#BenidormTeEspera was the hash tag chosen by the Benidorm council to encourage social network users to share photos of the best moments that were happening in the town in the midst of the confinement phase. It was all a success. It lets us remember the good times spent in this beautiful town and anticipated what we would be able to enjoy again when the situation allows so. And that moment has come! #BenidormTeEspera and Beninter too.
Contemplating the Mediterranean, swimming in it, strolling through streets with the aroma of the sea, enjoying an ideal climate… Experiencing all this is once again a reality for us, and from 21st June, for many of you too. However, the country in general and Benidorm in particular, have worked hard to ensure that this return to a ‘new normal’ is done as safely as possible.
The town, is thankful for everybody’s effort and good work, it has managed to ‘contain’ the virus since the restrictions on Phase 0 began to be lifted and in the last few weeks only 1 new positive has been registered. Benidorm wants to keep to these numbers, which implies that restrictions and security measures have been imposed and that we should all know about them and include them in our daily life. Below, you have all the information about the situation in Benidorm and about these measures that we must apply and respect.
From 21st June, Benidorm allows tourists to return
As we have said, from 21st June the Spanish borders will be open for the countries belonging to the Schengen Area, with the exception of Portugal. In addition, there are 6 other countries that, although not signed to the agreement, belong to the EU, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Croatia. This does not mean that the opening of the borders of these countries will happen in the same way; each will define their own position. With respect to the rest of the countries, at the moment the Spanish Government has only announced that the border openings will be gradual from 1st July.
Will tourists coming to Spain have to quarantine? The information we have at the moment is that no mandatory quarantine will have to be made.
The Benidorm beaches, “the safest in Europe”
Benidorm’s beaches are one of the most popular attractions, especially at this time of year. Well, let’s talk about the beaches! And this is one of the most significant changes that we have to get used to in this ‘new reality’.
“The safest beaches in Europe” is another of the mottos that the council has chosen. In this case, to summarize the objective of the new plan that has been applied to them and which aims to guarantee sanitary security conditions for beach users.
When at last we could enjoy the beaches of the surrounding towns, the Benidorm council announced that we would still have to wait to set foot on the Benidorm ones. Why? They have been working to prepare them and ensure that a town with such a large population that triples in the summer season can safely enjoy them.
And as from 15th June we can enjoy the beaches following the ‘Benidorm Beach Safety’ Plan:
- The beach has been divided into 12 sectors.
- Some of them are designated to older people (over 70 years old), others to families and young people and others are occupied by areas with sun beds and parasols. You can check the plans of this distribution, here: Poniente and Levante.
- Each sector has been divided, in turn, into plots of 16 square meters.
- Access to the beach is not available on arrival, but you must reserve one of those plots.
- At the moment, reservations are made at the physical points enabled on the beaches and, from 1st July, they can also be booked online on this link.
- To book, you must choose a date and time with availability. You will get an entrance ticket that will indicate your access point and plot and you must take it (in physical or digital format) to validate it before going on the beach.
The local council has announced that the implementation of this Plan is staggered, versatile and modular and that variations based on demand have already been foreseen. A job that has been difficult and expensive but that complies with all state and regional regulations and in which different councils and even the Local Police have jointly participated.
At the moment, the beaches have opening hours (from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.) and there is no time limit to be on your reserved plot. However, this will change depending on the capacity. In addition, all shared areas, such as benches or footpaths, are disinfected frequently.
Restaurants, bars and cafes
What restrictions are currently being applied in restaurants, bars or cafes? Mainly, relative to its capacity: 50% indoors and 75% on the terraces.
The local council has made available to all subsectors of the tourism sector, which include these establishments, a guide with specifications for service, cleaning and disinfection, maintenance and risk management to ensure that they comply with all the measures.
Safety distance and use of mandatory mask
Another of the measures applied by the Spanish Government is the mandatory use of masks on public streets. It will be compulsory outdoors in open spaces, indoor spaces for public use or those that are open to the public and in all means of public transport. Whoever does not comply with this rule will be sanctioned with fines of up to 100 euro’s.
Regarding whether its use is mandatory in bars restaurants and cafes, the Government has announced that it is not. It is the owners of said businesses task to comply with the regulations of capacity, disinfection, prevention and conditioning. If done correctly, there would be no problem not using a mask.