Summer holiday season is here and many will be jetting off to Spain but visitors to one prime location have been warned over beach fines. Benidorm, on the Costa Blanca, is one of the main places people go to holiday, attracting seven million Brits every year.
With its cheap and cheerful image, and even its own ITV sitcom, Benidorm is a top hotspot for Brits wanting sun, sea and sand - and in terms of its actual temperature, it is at its hottest from June to September. The resort has tried to stamp out its bad reputation of 'Brits abroad' lager louts and has now been considerably cleaned-up, with a visible police presence and 20 new beachfront cameras, as reported by Birmingham Live.
Benidorm town hall officials are said to test the seawater from the beaches every day in the summer, along with samples of sand, and take swabs from the showers and foot washers - all analysed in their own private lab to maintain cleanliness for visitors and locals. There are five beaches for tourists to enjoy - Levante, Poniente, Mal Pas, Almadrava and Tio Ximo.
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17 Benidorm beach rules you need to know - and the fines for breaking them
According to BenidormSeriously, there are a number of rules which could incur a fine if not followed at the beach. These include boozing, smoking, going on the beach between midnight and 7am when town contractors carry out the cleaning, and urinating in the sea.
You could also be fined for not putting a top on when leaving the beach to go to the bars or back to the hotel. Most public streets in Spain don't allow men to walk in the streets without a shirt and shorts on or for women to stroll around in bikinis or swimwear. Most beaches have signs telling people what they can and cannot do.
- Entering the beach (including swimming) between midnight and 7am – fine 750 to 1,200 euros
- Sleeping or camping on the beach - fine 1,200 euros
- Placing parasols and towels to reserve space – fine 150 euros
- Playing ball games outside designated areas – fine 120 euros
- Swimming when the red flag is flying – fine 1,000 euros
- Stripping off on a non-nudist beach - fine 650 euros
- Urinating in the sea – fine 150 euros
- Using soap and shampoo at the beach showers - fine up to 650 euros
- Building large sand sculptures – fine 150 euros (children's sandcastles are fine but any that are big enough to impede the nightly cleaning of the beach are not permitted)
- Fishing with a rod or net – fine 750 euros
- Fishing with a harpoon – fine 1,100 euros
- Drinking alcohol on the beach – fine 750 euros. Be sure to avoid buying any water or drinks from the beach vendors who appear when the beaches get busy as they are all unlicensed and unauthorised.
- Smoking on the beach - fine up to 2,000 euros
- Sex on the beach – fine 750 euros
- Not covering up when leaving the beach and going into the town - fine up to 300 euros
No barbecues or fires are allowed on any of the beaches
No sitting or sunbathing on the first six metres of sand nearest the water. This was introduced during the Covid pandemic and has been kept in place so bathers can easily get in and out of the sea and people can stroll along the shore without sunloungers getting in the way. It also improves access for emergency services.
