Destination Guide - Beautiful Benalmadena

Written by Stella Kaye

Benalmadena is located between Fuengirola and Torremolinos but it is a place quite apart from the other Costa del Sol resorts of Andalucía.

Benalmadena boasts its own splendid marina to rival that of Puerto Banus, which is situated further along the coast of southern Spain nearer Marbella.

Benalmadena’s marina has twice received an award for having the best marina in the world and it is easy for the visitor to see how it earned this coveted status.

Benalmadena is one of the nearest resorts on the Costa del Sol to the international airport at Malaga so transfers take less than twenty minutes.  You can be in your hotel and down to the beach in no time at all. Buses also run to and from Malaga every twenty minutes.

Another feature which sets Benalmadena apart from neighbouring resorts is the cable car known as the teleferico ride which carries tourists to the highest vantage point in the area. There is even an eagle park to be seen here : ‘Valle de las Aguilas’. This ride is not to be missed (unless you have a fear of heights). A trip to the top of the mountain will enable the tourist to get an almost bird’s eye view of the surrounding area. The exhilarating ride carries you across the main highway through the Costas.

From the cable car base at Arroyo de la Miel which in English means: stream of honey, you can go all the way to the top of Monte Calamorro on the teleferico ride. This is a unique experience that will not be forgotten. On a cloudless day you can quite clearly see over the Mediterranean to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco - as the crow flies, the beaches of North Africa are only 10 to 15 miles away. Also from your mountain viewpoint you will see the Rock of Gibraltar jutting out into the Straits between the two continents of Europe and Africa.

Away from the hustle and bustle of the modern marina and seafront you will find the Benalmadena ‘Pueblo’ - village. Here the visitor can enjoy the feeling of being in a much older Spain of times past. The hillside village dates from Moorish times. You can meander through the beautifully tiled streets, delighting in the flora arrangements and hanging baskets that adorn the whitewashed houses and then sit in the square admiring the fountain.  From the hillside the views over the bay of Malaga and toward the Sierra Nevada Mountains are exceptional.  Buses run frequently from Benalmadena to take you to this quaint Andalucían village.

Benalmadena is ideal for the older traveller and the less mobile as the promenade on the seafront known as Paseo Maritimo is flat all the way along.

Places to stay include medium-priced hotels such as the Las Arenas hotel on the seafront at Santa Ana beach, which offer a hearty buffet breakfast and the use of a pool and are near to all the amenities Benalmadena has to offer.

This particular hotel is situated near the Bil- Bil castle, an interesting building of Moorish style. The ‘castle’ which is more of a twentieth century folly looks marvellous at sunset along the seafront.

From here a short walk will take you to the Arabic style marina where you can sip sangria to your hearts content while admiring the marine craft of various sizes and description from millionaire’s yacht to comparatively modest speed boat. There is even room for a Mississippi steam boat.

The marina offers every conceivable type of water sports and boat trips to spot the friendly dolphins but if this does not appeal there is always an Aladdin’s cave of designer shops to temp you. Silver fishes can be seen darting between the moored boats and it is possible to buy food to feed them.

More fish and an abundance of other marine animals can be seen in the nearby sea life centre which will never fail to please those families with younger children.

Benalmadena is easy to get around. There is the ubiquitous ‘Noddy’ train along the seafront and a vast selection of activities for all the family.

And in the evening the marina area takes on a different persona as it lends itself to night life. There are and bars restaurants of every description and any visitor will not be at a loss as to how to spend their time.

Other locations in and around Benalmadena allowing for a fun packed holiday are The Paloma park, the Tivoli amusement park and an assortment of museums. Golf is a popular sport in the vicinity as is hiking in the nearby mountains.

For those who choose the more livelier pastimes Benalmadena has on offer, there is an excellent choice and for those who just need a relaxing holiday not doing anything very much, the same enjoyment can be had.

Source: helium.com

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