Is Benidorm Open in Winter? What's Open, Weather & Long Stays

Yes, Benidorm is open in winter, and properly open, not just a couple of bars hanging on. Most hotels, restaurants and pubs keep trading from November to February, daytime highs sit around 16-18°C in midwinter, and the main things that shut are the big theme and water parks.

It doesn't close for winter. It changes gear. Fewer stag dos, more long-stay visitors, lots of over-50s and Spanish pensioners on Imserso holidays. If you want sun on your face in January without summer prices, it works.

Quick facts

• Average highs: about 20°C in November, 17°C in December, January and February (AEMET, Alicante-Elche airport, 1981-2010)
• Average lows: about 11°C in November, 6-8°C from December to February at the airport. Benidorm runs a touch milder at night.
• Sea temperature: around 19°C in November, 16°C in December, 14°C in January and February
• Rainy days: roughly 3 to 4 a month
• Sunshine: about 165-185 hours a month
• Daylight: shortest day is around 9 hours 28 minutes, on 22 December
• Hotels open: the hoteliers' association Hosbec expected 88.4% of hotel beds to stay open through the 2022-23 winter
• Closed: Aqualandia, Terra Mítica and, from early November, Mundomar

Does Benidorm close for winter?

No. This is the question I get asked most, usually by people who've done the Algarve or a Greek island and watched half the seafront board up in October. Benidorm isn't like that. For the 2022-23 winter, Hosbec expected 88.4% of hotel beds, 88.3% of tourist apartments and 90.3% of campsites to stay open. The figure moves a bit each year, but the pattern doesn't.

What you will notice:

• Some hotels close for a few weeks between December and February, often for refurbishment. Check your hotel's dates before you book flights.
• Beach bars and seasonal terraces cut their hours, especially on grey weekdays.
• The late-night strip is quieter midweek. Weekends, bank holidays and fiesta weeks still get going.
• The big parks shut. Aqualandia runs a summer-only season (roughly late May to late September). Terra Mítica closes for winter and reopened on 15 May for its 2026 season. Ticket sellers list Mundomar's 2026 season as running to 1 November.

What winter visitors actually come for keeps going: the two big beaches and their promenades, the old town tapas bars, the shows, the weekly markets, the TRAM up the coast and the British and Irish pubs.

Benidorm winter weather, month by month

Air figures are AEMET's 1981-2010 averages for Alicante-Elche airport, the nearest official station. Benidorm itself is similar: Weather Spark puts its January highs around 16°C and lows around 8°C. Sea temperatures are averages from seatemperatu.re and Weather Spark.

What that feels like: in the sun at lunchtime, out of the wind, it's T-shirt weather and people sit on terraces in shorts. Once the sun drops behind the buildings, around 5.40pm in December, it gets cold fast. Apartments with tiled floors feel chilly indoors, so check your place has heating or air-con with a heat setting. Pack layers and something warm for the evenings.

Winter long stays in Benidorm

Benidorm has done long-stay winters for decades, and it suits it. The seafront is flat, buses and the TRAM are easy, and you won't be the only one there for six weeks. A few things that make it go well:

• Know the 90-day rule. On a UK passport you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and time in other Schengen countries counts too. The EU's Entry/Exit System is being rolled out, so expect fingerprints and a photo at the border. Check gov.uk before you book. Irish passport holders don't have this limit.
• Pick your side of town. Levante is the busy, British side, and Rincón de Loix at its far end is the heart of it. Poniente is longer, calmer and more Spanish. The old town sits between them and is best for food.
• Ask for a monthly rate. Hotels and apartment owners are much more flexible for a long booking in January than for a week in August. It's always worth asking.
• Think about the walk. Benidorm has hills behind the front. If knees are an issue, stay close to the promenade or check there's a lift.
• Sort your health cover. Get proper travel insurance before you go. If you need a private clinic, Alicante has a good choice of them.

You'll also share the town with Spanish pensioners. Benidorm's hotels have long counted on senior tourism, including the government-backed Imserso holidays, to fill rooms in the cooler months. It gives winter a nice mixed feel, especially in the old town.

What's on in Benidorm in winter

• November: the patron saint fiestas run from 6 to 11 November 2026, and the big unofficial fancy dress day is expected on Thursday 12 November.
• Late November to 6 January: the Christmas programme. In 2025 the lights went on on 29 November in Plaza de SS.MM. Reyes de España, with an ice rink, rides and a Christmas market there, plus a craft market in Parque de Elche. See Christmas in Benidorm.
• 31 December: a big street party on the Levante seafront, with Big Ben's chimes for the Brits at 1am Spanish time. See New Year's Eve in Benidorm and Alicante.
• 5 January: the Three Kings parade (Cabalgata) through town in the evening.

Check the council's benidorm.org for each year's programme, as times are confirmed close to the date.

Best things to do in Benidorm in winter

• Take the TRAM to Altea. It's a lovely, easy day out with a whitewashed old town.
• Climb the Peñón de Ifach. Winter is the best time for it, cool and clear.
• Do the old town properly. The tapas bars around Plaza de la Constitució, like La Cava Aragonesa and El Rincón del Ribera, are at their best when it's not packed.
• Get a drink with a view. Gran Hotel Bali, Selvático Rooftop and La Terrasse are good for a sunset.
• Find your local. Plenty of long-stayers end up with a regular pub. The Shamrock Irish Pub in Rincón de Loix is one of the friendly ones.
• Have a rainy-day plan. It doesn't rain much, but when it does it pours, so keep a long lunch or a show up your sleeve.

Getting to Benidorm in winter

Alicante airport is the nearest, about an hour away. The direct ALSA bus is the cheap option, and a taxi is quickest. From Alicante city, TRAM Line 1 runs from Luceros to Benidorm in about 72 minutes. Full details in our Alicante airport to Benidorm guide. For everything else about the town, see our Benidorm area guide.

FAQ

Is Benidorm open in winter?

Yes. Most hotels, bars and restaurants trade right through November to February. For the 2022-23 winter, Hosbec expected 88.4% of Benidorm's hotel beds to stay open. The big theme and water parks are what close.

Does Benidorm close for winter?

No. It quietens down and some places cut their hours, and a few hotels shut for a few weeks for refurbishment, but the town keeps going. Aqualandia and Terra Mítica are closed in winter, and Mundomar's 2026 season is listed as ending on 1 November.

Is Benidorm warm in winter?

Mild rather than warm. AEMET averages for Alicante airport give highs of about 17°C from December to February and around 20°C in November. Nights drop to single figures in midwinter, so bring a proper jacket.

Can you swim in the sea in Benidorm in winter?

Some people do, but it's cold. The sea is around 19°C in November, about 16°C in December and roughly 14°C in January and February. Most winter visitors paddle and sunbathe rather than swim.

Is Benidorm good for over 50s in winter?

It's one of the best places in Spain for it. It's flat along the seafront, most things stay open, prices drop and there are plenty of other long-stay visitors and Spanish pensioners on Imserso trips.

How long can I stay in Benidorm on a UK passport?

Up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and days spent in other Schengen countries count towards that. The EU's Entry/Exit System is also being rolled out, so you may need to give fingerprints and a photo at the border. Check gov.uk before you book.

Pack a jumper, bring sunglasses, and you'll be fine.

Planning the rest of the year? See November · December · January · February