claude-api☀️ The Benidorm Bulletin
Your weekly dose of sun, sangria, and what’s on
✉️ From the Editor
Happy Easter Sunday from the Benidorm Bulletin! If you’re in the resort right now, you’ll know there’s something magical about this morning — the Easter Sunday procession started at 8am, the weather is warming up beautifully, and Benidorm is doing that thing it does so well: transitioning effortlessly from solemn candlelit tradition to full-on sunshine holiday mode within the space of a few hours.
This week we’ve got a packed issue. Holy Week wraps up today, the Elvis Festival is just three weeks away (wristbands are sold out but there’s still a way in), and we’ve put together our biggest feature yet — a proper guide to evening entertainment across both the Old Town and New Town. Whether you’re after a drag show, a tribute act, a pirate ship bar from the telly, or a quiet cocktail with some live music, we’ve got you covered.
Let’s get into it — after you’ve finished your Easter egg, obviously.
🗞️ Lead Story
Easter Sunday — Holy Week Ends, Spring Season Begins
Today marks the close of Semana Santa and the unofficial start of Benidorm’s spring season proper. Here’s what that means for the next few weeks.
Easter Sunday’s Procession of the Encounter began at 8am in the Alameda — the moment where the float of the Risen Lord and the Virgin Mary come together, accompanied by the uniquely local Embaixada de l’Àngel ceremony. It’s the joyful end to a genuinely extraordinary week of processions, and if you caught any of it, you’ll understand why so many people plan their Benidorm trips specifically around Holy Week.
With Semana Santa over, Benidorm shifts into a different gear. Hotel occupancy picks up sharply through April, the weather settles into reliable warm sunshine, and the resort’s entertainment scene hits full stride. The next few weeks bring the Elvis Festival (24–26 April), the Skyline Film Festival (18–25 April), the Tuna Festival (17–26 April) and the Festa de la Creu (30 April – 3 May) — one of the busiest event periods of the year.
If you’re planning an April or May visit, now is the time to book. Accommodation for Elvis Festival weekend is extremely limited, and early April weekends are filling fast on the back of the Easter crowd.
- Fri 17 – Sun 26 April — VI Tuna Festival (Benidorm Gastronómico)
- Sat 18 – Sat 25 April — Skyline International Film Festival
- Fri 24 – Sun 26 April — 16th Benidorm Elvis Festival
- Mon 27 April — Bonus Elvis show at Benidorm Palace
- Thu 30 April – Sun 3 May — Festa de la Creu (Holy Cross Festival)
- Fri 1 May — Spanish Labour Day public holiday
- Sat 23 May — Iberia Festival at the Julio Iglesias Auditorium
📅 What’s On This Week
A quieter week events-wise after the intensity of Holy Week — but Benidorm’s entertainment scene never actually stops.
Sunday 5 April
Easter Sunday — La Mona Celebrations
After this morning’s final procession, Benidorm shifts into La Mona mode — the Spanish Easter tradition of outdoor picnics and sweet mona bread. Parks and the beach promenade get lively from mid-morning. The Old Town retains a lovely festive atmosphere throughout the day as the week’s solemnity lifts.
Thursday 17 April
VI Tuna Festival Opens — Ronqueo Ceremony
The Tuna Festival kicks off with the spectacular ronqueo — the ceremonial butchering of a whole bluefin tuna using traditional long-bladed knives. Connected to Benidorm’s deep fishing heritage and genuinely fascinating to watch. Restaurant tuna menus run through to 26 April across the resort.
Saturday 18 April
Skyline Benidorm International Film Festival Begins
A week of international short films across indoor and outdoor venues — record year for submissions and the National Section qualifies for the Goya Awards. Even without speaking Spanish the short-film format is surprisingly accessible. Check the Skyline Benidorm website for the full programme.
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 April
16th Benidorm Elvis Festival ⚠️ Wristbands Sold Out
Weekend wristbands are sold out, but Sinatra’s Premium, The Tropical and Rock & Roll House can all be attended without one. A standalone ticket for the Grand Finale at Benidorm Palace on Sunday 26 April may still be available through Round Town Travel. Full details in the Hot Topic section below.
🎭 Feature: The Benidorm Evening Entertainment Guide
One of the most common questions from first-time visitors — and returning ones — is: where should I go for a night out? Benidorm’s entertainment splits clearly between the Old Town and the New Town, and they offer very different experiences. Here’s your honest guide to both, all backed by Tripadvisor reviews.
The Old Town is atmospheric, intimate and utterly different from the New Town strip. Bars are mostly small, streets are narrow and cobbled, and entertainment leans towards drag shows, live acoustic music and relaxed cocktail bars. Perfect for couples or anyone who wants something more personal. Key tip: most Old Town entertainment starts at 10pm or later and the best venues fill up fast.
Kafee Klee
📍 Old Town, Benidorm — look for the sign; it’s small and easy to miss
If there’s one venue in the Old Town that comes up again and again — year after year, reviewer after reviewer — it’s Kafee Klee. Owned by the legendary Tina Gloss and partner Ben, it’s a small, intimate drag bar with nightly shows from some of the best performers on the Costa Blanca. Colin Campbell, James McDonald, Lexi Legs and others rotate regularly; every night is genuinely different. The format is warm, funny and audience-interactive. Reviewers describe it as “the best night in Benidorm” with remarkable frequency. One regular summed it up: “It doesn’t matter who’s performing, it will be superb.”
Content is adult-themed — not for the easily offended, but enormous fun for everyone else. Free entry; you pay for drinks at the bar.
West End Showbar
📍 Av. de Madrid 14, New Town (near the strip) — worth the short walk from Old Town
Run by Darren and Dan, the West End Showbar hosts nightly drag shows featuring Barbie Kruger and the exclusive Stella Artois — who performs only here in Benidorm. Thursday evenings run from 7:30pm; the legendary Sunday drag brunch runs from 5pm and costs just €5 for nearly four and a half hours of cabaret. Reviewers have been glowing: “Non-stop entertainment, the crowd all had an amazing time.” The Sunday bottomless drinks package is particularly popular with groups and hen parties.
Olivers Bar
📍 Plaza Constitución, Old Town
Right on the Old Town square — perfect for an early evening drink with a front-row view of Old Town life. Friendly staff, good cocktails, live music in the evenings. Not a show venue, but one of the nicest spots to start your evening before heading to Kafee Klee or the New Town. A lovely first port of call.
The Bodhran Irish Bar
📍 Near the Old Town / seafront junction
One of the only Old Town-adjacent bars with consistent live music — singer-guitarist Brenda Murray performs most evenings. Small, warm and quickly fills. Very much in the Old Town spirit: intimate, characterful and a genuine pleasure. Worth a stop if you’re moving between the Old Town and the waterfront.
The New Town — specifically Calle Gerona (the Strip), Levante Beach and Rincón de Loix — is where Benidorm’s famous tribute act scene lives. Big, energetic venues with multiple acts per night, reasonable drinks prices, and the kind of atmosphere that makes you understand why people return every year. Here’s where to head.
Morgan’s Tavern — “Neptune’s Bar” from the TV
📍 Calle Gerona (the Strip), New Town — opposite the Ambassador Hotel
You already know this one even if you’ve never been: it’s Neptune’s Bar from the ITV series Benidorm. The exterior looks exactly like a pirate ship, the interior is enormous (three bars, table service), and entertainment runs from 8pm to the early hours with up to seven different acts per night. Tribute acts cover Liam Gallagher to Queen, Bruno Mars to Rod Stewart — check the board outside for the night’s line-up. Entry is free, drinks are reasonably priced, and it gets packed. Arrive before 9pm for a table. An absolute must-visit.
Greeny’s Cabaret Club
📍 New Town, Benidorm — near the strip
A glamorous, comfortable cabaret venue with chandeliers, glitter paint and proper armchair seating — a notch above the average show bar in terms of comfort. The resident live band The Rebels are consistently praised, and headline act Ruby Rox has become a Benidorm institution. “Best show and club in Benidorm — Ruby has different shows so I strongly recommend going more than once.” Attentive staff, reasonable drinks prices, warm atmosphere.
Jail Rock Music Bar
📍 Calle Gerona, New Town
If tribute acts and cabaret aren’t your thing but live music is, Jail Rock is the go-to. Known for Britpop, Northern Soul, Ska and rock — including the resident Carnaby Street band who are consistently praised. Cheap drinks, good atmosphere, and a genuinely music-forward crowd. One reviewer called it “the number one bar for live music and quality pints in Benidorm.” Refreshingly unpretentious.
The Soul Bar
📍 New Town, Benidorm
The Soul Bar specialises in Mod, Ska, Northern Soul and Motown — a genuinely different flavour from the usual tribute bar scene. Friendly staff, good drinks selection, and a crowd who are actually there for the music. “All in all my best night out in Benidorm” — one reviewer who caught The Jammd live. Check Facebook for the live music schedule.
Benidorm Palace — ELEMENTS
📍 Av. Dr. Severo Ochoa 13, New Town
In a different league from the show bars — a proper sit-down spectacular. The current production ELEMENTS features 50+ international performers, 250 sq m of 8K LED screens, dancers, acrobats, aerialists and live music. Optional dinner available. The kind of night out that has people talking about it for years. Runs Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
☀️ Weather Watch — April
Spring is properly settling in. Average highs are climbing from around 17°C this week towards 19–20°C by late April. Sunsets are now after 8pm, making evening terrace time genuinely golden. The sea is 16°C — bracing for swimming but resort pools are heated. Around six rain days across April, mostly passing showers.
❓ You Asked…
We’re staying in the Old Town and everyone tells us the entertainment is all in the New Town. Is it worth the walk or a taxi over?
It is — but you don’t need to make the trek every night. The Old Town has Kafee Klee, which is genuinely one of the best nights out in the whole resort, and a handful of atmospheric small bars with live music. For tribute acts and big show bars, yes, the New Town is where you want to be — about a 20–25 minute walk along the seafront (beautiful at night), or a short taxi ride. Our recommendation: one or two nights at Kafee Klee, one night at Morgan’s Tavern, one night at Benidorm Palace. That covers the full range perfectly.
The Elvis Festival wristbands are sold out — should we still bother planning a trip that weekend?
Absolutely yes. The atmosphere across the whole resort during Elvis Festival weekend is extraordinary even without a wristband. Sinatra’s Premium, The Tropical and Rock & Roll House all operate independently and are accessible on the door. The Grand Finale at Benidorm Palace on Sunday 26 April may have standalone tickets available through Round Town Travel. And frankly, walking the strip on Elvis weekend when virtually everyone is dressed as The King is an experience in itself. Don’t let the sold-out wristbands put you off.
🔥 Hot Topic
Elvis Festival Countdown — Three Weeks to Go
With the 16th Benidorm Elvis Festival just three weeks away (24–26 April), anticipation is building nicely across the resort. The official wristband weekend sold out some time ago — testament to how much this event has grown since it started in 2011 as a small gathering of Elvis fans.
The 2026 line-up features 15+ named tribute artists including Emilio Santoro, Ben Thompson, Jay Dupuis, Ciaran Houlihan and a dozen others, spread across the Hotel Meliá poolside, Sinatra’s Premium, Rock & Roll House and The Tropical. The Grand Finale at Benidorm Palace on Sunday evening is the centrepiece. Check roundtowntravel.com for standalone ticket availability, and don’t forget there’s a bonus Elvis show at Benidorm Palace on Monday 27 April too.
One thing worth flagging: the resort gets very busy this weekend. If you’re planning a trip, book accommodation now — not next week, now.
💡 Tip of the Week
The Three-Night Benidorm Evening Formula
If you’re in Benidorm for a week and not sure where to start with evenings, here’s a tested formula that covers the full range:
🍸 Night 1 — Tapas Alley for dinner (Calle La Palma, Old Town), then Kafee Klee. Book ahead via Facebook. Arrive 8pm.
🎭 Night 2 — Morgan’s Tavern (New Town). No booking needed. Arrive by 9pm for a table. Check the board outside for that evening’s acts.
🌟 Night 3 — Benidorm Palace. Book ahead at benidormpalace.com. Doors 8:30pm, show 10pm. Show-only or dinner package.
Mix in the Tiki Beach or Secret Fountain for afternoon drinks and you’ve got a holiday sorted.
🤔 Did You Know?
Morgan’s Tavern Is the Real Neptune’s Bar from the TV
The famous pirate-ship exterior and interior of Morgan’s Tavern on Calle Gerona is the genuine filming location for Neptune’s Bar in the ITV comedy series Benidorm. The Sol Pelicanos Ocas hotel directly across the road is the Solana Hotel in the show. Stepping inside is a genuine TV-location moment — and the entertainment is good enough that you’d visit even without the TV connection. Wander outside first to take in the ship-shaped facade. It’s exactly what you imagine.
That’s Issue 54 done — Easter Sunday, our biggest entertainment guide yet, the Elvis Festival countdown, Spring weather, and everything you need for April and May. We hope this one is useful whether you’re in Benidorm right now or planning your next visit.
Next week we’ll be in full Elvis Festival preview mode — the complete guide to making the most of the weekend even without a wristband, the full Tuna Festival restaurant listing, and a first look at the Skyline Film Festival programme as it’s announced.
If someone forwarded you this newsletter and you’re not yet subscribed — it’s free, it’s weekly, and it arrives every Sunday morning.
Until next time — keep the sun on your face and the sangria cold. ☀️
