Many well-equipped beaches and a historic centre with the atmosphere of a Pueblo blanco, Europe’s largest park dedicated to butterflies and a fascinating Buddhist temple, a cable car offering breathtaking views and an eccentric castle dedicated to Christopher Columbus: these are just some of the reasons to visit Benalmádena, one of the most interesting resorts on the Costa del Sol!
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Where is and how to get to Benalmadena
Benalmádena is located along the coast to the south-west of Malaga, specifically between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, half an hour’s drive from the provincial capital. It is slightly further away (around 40 minutes) from Marbella, the main coastal city in the opposite direction.
It can also be reached very easily by public transport: from Malaga, you simply need to take the Cercanias C1 train, which takes half an hour to get from Malaga central station to Benalmádena-Arroyo de La Miel station. Alternatively, there are also buses: you need to take the M-110 line from Malaga to Torremolinos and from there one of the several available routes, including M-103, M-121, M-124 and M-125.
What to see in Benalmádena
Although it is not the most famous resort on the Andalusian coast, Benalmádena is truly full of interesting things to see and activities to enjoy. If you find yourself here, do not limit yourself to beach life, but try to devote at least some time to the many attractions the town has to offer. Let’s look at the most important ones.
Benalmádena Village
Anyone who has heard of Benalmádena often associates it with its long sandy shores, yet its most historic and charming part lies inland and is called Benalmádena Pueblo. Little squares surrounded by white houses, lanes and narrow streets to get lost in, captivated by every view.
The main street not to miss is Calle Real, a lovely pedestrianised street that links two of the town’s most beautiful squares: Plaza de Andalucía and Plaza de España. In the latter, we also find La Niña de Benalmádena, the fountain with the statue of a little girl holding a large seashell in her hand.
Among the most iconic buildings in the town is the Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, a church set in an elevated position, with a lovely panoramic terrace. For history enthusiasts, the Museo de Arte Precolombino Felipe Orlando is well worth a visit, where you can take a step back in time by viewing art brought over from the Americas by pre-Columbian peoples.
Puerto Marina: the little harbour of Benalmádena Costa
Benalmádena Costa is the main of Benalmádena’s coastal districts and Puerto Marina is its marina. If the other coastal areas have little to offer beyond the beaches and holiday amenities, here there is a great deal of life and it is also a pleasant area for a stroll. You can walk along the marina’s jetty as far as the lighthouse, or take a ride on the Noria, the Ferris wheel from which you get a lovely view over this whole part of the Costa del Sol.
If you are travelling with children, there is a tourist little train that goes round the neighbourhood, as well as Parquelandia, a playground with inflatables, trampolines and much more. But above all there is Sea Life, the water park I’ll talk about in more detail shortly. For older visitors, it is also lovely to wander among the many sailing boats and luxurious yachts moored here. This is also among the best areas for restaurants and places to go out in the evening.
Colomares Castle
Let’s head back inland to discover one of the oddest attractions in all of Andalusia. I’m referring to the Castillo de Colomares, an eccentric building inaugurated in the early 1990s that presents itself as a seemingly absurd mix of architectural styles. Built by a doctor with a passion for history, this castle is the largest monument in the world dedicated to Christopher Columbus, and contains various symbols, as well as a representation of the three caravels that carried the explorer to the New World. A fun fact: it contains the smallest consecrated church in the world!
Our guide to Castillo de Colomares
Butterfly Park
Not far from Castillo de Colomares, we find a completely different attraction, but one that is also absolutely worth seeing: Monowa Butterfly Park, also known as Mariposario de Benalmádena. It is known as the largest butterfly park in Europe and, without doubt, it is something fascinating, regardless of whether or not you are passionate about these insects.
There are between 1,500 and 2,000 butterflies, from 50 to 150 different species (the number varies according to the season), flying freely in the large tropical greenhouse, designed in the shape of a Thai temple. Visiting it is a perfect experience for adults and children alike, who are unlikely to remain indifferent in front of the many butterflies of every colour and size.
Buddhist temple
The Estupa of Enlightenment in Benalmádena, or more simply the Tibetan stupa, is a Buddhist temple located in the area of the Butterfly Park and the Castillo de Colomares. It is the tallest stupa in Europe and, more generally, one of the main Buddhist temples in Europe. In detail, a stupa is a monument created to represent peace and harmony, as well as to symbolise light. Usually, however, stupas are enclosed structures that you cannot enter. In this particular case, though, there is a meditation hall inside, so it is in effect a proper Buddhist temple.
This temple was inaugurated in 2003 and its construction was led by the Bhutanese lama Lopon Tsechu, who had already built a stupa in 1994 at Karma Guen, near Vélez-Málaga, and several others in Europe. It is 33 metres high and, being positioned on a hill, it stands out in the surrounding landscape. On the official website you can see the opening hours for visiting it.
Bil Bil Castle
Adjacent to one of Benalmádena’s many beaches is the Castillo de Bil Bil. Like the aforementioned Castillo de Colomares, this too, despite its name, is not a historic castle, but a twentieth-century building. It appears as a small Moorish-style fortress, easily recognisable thanks to the red colour of the plaster.
It was built in 1927 at the behest of a wealthy family that commissioned the architect Enrique Atencia to design a seaside residence in which to live. The couple, of French origin, had to return to their homeland with the outbreak of the Spanish Civil War and were never able to move into the villa-castle.
Bought by an American family who lived there for about thirty years, it was then sold to a former mercenary from the Belgian Congo who worked in construction. In the 1980s the mayor designated the land on which this building stood as green space and, unable to derive any economic benefit from it, the owner sold it to the local council. After restoration, it was turned into a cultural centre.
Attractions and theme parks
So far I’ve mainly focused on the things to see in Benalmádena, but the town also has plenty of things to do, including unusual activities and theme parks, especially ideal if you’re travelling with children, though not only.
Benalmádena Cable Car and Valle de las Águilas
The town also hides an attraction that few would imagine finding just a stone’s throw from the sea: a cable car! It is called Teleférico Benalmádena and it is, as the name suggests, a cable car that leaves the town to reach a high point on the mountain behind it, from where you can enjoy a breathtaking view! The starting point is here, not far from Benalmádena-Arroyo de La Miel railway station. The arrival point is here, where the Mirador de Carlos Martínez viewpoint is located and where, with a short hike, you can climb to the summit of Monte Calamorro.
Once at the top, in addition to enjoying the views and perhaps going for a hike, you can also visit the Valle de las Águilas park. This is a themed park where birds of prey take centre stage, and where you can watch incredible falconry shows featuring eagles, owls, buzzards, griffons and other fascinating birds of prey.
Sea Life Benalmádena
For those travelling with family, but not only, there is Sea Life Benalmádena, an aquarium located in the marina area which, although not as large as the Aquarium Costa de Almería (the main aquarium in Andalusia) in Roquetas de Mar or the Seville Aquarium, is still a respectable aquarium and may be worth spending a few hours there, especially if you need to keep the children entertained for a while during your holiday. Opened in 1995, it is home to thousands of fish and marine animals, and its main attraction is the tunnel where you walk beneath sharks and rays swimming overhead above visitors’ heads.
Selwo Marina Zoo and Dolphinarium
Animals are always the stars at Selwo Marina, a sort of zoo where you mainly find animals linked to the marine world. It is home to the only dolphinarium in Andalusia and you can watch shows with these cetaceans. There is also a large area devoted to penguins, as well as sections for reptiles and birds. You should not expect a huge theme park, but rather a place where children can enjoy an educational experience with certain animals.
Holiday World Beach Club water park
Among the various hotels and resorts in the area, there is one that is truly unique, the Holiday World Beach Club. In the complex of this large resort there is in fact a water park that can also be accessed with a day ticket. It has both pools for relaxing and water games, for adults and children alike. It can make for a fun alternative for a day if you are spending your holiday in this area.
Nuevo Tivoli World
In the past, Benalmádena also had an amusement park called Tivoli World. It was closed in 2020, but a reopening is planned for the future. The most likely possibility is that it could reopen in 2029 under the name Nuevo Tivoli World, but it is not 100% certain.
The beaches of Benalmádena
The beaches of Benalmádena are not among the most beautiful or scenic on the Spanish coast, but we are talking about over 10 kilometres (6,2 miles) of coastline, alternating between little pebble beaches and long stretches of sand, with a great many services provided by the towns behind them. In the area near Benalmádena Costa’s little harbour, immediately south-west of Puerto Marina, stretches Playa Detorrebermeja, followed by Playa de Santa Ana, then Playa de Bil Bil, Playa del Arroyo de la Miel y los Melilleros and finally Playa de las Verdas.
Although there are so many names, this is in effect a single huge expanse of sand, where numerous beach clubs alternate. It is the stretch of coast in front of the town and therefore perfect for those who do not want to travel by car, the one with the most services and also ideal for families with children.
Heading further south-west, you come to the small Playa de Torre Vigía. Further on there are also several other beaches, but all smaller in size than those mentioned above. More specifically, these are Playa de Torrequebrada, Playa de la Yuca, Playa Las Viborillas, Playa Malibu Palace, Playa de Arroyo Hondo, Playa de Torremuelle, Playa de la Morera, Playa de Tajo de la Soga and Playa de Carvajal.
Where to stay in Benalmádena
Benalmádena is full of hotels and resorts. There are all kinds and at every level, so you really will be spoilt for choice. If you’re looking for a hotel in Benalmádena then you can rest assured, whatever your specific requirements. As one of the most popular tourist areas on the Costa del Sol, there really is accommodation to suit every taste.
