Why: The area looked interesting and friends of ours had also decided to stay there. The site reviews were also positive. Location: A 10 minute walk from the centre of town. Benicassim is a small Spanish town which happens to cater for tourists. It is not overtly commercialised so you will not find the usual tourist shops selling ceramics and olive wood or boat trips or time share sharks. What you will find is a proper Spanish town with a range of normal shops, restaurants and supermarkets. The atmosphere is laid back and friendly. The sandy beach is excellent and you can walk along the promenade without being hassled. Check in – The office was staffed by three ladies all of whom spoke excellent English. Sadly, the site was full. Yes, full in mid September. An awful lot of British, and Dutch stay for the Winter. We were told that they might have space the following day and that we should return tomorrow. We decided to return about 9pm and were told that they would have some vacant pitches the following morning so we paid a deposit and returned as agreed. Pitches - Not overly generous. We selected one that was just big enough for our 7.5m van, awning and car. The surface is grey gravel and they are separated by hedges. The gold pitches have power, water and drainage and are available for the ACSI rate. They were operating a 7 night for the price of 6 deal – which was good. If you plan to visit during the second half of September beware. The annual St Thomas fiesta runs for 9 days. On the plus side you can join in various activities including Bull Running, fishing and dancing. There are lots of live musicians performing in various locations on different days. The atmosphere in town was great. On the downside the fiesta site is a 5-minute walk away which is handy but they have an open-air disco on at least 5 nights. This sometimes starts at midnight and runs till 5am. So, get yourself some ear plugs or party with the locals. If you are in town on the last night be sure to watch the street fireworks followed by a spectacular display on the beach. Facilities • There were three shower blocks, one of which has been updated with new floor and wall tiles and fascia boards. The other two are showing their age but are kept clean. • Swimming pools looked inviting with sunbeds around them. • Bar and restaurant. This was popular for drinks and evening meals. Standard menu which includes pizzas, pasta, grilled pork with chips and steak. • There is not a shop onsite but there is a mid-sized Mercado opposite the entrance. It stocked a good range of groceries and meat. There is also a Lidl a short walk away. • Beach – is a 10-minute walk past a couple of restaurants and a small supermarket. The beach is sandy and the sea very shallow. You have to walk a good way out before you can swim.