Catch 'Mar' free in Benidorm until 25 September

Today's essentials (5 key points)

• Vicenta Meneses Escudero's exhibition 'Mar', devoted to the sea, is on free view at Benidorm's Espai d'Art until 25 September 2026, according to El Periódic.
• Benidorm Pride 2026 runs from 1 to 6 September with a Pool Party, a White Party and a street parade, per Life in Benidorm.
• Alicante-Elche airport passed its 12 millionth passenger back in 2016, a marker AlicanteOut cites of the Costa Blanca's tourism strength.
• Parcent has asked residents to cut their water use after breakdowns left its header reservoir and Coll de Rates pumping station nearly empty, reports La Marina Plaza.
• Open-Meteo forecasts overcast skies across the Costa Blanca today, with highs near 29 degrees in Alicante and almost no rain.

Today's essentials

Catch 'Mar' free in Benidorm until 25 September. Vicenta Meneses Escudero's new exhibition 'Mar', a series of works built around the sea, is on free display at Benidorm's Espai d'Art until 25 September 2026, according to El Periódic.

The show gathers acrylic and mixed-media pieces in which the painter explores the shapes, colours, reflections and textures of water, with no fixed shore or horizon to anchor the eye. El Periódic quotes the artist describing that pull of the sea: 'We see how the water pulls back in a wave, but we do not know where it goes or when it will return.' She also refuses to pick a favourite canvas, saying they all have something special and are 'like my children'.

Meneses is no newcomer to the subject. She holds a Fine Arts degree from the Universidad Miguel Hernández (Altea campus) and co-founded the 'Pintoras de Benidorm' group in 1995. 'Mar' follows two earlier sea-themed shows: 'Ecos del Mar' in 2025 at the Hotel Montíboli in La Vila Joiosa (Villajoyosa), and 'Aqua' in 2024 at the Casino del Mediterráneo in Benidorm.

Getting there is simple and central. The Espai d'Art sits at La Casilla 1, inside the vestibule of Benidorm's town hall (the edificio consistorial), and it runs on the council's public-service hours, from 9am to 2pm. Entry is free, so it works as a quick cultural stop rather than a planned outing, and it is a short walk from the old town and the seafront.

What this means for you: if you live on the Costa Blanca and want a free, air-conditioned break from the beach, this is an easy morning plan, but only a morning one, since the doors close at 2pm. There is no rush to book anything, yet the exhibition ends on 25 September 2026 per El Periódic, so slot it in before then if the sea and its light are your thing.

Weather today

Overcast and muggy, highs near 29 degrees. The Costa Blanca stays fully overcast today, Tuesday 1 September 2026, with highs close to 29 degrees and barely any rain risk, according to Open-Meteo.

In Alicante city, expect a humid day under cloudy skies, with lows around 24 degrees and highs near 29, only a 5% chance of rain and a light breeze up to 16 km/h, per Open-Meteo. It is warm and sticky rather than sunny, so light clothing is enough and you will not need to plan around showers.

Inland around Pinoso the swing is wider, from 19 degrees at dawn to 29 by afternoon, again overcast with an 8% chance of rain. On the southern coast at Denia it holds close to the water temperature, 24 to 28 degrees, cloudy, with the area's highest rain odds at 13% and gentle winds up to 13 km/h.

Transport & traffic

• Alicante airport and the 12 million mark. Alicante-Elche airport recorded its 12 millionth passenger back in 2016, a figure AlicanteOut points to as proof of how firmly tourism has taken root on the Costa Blanca. For anyone flying in or out, the practical read is a busy, well-connected hub: strong passenger numbers mean plenty of routes and frequencies, but also long queues at peak summer times. Arriving early for check-in and security remains the safe bet, especially if you are travelling with hold luggage in the high season.

What's changing for you

• Parcent asks residents to save water. Parcent is urging residents to cut their water use after breakdowns left its supply network almost empty, La Marina Plaza reports. Recent storms drained both the village's header reservoir and the Coll de Rates pumping station to near-empty, and consumption is now running above what the system can refill, according to La Marina Plaza. If you live in or around Parcent, the move is immediate: hold off on non-essential use such as filling pools, watering gardens or washing the car until the network recovers, and check the town hall's channels for any formal restrictions.

Local news to know

• Villajoyosa adds climbing to its activities. El Periódic reports that Villajoyosa has launched its 2026-2027 municipal activities programme for adults and children, adding new options such as climbing.
• Day trips by boat from Alicante. AlicanteOut has rounded up the best spots you can reach by boat from Alicante for a day out on the Mediterranean.
• Benidorm Pride runs 1 to 6 September. Benidorm Pride 2026 takes over the city from 1 to 6 September, with a Pool Party, the Ñ Divas Disco, a White Party, a parade and a Main Stage After-Party, according to Life in Benidorm.
• Networking tips on r/Alicante. On Reddit's r/Alicante, residents are trading advice on the best ways to network in the city, noting that jobs here tend to come through personal contacts rather than job boards.

See the full agenda, tonight and tomorrow