The island of Benidorm is actually known by the locals as "L'illa", just like that.
But what is the island of Benidorm really called?
The island of Benidorm is called island of the Pheasants or of the Journalists. The name comes from the Franco era and we tell you all about it below.
The island of Benidorm, also known as the Island of the Journalists
La Isla de los Periodistas, another name for the island of Benidorm. This "rock" is located 4 kilometres off the coast of Benidorm. And its highest point is a 70 metre high cliff. And you might wonder where this island came from.
It is in fact an extension to the south-west of the rocky massif of the Serra Gelada. But as we have said before, this one has other popular stories that you might find more interesting.
How do I get to Benidorm Island?
Do you know the "golondrinas"? The "golondrinas" are the name given to the boats that have been operating the "L'Illa" for more than 50 years. And the fact is that whatever you call this island of BenidormIt is clearly an emblematic symbol of the city.
But nowadays, although there are people who still want to reach the island with these boats, we are always going to recommend that you do everything more active and more adventurous, and of course, reaching the island by kayak is always the most fun way, but this time we are telling you that it's a long trip. But that's not all, here you can also do excursions on jet skis, which is probably what people demand the most, or go scuba diving to discover the beautiful seabed of the island and its surroundings. Pure life!
History of Benidorm Island
As in any village area, there are many stories about the origin and birth of l'Illa. But first a curious but true fact about it is that it was used in 1834 as a refuge for some people from Villajoyosa and Benidorm because of the "cholera".
Another fact that is told, although we cannot tell you whether it is true or not, is that it was also used by the Barbary pirates, as they used the island as a base for their operations in raids on the coastal villages.
But the most widely told legend is that of the giant Roland. Roland was a giant who lived in the foothills of the sierra del Puig Campana, the mountain located to the north northwest of Benidorm. It is said that one day, Roland saw a maiden walking on the Puig Campana that left him engrossed, and he fell in love with her. And the feeling was mutual, as a great love was born between them. So the two began to live together in the hut that the Giant had on the same mountain.
But this story doesn't end that beautifully, no, something very sad was about to happen.
One day Roland was walking alone when a strange, dark and shadowy entity appeared to him and warned him of one thing: His beloved maiden was dying at that very moment in the hut, and when the last ray of sunlight was hidden, she would die.
Roland rushed to the hut, and sure enough, his beloved was in agony and slowly dying. As the sun went down, his wife was closer to death. There was nothing that could prevent it, nothing. So the giant thought that the only thing he could do was to give her more time to live, to extend her for as many minutes as it took to be with her. That's when Roland hit the mountain with all his strength, which made a part of the mountain jump, making it reach the sea. With this piece of mountain he created the island to which he immediately took his beloved maiden in his arms. On this island, the sun would set later, and the two of them could be together for a few moments more. Here, finally, the young woman breathed her last. And so did the giant, for he stayed by the body of his love until he died.
And although this may be the most romantic story about the origin of the island, there are many others. Others are based on the horse of King Jaume I and others, on the other hand, tell the fable associated with Charlemagne.
The uncertainty of what to call the island of Benidorm
Among sailors, this island is also known and called "Roland's Knife", based on the legend of the giant. It has also been called "turkey island", due to the fact that several species of birds live on the island.
And as we have already mentioned, the "island of journalists" is due to the tourist boom that the city of Benidorm had in the 60s.
Despite all these names, the locals and regular visitors know it and simply call it "Benidorm Island" or "L'illa"..
