Benalmadena What to do and see ? Activities and must-sees

Best things to do and see in Benalmadena

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In this article, you will find essential information about what to see and do in Benalmadena:

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• A few words about Benalmadena and its origins
• Where is Benalmadena located on the map?
• What to see in Benalmadena?
• Guided tours departing from Benalmadena
• What to do in Benalmadena?
• Booking accommodation
• Map of Benalmadena with places to see
• The Benalmadena Fair
• Some useful links
• Latest articles on Andalusia

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A few words about Benalmadena and its origins

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Benalmadena is a seaside resort on the Costa del Sol in Andalusia. It is located just 16 km from Malaga (and 11 km from the airport). It borders Mijas, Alhaurin de la Torre and Torremolinos.

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The municipality of Benalmadena (Benalmadena Costa – Arroyo de la Miel – Benalmadena Pueblo) offers nearly 20 km of coastline with many beautiful beaches.

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Benalmádena has a pretty historic centre that has retained all its traditional Andalusian charm. It is located in the Benalmadena Pueblo part of the town.

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The origins of Benalmadena

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The site has been populated since prehistoric times. Skeletal remains dating back 18,000 years have been found here.

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The human settlement that led to its rapid development is more recent. Indeed, Benalmádena is considered to have become a real village during the Al-Andalus period, which thrived on iron and ochre mining.

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According to historians, the current name is taken directly from Arabic and refers to the village’s mining activity.

Writings have been found with the Arabic place names Ibn al-ma’din (sons of the mine) and Bina al-ma’din (mine building).

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The village was later incorporated into the Crown of Castile in 1485.

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Where is Benalmádena located on the map?

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What to see in Benalmádena?

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1 – Stroll through the narrow streets of Benalmádena Pueblo

2 – Plaza de España

3 – Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

4 – Jardines del Muro

5 – Archaeological and Pre-Columbian Art Museum

6 – Estupa de la iluminación

7 – Colomares Castle

8 – Parque de la Paloma

9 – The beaches of Benalmadena

10 – Statue of Ibn Al Baitar

11 – Puerto Marina de Benalmadena

12 – Torre vigía Bermeja

13 – Castillo de Bil Bil

14 – Sea Life Benalmadena

15 – Selwo Marina

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Note: further down in the article there is a map of Benalmadena showing the location of the places mentioned.

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1 – Stroll through the narrow streets of Benalmadena Pueblo

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The pueblo, with its narrow streets, is a very pleasant place to stroll.

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Benalmadena Pueblo is located on the hills above Benalmadena Costa and has retained its typical Andalusian charm as a white village.

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2 – Plaza de España

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This is a very pretty square in the centre of Benalmadena pueblo. In the centre of the square is a fountain with a bronze sculpture of a little girl offering water from a shell. It symbolises friendship with the tourists who come to stay in Benalmadena.

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Note: there is a replica of this sculpture in Brussels, Benalmádena’s twin city.

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3 – Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán

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This small white church was built in the 17th century. It is the oldest church in Benalmádena.

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4 – Jardines del Muro

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The Jardines del Muro are located below the Santo Domingo de Guzmán church in Benalmádena pueblo.

This design of these gardens is attributed to the famous artist César Manrique. The views of the Mediterranean and the coast are very beautiful.

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5 – Archaeological and Pre-Columbian Art Museum

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This museum exhibits the pre-Columbian art collection of archaeologist Felipe Orlando. Many pieces from Mexico, Peru, Nicaragua, Colombia and Ecuador are on display.

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6 – Estupa de la iluminación

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This Buddhist temple, inaugurated in 2003, was a project of the Buddhist master Lopon Tsechu Rinpoche. It is a place of meditation symbolising peace, prosperity and harmony. It is also the largest stupa in the West, standing 33 metres high.

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Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and from 4 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.

Admission: free

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Note: on the other side of Malaga, in the town of Triana de Vélez-Málaga, is the oldest Kalachakra-style Buddhist stupa in the Western world.

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7 – Colomares Castle

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Colomares Castle is a very special monument. It was built in homage to Christopher Columbus and Hispanidad.

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It is a recent castle, built by Dr. Esteban Martín y Martín between 1987 and 1994. This monument is made of bricks, stones and cement, and was built using only medieval techniques.

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This famous doctor offers the most seasoned visitors:

– numerous references to the history of Spain and the discovery of America:

– a mixture of Neo-Byzantine, Neo-Romanesque, Neo-Gothic and Neo-Mudejar styles.

– elements of the symbolism of the Catholic Monarchs

– other elements of the three cultures present in medieval Spain (Christianity, Judaism and Islam)

– elements paying tribute to Christopher Columbus and the navigators who accompanied him.

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Note: this castle is also in the Guinness Book of Records for a very curious feature: it has the smallest church in the world… measuring less than 2 square metres.

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A guided tour of Colomares Castle is recommended if you don’t want to miss any of these references to Spanish history.

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8 – Parque de la Paloma

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This park in Benalmádena owes its reputation to the fact that it is ranked among the 25 most beautiful parks in Europe (alongside Hyde Park in London, Parc Güell in Barcelona and Retiro Park in Madrid).

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9 – The beaches of Benalmádena

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Here are the 17 beaches in Benalmadena along the municipality’s coastline: Arroyo Hondo, Carvajal, Bil-Bil, La Morera, Arroyo de la Miel, Benalnatura, Fuente de la Salud, La Perla, Las Viborillas, Las Yucas beach, Malapesca, Melilleros, Santa Ana, Tajo de la Soga, Torremuelle, Torrequebrada and Torrevigía.

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Note: Benaltura is a nudist beach, one of the first to be authorised in Spain.

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10 – Statue of Ibn Al Baitar

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Ibn Al-Baitar was one of the most important botanists and pharmacologists of the Middle Ages. The province of Malaga also owes him the introduction of citrus cultivation in the early 13th century.

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He is believed to have been born in Benalmádena at the end of the 12th century. However, he lived part of his life in the village of El Borge, in Axarquía, east of Málaga.

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11 – Puerto Marina de Benalmadena

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This marina was inaugurated in 1982.

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This marina is very famous for its canals and its unique style. It has also twice been awarded the title of Best Marina in the World.

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12 – Torre vigía Bermeja

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Benalmadena has three watchtowers that bear direct witness to the history of the area.

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The Torre de Bermeja is a watchtower dating from the last period of Al-Andalus, the Nasrid era of the Kingdom of Granada.

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On the other hand, the Torre del Muelle and Torre Quebrada towers are part of the defensive system built by the Crown of Castile in the 16th century to protect and defend Christian populations from attacks by Barbary pirates (i.e. from the Berber coast).

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13 – Castillo de Bil Bil

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This Arab-style castle, built on Antonio Machado Avenue during the Second Spanish Republic, is one of the iconic monuments to see in Benalmádena. It was built by Enrique Atencia in the 1930s at the request of the wealthy Franco-Spanish Hermann family.

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They did not have time to move in, as the civil war broke out in 1936 and the Hermann family had to leave Spain. It was bought in 1937 by an American family, the Schestroms, who used it as their private residence for 30 years. It was this family who gave it the name Bil-Bil Castle.

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Today, it is part of the paseo maritimo and houses the Tourist Office.

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14 – Sea Life benalmadena

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The Sea Life Aquarium is located in the marina of Benalmádena. It is also a shark conservation and protection centre, which opened in 1995. You can see many marine species such as seahorses, jellyfish and clownfish.

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Inside, you can walk through a 180-degree underwater tunnel where you can observe sharks and turtles.

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Here is a link if you would like to book your tickets to the Sea Life Aquarium.

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15 – Selwo Marina

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Selwo Marina is a marine animal park that is home to the only dolphinarium and penguin enclosure in Andalusia.

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It is the ideal place for a family visit. Selwo Marina is also a conservation center that offers the opportunity to learn more about marine life and observe different species up close.

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You can book your tickets for Selwo Marina online.

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Note: you can also book a ticket for the Benalmadena cable car at the same time. This cable car, which is over 5 km long, will take you to the top of Calamoro, almost 800 meters above sea level. On a clear day, you can enjoy incredible views (see the Rock of Gibraltar and the African peaks of the Atlas Mountains).

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Guided tours departing from Benalmadena

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There are nine wonderful excursions available from Benalmadena:

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• Excursion to Caminito del Rey
• Visit to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas
• Excursion to Nerja and Frigiliana
• Visit to Mijas and Marbella
• Excursion to Granada and the Alhambra
• Guided tour of Seville and the Alcazar
• Excursion to Cordoba and the Mezquita
• Book a day trip to Morocco, to Tetouan
• Excursion to Gibraltar

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You can view details and prices and book these nine excursions from Benalmadena online.

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What to do in Benalmadena?

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Below are a number of ideas for activities to do in Benalmadena. You can book them online today.

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Bonus: all activities can be canceled up to 24 hours before the scheduled date.

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Dolphin watching is one of the best things to do in Benalmádena. In fact, this is where you are most likely to see dolphins on the Costa del Sol.

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It is a wonderful opportunity to see dolphins in the wild from a catamaran or any other type of boat. You can book the excursion online using this link.

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If necessary, you can also get a quote for a taxi transfer from Malaga airport.

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Book accommodation

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Below, you will find all the hotels and accommodation available in Benalmadena, after selecting your dates:

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Map of Benalmadena with the places to see mentioned in the article

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Benalmadena Fair

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Some useful links

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• A map of Andalusia. It is an interactive map; simply click on each city to see the best places to visit.

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• Hire car at Malaga airport

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The latest articles on Andalusia

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