12 Best Things to Do in Benalmadena

Most people who visit Benalmadena only see one part of it. They arrive at the seafront, spend a few hours on the beach, and leave thinking they've seen it. They haven't.

I live in Málaga, and I took the Cercanías train down a couple of years ago specifically to see Colomares Castle and the cable car. I thought it would be a half-day trip. It wasn't. Since then I've been back several times, and each visit I found something that stopped me. A 1934 castle on the beachfront that looks like it belongs in a film set, a park so green and alive it felt completely out of place on the Costa del Sol, a Buddhist stupa that turns out to be the largest in Europe.

The town is three places at once: the Pueblo up in the hills, the Costa along the seafront, and Arroyo de la Miel in the middle. Here's everything worth your time across all three.

Is Benalmadena worth visiting?

Yes, genuinely. But with one honest caveat: July and August turn the seafront into a wall-to-wall crowd, and if that's when you're going, manage your expectations.

Outside of peak summer, Benalmadena earns its reputation easily. The variety is the thing. You can spend a morning in an old hilltop village with almost no one around, take a cable car to 770 metres above the coast, and finish the afternoon at a marina that holds over a thousand boats. There's enough here for a full day, more if you explore the Pueblo properly.

It does attract a lot of tourists, and some parts of the seafront show it. The area around Puerto Marina can feel more resort than real town, especially in summer. Go in spring or autumn and the place is a completely different experience.

I'd recommend it to anyone based in Málaga or the Costa del Sol who wants a day out that goes beyond the beach. There's more substance here than most people expect.

Colomares Castle

Built not in the Middle Ages but between 1987 and 1994, Colomares Castle is one of the most unexpected things I've seen anywhere in Andalusia. A local doctor named Esteban Martín Martín spent seven years constructing it as a personal monument to Christopher Columbus and the Age of Discovery, combining Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, and Mudéjar architecture into something that looks like it came out of a storybook.

Inside there is a church. Not a large one. It holds the Guinness World Record for the smallest church in the world, measuring 1.96 square metres, and it is genuinely beautiful, all decorative detail and careful craft in a space smaller than most bathrooms.

The castle is small overall, which is part of its charm but also means you may have to wait for a gap at the most photogenic spots before you get the shot you want. I usually give it an hour, which is enough to explore every level, go up and down the stairs, and appreciate the views towards the coast from the upper terraces.

It's great for families with children. Worth knowing: it's closed on Mondays, and they do hire it out for weddings and private events, so check before you go. Entry is cheap, and for what you get, it's one of the best-value stops in Benalmadena.

The cable car up to Mount Calamorro

The Teleférico de Benalmádena climbs from Arroyo de la Miel to the summit of Mount Calamorro, 770 metres above the coast, in around 15 minutes. On a clear day you can see all the way to Africa from the top. I'm from South Africa originally, and standing up there and picking out the coastline across the water is one of those moments that doesn't get old.

At the summit there's a birds of prey show, which by all accounts is worth staying for. I say "by all accounts" because I went on a windy day and it wasn't running. I'd also strongly recommend not going on a windy day for another reason: the cable car cabins rock. Not gently. I have never seen Jethro's knuckles so white.

The views in all directions are extraordinary even without the show, and the walk around the summit takes about 20 minutes. Return tickets cost €22.90 per adult, and it's worth booking online in advance in summer when queues build up. Go in the morning if you can. By midday the haze rolls in and the African coastline disappears.

Benalmadena Pueblo

Sitting at around 300 metres above the coast, Benalmadena Pueblo is noticeably quieter than most white villages on the Costa del Sol. Compared to Mijas or Frigiliana in peak season, it barely registers as touristy. There are still places aimed squarely at visitors, but the plazas have a genuinely local feel to them, especially on a weekday morning.

The two squares are the heart of it. Plaza de España has a fountain with a female figure at its centre and several terrace restaurants around it. Plaza Andalucía is slightly smaller, with a tiled mural fountain and more places to sit in the sun. We stumbled on both without looking for them, which is the right way to find them.

From the top of the village, the viewpoints around the Church of Santo Domingo are worth the walk. The church is the oldest in Benalmadena, and the views down to the coast from here are some of the best in the area. There's also a Pre-Columbian art museum nearby that I haven't been inside yet, (it keeps getting overtaken by more time in the squares), but it holds one of the most significant collections of its kind in Spain.

Give the Pueblo two hours. You won't need more, but you'll want them.

The Stupa of Enlightenment

Nothing prepares you for the Stupa of Enlightenment appearing on a hillside in southern Spain. At 33 metres tall, it is the largest Buddhist stupa in Europe, consecrated in 1992 by the Dalai Lama, and it is completely free to visit. From a distance it looks extraordinary. Up close, it stops you entirely.

We made the mistake of going on a Monday and found it closed. We came back the next day, and it was worth every bit of the return trip. Inside, the walls are covered in detailed paintings, full of colour and Buddhist imagery, and the level of craft in such an unexpected place is genuinely moving.

After the stupa, walk five minutes to the mirador beside it. The views from there over the coast and down towards the marina are some of the best you'll get in Benalmadena without paying for a cable car. Go late afternoon when the light is on the water.

Check the opening hours before you go. It is closed on Mondays, which we now know from experience.

Puerto Marina

Puerto Marina is one of the largest marinas in Europe, with berths for over 1,100 boats, and it's worth an hour of your time even if you have no interest in boats. The architecture along the waterfront is more interesting than most Costa del Sol seafronts, the restaurants are well-priced for what they are, and the whole thing is liveliest in the evening when the day-trippers thin out and the locals arrive.

During the day, the Sea Life aquarium sits on the marina and is one of the better family options in the area, with rays, sharks, and a walk-through tunnel. It's not cheap, but children respond well to it.

The marina is at its best after 7pm in summer, when the heat drops and the waterfront fills up. Walk the full loop, pick a spot on the water, and order something cold. The Benalmadena seafront at dusk, with the hills behind it and the boats lit up in front, is one of those views that earns the trip on its own.

Parque de la Paloma

At 200,000 square metres, Parque de la Paloma is ranked among the 25 most beautiful urban parks in Europe, alongside Hyde Park and Parc Güell, and entry is free. I didn't expect much from it. I was wrong.

At the centre of the park there's a large pond, and on the day we went the turtles were out in force. Tiny babies balanced on their mothers' backs at the water's edge, which is the kind of thing that stops you for longer than you planned. Ducks, families, people reading on benches. It felt like an actual park, not a tourist attraction.

We visited in mid-May, which turned out to be exactly the right time. The jacaranda trees were in full bloom, and the purple against all that green was one of the most genuinely beautiful things I saw all trip. If you can time a visit for late April or May, do it.

Give it at least an hour. Take the path that loops the pond and don't rush the far end, which is quieter and greener than the entrance suggests.

Castillo de Bil-Bil

The Castillo de Bil-Bil sits directly on the Benalmadena beachfront, and the first time you see it you do a double-take. A deep red neo-Arabian castle, built in 1934, with Moorish archways and an ornate facade, right there between the beach bars.

It was recently renovated, and the detail up close is worth a few minutes even if you don't go inside. The archways, the tilework, the colour of the stone. The reflection pool in front was still being finished when we visited, which will only add to it when it's complete.

Inside, the castle hosts free art exhibitions and is used for cultural events. We arrived on a Monday and found it closed, which is becoming a theme in Benalmadena. Check before you go. The building alone is worth the short detour from the seafront walk.

The Butterfly Park (Mariposario de Benalmádena)

Two minutes' walk from the Stupa, the Mariposario de Benalmádena is home to over 1,500 exotic butterflies from more than 150 species. You walk through a humid tropical enclosure and they land on you. It sounds like a gimmick. It isn't.

Children absolutely love it, and honestly so did I. Entry is €14 per adult, which feels a little steep for a visit that takes around an hour, but the experience inside justifies it. There's a lovely café on site for tea and something to eat afterwards.

Before or after the Mariposario, walk the grounds around the Stupa. On the same hillside there's a Hindu Temple that most visitors walk straight past. Built in 2001 and inspired by the Khajuraho temples of Madhya Pradesh in India, it has a 14-metre carved tower and a small garden around it. It is genuinely intriguing, and I couldn't quite work out what it was doing there, which is exactly the right reaction. Entry is free and takes about 10 minutes.

Plan the three together: Stupa, Hindu Temple, then the Mariposario, and finish at the café.

The beaches

Benalmadena Costa has nine kilometres of coastline with four Blue Flag beaches, and they are genuinely good for swimming and sunbathing. The water is clean, the sand is well-maintained, and sun loungers run about €14 for two people sharing an umbrella. For a full breakdown of the best spots along this stretch of coast, the beaches in Málaga guide covers the options in more detail.

The beach we actually spent time at wasn't on the sand. On a hill directly above the seafront there's a giant wooden swing set up specifically as a photo spot, with the word "Benalmadena" on it and the Mediterranean spread out below. What makes it genuinely clever is the blue post in front of it with a built-in phone mount, so you can get the shot without a tripod or a stranger's help. It photographs as though you're swinging above the ocean. We spent longer there than I'd like to admit.

Playa de Bil-Bil is the most central beach, directly below the castle, and Playa Santa Ana is slightly further east and a little quieter. Both are good. July and August are the months to avoid if crowds bother you.

Is Benalmadena good for families?

Yes, it's one of the better spots on the Costa del Sol for families with younger children. The beaches are safe and well-serviced, the cable car is a genuine adventure for kids, and Parque de la Paloma keeps younger ones occupied for a full morning between the pond, the turtles, and the resident peacocks.

Selwo Marina is the main dedicated family attraction, a marine park with penguins, dolphins, and sea lions. I haven't been inside, but it has a strong reputation and is particularly popular with families with children under ten. Tickets start at around €16 per adult. Sea Life at Puerto Marina is the other option, better suited to smaller children and easier to combine with a marina walk.

For a full day out, Aqualand in nearby Torremolinos is worth the short trip. It's the biggest water park in Andalusia and I'd genuinely recommend it. It opens from May through October, which covers most of the season when you'd want to be in water anyway.

For more ideas across the area, the Málaga with kids guide has the full picture.

Where to eat in Benalmadena

Honest answer: by the time we stopped for lunch it was 4pm, and we walked into the first restaurant that looked good. It happened to be Italian. The pizza was fine.

If you plan better than I did, here's where to focus. Benalmadena Pueblo has the best tapas options, with terrace tables around Plaza Andalucía and several traditional Spanish restaurants that cater more to locals than tourists. The portions are good and the prices are reasonable compared to the seafront.

Along the coast, the chiringuitos are the obvious choice for lunch, particularly between the castle and the marina. Fresh fish, grilled seafood, and a view of the water. Puerto Marina has the widest selection of restaurants but also the most tourist pricing. Fine for an evening meal, less good for lunch on a budget.

The one thing I'd say: build lunch into the plan before you set off. There's enough to see in Benalmadena that eating will get pushed back if you don't protect the time for it. Ask me how I know.

How to get to Benalmadena from Málaga

The easiest way is the Cercanías C-1 train from Málaga Centro-Alameda to Arroyo de la Miel, which takes around 30 minutes and runs every 20 minutes. A single ticket costs €1.80 with a transport card. It's a scenic ride along the coast and our first visit was by train. For everything you need to know about getting around by public transport, the Málaga public transport guide has the full details.

We drive now, mostly because having the car means you can move freely between the Pueblo up on the hill and the coast below without depending on bus times. If you're planning to cover both areas in one day, the car makes it considerably easier. Benalmadena is a straightforward drive from Málaga along the A-7, around 25 minutes without traffic.

Parking in the Pueblo is easier than you'd expect. There's space near the Mandala restaurant in the village, and more parking around the Recinto Ferial area when you're visiting Parque de la Paloma and the stupa. If you're treating Benalmadena as a day trip from the city, it fits neatly into the day trips from Málaga guide alongside other options along the coast.