Benicàssim

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This article is about the municipality. For the international music festival, see Festival Internacional de Benicàssim.
Benicàssim
Municipality
Benicàssim and Desert de les Palmes mountains from the air, 2011.

Flag
Coat of arms
Benicàssim
Location in Spain
Benicàssim
Location in Valencian Community
Coordinates: 40°03′19″N 0°03′51″E / 40.05528°N 0.06417°E / 40.05528; 0.06417Coordinates: 40°03′19″N 0°03′51″E / 40.05528°N 0.06417°E / 40.05528; 0.06417
Country  Spain
Autonomous community  Valencian Community
Province Castellón
Comarca Plana Alta
Judicial district Castellón de la Plana
Government
 • Alcalde Francesc Colomer Sánchez (2007) (PSOE)
Area
 • Total 36.1 km2 (13.9 sq mi)
Elevation 15 m (49 ft)
Population (2008)
 • Total 18,098
 • Density 500/km2 (1,300/sq mi)
Demonym Benicassut, benicassuda
Time zone CET (UTC+1)
 • Summer (DST) CEST (UTC+2)
Postal code 12560
Official language(s) Valencian
Website Official website

Benicàssim (Valencian pronunciation: [beniˈkasim], Spanish: Benicasim, Arabic: بنو قاسم‎ according to Numismatic findings)[1] is a municipality embracing a beach resort located in the province of Castellón, on the Costa del Azahar in Spain. The mountain range known as Desert de les Palmes rises inland protecting the town from the north wind. The name is derived from the Banu Qasim tribe, a segment of the Kutama Berbers that settled the area during the 8th century Moorish conquest of Spain.

Benicassim is located 13 km north of the town of Castellón de la Plana, on the north of the Valencian Community. It has a population of 18,098. Its main economic activity comes from tourism; most notably the town is famous for some of the most important artificial beaches in Europe and because of its famous music festivals like FIB or The Rototom SunSplash.

Beaches

Benicassim offers 6 kilometers of sandy beaches and with numerous services for taking care of the beach: cleaning, public access, showers ... These beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag for Clean Seas of Europe since 1987. The coast zone is divided into five beaches, where there also is a promenade. The 6 kilometers of coast of Benicassim are divided in five beaches:

  • Voramar
  • Heliòpolis
  • Torreón
  • Almadraba
  • Els terrers

Desierto de las Palmas

Benicassim is next to the "Desierto de las Palmas" mountains whose highest level is the Mount of Bartolo with an altitude of 729 meters. From there the Columbrete Islands can be seen.

Festivals

Vía Verde

The ”Vía Verde” (Greenway) is a cyclist coastal route that shows a natural rugged coast between the resort towns of Benicassim and Oropesa. The route between Benicassim and Oropesa are 5.5 km one way and other 5.5 km for the return, ie a total of 11 km. It is a tour by the coast, where beautiful coves and cliffs cut the coast to the Cape of Oropesa.

Notes

  1. ↑ benicassim.org/es/Historia.htm
  2. ↑ INVATTUR, Instituto Valenciano de Tecnologías Turísticas.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Benicàssim.
Municipalities of Plana Alta
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