Best Areas to Stay in Benalmádena, Spain

The coast of Benalmádena is the tourist epicentre of this town on the Costa del Sol.

This lively beach area is crossed by Antonio Machado and del Sol avenues and is home to the Benalmádena Marina.

Puerto Marina Benalmádena is home to many restaurants, shops, attractions and nightlife venues and has won the “Best Marina in the World” award on several occasions.

Nearby, the Sea Life Benalmádena aquarium has 25 tanks with different habitats from around the world and over 5,000 aquatic creatures, including sharks, rays, anemones and turtles.

The Benalmádena Exhibition Centre, also located in the vicinity of the port, is the main museum and event centre in this Costa del Sol Town. It offers exhibitions covering different artistic disciplines.

As expected, Benalmádena Costa is also where the main beaches of the city are located. Some of the best beaches in Benalmádena include those of Fuente Salud, Malapesquera, Santa Ana and Bil Bil. Most of the urban beaches of Benalmádena are fully-serviced and offer beach bars, restaurants, and watersports equipment rental stands.

As the main tourist centre in Benalmádena, the coast is also home to most of the city’s hotel offer. Here, you can find accommodation of all kinds; from small family-run properties to the most exclusive tourist apartments and five-star hotels.

Benalmádena Costa has excellent public transport connections thanks to the 8 bus routes connecting this area with the rest of the city and other Costa del Sol towns.

Benalmádena Pueblo is the name given to the oldest area of Costa del Sol town.

This historic quarter has its origin in a walled settlement from the Nasrid period and displays the typical architecture found in the White Villages of Andalusia; narrow streets lined by whitewashed houses with tile roofs.

Benalmádena Pueblo is at the foot of Pico Mijas and its charming sloping streets lead to small squares and terraces from where you can catch incredible views of the Mediterranean Sea.

In the heart of Benalmádena Pueblo lies Plaza de España, a picturesque central square surrounded by restaurants and cafes.

However, perhaps the most impressive attraction in this area is the Castillo de Colomares. Located south of the Old Town, this peculiar building is dedicated to the life and adventures of Christopher Columbus.

Other attractions in Benalmádena’s Historic Town Centre include Jardines del Muro, the Benalmádena Museum and the Benalmádena Butterfly House.

The accommodation offer in Benalmádena Pueblo is quite varied. This area has a large number of boutique properties housed in historic houses with spectacular views.

Arroyo de la Miel is one of the three towns that make up Benalmádena. It is located a couple of kilometers north of the Benalmádena marina.

In the old times, Arroyo was a rural town with farms dedicated to agriculture and honey production. In fact, it was the area’s beekeeping activity that gave Arroyo de la Miel its name (loosely translated as Honey Creek). The area experienced tremendous growth with the opening of the train station at the beginning of the 20th century and is currently the most densely populated district and the unofficial city centre of Benalmádena.

The Benalmádena-Arroyo de la Miel train station, which connects the town with Fuengirola, Torremolinos, the airport and Málaga, is the main reason you should choose Arroyo as the best location in Benalmádena.

Arroyo de la Miel is also an excellent area to stay if you are travelling with kids, as it is home to family-friendly attractions such as the Tivoli World amusement park and the Benalmádena Cable Car station, which connects the city with the top of Mount Calamorro.

This 700-metre high mountain offers breathtaking views of the city, the Costa del Sol, and, on clear days, you can even see the coasts of Africa in the distance.

Other attractions in Arroyo de la Miel include the busy Plaza de la Mezquita and Casa de la Cultura.

Although Arroyo de la Miel lacks Benalmádena Costa’s beaches or Benalmádena Pueblo’s old town charm, its excellent transport connections and its cheap accommodation make it an excellent area to stay in Benalmádena.

Benalmádena Golf is located in the north of the town, on the road that connects Arroyo de la Miel with Benalmádena Pueblo.

This golf club offers a nine-hole course and a golf training school. Its facilities also include a driving range, night lighting and a clubhouse with a bar, restaurant, shop and changing rooms. In addition to the Municipal Golf School courses, this course also offers local tournaments and camps.

With spectacular views of the sea and the Sierra de Mijas, Benalmádena Golf is surrounded by some of the most exclusive residential developments in Benalmádena.

The accommodation offer in this area of Benalmádena is mainly made up of palatial villas, tourist houses, and luxury apartments.