Benidoleig
Benidoleig is a municipality in the comarca of Marina Alta in the
Valencian Community, Spain. Benidoleig is located in the Gerona Valley
of the Marina Alta area in Spain's Costa Blanca.
The Village consists of a junior/infant school, nursery school (local
authority run), medical centre, post office (open 1 hour per day),
supermarket, tobacconist/newsagents, hardware store, curtain shop,
hairdresser, estate agent/sign shop, printers, bank, pharmacy, various
Spanish bars, a Spanish Restaurant (La Lloma) and El Cid Leisure Oasis
El Cid Leisure Oasis is a popular venue for various activities
including, lawn green bowling, tennis, swimming pool, Paquita's social
club , skittles, ballroom and modern jive dancing, quiz night, tombola,
etc. They also serve lunches 7 days a week, have a Sunday Carvery
(traditional English style) and an A La Carte Menu, Menu del Dia and
Snack Menu. They have bed and breakfast facilities and an onsite
hairdresser, nail technician and masseuse.
There is a large ex-pat community in Benidoleig but it has not spoilt
the "Spanishness" of the village and ex-pats have integrated into the
Spanish community with ease.
There is a small market in the village on Thursday mornings, selling
fresh fruit & veg, meat & fish, and clothes, shoes and general household
items.
One and a half kilometres from Benidoleig on the road to Pedreguer,
there is the famous grotto of Les Calaveres - Cueva Groto Benidoleig. This cave is 400 metres
long and at some point reaches a height of 50 metres. 300 meter cave
with stalagmites, stalactites and domes dating back 50,000 years with
many human and bone remains. Situated on the Benidoleig to Pedreguer
road.
There is evidence that the cave was inhabited primarily 100,000 years
ago by Palaeolithic man. From these ancient times to the present day
there are numerous cases of evidence of how this cave has been used as
shelter by man, the remains of bones from large prehistoric mammals and
stone utensils and tools have been discovered, these tools were probably
used to kill the mammals to provide food for man.
Over the years the cave has been used as a sanctuary and shrine with
rituals performed and offerings given to ensure the fertility of the
local land.
The first explorers to visit the cave at the beginning of the 18th
century began documenting the dimensions of the cave and recorded their
finding, in 1768 whilst exploring the furthest depths of the caves they
un covered the skeletal remains from 12 bodies. It is believed they
where remains of medieval Muslim farmers, who had become trapped and
died in their search for water. (As written by AJ Cavanilles in 1795).
This gruesome discovery gave the caves the name it has today - Calaveres.
This story has become part of the local folk lore and over the years it
has given birth to the romantic legend that the cave was once inhabited
by an Arabic King named Ali-Moho who sort refuge in the caves with his
150 wives from his harem along with his treasure after fleeing Cid
Campeador (El Cid), they became trapped and all inside perished.
During the 20th century the cave was the scene of the first scientific
investigations in the field of archaeology and in 1936 was used to store
explosives during the civil war. It wasn’t until the 1970´s that the
caves were opened to the public as a tourist attraction.
El Cid Leisure Oasis
Edificio El Cid
Rincon Del Silencio,
Buzon #3,
03759,
Benidoleig,
ALICANTE,
96 640 4364
We are a family run business who took over the El Cid in 2003. We cater for a
multitude of clubs, groups and social events, ranging from Flat Green Bowling to
Ballroom Dancing, with something to suit both groups and individuals alike. We
offer a comprehensive menu, from our daytime menu to our excellent Sunday
Carvery menu.
