Benalmadena is a popular holiday destination in southern Spain renowned for its wonderful weather, fantastic beaches, warm hospitality and a number of unique landmarks, attractions and activities to enjoy.
Theme parks
Tivoli World is a very popular theme park in Costa del Sol and one of the busiest luna parks in southern Spain. The park features a wide variety of games and entertainment venues including theatres, roller coasters, magic shows and various others, making it ideal for families with children as well as young, fun-seeking tourists.
The Sea Life Aquarium is a marine themed water park, a marine life zoo and a real animal reserve all in one that is a must to visit by nature lovers and kids of all ages while visiting Benalmadena. Here you will get your chance to examine numerous local marine species up close including rare species of fish and various aquatic mammals.
Amazingly popular with children and adults alike, Selwo Marina Delfinarium is the best theme park to enjoy seeing dolphins, seals and other aquatic mammals while visiting Benalmadena it's well priced, too. There are numerous shows where trained animals perform all kinds of tricks, so don't forget your camera.
Cable car
The Teleferico Benalmadena is the iconic cable car that takes people from Benalmadena all the way up to Calamorro Mountain and is one of the major attractions in the city. The teleferico allows tourists to marvel at Benalmadena and the surrounding areas from a bird's eye view and enjoy one of the most spectacular vistas in the whole Mediterranean for a very low ticket price.
Flamenco
Hosting one of the most popular flamenco shows in Costa del Sol, Sala Fortuna Torrequebrada is an authentic flamenco saloon located in the heart of Benalmadena. The Sala performs three times a week (and also organises special shows during high season) and its performances feature a mix of traditional flamenco with modern Latin rhythms and a lot of passion.
The Flamenco Show Tirititran is a popular live music and dancing extravaganza that takes place almost every night during high season at Muscat Street, in the heart of Benalmadena. The show is characterised by its definite Hispanic flair and definitely earned its top international reputation.
Horse riding / horse shows
The well established local horse riding group known as Club El Ranchito organises the famous Rhythm on Horse show, which is one of the most impressive horse riding shows in Spain. Often covered by the media and internationally known for its impressive and distinctive horse 'dancing' moves, the show is considered one of the most impressive tourist attractions in Benalmadena.
Artequus Centre is known as one of the most prominent horse centres for baroque dressage, a traditional horse riding method that is impressive to behold and very hard to master. The centre is the best place in Costa del Sol to enjoy this type of dressage and also enjoy a ride on some of the best trained horses in the area.
Golf
The Lauro Golf course is one of the largest golfing destinations in southern Spain. The course has 27 holes, which can be combined into different trails to create new and exciting golfing experiences for players of all levels. Lauro Golf often sees local and international golfing competitions each year.
Torrequebrada is a popular 18 hole, par 72 course located along Costa del Sol at the eastern side of Benalmadena. This is a fairly newbie-friendly course that also poses a considerable challenge to seasoned players who happy to try their luck with a slight handicap.
Perfect for beginners and kid golfers, Playa Mini Golf Espana is a fun filled mini golf course inside the park of Santa Ana. The games and mini courses here will offer countless hours of fun and lots of mini golf challengers to mini golfers of all ages. This is a great place for kids to play with other tourist children in Benalmadena.
Ice rink
Benalmadena is home to the largest ice rink in Spain and it can be found at Club de Hielo. The club is the only place where you can skate on chilly ice during a hot Mediterranean summer day and have fun with young tourists and children of all ages who visit this place for the ice rink as well as for the numerous games around it.
Walking & hiking
The Benalmadena city sightseeing refers to a local bus service that transports tourists across the city of Benalmadena and allows them to explore some of the remotest and least known places in the city on foot. This interesting activity will get you to discover forgotten alleys and unusual facets of the city that are often far removed from anything else the tourist track has on offer.
Plaza de Ole is a beautiful local square located in the centre of Benalmadena. This is a very popular walking spot for families with children and elderly tourists who wish to breathe in fresh air without overexerting themselves in the great Hispanic outdoors.
Ronda Mountain and Calamorro Mountain are both very popular hiking destinations for tourists who seek to explore the nature around Benalmadena beyond its beautiful beaches and bays. The mountains that tower over the city are fairly easy to traverse, making them accessible to beginners and people inexperienced in hiking.
Adventure on wheels
Rally Rangers Jeep Safari is Benalmadena's only jeep safari provider who arranges exciting trips across off road tracks around the city. The safaris take tourists over the local Ronda and Calamorro Mountains, across Costa del Sol and into Mediterranean forests to discover the natural beauty that southern Spain holds.
Quad Mountain Adventures is a local company that arranges incredible quad bike adventures on the hills and sandy beaches around Benalmadena. The company's tours promote the natural beauty of Benalmadena and put a definite emphasis on safety, creating an action packed adventure that won't be soon forgotten.
Wild Bikes store is Benalmadena's premier bike provider. The store offers all kinds of mountain bikes at low prices and also organises cycling excursions across Benalmadena's outskirts. The prices here are surprisingly low and the store is ready to assist you in case of a flat tire or any other bike - related problem wherever you might be.
Water sports
Located on the eponymous beach, Sunset Beach Water Sports offers a wide range of family friendly, fun filled water sports including jet skiing, parasailing, surfing and more. Emphasis is given on child friendliness and there are numerous specialists ready to help kids and beginners get the hang of every water sport available on the beach. The Sunset Beach Diving Club is also there and is perhaps the best club to learn about scuba diving and enjoy some easygoing snorkelling lessons that are suitable for children and adults alike.
Diving Spain is a large and reputable five star PADI diving centre that offers affordable scuba diving lessons as well as a wide range of scuba and snorkelling diving trips across the span of Costa del Sol. The centre is one of the oldest diving organisations in southern Spain and has a spotless reputation for being professional and offer excellent quality of service.
Popular with surfers and windsurfers from across the northern Mediterranean, Surftown is a company that organises numerous surfing and windsurfing trips across Costa del Sol. The company's headquarters are located at the centre of Benalmadena but they also operate offices on several breaches across the coast.
Boat trips
The Bouncing Betty Speedboat is a long rubber boat that can transport around 20 tourists across Costa del Sol and into some of the remotest and most beautiful bays near Benalmadena. The boat trips are fast and thrill-filled, perfect for action-seekers and tourists who feel the need for speed.
Costa Party Cats is a popular company organising fantastic sea trips in the Mediterranean with a very pleasant crew. The trips differ from most others as they take tourists into the ocean and not just sail next to Costa del Sol, offering a unique sailing experience.
Sailing & fishing
Costa Boat Charters operates an impassive fleet of more than 20 luxurious boats and ferries. Tourists can hop on one of them and go for a splendid trip across Costa del Sol, while people who can afford to spend a bit extra can even chart one of the boats all for themselves through the company.
Popular with young and old alike, Discover Sailing is a well established sailing company that offers sailing lessons and trips across Costa del Sol to tourists of all ages. Sailing is made easy here thanks to the friendly trainers, all of whom are very fluent in English and always eager to help newbies learn the ins and outs of sailing.
Natural attractions & landmarks
Home to the largest butterfly species in the whole world, the Butterfly Park of Benalmadena is a unique natural attraction that is home to thousands of different butterfly species as well as various other exotic animals such as kangaroos and tropical lizards. The park is very child friendly and an amazing tourist attraction for families with children.
Resting on top of Calamorro Mountain, the Garden of Eagles (Jardin de Las Aguilas) is a beautiful natural wildlife reserve and home to the largest population of eagles in Spain. The garden is well worth a visit by nature enthusiasts as it presents a unique opportunity to observe Mediterranean eagles from up close. Several birds of prey shows with trained eagles take place at the garden each day.
Historic landmarks
The old village of Benalmadena, also known as Benalmadena Pueblo, is a scenic historic landmark located in the northern section of the city. The old part of the city is full of historic buildings and is fantastically preserved, with cobblestone streets and quiet, narrow alleys. The old town square is planted with aged trees and an old fountain that is still fully operational. The old town of Benalmadena makes the perfect backdrop for romantic evening walks.
Castillo de Colomares is a modern day historic landmark built to resemble a mythical castle in all its extravagance. The castle is made entirely out of stone and features numerous intricate designs and embellishments. This is a very spectacular landmark and one that particularly attracts young children. The castle is dedicated to Christopher Columbus and his discovery of the Americas.
Seemingly timeless and definitely imposing, the Buddhist Temple in Benalmadena is actually the largest of its kind in the western world. The temple is located next to the popular butterfly park and attracts tourists from all across Europe who wish to peak at the rich Buddhist culture that is locked away in the far-east.
Sporting a unique modern 'Hisoanoarabian' style, the Bil-Bil Castle is an impressive castle, built entirely with stone and decorated with intricate tiles. The castle towers over the eponymous beach and is a major attraction with tourists from Europe as well as from the Islamic world. The top of the tower awards tourists with one of the most impressive views over the Mediterranean.
Located inside the old town of Benalmadena, the Santa Domingo Church is the oldest church in the whole city and one of most important religious landmarks in southern Spain. The church is home to several impressive sculptures that date back to the 18th century and besides it, there is a fantastic 'mirador' view point from, which tourists can marvel at Benalmadena's coastline.
Museums & galleries
The municipal Archaeological Museum of Benalmadena is home to numerous rare artefacts from antiquity that were found along Costa del Sol and in iron age settlements in southern Spain. The museum is small but interesting enough to get you lost among its exhibits for at least a few hours.
The Casa de la Cultura is an arts museum that features numerous arts exhibitions and cultural shows that draw from modern Latin and Hispanic cultures. This is the definite place to experience local modern culture at its best, as during high season the Casa de la Cultura welcomes all kinds of local artists on a daily basis.
The Museo de Arte Precolumbino is a compact museum that focuses on pre-Columbian art that has been produced in and around Benalmadena before the discovery of the Americas. This museum presents an interesting but brief experience to history and art lovers.