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The best viewpoints
Benidorm’s skyline is best seen from outside: from the cliffs of the Serra Gelada, from the old-town headland, from the water and from the hills near La Cala. Which spot has the best light, and when, depends above all on the position of the sun.
In the morning the light comes from the east: from the Serra Gelada the sun is then behind you, and the façades are lit up. In the evening the light comes from the west and illuminates the skyline as seen from the Tossal, the Gran Hotel Bali and the Cala de Finestrat. From the Serra Gelada you then see the sun set behind the towers. Over the year, the sunset point moves from west-south-west in December to west-north-west in June. For the paths on hills and cliffs, take water, sun protection and sturdy shoes. Rooftops, building sites and private property are not viewpoints.
Serra Gelada, a good 200 m above the sea
1Mirador de la Cruz
- View
- west to north-west over the whole skyline
- Best light
- morning (sun behind you) or at sunset
- Access
- on foot from Rincón de Loix around 5 km, about 3 hrs according to Barceló; by car almost to the top, then steps
The cross on the Serra Gelada offers the classic view of Benidorm. It was put up in 1961 and replaced in 1975 after a storm; at night it is lit. From here the entire skyline fits into a field of view of about 60 degrees: Rincón de Loix in front, Levante behind it, and Poniente and La Cala right at the back.
On a clear day, according to Visit Benidorm, the panorama reaches as far as the Puig Campana in the hinterland. In the morning the sun is behind you and lights up the façades. In the evening it sets behind the towers, and then the town’s lights come on. In summer and at weekends it gets crowded, and parking is scarce.
Torre Lúgano →Edificio Don Jorge →Intempo →
Sources: Wikipedia ES ‘La Cruz (Benidorm)’ via Hispanopedia, 2026 · Visit Benidorm, 2026 · Barceló Guía de Turismo, 2026
Serra Gelada, 16th-century watchtower
2Torre de les Caletes
- View
- west to north-west, just above sea level
- Best light
- sunrise (light from the east) or just before sunset (silhouettes)
- Access
- from Avenida de Madrid about 2.5 km, around 1.5 hrs there and back, easy
The watchtower on the Punta de les Caletes, also known as Punta del Cavall, dates from the 16th century and is protected as a heritage site (BIC). It sits only a little above the sea. The view therefore runs low across the water to the west: the towers of Rincón de Loix in front, Levante behind them, Poniente in the distance. The Isla de Benidorm lies out in the bay.
The tower is a ruin and cannot be climbed. Since 2017 the path from Avenida de Madrid has been signposted. It mostly follows a road closed to cars; at the end, a short steep stretch and steps lead to the tower. There is hardly any shade, and on the cliffs it gets close to 40 °C in summer.
Torre Lúgano →Edificio Don Jorge →Torre Levante →
Sources: View from La Vila, 2026 · Ajuntament de Benidorm, 2017 · Wikipedia ES, 2026
Eastern end of the Playa de Levante
3Punta de la Llisera and Punta del Pinet
- View
- north to Rincón de Loix, west across the Levante bay
- Best light
- evening (sunset over the bay) or morning
- Access
- short, almost level path from the end of Avenida de Madrid
- Cost
- free
At the eastern end of the Playa de Levante, where the Serra Gelada begins, is the easiest view of the Levante seafront. The viewpoint on the Punta de la Llisera can be reached with almost no climbing. The neighbouring Punta del Pinet is the headland where the beach ends. Its exact position is not certain, so the map marker is only approximate.
The view splits in two directions. To the north, the towers of Rincón de Loix stand very close, with Gemelos 28 right in the foreground. To the west, the Levante bay stretches out, with Torre Levante, as far as the distant towers of Poniente. In the evening the sun sets over the bay; in the morning the Levante seafront is lit up.
Gemelos 28 →Tropic-Mar →Torre Levante →
Sources: komoot, 2026 · View from La Vila, 2026
Old town, Punta Canfali
4Balcón del Mediterráneo
- View
- east to Levante, west to Poniente
- Best light
- sunset, then the town lights
- Access
- on foot through the old town, cobbles and steps
- Cost
- free, public square
The viewing balcony with its white railings lies at the end of the Plaza de Castelar in front of the church of Sant Jaume i Santa Anna. It is the only spot with both beaches in a single sweep: Levante and Rincón de Loix to the east, Poniente and the harbour to the west, the island out at sea. A monument with four cannons recalls the castle that stood here from the 14th to the 17th century.
Visit Benidorm recommends the sunset over the harbour. The Levante seafront is then warmly lit from the west, while towards Poniente the sun sinks behind the towers. In the morning the Levante towers are backlit against the Serra Gelada. During the day the square is very crowded; it is quieter early or late.
Torre Coblanca →Intempo →Gran Hotel Bali →
Sources: Visit Benidorm, 2026 · Barceló Guía de Turismo, 2026 · komoot, 2026
Puerto de Benidorm
5Harbour breakwater
- View
- west to the Poniente seafront
- Best light
- evening (silhouettes) or morning (façades lit up)
- Access
- level, on the Passeig de Colón
- Cost
- free
At the foot of the old town, the harbour breakwater juts out into the water. From here you look west across the whole Poniente seafront to La Cala, and north to Londres II and the towers behind it. The Levante side is probably mostly hidden by the Canfali headland. The boats to the island also leave from here, and you can sit on the breakwater and watch the comings and goings.
In the evening the sun sets behind Poniente and La Cala: backlight and silhouettes, then the lights over the water. In the morning the Poniente façades are lit from the east. Whether the outer breakwater is fully public is not documented. Only use the freely accessible part.
Intempo →Beni Beach →Londres II →
Sources: komoot, 2026 · komoot, 2026
By boat, around 30 minutes
6Isla de Benidorm
- View
- north over the whole skyline
- Best light
- daytime with the sun behind you, softer in the late afternoon
- Access
- boat from the harbour, ticket office on the Passeig de Colón, be there 20 mins beforehand
- Cost
- from €25 return (as of Oct 2026)
The uninhabited island lies around 3.5 km offshore in the middle of the bay. It covers around 7 ha and rises to 73 m; there is a restaurant. From here the skyline lies to the north: the whole seafront from Poniente to Rincón de Loix fits into one picture.
Boats leave the harbour about every 50 minutes from 10 am. The crossing takes around 30 minutes, and you stay at least two hours. During the day the sun is in the south, so behind you, and the south-facing façades are lit up. A late return trip brings softer light. Seabirds nest from February to June; do not disturb nests or birds.
Intempo →Gran Hotel Bali →Torre Lúgano →
Sources: Wikipedia DE, 2026 · Wikipedia ES, 2026 · Musement, 2026
Seafront promenade
7Paseo de Poniente
- View
- south-west to La Cala, east to Levante
- Best light
- winter evening (sunset behind the La Cala towers), late afternoon
- Access
- level, walkable all the way
- Cost
- free
On the Poniente promenade you stand right in the middle of the row of towers. To the south-west, Gran Delfín, Gran Hotel Bali and Benidorm Beach reach as far as La Cala; Beni Beach and El Olivar stand directly on the promenade. To the east the view runs across the bay to the Canfali headland and the Levante seafront.
In the winter half of the year the sun sets over the sea in the south-west. In early November and early February, by calculation, it sets almost directly behind Gran Delfín and Gran Hotel Bali, depending on where you stand on the promenade. In the late afternoon the view east to Canfali and Levante is in raking light.
Gran Delfín →Gran Hotel Bali →Beni Beach →
Sources: komoot, 2026
La Cala, 80 to 103 m high
8Tossal de la Cala
- View
- north to east, Gran Hotel Bali in front, Poniente behind
- Best light
- sunrise (backlight) or afternoon (façades lit up)
- Access
- from the southern end of the Playa de Poniente up Calle de la Ermita; by car to the top
- Opening hours
- information conflicts, check with the town beforehand
On the hill at the southern end of the Playa de Poniente lies an Iberian-Roman archaeological site, a castellum, probably built around 77 BC. The mirador on the summit was laid out around 1960. Its glass railing of eight panes was added in 2021 and is modelled on the older railings at the Castell in the old town.
Visit Benidorm highlights the view of the Playa de Poniente and the Cala de Finestrat and recommends sunrise: the towers are then backlit against the morning sky. In the afternoon the Poniente façades are fully lit. A short path also leads from the end of the promenade along the rock face onto the northern flank of the hill.
Gran Hotel Bali →Gran Delfín →Intempo →
Sources: Wikipedia ES, 2026 · Alicante Plaza, 2021 · Visit Benidorm, 2026
La Cala, viewing platform in the hotel tower
9Mirador at the Gran Hotel Bali
- View
- north-east to east over the whole skyline
- Best light
- afternoon until after sunset
- Access
- inside the hotel, by panoramic lift
- Cost
- according to Wikipedia €6 for non-residents, €3 for hotel guests (date unknown)
The 186 m Gran Hotel Bali has a viewing platform open to the public, reached by a panoramic lift. According to the hotel, the mirador is on the 43rd floor. It is one of the town’s main attractions and is expected to pass two million visitors by the hotel’s 25th anniversary in 2027.
From the top you look north-east across the whole Poniente seafront, with Benidorm Beach and Gran Delfín in front and Levante and Rincón de Loix far behind. In the afternoon the sun is in the west and the skyline is lit up. After sunset come the town’s lights. Opening hours are not documented.
Benidorm Beach →Gran Delfín →Intempo →
Sources: Wikipedia EN, 2026 · Alicante Plaza, 2026 · Gran Hotel Bali, 2026
Cala de Finestrat, 16th-century watchtower
10Torre d'Aguiló
- View
- north-east over the whole skyline, La Cala in front
- Best light
- late afternoon to sunset
- Access
- from Carrer Tramuntana 15–20 mins on foot, steep, scree
On the coastal hill between the Cala de Finestrat and La Vila Joiosa stands the 16th-century watchtower Torre d'Aguiló. The tower itself is not accessible, but the hill is. From here the skyline is layered to the north-east: Gran Hotel Bali and Torre Doscalas in front, Poniente with Intempo behind, and Levante and Rincón de Loix right at the back.
In the late afternoon the sun is behind you and lights up the façades; at sunrise the towers are backlit. A gravel track leads up from Carrer Tramuntana in the Cala de Finestrat in 15 to 20 minutes. It is steep with loose scree, so good shoes are a must.
Gran Hotel Bali →Torre Doscalas →Intempo →
Sources: View from La Vila, 2024 · komoot, 2026 · komoot, 2026
Residential area on the hills inland
11Sierra Cortina
- View
- south-east over the town and the sea
- Best light
- probably late afternoon
- Access
- by car, then a short, easy walk
The Sierra Cortina is a residential area on the hills north-west of Poniente. Visit Benidorm describes an elevated, direct view of the skyline from there, with benches and shade. You drive up; the last stretch on foot is easy. There is no fixed viewpoint with a confirmed location, so there is no map marker here.
From here the town lies to the south-east, with Intempo just under 3 km away. By calculation, late afternoon with light from the west should be best; this has not been checked on site. As it is a residential area, only use public streets and squares.
Intempo →
Sources: Visit Benidorm, 2026