/.:Benidorm launches €520,000 makeover near popular Levante beach

Benidorm is preparing to transform another busy stretch of its popular tourist centre, with pedestrians, shade and protection from the Spanish summer heat at the heart of a €520,000 redevelopment project.

Work on the final section of Avenida del Periodista Emilio Romero is due to begin on Monday, November 2, marking the next stage of the city’s plans to modernise streets close to Levante beach.

The project, announced by Benidorm City Council on October 30, will focus on the section between Avenida del Mediterráneo and Avenida de Alcoy, creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment for residents and visitors.

With an estimated completion time of three months, the works are expected to continue into early 2027.

New trees, shaded areas and public toilets

The €520,503 investment will completely renew the existing pavement, giving pedestrians greater priority along the street.

Plans also include planting new trees and vegetation, installing additional street furniture and creating shaded areas where people can escape the heat.

One of the key features will be the introduction of a climate refuge, designed to provide cooler spaces for people walking to and from Levante beach during the hotter months.

The redevelopment will also introduce public toilets, including accessible facilities for people with reduced mobility and other accessibility requirements.

Urban cooling systems, including water misting installations, are also planned to help reduce temperatures along the avenue.

José Ramón González de Zárate, Benidorm’s councillor responsible for Water Cycle and Parks and Gardens, said the improvements would provide facilities that the street currently lacks, including benches, public toilets and places offering protection from the sun.

Work resumes after summer tourist season

The redevelopment follows an earlier phase completed before the summer, when new drinking water and sewage pipes were installed beneath the street.

Construction was then paused during the peak tourist season to avoid unnecessary disruption when pedestrian traffic towards the beach was at its busiest.

The council has now chosen to restart the project as visitor numbers and activity along the avenue decrease.

Ahead of Monday’s start date, signage has already been installed to warn residents and motorists about the upcoming works and prevent vehicles from parking along the affected stretch.

Blueprint for future Benidorm streets

The improvements could also signal further changes across the resort.

González de Zárate explained that the finished avenue would serve as a model for future redevelopment of streets running alongside Avenida del Mediterráneo, between Avenida Europa and Ametlla de Mar.

These improvements are expected to form part of a second phase of the wider Avenida del Mediterráneo modernisation programme.

The latest investment forms part of Benidorm’s continuing efforts to improve its urban environment, make public spaces more accessible and help residents and tourists cope with increasingly uncomfortable summer temperatures.