lunes, 17 de marzo de 2014

Celebrate 'Fallas' in Benidorm

Fallas festival is one of the most important and well-known in Valencia City and some other cities and towns in the Valencian Community like Benidorm for example. During the previous days to the 19th of March, the Fallas turn the Valencian Community in an explosion of color, fire and celebration.

The Fallas festival, an old tradition
We find the first information about the Fallas in the mid XVIII Century, but it is believe that it started with a pagan tradition. The purifying fire is present in many other festivities like San Juan or San Miguel; San José for the Fallas, because it is said that it was the carpenters (Saint Joseph's profession) the first ones to burn the wood waste from their workshops to celebrate.


Fallas in Benidorm
The main Valencia festivity is celebrated during the previous days to San José day in Benidorm and in the rest of the Valencian Community. This festival has been present in Benidorm for about 30 years; it was imported by Valencian people that created the first Fallas commission. Ever since then, Benidorm Fallas have been adapted, reinvented and bettered, so their characteristic fire, parody and smell of gunpowder transform them in one of the main festivals in the city.

During these days, this city is full with people who want enjoy the climate and the "Fallas" atmosphere. Hotels in Benidorm, restaurants, night clubs, all are ready to celebrate the "Fallas" and to host  tourists that want to enjoy a fantastic break in Benidorm.

There are 3 different Fallas commissions in Benidorm at the moment: Centro, Rincon and Els Tolls. Every one of them is in charge of placing one Falla. The 'plantà' is how these commissions show their Falla monument.

These monuments are made with wood and papier mâché representing day-to-day scenes from the current situations in a satiric and funny way. The Falla is not only a statue or a puppet; it is a special way of seeing the world.

Another important moment in the Fallas festivals is the 'Mascletà'. The Valencian people have a big connection with the gunpowder, and there is no festival without it. Every day at the same time for the 'Mascletà', the artisan of gunpowder prepares a pyrotechnic show with different kind of petards. It is a good moment to feel the vibration, see a beginning and finale on the air and to smell the gunpowder surrounding you.

During the Fallas days there are some 'Pasacalles' (parades) in the city streets, where the residents and the visitors can enjoy this colourful festival, listen to the music of the brass bands and see the 'Fallera Mayor' and the infant one, these girls dressed in the regional traditional costume are the protagonists of the Fallas.

The floral tribute to the 'Virgen del Sufragio' is very important in the Benidorm Fallas. Using the flowers that the Fallas people, the residents and the visitors offer to this virgin they will decorate the door front and the sides of the Saint Jaume church, dressing it with loads of colours for all the Fallas festivals.

'La Cremà', the end of the Fallas
The beauty of the Fallas monuments, apart from their satiric scenes, the materials and the well done work, lies on its expiry date. They are created to be burnt and reduced to ashes on the festival final day, the 19th of March, the 'Cremà' day. On that day, all the Fallas get burnt creating an amazing sight and the work for the next year starts again for the Fallas Commissions. In Benidorm, like in many other places, the adult and infant Fallas get burnt at a different time so people can enjoy all the 'cremàs' if they want to.

Hotel Don Pancho

lunes, 10 de marzo de 2014

Benidorm, pioneer city in the introduction of accessible beaches

Too many times in the life of the mobility disable people they find difficulties to access some public places.

Pavements, promenades, public buildings... one by one the architectural barriers are being reduced in the cities to make life easier for those who for any reason need help to  have normal mobility.

And when people with some disability have to  select where go on holidays, the accessibility is very important.


Benidorm is become a pioneer city in the improvement of the mobility disable people's quality of life. Most of hotels in Benidorm have adapted facilities to receive disabled people and also Benidorm is pioneer introducing the concept of accessible beaches.

Benidorm beaches, ready to make their access easier

To consider a beach accessible for the disable mobility people we have to find different urban infrastructures that improve their quality of life: accessible public transport or special parking places (close to the entrance).

We can also find some other elements to help the people with  mobility difficulties to have a swim, like access ramps, changing rooms, shade areas or assistants (watch and rescue services)that can get in action whenever it is necessary.


Accessible services to enjoy a day in the Benidorm beaches

Nearly all year, and specially during the summer, the accessible Benidorm beaches offer special services to anyone that needs them, like adapted changing rooms, ramps, access walkways, amphibious chairs and crutches to swim, special areas or lifeguards as support staff.

You can spend your holidays in Benidorm enjoying its beaches, now you can enjoy it, despite your mobility problem.

Accessible points locations in the Benidorm beaches.

In the Levante beach, you can find the access point in the Murcia Street, around the center area of the beach. The Poniente beach counts with two different points, one in each side of the beach (Elche Park and Mont Benidorm Avenue). These points have been available for more than ten years and they have spacious areas, bigger than 100m2.

Services, infrastructures and personal assistance better the visit to Benidorm to the people with a mobility disability and help them enjoy a day on the beach like anybody else.

Hotel Don Pancho