Benalmadena

Benalmadena

Benalmadena, Spain is located on the part of the Southern Coast named Costa del Sol, which is on the Mediterranean Sea. Since this coastal town is a resort, there are plenty of hotels and restaurants to enjoy. This sunny town is famous for its beaches, old world charm, and non-stop fun. Benalmadena is southwest of the provincial capital, Malaga, and is a 20 minutes carhire ride from the Malaga International Airport.

Benalmadena Costa
This is the new urban development on the coast. There are hotels, discos, shopping centers, attractions, and most importantly beaches. Along the 8 km (around 5 miles) of stunning clean beaches there are 14 designated beaches. A lovely promenade along the coast enables people to get out and enjoy the scenery, shops, and restaurants along the way.

Benalmadena Beaches
A quick overview of a few of the beaches shows the diversity available. Santa Ana beach is the largest and has many amenities such as toilets, tourist information, showers, and rentals for hammocks, umbrellas, and watercraft. Melillecos is a lovely beach that is divided by a sea inlet. Carvajal beach has yacht rentals. Malapesquera is also a large beach that has Jet Ski rentals. Benalnatrua is a nudist beach. Bil Bil is one of the most popular beaches along the sea promenade. La Morera is one of the quieter beaches in the area. Las Yucas is a small beach that has more gravel than the other beaches.

Benalmadena Attractions
1. Sea Life Aquarium is filled with fascinating marine creatures and many displays and activities that are wonderful for kids and adults. It also boasts the largest shark display in Europe. Sea Life contains more than 30 various aquariums which hold over 2000 fish. Visitors can feed and pet manta rays.
2. Selwo Marina offers dolphin and sea lion shows and displays in large attractive pools. The penguin habitat entrance is made of a tunnel of ice, so visitors can feel like they are in the Arctic. An open theater provides shows interacting with Macaws and Cockatoos
3. The Parque Paloma is a lovely landscaped park where taking a stroll, feeding ducks in the large pond, playing on the adventure playground or watching the hopping bunnies and stately peacocks is a treat.
4. Tivoli World is an amusement park that boasts flamenco shows, musical performances, and lots of thrills rides. In various parts of the park, the performances, rides, and food highlight different themes such as the Wild West, the jungle and pirates.
5. A cable car ride to the top of the mountain, Calmorro, is one of the most popular attractions. The cable car ride up to the peak of Calamorro, which is 771 meters (about ½ mile) high, is a thrilling ride, and many riders are encouraged not to look down. On top of Calamorro, there are many paths that lead to viewpoints of Costa del Sol and surrounding areas.
6. Watch Tower of Torrequebrada was built by Chrsitians to watch for a Moorish invasion. Nearby are hotels and casinos.
7. The Buddhist Temple is the largest Buddhist temple in Western Europe. Inside the temple is a notable collection of traditional Himalayan paintings and statues.
Some times it is difficult to use public transportation to reach all the attractions; there are many places that offer carhire services, so tourists can see all the attractions.


Puerto Marina
Puerto Marina is the focal point of the town, and it has won the Best Marina in the World Award twice. More than 1,000 yachts and boats, large and small can anchor at this marina. The marina also boasts a Nautical Center that is a venue for sporting events and a gathering place for sailing devotees. The marina includes all the services, such as hotels, national and international restaurants, nightclubs, bars, and carhire to anywhere else in the town, including the railway station with connections to the airport. It is also possible to book boat tours of the coast.

Benalmedena Pueblo
This is the original Andalusian village with whitewashed houses and cobbled streets; it is nestled up against the mountain. It has an elevation of between 200 and 300 meters above sea level. Located in this part of town is a museum that displays archeological artifacts that date back to the Bronze Age along with many other objects and works of art that explain the history of this part of Spain and the many cultures, such as the Moors, Phoenicians, and Romans, that have influenced it. There are many quaint restaurants that serve authentic native cuisine along with restaurants that serve international fare. Hotels with gorgeous views of the mountains or the coastline and sea can be found in this area.


Benalmadena Weather
Benalmadena boasts a Mediterranean climate of year around mild temperatures. Spring and autumn see temperatures between 17 °C and 22° (63°F and 72°F) Swimming in the ocean through October is a normal activity. In the winter, the temperatures can drop to 15°C (59°F) in December and January, but freezing temperatures are high unusual. Golfers love to hit the courses when the days average 6 hours of sunlight and the days are cool. In the summer temperatures can climb to 30°C (86°F). However, ocean breezes temper the heat and the sea’s temperature hovers around 23°C (73°F), so there are plenty of ways to stay cool. With 330 days of sunshine a year, Benalmadena is certainly a vacationer’s dream.

Benalmadena Tours
There are double decker bus tours that allow sightseers to hop on and hop off at any one of the 12 bus stops through the city. This makes sightseeing so easy and convenient. It is possible to take scheduled tours up and down Costa del Sol to visit the Moorish ruins of the Gibralfaro and the Caves of Neija, or to many other nearby locations. If sticking to a set schedule is not appealing, then maybe a carhire is the answer.