La Cruz de Benidorm (Mirador de la Creu)

The Cruz de Benidorm crowns the southern end of the Serra Gelada, above Benidorm, at a point around 200 metres above sea level. It was put up in 1961 by residents of the city together with the local parish, in a procession that carried two reused wooden lamp posts up to the summit to raise the cross as a symbol of protection over the town.

The highest view over the bay

From here, the whole of Benidorm's bay opens up, its skyline — InTempo included — outlined against the sea, and on clear days, the silhouette of the Illa de Benidorm offshore. It's a different viewpoint in both height and angle from the Balcón del Mediterráneo down in the city centre: from here the panorama is wider and takes in the Parc Natural de la Serra Gelada stretching north.

It's reached on foot along a signposted trail that starts at the upper edge of the city, a climb with moderate elevation gain that isn't technically difficult but does call for basic fitness and proper footwear. The path has almost no shade, so the hottest hours of summer are worth avoiding, and carrying enough water is worth planning for. Sunrise and sunset are the most popular times for those climbing with a camera, when low light best defines the outline of the coast and the surrounding mountains.