A British expat has dubbed the seaside town in the sun he now calls home is the “Newquay of Spain”.
Nigel Pope, originally from Cornwall, has earned the moniker ‘The King of Benidorm’ for his viral TikTok videos sharing what life is like in the seaside resort.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, he was asked which British resort the Costa Blanca town was most similar to.
“I suppose, the nearest that comes to this has got to be Newquay in Cornwall”, he said.
He added: “You know I used to go to Newquay a lot when I was younger and Newquay does seem to get the sunshine more than any of the other parts of Cornwall, along with St Ives and everything.”
Benidorm certainly gets its fair share of sunshine. Even in October, visitors can expect highs of 24C, according to airline TUI.
In the height of summer, however, Benidorm can often see temperatures well into the 30s.
Although Newquay can’t quite reach the sweltering temperatures of the Alicante tourist hotspot, much like Benidorm it had a historic reputation for nightlife.
“Back in my day you had three big night clubs, you know you had the bars and everything and lots of tourists there, especially in the summer”, Nigel said of Newquay.
In the last few years, Newquay’s nightlife has suffered something of a downturn – unlike Benidorm.
Stringent alcohol policies in the wake of drink-related deaths around 15 years ago has seen Newquay go from a debauched seaside party town, to an altogether far more mature tourist spot.
However, with spectacular beaches, seaside views, and generally good weather – it certainly shares some similarities with Benidorm.