Benalmadena - Places of Interest

Geoffrey Donoghue of Always Marbella reports on the latest news & events. For more information please visit Always Marbella’s website at www.alwaysmarbella.com


Tourism Office
Avda. Antonio Machado, 10
29630 Benalmadena Costa
Tlf. 952 442 494
turismo@benalmádena.com

PAST AND PRESENT



Area: 26,60 km². Altitude Above Sea Level: 241 metres. Average Annual Rainfall:610 l/m². Average Annual Temperature: 17’8 ºC. Population: 24,706.



Benalmadena is an old Phoenician Merchants Colony, but it was the Arabs who named the town.



The Castle was an important military stronghold, in the time of the Arabs. After the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs, the Castle was absolutely destroyed and its inhabitants were spread out.



Benalmadena became an important place for the defence of the coast against the North Africa pirate attacks. There are on the coast some rests of three towers: The one of the Quay, Quebrada and Bermeja.



Nowadays, the municipality is divided into three distinct parts, Benalmadena Pueblo,Benalmadena Costa and Arroyo de la Miel.



BENALMADENA THE TOWN



Located in the Sierra is the old town, which maintains its typical Andalusian Village appearance, with narrow and steep streets and white houses.



INTERESTING PLACES



-Jardines del Muro (Wall Gardens). It’s a wonderful viewpoint over the Costa del Sol.

-Castillo de Colomares o de Águilas (Colomares or Aguilas Castle).

-Local Archeological Museum. Archeological rests from the Neolithic Period, and an important sample of Pre-Columbian Art.

-Plaza de España (Spain Square), where you can find the 'Fuente de la Niña de Benalmádena' which means Benalmádena is twinned with the famous Belgian Manekken Pis from the year 1.991.



ARROYO DE LA MIEL



Located between the Mountains and the Sea, this is the area of the town where the major part of the population live and where most of the businesses and shops are.



INTERESTING PLACES

-Culture House. UIT a bilingual library and an exposition hall.

-Sports Centre. It has a grass field, an athletics track, a covered sports hall and tennis courts, for instance.



BENALMADENA THE COAST



This is the area where most of the tourists are staying when the come to Benalmádena, with 9 Km of beaches, and where most of the hotels are. There are a lot of old watchtowers along the Benalmadena Costa seaside.



INTERESTING PLACES



-Bil-Bil Castle. 1934. It is a curious construction with an Arab style, located near the beach with the same name, where concerts, exhibitions and other events take place.

-Parque de las Palomas (Doves Park). A 200.000 square metres Park overlooking the sea.

-Torrequebrada Casino.

-Benalmadena Puerto Marina.



WHAT TO DO



In this Town we can join cultural tourism visiting the Archaeological Museum or the Colomares Castle at Benalmadena Pueblo, with the most tourist offer in the coast like to go by night to the CASINO TORREQUEBRADA, or to the PUERTO MARINA BENALMADENA, this last the most popular place to enjoy the night.



At the lunch time don’t miss the oportunity to taste the traditional dishes offered by El Ventorrillo de la Perra or El Mesón Cantarrana, both located at 'Arroyo de la Miel', or any of the many gastronomic offers at the Marina.



In the funfair TIVOLI WORLD we can enjoy many attractions and musicals shows most of the days, with the performance of big national and international show stars.



SEA LIFE is an aquarium located at Puerto Marina, and it is another good entertaining option, especially for children, where they will able to watch and learn more about the marine life.



FESTIVITIES



In the spring, there is the Corpus Christi procession, with the natural flower carpet laid down in its pathway, and the small altars and decorated balconies. The marine procession of the Carmen Virgin on the 16th of July is one of the large festivities. 15th of August popular festivities dedicated to San Juan in Arroyo de la Miel.



TYPICAL DISHES



Fried fish, Cachorreña casserole, milk with small pieces of bread.