journey across France and if you look at a map of all the aires there are just too many to decide which one to use.

You can save filters for reuse but I don't usually bother.

 

[Theonlysue]

Funsters at a tapas bar in the old town.
And the promenade is lovely in winter.
Uncrowded. Great beach. And t shirt weather.

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[joka250]

We stopped in Benidorm in January 2017 just to see what it was all about. Weather was poor including snow. Some elements absolutely dreadful others very interesting but we are all different. Would I recommend It? No because it's extremes are too great but I certainly wouldn't have missed the experience.

 

[Lenny HB]

View attachment 199701

Funsters at a tapas bar in the old town.
And the promenade is lovely in winter.
Uncrowded. Great beach. And t shirt weather.

You can tell when they get a rough crowd in they have to put up security fences.

 

[makems]

You can tell when they get a rough crowd in they have to put up security fences.

Not surprised. I recognise quite a few of those reprobates.
@Brisey @Malcolm Bolt @toledo @Theonlysue
The bar bill wont have been small, even at Benidorm prices!

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