The coastal town of Javea is preparing to transform into a grand, open-air stage for contemporary art and percussion, with the incredible ninth edition of the Àgora Actual Percussió Festival, bringing a series of innovative musical performances to the town’s most iconic historical landmarks.

A music festival marking the end of June in Javea

This festival, which has experienced international acclaim, seamlessly blends vanguard musical creations with local heritage over three days of unique and beautiful music. From June 29 to July 1, residents and visitors can experience five entirely free artistic events scattered across the municipality, ranging from beachside performances to deeply immersive sonic experiences in the heart of the town.

Beachside sounds and historical tributes

This unique cultural event will kick off on Monday, June 29, with an interactive sound-based installation on the beachside promenade of Platja de la Grava. Later, the festival will move to the Riurau d’Arnauda, a historical open-walled structure once used for drying raisins, for the “El Eco de Falla” performance, a contemporary ensemble paired with the powerful vocals of Rosa Miranda and Ariel Hernández, in order to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the birth of Spanish composer Manuel de Falla.

Musical tours and Titanic interpretations

Tuesday, June 20 will see a morning musical tour through Javea’s historic centre, guided by a local cellist and a percussionist. History buffs and newcomers alike will wander through centuries-old spaces, including the fortress-church of Sant Bertomeu and the Soler Blasco Museum, and they will discover live musical performances hidden along the route. That evening, the Riurau d’Arnauda will host an avant-garde interpretation of Gavin Bryars’ famous 1972 piece, The Sinking of the Titanic, performed by the Àgora Resident Ensemble and talented local students.

Finally, this three-day exploration of culture, art and community will conclude on Wednesday, July 1, at the port’s seaside gallery, Casa del Cable. Here, performers Sauti-Duo will take the stage to perform Ecosophy, a piece that will wrap up the festival that masterfully connects modern music with the deep cultural roots of Javea.

The Costa Blanca is set to come alive this summer with a music festival, designed to re-establish Denia’s reputation as a cultural hub of the summer. Organised by Peculiar, alongside the Denia Town Hall, this birth of this musical event will take place over two vibrant nights, on July 3 and July 4, at the town’s idyllic Torrecremada Park, and forms part of the town’s broader Festivities of the Santíssima Sang, or the patron saint festivities of the town. The La Marineta festival will turn the park’s esplanade into an open-air celebration, running from 7:00pm until the early hours of the morning each night.

An explosive opening night of pop and urban beats

The debut weekend for this music festival will kick off with an explosion of contemporary pop and urban beats; the main stage will welcome Nil Moliner, widely recognised as one of Spain’s most energetic and influential live performers. Joining him will be singer-songwriter Mafalda Cardenal, bringing the fresh, intimate sounds of her highly anticipated tour, alongside Quinto, who injects a distinct flair of modern Valencian urban pop into the evening. Afterwards, electronic artist Michenlo steps up to close out the first night with a dance-heavy, high-intensity set that will keep the crowd moving until the small hours of the next morning.

Legendary headliners and local heroes take the stage

Leading the lineup on the next day is Spanish pop duo Fangoria, captivating fans with their theatrical and synth-pop-heavy “Titiriteando Tour.” Sharing the spotlight is the local electro-pop sensation Nebulossa, hailing from nearby Ondara. Fresh off their fame from Eurovision, they bring their infectious, synth-driven live performance back to their home turf. Local DJ Sergio Denia will finish off the night on a high note.

A complete sensory and social experience in the park

La Marineta will be more than just a series of concerts; it will be a sensory event and a social experience, all set within one of the Costa Blanca’s most idyllic venues. The festival, of course, will also boast delicious food offerings, leisure spaces to relax and recharge, and areas to socialise with other festival-goers in what is certain to be one of the most memorable occasions of the summer in Denia, and certainly the first of many editions.

Benidorm may be better known for beach bars, British tourists and lively nights out, but a new Channel 5 drama is giving the Costa Blanca resort a murder mystery makeover. Starring John Hannah, Benidorm Is Murder will bring sun, suspects and Spanish bar life to screens in 2026.

Benidorm is swapping beach towels for murder clues

Benidorm is about to get a new role on British television: not just holiday hotspot, but crime scene. 

The Costa Blanca resort will provide the backdrop for Benidorm Is Murder, a six-part Channel 5 detective drama due to air in 2026. The series stars Scottish actor John Hannah as Dennis, a former UK detective who has left policing behind to run a bar in Spain.

That quieter life in the sun does not last long. According to distributor ZDF Studios, Dennis is drawn back into detective work when murders begin disturbing his new life in Benidorm.

He is helped by Rosa, his Spanish barmaid, played by Carolina Bécquer, who brings her own love of crime dramas to the unlikely partnership.

For viewers who enjoy Death in Paradise, The Mallorca Files or The Good Ship Murder, the formula will feel quite familiar: warm scenery, a central detective, suspicious deaths and a lighter tone than darker police procedurals.

Could the setting of sun-soaked bliss give the drama an extra twist?

Benidorm is not just any sunny location. For many British viewers, it carries decades of holiday memories, family trips, nightlife, package deals and strong opinions.

That makes the setting unusually recognisable. The show is not placing murder mysteries in a distant fictional paradise, but in a real Spanish resort where British tourism and local life meet every day.

Benidorm town hall said the city passed three million tourists and more than 16 million overnight stays in 2025, underlining how important the resort remains to Spain’s tourism economy.

The drama uses a place many of those tourists and residents will know, visit, live near, or think they know from its reputation.

The result could be a crime series with a familiar wink: bars, beach life and British holiday culture, but with a body count. 

How local filming brought British and Spanish extras together

The production has already had a visible local footprint in Benidorm.

In October 2025, Benidorm town hall announced that a British television series then called Death in Benidorm was looking for extras ahead of filming in the city. The open casting call took place at the Meliá Benidorm hotel and sought men and women aged between 20 and 65.

The notice said extras of any nationality could apply, but Spanish and British extras were especially needed.

That detail suggests the series is leaning into Benidorm’s real mix of residents, workers and tourists, rather than using Spain as a generic sunny backdrop.

Why the new Benidorm drama may tempt Death in Paradise fans

The talks of comparison with Death in Paradise is of course going to keep people busy up until the release. Both dramas use the contrast between murder and beautiful surroundings, building tension without losing the escapist appeal that keeps cosy crime viewers coming back.

A UK air date has not yet been confirmed beyond the 2026 release window. ZDF Studios announced the drama has 6 episodes with a runtime of 60-minutes each, while the Italian Global Series Festival has listed Benidorm Is Murder has a UK/Spain world premiere in July 2026.

The next details to watch for are the official UK broadcast date, trailer, episode guide and whether familiar Benidorm locations can be spotted once the series airs.