If you’ve Googled benidorm cheltenham festival, you already know what’s going on. Every March, Benidorm turns into “Costa del Cheltenham”, with big screens, packed pubs, cheap pints, and groups on absolute mission mode. You get the racing, the banter, the fancy dress chaos, and the sunshine, without the UK price punch to the wallet.
And because the Cheltenham Festival 2026 runs Tuesday 10 to Friday 13 March 2026, it sets you up perfectly to stay on for the next excuse to go large: St Patrick’s Day on 17 March.
Cheltenham in the Sun: Why Benidorm is Britain’s Favourite Festival Alternative
Benidorm doesn’t “copy” Cheltenham. It does its own version, louder, cheaper, and in a T shirt. You’ve got British and Irish bars stacked with screens, terraces rammed from lunchtime, and that same roar when a hot favourite flops at the last.
💸 The Price Difference is Staggering
Cheltenham in the UK is class, but it’s become a proper bank-breaker. Tickets, travel, accommodation, then you’re paying racecourse prices once you’re through the gates.
Benidorm is the opposite. The whole point is value: pints in town for around €2, bucket deals, and you’re not rinsing your budget on taxis because you can walk most places. It’s why so many groups say Benidorm can work out up to three times cheaper than doing the real thing in person.
❓What’s different vs going to Cheltenham in person
Here’s the trade off:
- You’re not trackside, so no tweed selfies at Prestbury Park.
- You do get guaranteed comfort, big screens everywhere, and you actually see the finish properly every time.
- Weather is the cheat code. March in Benidorm is “grab a terrace seat” season, not “pray your socks dry out” season.
- The vibe lasts longer. In Benidorm, the racing turns straight into the night out, and nobody is sprinting for the last train home.
Benidorm Cheltenham Festival 2026 dates & daily schedule (Local time)
If you’re planning the sessions properly (respect), you need the timings. Cheltenham race times are usually published in UK time. Benidorm is one hour ahead, so just add an hour and you’re golden.
📅 Official festival dates
Cheltenham Festival 2026 runs Tuesday 10 March to Friday 13 March 2026. The themed days are the usual classics:
| Time (Benidorm’s Time) | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 14.20 p.m | Supreme Novices’ Hurdle | Novice Hurdle |
| 15.00 p.m | Arkle Chase | Novice Chase |
| 15.40 p.m | Fred Winter Juvenile Handicap Hurdle | Handicap Hurdle |
| 16.20 p.m | Ultima Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 17.00 p.m | Champion Hurdle | Championship Race |
| 17.40 p.m | TrustATrader Plate Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 18.20 p.m | National Hunt Novices’ Handicap Chase | Novice Handicap Chase |
| Time (Benidorm’s Time) | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 14.20 p.m | Turners Novices’ Hurdle | Novice Hurdle |
| 15.00 p.m | Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase | Novice Chase |
| 15.40 p.m | Coral Cup | Handicap Hurdle |
| 16.20 p.m | Glenfarclas Cross Country Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 17.00 p.m | Queen Mother Champion Chase | Championship Race |
| 17.40 p.m | Grand Annual Handicap Chase | Handicap Chase |
| 18.20 p.m | Champion Bumper | Novice Handicap Chase |
| Time (Benidorm’s Time) | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 14.20 p.m | Mares’ Novices’ Hurdle | Mares’ Only Novice Hurdle |
| 15.00 p.m | Jack Richards Novices’ Handicap Chase | Novice Handicap Chase |
| 15.40 p.m | Mares’ Hurdle | Mares’ Only Championship Race |
| 16.20 p.m | Ryanair Chase | Championship Race |
| 17.00 p.m | Paddy Power Stayers’ Hurdle | Championship Race |
| 17.40 p.m | Pertemps Final Handicap Hurdle | Handicap Hurdle |
| 18.20 p.m | Fulke Walwyn Kim Muir Challenge Cup | Handicap Chase For Amateur Riders |
| Time (Benidorm’s Time) | Race | Race Type |
|---|---|---|
| 14.20 p.m | JCB Triumph Hurdle | Juvenile Novice Hurdle |
| 15.00 p.m | County Hurdle | Handicap Hurdle |
| 15.40 p.m | Mares’ Chase | Mares’ Only Championship Race |
| 16.20 p.m | Albert Bartlett Novices’ Hurdle | Novice Hurdle |
| 17.00 p.m | Cheltenham Gold Cup | Championship Race |
| 17.40 p.m | St James’s Place Festival Hunter Chase | Hunter Chase For Amateur Jockeys |
| 18.20 p.m | Martin Pipe Handicap Hurdle | Handicap Hurdle For Conditional Jockeys |
🏇 Typical race start/finish times and how that fits Benidorm afternoons
Most days follow a similar rhythm: racing starts around 1:20pm UK time, races go off roughly every 40 minutes, and the “big one” is often around 4:00pm UK time.
Convert that to Benidorm time (add one hour) and your day looks like this:
Typical daily running order (Benidorm time)
- First race: 2:20pm
- Then roughly: 3:00pm, 3:40pm, 4:20pm
- Feature race: 5:00pm (this is when places go absolutely feral)
- Late races: 5:40pm, 6:20pm (ish)
- Cheltenham Gold Cup (Friday 13 March 2026) is scheduled for 4:00pm UK time, so 5:00pm in Benidorm.
Local knows tip: if you want a seat on Gold Cup Day, you don’t “turn up for the big race”. You’re there early doors, pint in hand, staking your territory.
Best places in Benidorm to watch Cheltenham Festival
The best part about Cheltenham week in Benidorm is you can pick your vibe. Want serious punters and slips flying around? Sorted. Want terrace drinks and singalongs that somehow start before the second race? Also sorted.
📍 Popular Cheltenham-week venues and areas
Benidorm splits into a few obvious zones during Cheltenham week. Here’s how it plays out:
Old Town (Casco Antiguo)
More mixed crowd, more tapas, more “we’ll start sensible”… then somehow you’re still out at 2am. Great if you want to balance racing with actual food and a slightly calmer base before heading into the madness.
If you want a strong start that doesn’t ruin your afternoon, book brunch at Baldo Restaurant & Cocktail Bar, right in the Old Town. It’s the move for starting the day properly before the screens .
Levante (English zone, Calle Gerona and The Square)
This is where the classic “Costa del Cheltenham” feel really hits. British pubs, Irish bars, karaoke, DJs, screens everywhere, fancy dress everywhere, and the kind of banter you can hear from half a street away.
If you love the Levante energy but you don’t fancy trying to sleep right in the middle of it, do it the smarter way: base yourself at Mara Boutique Apartments in the Old Town. It’s calmer for recovery mode), but you can still walk over to Levante.
Rincon de Loix (The Strip)
This is your messy option (said with love). Big groups, loud terraces, late nights, and pure “no regrets” energy. But here’s why it’s especially good for the Benidorm Cheltenham Festival: it’s built for all-day momentum.
During Cheltenham week, Rincon de Loix turns into a proper post-racing playground. The races finish, and instead of everyone drifting off for a nap, this area just cranks it up.
🍻 Best bars to watch the racing (big screens, atmosphere)
These names come up again and again for Cheltenham viewing:
- The Winning Post (C. Gerona, 18): a proper racing favourite, screens everywhere, betting vibe, busy from early.
- Marina Hotel Sports Bar (Av. de Cuenca, 6): big screens, great for groups who want the full crowd roar.
- The 12th Man (Avenida Juan Fuster Zaragoza): outdoor seating, ideal for sunshine watching and big groups.
- Jumping Jacks (C. Gerona, 17): racing on screens, then live music and party mode after.
Bonus Round: Brunch at Baldo (St Paddy’s Edition)
If you’re stretching the week to celebrate St Paddy’s (and let’s be honest, loads of people do), don’t just do pubs on repeat. Mix it up and make it a proper rounded Benidorm week: different bars, different vibes, different atmospheres.
That’s why Baldo Restaurant & Cocktail Bar in the Old Town is a proper shout for brunch. It’s the perfect reset after a few “one more” nights: a solid feed, good drinks, and a bit of style before you head back into the green madness.
St. Patrick’s Day Seals the Deal
Here’s why this week is so popular: Cheltenham warms the town up, then St Patrick’s Day finishes it off properly.
The question everyone asks is the same one you posted earlier: weekend before, or the 17th itself?
- Weekend before 17 March: usually bigger party energy, more pub crawls, more groups arriving, more “we’re only here for the long weekend” chaos.
- On 17 March: still class, but can feel a bit more relaxed, more “actual day” celebrations, and slightly less shoulder-to-shoulder in some places.
If you’re coming for the full Benidorm version of this season, do Cheltenham week then hang around for St Paddy’s. It’s the natural combo.
Where to stay for Benidorm Cheltenham Festival: Mara Boutique Apartments + Party at Baldo for St Patrick’s
If you’re coming with a group, the smartest move is simple: stay somewhere that lets you live like a gang, not like you’re split across tiny rooms.
Mara Boutique Apartments is built for that. You can book spacious 3 or 4-bedroom apartments, which is exactly what Cheltenham week groups need (space, privacy, a proper base, and no awkward lobby vibes).
You’re also well placed for Old Town life and the main bar zones (so you can do tapas and a calmer start, then wander into Levante when you’re ready to get loud).
St Patrick’s upgrade: Baldo restaurant vibes
Mara doesn’t run “Cheltenham events” as such, because you don’t need them (Benidorm does the work for you). But for St Patrick’s Day, you’ve got a brilliant play: Baldo, the lively cocktail and bar atmosphere connected with Mara.
This is where you can do St Paddy’s properly without the stress: drinks, music, that pre-party buzz, and then you’re out into the town when you fancy it.
If you want the easy button: Stay and Party Package for Benidorm Cheltenham Festival and St Patrick’s
If you’ve got a birthday, hen do, mates’ week, or any excuse to celebrate, Mara’s Stay and Party Package is basically “turn up and crack on”. It’s designed as an all-in-one celebration setup, with the apartments located directly above the venue, and options to tailor the vibe.