Benidorm presents the 6th edition of the “Tuna Days,” featuring the ronqueo (traditional tuna cutting) of a 280-kilogram specimen

Benidorm's Plaza del Castell was once again the setting for the presentation of the sixth annual "Tuna Festival," the second stage of Benidorm Gastronomy 2026, which will take place from Friday, April 17th, until Sunday, April 26th. The city's mayor, Toni Pérez, participated in the presentation of this initiative along with the president of Abreca, Javier del Castillo; the patron of Benidorm Gastronomy 2026, Mariano Sanz; members of the City Council; local restaurateurs; and a large crowd. All attendees were also treated to a demonstration of the art of tuna butchering. Specifically, a 280-kilogram bluefin tuna, provided by the Murcian companies Nicolás y Valero and Atunes Fuentes, was butchered by several experts whose skill once again amazed everyone present.

During the ten days of the 6th Annual Tuna Festival, fifteen restaurants in Benidorm will pay homage to the city's tuna fishing history by offering tapas, dishes, and complete menus featuring this fish, breaking the previous participation record. Visitors can sample the offerings from these restaurants, with prices ranging from €3 for the most affordable tapa to €52 for the most elaborate menu.

Toni Pérez highlighted the strength of the hospitality sector – “We've just come off a fantastic Easter week in terms of results,” he said – and once again thanked Abreca and the local restaurateurs for “maintaining this event, the Tuna Festival, for another year as part of the Benidorm Gastronomic program,” an event that is “absolutely well-established.” He also stated that these practices "have a completely logical basis in our city, perhaps even more so than in any other part of the Valencian coast," recalling the tradition and expertise of the people of Benidorm in the art of almadraba fishing and tuna handling.

“These events highlight Benidorm’s historical connection to a product highly valued today in gastronomy, but which here, for centuries, was much more than that: it was a way of life, the livelihood of many families,” the mayor explained. He added that these events “speak of a product we know and speak of ourselves, of our tradition, of the skill of our ancestors who, even before the rise of tourism, ensured that the name of Benidorm became known throughout the Mediterranean and the Atlantic, where there were tuna traps from Italy to the top of Gibraltar, in the Atlantic and North Africa, as a synonym for tuna trap and for excellent tuna fishermen.”

Therefore, he encouraged residents and visitors to “visit any of the 15 establishments participating in these ‘6th Tuna Festival’ to sample the dishes and creations prepared with such care and respect for this unique ingredient by their chefs.”

Juan Pablo Nicolás, representing the companies that butchered the tuna, explained the entire process in detail, demonstrating the orderly cutting of the fish, from which they extract up to 24 pieces, including prime cuts and internal parts, using both traditional cuts and techniques learned from Japanese cuisine. He also precisely described each piece, from the tail to the neck, the head, the belly, the loin, and the belly, as well as the typical culinary uses for each part of the tuna, “whose quality is determined by its fat content.”

For his part, the president of Abreca, Javier del Castillo, stated that “we can be very proud of these ‘Tuna Days’ and of our gastronomic tradition,” while also affirming that tuna is “a top quality product and we are sure that customers will enjoy it.”

Participating venues

With the butchering of this bluefin tuna, the city has kicked off the 6th Annual Tuna Festival, which will run until Sunday, April 26th. The participating restaurants, offering tapas, dishes, and menus featuring tuna, are: Aruba, Club Náutico Benidorm, ConBrassa, El Mesón, Esturión, Jardín Mediterráneo, Arrocería La Mejillonera, La Cava Aragonesa, La Fava, La Pinta Beach, Mal Pas, Malaspina, Marisquería El Puerto, Pinocchio Playa, and Sinatras Centro Diverso.

At all of these establishments, diners will find a variety of culinary offerings, all based on bluefin tuna.

Following the Tuna Festival, the next event on Benidorm's gastronomic calendar will be the 16th Tapas and Pintxos Competition, from June 19th to 28th. In September, from the 11th to the 20th, visitors can sample the various offerings of the 5th Cocktail Competition, while from October 16th to 25th, the spotlight will be on local rice dishes with the 15th Rice Festival.

Finally, from November 26th to 29th, the 2nd Local Food Festival will take place, the final event promoting local cuisine. This festival has become a fixture on the Benidorm Gastronomic calendar after its inaugural edition in 2015, held as part of Benidorm's 700th Anniversary celebrations.