Benidorm Bar Crawl

The best-known organised crawl is run by FK IT Parties, the company behind Frank the Stag Man. It starts at Millers Bar on Calle Lepanto, includes a one-hour free bar, and moves through partner bars with a host keeping the group together. It is often paired with the FK IT beach party, which has a two-hour free bar, and a silent disco.

Promoters on Calle Gerona sell tickets on the night, but check exactly what is included before paying.

Start at the top of Calle Gerona at Jail Rock for live rock, then cross to Waikiki Bar for a drinks deal. Wild Duck is next for sport on the screens and a busy terrace, followed by The Red Lion for comedy, tributes and late adult shows.

Carry on to The Palladium for cabaret and drag, then Morgan Tavern and Western Saloon for the big sing-along acts. Finish at Outback Aussie Sports Bar or head on to the clubs on the Square.

The whole route is under a kilometre, so you can do it at your own pace. Most bars run two acts a night: the early set from around 21:00 and a later set after 23:00. The tonight block above shows who is on at each stop today, in Spanish time.

Most Strip bars are free entry, so a DIY crawl costs only what you drink. Pace yourself — the bars are open until around 4am. Keep drinks inside the bars, as drinking in the street can be fined, and agree a meeting point in case someone gets lost. Fancy dress is welcome everywhere.

There are fast-food counters, pizza places and British cafés all along Calle Gerona and the surrounding streets, so it is easy to grab something between bars. Eating early in the evening, before the crawl begins, is the best way to make the night last. Many groups book a dinner in the Rincón de Loix at around 20:00 and start the crawl straight afterwards.

Friday and Saturday are the busiest nights on the Strip, with the biggest crowds and the most stag and hen groups. If you prefer more room at the bar and an easier time getting a table, midweek nights are quieter but still have acts in every venue. In summer, the crawl really gets going after 22:00, once the heat of the day has passed.

Most bars run an early set from about 21:00 and a later set after 23:00, so you can time your stops to catch the acts you want. The tonight block at the top of this page shows exactly who is on at each stop today.

Fancy dress is welcome everywhere on the Strip, and matching group T-shirts are a Benidorm tradition. Wear comfortable shoes — you will be on your feet for hours. Bring ID if you plan to see an adult show or go to a club, a charged phone with your accommodation address saved, and cash or a card for drinks. Leave valuables at the hotel.

If you still have energy after Outback, the clubs on the Square are about 15 minutes' walk away, or a short taxi ride. Alternatively, head to the Old Town for drag cabaret at Klee Kafee and the gay village bars on Carrer d'Alacant, which stay open late and welcome everyone.

For a daytime warm-up, Millers Beach Bar on Levante and the FK IT beach party are good places to start before the evening crawl.

Respect door staff and bar staff; being refused at one venue can mean being refused at the next. Keep drinks inside the bars and on the terraces, as drinking in the street can be fined, and never take glass onto the beach. If someone in your group has had too much, look after them and get them back to the hotel in a licensed taxi.

Tip the acts if you have enjoyed a show — many performers rely on it — and tell them where you are from; they love a shout-out.

Calle Gerona is flat and pedestrian-friendly, which makes the DIY crawl manageable for most people, including those using mobility scooters. Many bars have open fronts and terrace seating at street level. Check with individual venues about accessible toilets before you go.