Benidorm tourists all make same mistake on first day, reveals expat Brit mum (2024)

A British expat who has soaked up four decades of sun living in Benidorm has shared her pearls of wisdom with holidaymakers heading to Spain this season - and revealed the big mistake many tourists make.

Michelle Baker has urged Brits setting foot in the sun-drenched streets to heed her words of advice - though the mum-of-five is not convinced they will.

After spending the lion's share of her life in Spain, where she settled down with a local and raised her family, Michelle has firm roots in Benidorm. Previously the publisher of a local newspaper, she now runs an informative Facebook community named Benidormforever, reports the Daily Star.

Speaking about the advice she'd give for Brits touching down at Alicante Airport, she said: "I always say don't be a first day fool... but they will be."

"They get here, the measures are so massive, they set foot on the street and they say 'oh beer is €2 a pint, let's have seven straight away'. If you can, just look around and see what the locals do, they have lived here a long time."

"Drink in the shade and drink water along with your alcohol. I'm not saying don't drink alcohol, that's ridiculous, but drink water alongside it because alcohol dehydrates you."

She added: "And if you are travelling with families, keep an eye on the kids. The kids will spend the day in the pool and they won't feel thirsty so it is up to you as a parent to keep topping them up."

Michelle also spoke about Benidorm's rarely seen army that washes away boozy Brits' sins, including the street where the "smell of sick is vile".

But she believes there are huge misconceptions about the popular tourist spot and revealed that first time visitors are usually pleasantly surprised. She said she has seen lots of holidaymakers get the "Benidorm bug" and return every year.

She said: "I know it is cliche but it is everything to everyone. If you want the hurdy-gurdy like my daughter, she is 21, she was out last night and she said the ambiance was number one. She said there was little trouble and a really great atmosphere.

"I wouldn't want to go down there for love nor money any more. I am too old for all that. But you go to the other side of Benidorm - I call it the Miami of Benidorm - and you have the most spectacular buildings, none of them less than €400,000, the apartments within them.

"My point being, you have got two completely different ends of the spectrum and it is only a two-hour flight from the UK. I love everything about Benidorm because depending on your mood you can find it here.

"When you go somewhere like New York, like Florida or Las Vegas, you kind of know what you are getting yourself in for and your expectations are high. But when people talk about Benidorm they are almost embarrassed to admit they are coming here.

"So when they get here and find it so fantastic they are like 'oh right, that was better than I expected'."

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