Sunbeds & umbrellas on the sands of a beach in Benalmadena, Costa del Sol

Benalmadena holidays

Benalmadena is among the most popular resorts in the Costa del Sol. You’ll find it situated between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, a short distance from Malaga in the south of Spain. The town is split into three distinct sections. Benalmadena Pueblo – the old town which is home to whitewashed buildings. Arroyo de la Miel – situated between the two main areas, mostly residential but where you’ll find the famous theme park. Last but not least, Benalmadena Costa, which is situated on the waterfront and home to many of the top attractions as well as hotels and restaurants. Benalmadena holidays offer something for the whole family, making them the perfect break whether you are visiting with friends or taking youngsters.

Benalmadena information

Plane

Average flight time

2h 45m

Clock

Time difference

GMT +1h

Wallet

Currency

Euro €

Language

Language

Spanish

A guide to Benalmadena holidays

Food & drink in Benalmadena

This coastal town serves up plenty of Spanish cuisine and its location means seafood is among the most popular dishes, especially around the waterfront. It is here that you’ll also find a number of restaurants and bars serving up British cuisine. Head to the traditional bars and you may find you receive a sample of tapas to accompany the beer you have ordered. There are chiringuitos along the beach here – these are seafood restaurants serving up fresh, locally caught fish. To drink, sangria is of course popular but in this town you may also like to sample the mojitos.

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Beautiful beaches in Benalmadena

There is more than 12 miles of coastline to enjoy in Benalmadena, along which you’ll find some of the most beautiful dark sand beaches, which are primarily situated around Puerto Marina. Just a short distance from here you’ll find Playa Fuente de la Salud. This beach borders Torremolinos and is one of the most popular in Benalmadena. This part of the coastline is lined with bars and restaurants, so you can enjoy a bite to eat with a backdrop of the ocean. Then, between sunbathing and swimming, you can experience the thrill of watersports such as paragliding. Another popular beach, right next to the marina, is Malapesquera. This beach is ideal for families as the water is shallow and there are plenty of activities on offer – such as paddle boarding and surfing.

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Things to do in Benalmadena

Benalmadena is home to Tivoli World. This theme park isn’t only one of the top attractions in this Spanish town, it is one of the best in the whole Costa del Sol. But, while this park offers hours of fun, it doesn’t open until the evening. When you aren’t soaking up the sun on the sandy beaches, there is plenty more to do here during the day too.

Benalmadena cable car: Board the teleferico and you’ll travel for just over two miles high above the city. The journey takes around 15 minutes during which time you can take in some of the best views of Benalmadena. It connects to Mount Calamorro – this is the highest point in the city. Once you leave the cable car you’ll be 800 metres above sea level, as well as taking in the spectacular views from here, you can also see the birds of prey at Valley of the Eagles.

Colomares Monument: Castillo de Colomares may look like a castle but it is actually a monument dedicated to Christopher Colombus. It was built between 1987 and 1994 and is the largest of its kind in the world. The first thing you’ll notice is that various different architectural styles have been used – these are Gothic, Romanesque, Byzantine and Mudejar. You will also see various nods to the explorer and his adventures including statues of his ships. Inside you’ll find a church so small it is featured in the Guinness Book of Records for being the smallest in the world.

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Map in Benalmadena

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