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Benidorm Gastronómico strengthens its position as a showcase for local cuisine with six events throughout 2026

 

Benidorm / 23 January 2026

 

Benidorm has once again highlighted the strength and diversity of its culinary offering at the International Tourism Fair (FITUR) in Madrid, where the city officially unveiled the Benidorm Gastronómico 2026 programme.

 

Presented jointly by Benidorm City Council and the Association of Bars, Restaurants and Cafés (Abreca-Cobreca), the programme consolidates the ‘Menjars del Nostre Poble’ (Foods of Our Town) festival as the sixth annual event in the gastronomic calendar, reinforcing Benidorm’s commitment to promoting local cuisine.

 

The 2026 programme will begin on 27 February with the 14th edition of the Spoon Days and will conclude at the end of November with the second edition of ‘Menjars del Nostre Poble’, a festival dedicated to traditional local dishes that was first launched in 2025 to mark Benidorm’s 700th anniversary.

 

Throughout the year, visitors and residents will be able to enjoy a wide range of culinary experiences, including dishes featuring tuna, tapas and pintxos, cocktails and rice-based specialities, further strengthening Benidorm’s position as a year-round gastronomic destination.

The Mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, welcomed the consolidation of the new festival, noting that it was “conceived from the outset as a long-term initiative, something that is now becoming a reality.”

 

He also underlined the growing importance of gastronomy within the city’s tourism strategy.

“Gastronomy is one of the products within our constantly evolving tourism offering, and it is generating increasing interest among both national and international visitors,” the mayor said.

 

Accompanied by representatives of the hospitality sector, including Pablo González, President of Cobreca, and Álex Fratini, Vice President of Abreca, the mayor detailed the six events that will make up the Benidorm Gastronómico calendar in 2026.

 

“This is a diverse programme designed to appeal to all tastes,” he explained. “We are confident it will encourage visits to our bars and restaurants, particularly during the off-season, which we consider a key period for attracting visitors and supporting local businesses.”

 

Benidorm Gastronómico 2026 calendar:

• 14th Spoon Days – 27 February to 8 March
• 6th Tuna Days – 17 to 26 April
• 16th Tapas and Pintxos Competition – 19 to 28 June
• 5th Cocktail Competition – 11 to 20 September
• 15th Rice Dishes of the Land Festival – 16 to 25 October
• 2nd Menjars del Nostre Poble (Local Foods Festival) – 26 to 29 November

 

During the public opening days of FITUR, visitors will also be able to discover the full Benidorm Gastronómico 2026 calendar, alongside other tourism products offered by the city across a range of sectors.