Benicàssim & the Tárrega Competition: a guitarist's travel guide
Francisco Tárrega International Guitar Competition · Benicàssim, Spain
If you love the classical guitar, Benicàssim in autumn is one of the great weeks to plan a trip around. The Certamen Internacional de Guitarra "Francisco Tárrega," held here since 1967, is the oldest guitar competition in Europe, and the seaside town on the Costa del Azahar, in Tárrega's own Castellón, turns the finals into a small festival by the Mediterranean.
Getting there
Benicàssim sits on the Valencia–Barcelona coastal railway, so the train is the easy way in: regular services run up from València Nord in about an hour, by way of Castelló de la Plana just to the south. The nearest airport is Valencia (VLC), with trains and buses onward.
Compare trains, buses & flights to Benicàssim on Omio →
Where to stay
Benicàssim is a relaxed beach town, easy to settle into for a few days around the concerts. Stay near the seafront or the old centre and it is all walkable. Rooms fill quickly in summer and around the festival dates, so it is worth booking ahead.
An interactive map of hotels, apartments and B&Bs across Booking, Expedia, Airbnb and more, centred on Benicàssim.
See stays in Benicàssim →What you'll hear
The Tárrega draws the finest young guitarists in the world (entrants are under 36), and its winners' list reads like a roll-call of the instrument's greats: David Russell, Ana Vidović, Marko Topchii. The early rounds range widely across the solo repertoire, with a prize set aside for the best playing of Tárrega's own music. The night to be there is the final, when each finalist performs a Rodrigo concerto (the Concierto de Aranjuez, the Fantasía para un gentilhombre or the Concierto para una fiesta) accompanied by orchestra.
If you play as well as listen, explore the Rodrigo concertos on Sheet Music Plus →
Where to eat
This is rice country. Along the Costa del Azahar you will find the Valencian classics done properly: paella, arròs a banda and arròs negre, alongside the day's catch from the Mediterranean. Keep one lunch free for the rice, and book a seafront table for the evening.
While you're there
There is plenty to fill the days around the concerts: the town beaches, the belle-époque villas Benicàssim is known for, and the Desierto de las Palmas natural park in the hills behind the resort. The castle town of Peñíscola makes an easy day trip up the coast. A rental car makes the day trips simple, and GetYourGuide lists guided tours and tickets across the region.
Enter the pieces you play, and GuitarComp shows how your programme maps to this competition's rounds and which other events you qualify for.
See full competition details →Competition dates, deadlines and the current compulsory work change each edition, so always confirm at the official site: certamenguitarrabenicassim.com.