Cala de Finestrat: Ten minutes from Benidorm

We spent a few days in Cala de Finestrat, and the truly surprising thing is not the bay itself, as pretty as it is, but what lies just ten minutes away on foot: Benidorm. You walk along the coastal path, past rocks and a few boats, turn one last corner and climb some stairs — and suddenly the skyscrapers are there, close together, as if someone had placed another city right in the middle of the landscape.

Zuky and Mandy were not interested in this difference, they only noticed that here, in the Cala, there are many more rocks to explore and far fewer people who are surprised by a dog leash.

Two worlds, one footpath

Benidorm is, you have to admit, a city in its own category — skyscrapers directly on the sea, more densely built than some districts of Madrid, loud by day and even louder at night, a place that is exactly what half the coast knows it for. And then, right next door, without a transition zone, without buffer time: Cala de Finestrat. Low houses, a small beach between the rocks, restaurants that smell of fish instead of cocktail mixers, and a pace that feels more like a fishing village than the neighborhood of a metropolitan area.

Over the bay lies the Sierra Helada, a narrow, wild nature park that stands like a back between these two worlds, and in the distance, if you turn around, you see the distinctive peak of Puig Campana, which watches over the entire valley, indifferent whether there are skyscrapers or fishing boats below.

The quieter days

We spent a lot of time sitting by the water, climbed over the rocks at the edge of the bay where the paths are hardly known to RV tourists, and watched in the evenings as the lights of Benidorm switched on at the horizon, one after the other, until the entire skyline glowed — a view you can almost enjoy from the Cala like a natural spectacle without being right in the middle of it. That is probably the real charm of this place: You have Benidorm practically on your doorstep, can go there anytime if you want excitement, and still return in the evening to a bay that smells of sunscreen and saltwater instead of disco lights. Enough for one or two days. Honestly, though, you don’t need more than a day or two here. The Cala is small, you quickly explore it, and eventually, you have seen every rock and every beach bar there is. That's not a criticism, more a statement — not every place has to be enough for a week. Some are just right for a short, relaxed break before moving on, and Cala de Finestrat is exactly such a place. It's just not Benidorm. And it doesn't have to be.

Rainer Schmitz

Practical tips for travelers with dogs

• The coastal path between Cala de Finestrat and Benidorm can be walked in about ten minutes and offers beautiful views of both places along the way.

• The small beach in the Cala often has restricted or seasonal rules for dogs — ask locally about designated dog beaches in the area.

• The rocks at the edge of the bay are good for climbing and exploring with dogs, but slippery when wet — be cautious during low and high tide.

• There are several motorhome parking areas around Finestrat and Benidorm; parking options directly in the Cala itself are limited.

• One to two days are usually enough for the Cala; for more variety, a trip inland towards Puig Campana or Sierra Helada is worthwhile.