Benidorm in November: Weather, Fiestas & Is It Dead?

Benidorm in November is a lot better than people expect. Days still reach about 20°C, the sea is warmer than the air at night, and the second week brings the town's biggest fiesta plus the famous British fancy dress day. It's quieter and cheaper than summer, but it's nowhere near dead.

Quick facts

• Average high / low: 20.5°C / 10.3°C
• Sea temperature: about 19°C on average, warmer early in the month and down to the mid-teens by the end
• Rain: about 36 mm, spread over roughly 4 days with 1 mm or more
• Sunshine: about 173 hours, so close to 6 hours a day
• Daylight: sunrise about 07:25 and sunset about 18:02 on 1 November; by the 30th it's 07:56 to 17:41, under 10 hours
• Crowds: calm first week, very busy around 6 to 12 November, then quiet
• Fancy dress day: TBD. Based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November
• Prices: well below summer, except fiesta week, when the Levante hotels fill up

Where the numbers come from: air temperatures, rain and sunshine are AEMET's 1981-2010 climate normals for its Alicante city station, the nearest long-running official record, about 40 km down the coast. Benidorm won't match it to the decimal point, but it's close enough to plan with, and I use the same station for every month so you can compare. Sea temperatures are 10-year averages from seatemperature.info, and sunrise and sunset times are from sunrise-sunset.org.

Is Benidorm warm in November?

In the daytime, yes. An average high of 20.5°C means lunch outside in a T-shirt, especially on a sunny terrace on the Levante promenade out of the wind. Early November often still feels like the end of summer. By the last week it feels like autumn.

The evenings are where people get caught out. The sun is down around 6pm, and the average low is about 10°C. That's jumper and jeans weather for dinner, and a jacket if you're walking back late along the seafront. Rain isn't a big worry: about four wet days on average.

Can you swim in the sea in November?

You can. The sea averages about 19°C across November, which is fresh but fine for a proper swim if you go in on a sunny afternoon. It's warmest in the first days of the month and has usually dropped into the mid-teens by the end. Plenty of northern Europeans swim on Levante while locals walk past in coats.

Don't assume there's a lifeguard on duty out of season, so check the flags and swim near other people.

What to wear and pack

• T-shirts and shorts for the middle of the day
• Jeans or long trousers and a jumper or fleece for evenings
• A light waterproof jacket, just in case
• Comfortable shoes: the old town is up a hill and the fiesta parades mean a lot of standing
• Your costume, if you're coming for fancy dress day. Bring it from home so you're not hunting for one on the day

There's a fuller list in our winter packing guide.

Is Benidorm open in November? What's closed

The short answer to "is Benidorm dead in November" is no. Benidorm is one of the few Spanish resorts that keeps going all year, and a lot of older northern Europeans spend the whole winter here. The Levante strip, the British bars and the old town tapas places all trade. Hotels do too, though a few use the quiet weeks for refurbishment, so check yours is actually open on your dates.

What's closed is mostly the big parks:

• Terra Mítica: its 2026 season ran from 15 May to 1 November, so it's shut for the winter. Check the park's website for the 2027 opening date.
• Aqualandia: summer only. Its 2026 calendar runs May to September.
• Mundomar: the official calendar shows 1 November 2026 as the last normal opening day. Last winter it opened on selected days, mainly for its dolphin and sea lion experiences, so check before you go.
• Terra Natura: ticket sellers list weekends, holidays and Christmas only from November to March. Aqua Natura, its water park, closes after 1 November.

Some beach bars also cut their hours or close midweek once the season ends.

What's on in November 2026

Fiestas Mayores Patronales, 7 to 11 November

This is Benidorm's big one, in honour of the Virgen del Sufragio (the Mare de Déu del Sofratge) and Sant Jaume. The council has confirmed the dates as 7 to 11 November, with the Friday 6 eve. Exact times are TBD. The council publishes the full programme with exact times at the end of October, so check benidorm.org before you travel. Based on the published outline for 2026:

• Friday 6: the eve. Lights go on along Calle Martínez Alejos, there's the Porrat fair on Vía Emilio Ortuño, and the peñas (fiesta clubs) make their entrance at night.
• Saturday 7: bells at midday and the band parade. In the afternoon comes the Hallazgo on Poniente beach, a re-enactment of the Virgin's image being found on the shore, a tradition dating back to 1740. Then the romería to Sant Jaume church, the flower offering and the opening speech.
• Sunday 8: the Virgin's day, with Mass at 11:30, a mascletà (a daytime firework barrage, more noise than colour) at 14:00 and the procession at 19:30.
• Monday 9: Sant Jaume's day, with Mass, mascletà and procession.
• Tuesday 10: the Gran Desfile del Humor, the peñas' comedy parade.
• Wednesday 11: a children's mascletà, sweets thrown to the crowd and the float parade to close.

Monday 9 and Tuesday 10 November are local holidays in Benidorm, so expect banks and council offices to shut.

Fancy dress day: TBD, likely Thursday 12 November

The day after the fiestas end, the British crowd takes over. It isn't on the council programme, it's a tradition that grew up around the British bars, and the date is set by word of mouth. Date TBD. It was Thursday 14 November in 2024 and Thursday 13 November in 2025, so based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November 2026. Our fancy dress day guide has the details.

Best things to do in November

• Watch the Hallazgo on Poniente beach on the Saturday afternoon. It's the most local thing you'll see all year.
• Walk up to the Balcón del Mediterráneo at the tip of the old town for sunset, then eat tapas nearby at La Cava Aragonesa on Plaza de la Constitució.
• Have a sunset drink with a view at La Terrasse on Avenida de Estocolmo.
• Catch the football at Shamrock Irish Pub on Calle Gerona.
• Take the TRAM to Altea for a calmer afternoon. Line 9 runs from Benidorm up to Dénia, fully reopened since January 2025. See our Altea by tram guide.

More ideas on our Benidorm area page.

Is it busy? Prices

November has three moods. The first few days are calm. From Friday 6 to fancy dress Thursday (TBD, likely the 12th) the town is packed, and hotels near Levante fill up early, so book as soon as you can if you want to be there for it. After that, Benidorm settles into its winter rhythm: couples, long-stay visitors, a lot of over-50s, and plenty of space on the beach.

Outside fiesta week, hotels and apartments are much cheaper than in summer, and it's easy to get a table anywhere. Getting here is simple too. The ALSA bus from Alicante airport to Benidorm was €7.99 one way at the time of writing (October 2026), and the TRAM Line 1 runs from Luceros in Alicante right up the coast. Our airport to Benidorm guide covers both.

FAQ

Is Benidorm dead in November?

No. Benidorm runs all year and the bars on the Levante strip, the British pubs and the old town tapas bars keep trading. The second week of November is actually one of the liveliest of the year, with the patron saint fiestas from 7 to 11 November 2026 and the British fancy dress day (date TBD, likely Thursday 12 November). What does close is the theme parks, and the second half of the month is properly quiet.

Is Benidorm warm in November?

In the daytime, yes. The average high is about 20.5°C, so T-shirt weather at lunch in the sun. Evenings are a different story: the average low is about 10°C and it's dark by around 6pm, so bring a jumper or light jacket.

Can you swim in the sea in Benidorm in November?

Yes, if you don't mind it fresh. The sea averages about 19°C over the month, warmer at the start and cooler by the end. Plenty of northern Europeans swim right through November. Check the flags and don't assume there's a lifeguard on duty.

When is Benidorm fancy dress day 2026?

TBD. Based on last year, expect Thursday 12 November 2026, the day after the official fiestas finish. It isn't on the council programme, it's a British tradition, so the date is set by word of mouth. In 2024 it was Thursday 14 November and in 2025 Thursday 13 November.

Is Terra Mítica open in November?

Only on 1 November. Its 2026 season ran from 15 May to 1 November, and Aqualandia is a summer-only park, so neither is open for the rest of the month. Check the Mundomar and Terra Natura calendars for any winter days.

What is the Benidorm carnival in November?

It's what a lot of Brits call fiesta week plus the fancy dress day. The official event is the Fiestas Mayores Patronales in honour of the Virgen del Sufragio. Benidorm's actual carnival is a separate, smaller event in February.

Book early for fiesta week, pack a jumper, and you'll be fine.

Planning the rest of the year? See December · Benidorm in winter