Benalmádena is really three towns in one: the whitewashed hill village of Benalmádena Pueblo, the beach resort strip of Benalmádena Costa, and the residential hub of Arroyo de la Miel in between. Few towns on the coast pack in this much variety within a 10-minute drive.
This guide is written by the SolGuide team, who live and work on the Costa del Sol year-round. Everything here reflects real local knowledge — not recycled tourist board copy.
Top Things to Do in Benalmádena
1. Puerto Marina
Puerto Marina is Benalmádena's showpiece — a marina built with deliberately fantastical, colourful Mediterranean-village architecture that's won international awards for its design. It's packed with restaurants, bars and boat trips, and is genuinely one of the most photogenic ports on the coast, especially at sunset.
2. Ride the Teleférico Cable Car
The Teleférico Benalmádena climbs from Arroyo de la Miel up to Mirador de Monte Calamorro, over 700m above sea level, with sweeping views across the whole bay to Africa on clear days. There are marked hiking trails at the top for those who want to walk back down.
3. The Buddhist Stupa
The Stupa Budista de Benalmádena is the largest Buddhist stupa in the Western world — a striking, unexpected landmark visible from much of the coast, with free entry to its lower gardens and viewing terrace. It's a genuinely peaceful stop, and one of the more unusual things you'll see on the Costa del Sol.
4. Castillo de Colomares
Near Arroyo de la Miel, this eccentric monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus blends Gothic, Byzantine and Mudéjar architectural styles into one strange, fascinating structure — built by a single doctor over several years as a personal passion project. Worth the detour for anyone curious about unusual architecture.
5. Benalmádena Pueblo & Selwo Marina
Benalmádena Pueblo, up in the hills, retains a genuinely traditional Andalusian village feel with narrow streets and viewpoints over the coast — a good contrast to the resort strip below. Down on the coast, Selwo Marina is a marine park with dolphin and sea lion shows, popular with families.
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Benalmádena Restaurants: Where to Eat
Puerto Marina has the highest concentration of restaurants, ranging from casual tapas to upscale seafood — expect to pay a premium for the waterfront setting. For better value, Benalmádena Pueblo's small local bars serve traditional Andalusian dishes at genuinely local prices, and Arroyo de la Miel has a good mix of everyday neighbourhood restaurants away from the tourist strip.
Getting Around Benalmádena
Benalmádena's three areas are spread out, so you'll want some form of transport to move between them comfortably.
- Train: The Cercanías C1 line stops at Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmádena-Torremuelle, connecting directly to Málaga airport and city — very convenient.
- Local bus: Connects Benalmádena Pueblo, Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmádena Costa for a small fare.
- Hire car: Useful if you want flexibility to explore all three areas plus day trips inland.
Benalmádena on a Budget
Away from Puerto Marina, Benalmádena is genuinely affordable — public beaches are free, the Stupa's gardens cost nothing to visit, and Benalmádena Pueblo's bars serve tapas at local prices. The train to the airport is a cheap alternative to taxis.