"Poniente" comes from "ponent", the west, mirroring "Levante" (the east). Poniente's history as a neighbourhood goes back well before tourism: the Canfali headland sheltered it from storms, which made it the favoured mooring point for Benidorm's fishermen.
History & origins
A fishing neighbourhood formed around Calle San Pedro and the surrounding area, appearing on maps from the early 19th century onwards, though it probably existed as far back as the 18th. Today, Poniente rivals Levante in beauty and amenities, with an orientation that offers longer hours of sunshine.
Heritage & architecture
Calle San Pedro is identified as the centre of the historic fishing neighbourhood. The same Canfali headland that carries Casco Antiguo also sheltered Poniente from the fiercest storms coming from the north-east. Playa de Poniente stretches for 3,100 metres in length and 110 metres in width, bordered to the east by the marina and to the west by the Tossal. Along the beach, the Paseo de Poniente, designed by architects Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí Galí and opened in 2009, echoes the shapes and colours of sea waves; the promenade has won several international architecture awards. On the higher ground of the neighbourhood stands the Intempo tower, 198 metres tall, Spain's tallest residential skyscraper. The Tossal de la Cala archaeological site, a Roman castellum from the 1st century BC, points to an even older occupation of this area.
Playa de Poniente
3,100 m x 110 mExtended sunshine orientation.
Calle San Pedro
Heart of the old fishing neighbourhoodVisible on maps from the early 19th century.
Paseo de Poniente
Opened in 2009Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí Galí, several architecture awards.
Intempo tower
198 metresSpain's tallest residential skyscraper.
Tossal de la Cala
Roman castellumArchaeological site from the 1st century BC.
Marina
Marks Poniente's eastern boundaryThe Tossal
Marks Poniente's western boundaryCulture & living traditions
Unlike Levante, Poniente carries the memory of a fishing activity that predates mass tourism, a historical anchor that sets its identity apart, today extended by the Paseo de Poniente and the presence of the Intempo tower.
Suggested itinerary
Morning · 9am-12pm: In the fishermen's footsteps
Calle San Pedro and the surrounding streets, a walk towards the marina.
Afternoon · 12pm-5pm: Sunny beach
Playa de Poniente, lunch on a terrace facing the sea.
Evening · from 5pm: Sunset
The seafront on the Tossal side, to make the most of the orientation that gives the neighbourhood its name.
Suggested itinerary, not field-tested.
Frequently asked questions
Where does the name "Poniente" come from?
From "ponent", the west, mirroring "Levante" (the east).
Does Poniente have a history that predates tourism?
Yes, a fishing neighbourhood formed here as early as the 18th century around Calle San Pedro.
Why is Poniente sunnier than Levante?
Its orientation gives it longer hours of sunshine.
How long is Poniente beach?
3,100 metres long by 110 metres wide.
Is Poniente as lively as Levante?
It rivals Levante "in beauty and amenities" according to the official source.
What is the Paseo de Poniente?
A promenade opened in 2009, designed by Carlos Ferrater and Xavier Martí Galí, whose shapes and colours echo sea waves, and which has won awards internationally.
