You might find that a better option is to take the bus all the way. I think you'll find it's a lot quicker and cheaper than that ridiculous train! Check the ALSA website for times and prices.
https://www.alsa.es/portal/index.asp?lang=en

I don't have any children, but if I did I would not let a 14year old wander around any large cosmopolitan Town, not just Benidorm, but any large town anywhere unless they were accompanied by an adult.

Benidorm's train station is not really within walking distance of the resort itself, its a bus or taxi ride away. The kids should love Terra Mittica, but again I would not let a 14year old go unaccompanied by an adult.

I agree with BHIC.
I have a son (not a teen yet)and would think twice about him wandering around Benidorm.
It depends on if he's a mature 14 yearold, but in my eyes if your'e having to ask other people for their advice, your unsure so I would say no.

I was mainly enquiring for the 16 year old who I am more than happy to let wander Denia which is a large cosmopolitan town. At 16 they really dont want their parents in tow. However, I don't know Benidorm so can't make a judgement about the place. I guess I need to spend time there myself to be able to do that. I feel that he is getting close to an age where he will be taking independent holidays and I thought day trips to Benidorm with a friend would be a starting point. However, I have to admit I have more concerns about my 14 yr old nephew, especially as people have responded cautiously about even a 16 year old being alone in the town.

As the train station is not even close to the town, I guess it wouldn't be a good idea anyway, but thank you for your responses.

Well even a 16year, if he were my son, I would not allow him to explore Benidorm on his own no matter how mature or sensible he was. I'm not saying your son is not a responsible young lad, but I would not be able to rest knowing he was about and about in a place like Benidorm with a 14year old in his custody. Even at 17years old, I'd still have serious reservations. But this is just me. Maybe its because when I was that age.......oh how I would give to be 16 again :roll:......I was not allowed out on my own, even to the end of the street.

I have to say I would never let him out of my sight, if I had a choice. However, I don't have a choice. He must be allowed to venture out alone. In two years time he could be at university and living in digs in a large town. Maybe Benidorm is not a good place to start.

Anyone else have an opinion ... especially those with kids of a similar age?

I have to say I would never let him out of my sight, if I had a choice. However, I don't have a choice. He must be allowed to venture out alone. In two years time he could be at university and living in digs in a large town. Maybe Benidorm is not a good place to start.

I totally understand what you are saying Laurie. And hopefully some HT members who are parents of teenagers will offer some imput, but at the risk of portraying Benidorm in a bad light, then yes, I agree.....Benidorm is probably not the place to be untying your apron strings.

hey, first if all you all probably know im 18

well when i went to benidorm for my 16th birthday i was determind to go out with my friends alone. my parents were worried sick but they had to realise i was growing up fast and had to learn things for myself, we went to 'mundomar' and to a few arcades and had lunch out together and met up with our familys at 4pm ready to get showered & changed to go out for the evening with our familys.

after that my parents knew i could be trusted not to get into trouble or cayse trouble or do anything silly, ofcourse they were still worried about 'bad men' and stuff like that. i never went out alone at night as even i wanted to spend the evenings with my younger brothers and sisters in 'phil the clowns (r.i.p hun)'

when i was 17 and out there i didnt want to go into the clubs on the square or anything i still wanted to sit in my fave pub at night...

now im 18 i would love to sit in with phil but obviously i cant, so i do go to more raving places sometimes but im still careful when going round benidorm with mates or family.

at the end of the day something could happen to your son while he was with you as well as while hes without you, but its totally upto you what you allow him to do etc as hes not yet 18, but i would reccomend giving him some lee-way and trusting him to look after himself & his cousin or friend! just my opinion.

if hes aware and alert (doesnt walk round showing off acting a prat ) then i reckon he should be fine. but you know what they say, girls mature quicker than boys so that might be why i was fine ha ha

Good post Babeh
Hiya Laurie.
I`ve thought on this for a while.

I do have two sons and even though they are 35 and 25 years old, I can sympathise with your dilemma and still remember the headaches particularly from the youngest and the arguements he caused between the hubby and me....one saying NO the other saying Yes ..... it's a tough call, but there are a few things to consider.
The maturity of the children involved and if they are street wise.
You are quite happy to let the 16 year old wander around Denia, so I presume he has had some experience of the streets, but should you burden him with the responsibility of the 14 year old?"¦and that is IMO what you have to consider very carefully.
The obvious danger is if they go in the sea, but Benidorm is no different from any city in the UK these days in the DAY TIME and it depends on what they are planning on doing are they going to Terra Mitica.?"¦or just walking the streets.?...and how many of them are going and the ages? are some in the group almost 17 years old.?

You have to let them go sometimes, but the responsibility of the 14 year old is what is worrying me.
The train goes at snail speed on a single gauge track, and stops at about 17 stations, the bus is the better option dropping them off at Avda Europa, which is in the "middle" of Benidorm and you can easily pick this out on any map you look at.
I think it is about 10€ return and you are advised to book your seat beforehand in high season.

I know the world has changed in the last 9 years, but you cannot wrap them up in cotton wool forever, goodness, I was married at 17 and I didn`t have too either. mobile phones do come in useful and are a godsend at times like this...also have you tried talking with parents of the other kids.? you might find that they are as worried as you.
Kids have a wonderful habit of spinning a yarn about everybody else is going, why can`t I, ?...you won`t let me do anything blah blah blah as the door slams.
I've heard it all before, they know everything and won't listen to anything you try and tell them.
If you stop them, then they hate you, sulk for days, walk around the place like a zombie testing the hinges on the doors.
You say he is 16 and could be off to university in 2 years, he could also be fighting in a war for this country if he chooses.

I put your question to my hubby last night and he said NO straight away, but I reminded him that our lad was going up to the city of Sheffield into nightclubs where god only knows what he got up too...at 171/2 years old.
Yes he said, but I didn`t like it and was worried sick until I heard the key turn in the front door......hello welcome to the pains of being a parent.
Only you know how sensible your son is, but despite reading the riot act to them and threatening them with hell and damnation if they do this, that or the other.....they`ll take no notice of you the minute thay have waved goodbye and they are with their friends.
Only by our mistakes do we learn and apart from the obvious dangers staring them in the face, you just have to let them get on with it, while you sit clock watching, chain smoking and turning grey.

Sanji. x

i just got back from Benidorm on Sunday and the amount of very young and extremerly DRUNK teenagers we came accross was unbeliveable and very worrying - there was one girl outside beachcoomber lying semi unconcsious and she must have only been 14 years of age. i'd say if you know you can trust them and they wont be seduced by the heavy booze in the bars then i'd say its pretty safe but if you dont have that trust its very worrying knowing that the bars defo serve underage people now questions asked.

Benidorm is no different from any city in the UK these days in the DAY TIME

This is very true, but as soon as darkness falls thats a whole new chapter.

the amount of very young and extremerly DRUNK teenagers we came accross was unbeliveable

And if I were a parent this is what would concern me. But as has been pointed out here now, I do not believe it is the 16year old that you really need to be concerned about but, the 14year old. That is what I honestky believe you need to be thinking about.

Thanks to all of you who responded to this. It's a trickyone, especially if you don't know the personalities concerned. In fact, the 14 year old is exceptionally mature and street wise and I would be no more concerned about him than the 16 year old. Both travel to the towns local to us in the UK, in daylight hours that is.

In my day, it was quite okay for young teenagers to spend an afternoon wandering a seaside town. Clearly things have changed. Judging by the cautious responses I have received, I shall be paying a visit to Benidorm before I let any of them travel there alone. And it looks like it will need to be a bus trip rather than a train ride! Thanks again.

I am ready to book up for summer '07 to Benidorm and my son who will be 16 1/2 wants to take his pal who will be nearer 17 and this is a dilemna for us also. They will want to go off on their own but my husband feels that if we are assuming responsibility for someone elses "child" they should stick with us. They're both of age to get married without parental consent in Scotland.... You just have to be trusting when they reach this difficult age.

Hi guys

I am new to the site and just reading through these older posts.

In Apr 06 My son and his friend ( both age 20 ) came to visit me while they were on leave and i was on holiday in benidorm. Both the lads are in the Royal Marines training and know how to handle themselves but are not the type to start any trouble.
The 1st day they went out together, they had a few drinks as most young lads do in a party town, and continued partying into the the night (or so i thought); They were actually in the Villajoysa hospital where my son received stitches to his head. He was discharged and on return to uk, I took him to the hospital as I knew something was not right. It turned out he had a fractured skull and a blood clot on the brain.
Neither of the lads know what happened, and say they don't remember any violence and I guess we will never know. Believe me many things have gone through my head ....could he have been knocked down, drinks spiked, had too much and got into a fight?? The only visible marks on him was the cut to the head and a black eye caused by the fractured skull. I recently read in an old copy of the costa blanca news about a gang who had killed a guy by giving him one katate style chop... but like I said ... we will never know.

I know you can't wrap your kids up in cotton wool and I guess this could have happened in his own home town it was just very unfortunate that it happened and that it happened while he was on holiday there in Benidorm.
I guess I just wanted to say be careful (and that is to the teenagers and the parents). No matter what age they are still your babies when they are lying in a hospital bed wondering whether they are going to live.

OK now that I have put a real damper on things ( so sorry! ) Benidorm is still a wonderful place. He has said he will go back ( but I will be getting one of those wrist straps for my 20 year old son haha)

Michelle

p.s. He has now been given the all clear from the consultant and is just waiting to see a specialist in the Marines to see if he can carry on with his training. Hopefully this incident has not ruined his career.

How awful for you all. Hope he'll be OK.

I hope the lad makes a full recovery and does well in his career.
In some ways Benidorm is no different to any other large town. There are people there who make their living from crime. Like anywhere else the people they are most likely to choose to attack are those that make themselves an easy target. I've seen young kids falling about the streets who, despite probably being far more able to handle themselves than me when sober, would stand no chance if a couple of muggers met them. It isn't hard to minimise the risk, but try warning teenagers (who know it all) and see how much notice they take.

Yes, this is so true Colin. Like i said it could have happened anywhere, I just hope everyone will have a safe and happy holiday

What a dreadful story - not knowing the cause of the injury is just awful.

I have now had a month in Denia and didnt let my son and friend visit Benidorm. My gut feeling is that they would probably have been okay during the day, but there was nothing to gain by letting them go as there is enough to keep them busy in Denia itself. It was just a consideration as an alternative activity and for them to gain some experience of travelling without adults.

My husband is an ex marine, he was in from the ages of 16 to 21 (1975-1980). I hope your son is fit and well enough to continue serving.

Me too Laurie, Thank you. Will update when he has got the final verdict ... he is in Canada right now so will will be a few months b4 we find out anything ... fingers crossed though