THESE travel pictures showcase the ‘real’ seaside resort of Benidorm.
Having photographed over 100 resorts around the world, it only seemed right for Rob Ball to create a book dedicated to all sides of the birthplace of the package holiday, the good, the bad and the beautiful.
Rob Ball captured tourists enjoying a break in the Mediterranean Sea[/caption]
Some supermarkets are catered for Brits because the seaside resort is so popular[/caption]
Benidorm’s mayor Pedro Zaragoza Orts launched the world’s first package holidays to the resort in 1954[/caption]
Rob, who has been a photographer for over two decades, loves taking a deep dive into holiday resorts.
From Jaywick Sands to Margate, Coney Island and Santa Cruz, he documents them all.
For this project, Rob took the opportunity to look at what is the biggest holiday hotspot for British tourists, the seaside resort of Benidorm in Alicante.
In an interview with Wallpaper, Rob revealed he had been exploring and taking pictures in Benidorm for a year.
He added that he was “curious about what remained of the pan-European holiday utopia.”
Benidorm has a lot of history when it comes to holidaying Brits, as the town’s mayor Pedro Zaragoza Orts launched the world’s first package holidays to the resort in 1954.
It attracted people from all over the UK to take an affordable break that was less than three hours away by plane – prices for a week-long trip ranged from around £30 to £50.
And it continues to be a popular destination for hundreds of thousands of UK holidaymakers today.
Last year, over 600,000 British tourists headed over to the Benidorm coast.
At the end of his twelve month exploration, Rob said what he found was a “resort full of the warmth of people enjoying themselves: the beach alive with tenderness and diversity, the bars with laughter and Sky Sports.”
There are also snaps showing off the high rise hotels and apartments[/caption]
A palm tree on the Benidorm sands looks like it could be in the Caribbean[/caption]
There are images of bustling beaches with people taking shade under umbrellas or heading into the sea armed with giant inflatables[/caption]
In Rob’s work, he takes a look at the entire seaside resort from every angle.
There are images of bustling beaches with people taking shade under umbrellas or heading into the sea armed with giant inflatables.
There are others tourists nursing sunburn, or smothering sun cream on their children.
In the book, there are also nighttime portraits of the pastel coloured high-rise hotels and snaps of the neon lit streets of The Strip, Calle Gerona.
One image you can really see the beauty of the resort is a lonely palm tree in front of a sunset which makes Benidorm look unrecognisable and almost on a tropical island.
While it’s a holiday spot for some, Benidorm is home to 70,000 locals, which is another side that Rob takes pictures of.
The description of the book says the images aim to capture the “juxtaposition between its vibrant beach culture and
towering urban landscape.”
Benidorm by Rob Ball is published by Hoxton Mini Press. It’s also available in a special book and limited edition print bundle.
We spoke to someone who has been to Benidorm 15 times and says ‘don’t forget about the winter sun’.
And how going to Benidorm for a winter holiday can saved these holiday-makers hundreds on energy bills.
The images aim to capture the “juxtaposition between its vibrant beach culture andtowering urban landscape”[/caption]
This Benidorm apartment building shows laundry hanging from the balconies[/caption]
The popular Strip street of Calle Gerona lights up a night[/caption]
Here’s How You Can Stay at the famous Benidorm Hotel
Fans of the ITV classic Benidorm can stay at the EXACT hotel this summer…
The Solana resort from the show is actually the Sol Pelicanos Ocas in Benidorm. Unlike most TV shows that are filmed away from their on-screen location, the Sol Pelicanos Ocas is actually in Benidorm.
The ITV series filmed between the months of March and June for over a decade before the show ended in 2018, and now you can book your summer holiday there.
The Sol Pelicanos Ocas has 783 rooms spread across two apartment buildings. There are two pools, one of which is the lagoon-style swimming pool with a swim-up bar which featured heavily on Benidorm.
We found results for £299pp based on a seven night stay from Bristol to Alicante with breakfast included.
But if you just want to book the stay yourself, Loveholidays has rooms from £64 a night – working out £32 each, although the cheapest summer deal we can find is £120 a night in May or October.
For another £55, you can upgrade to half board. All inclusive at the hotel is an extra £165 which could include all meals, drinks and snacks.
Benidorm by Rob Ball is published by Hoxton Mini Press[/caption]
