Always ready to pleasantly surprise with something, Spain seems to have decided to concentrate in one place the maximum of what might be of interest to an active person. A cable car, 9 km of beaches, nightlife, casinos, amusement parks, museums, ancient ruins and even a Buddhist temple – Benalmadena has it all. This city is worth getting to know better for everyone who is looking at Spain. It has been called one of the best places to live in the entire country. Why? Let’s try to answer this interesting question.
To find yourself in this small town, comfortably located in a valley between two hills — Cerro Moro and Cerro Castillejo in the province of Malaga in Andalusia on the sunny Costa del Sol, you need to drive only about 10 km southwest from Malaga airport. The city stretches from the highway at the foot of the mountains towards the sea — and this is almost 3 kilometers of picturesque green terraces, on which cute houses are scattered here and there, luxury houses and villas, and closer to the sea — apartment buildings. The most convenient and stress-free way to reach it is by booking a taxi from Benalmadena to Malaga Airport by Kiwitaxi. With a private transfer, you get a comfortable ride, a fixed price with no hidden charges, and a professional driver who knows the area well. It’s the ideal option for travelers who value punctuality, safety, and the convenience of door-to-door service — especially when traveling with luggage or on a tight schedule.
The favorable geographical location and mild climate perfectly explain why people have lived in the vicinity of Benalmadena since time immemorial. These lands remember the Phoenician, Roman, and Arab eras in the life of the country. And even earlier prehistoric eras – in the Paleolithic caves of Las Zorreras, Los Botillos, El Toro in the vicinity of the city, rock paintings have been preserved, indicating that on these beautiful lands ancient people found time not only for hunting and gathering, but also for creativity.
In 1485, the city passed to the Castilian crown, and from then until the beginning of the 20th century it lived on viticulture and fishing, then the paper industry. And only in the last century tourism began to develop here, which was facilitated by the gentle sea, long clean beaches, the abundance of sunny days a year and all those beautiful features of the Costa del Sol – the “coast of the sun” for which this coast is famous.
Today, Benalmadena is still a small city with a population of about 70 thousand people. Surprisingly, about 20 years ago there were half as many people here – as of 2001, only 33,557 people were registered here! What affected such a sharp and significant increase in the local population? It’s hard to guess for sure. According to one version, people began to be attracted here after 1994 by a new impressive attraction.
Castles and Other Architectural Treasures of Benalmadena
In 1994, the small resort town of Benalmadena acquired an impressive work of modern architectural art – its landscape was decorated with the whimsical shapes of the Colomares Castle. The construction of this extravagant building, reminiscent both of the ancient Moorish era of life in Spain and of the genius of the architect Gaudi that touched the face of the country much later, continued since 1987 and was timed to coincide with the 500th anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus. The author of the new city landmark was Doctor of Medicine Esteban Martin, which is no less surprising than the appearance of the building.
The British, who had long loved Benalmadena, apparently gradually spread the news of the impressive building around the world, and tourists who became interested and decided to see it appreciated other architectural treasures of the city: ancient Roman ruins, observation towers of Torre Bermeia, Torre Quebrada and Torre Muelle of the 15th century, the Church of Santo Domingo of the 17th century, as well as others a creation related to modern architecture – the Arabic Bil-Bil Palace built in the early 30s of the 20th century.
Surely, the medieval streets of the Benalmadena Pueblo district, preserved from the times of Muslim rule, played a role in popularizing the city as a resort. This part of it is a typical snow-white Mediterranean village, for which Andalusia is so famous.
The Nature of Benalmadena – From Beaches to Picturesque Mountain Trails
Not only is the architecture of Benalmadena amazing, but also the nature around the city and in it itself – these are steep cliffs, massive mountain peaks, gentle valleys, and lush gardens. You can enjoy the magnificent views along the hiking trails that start from the top of Mount Calamorro, which is easily reached by cable car in the funicular. At an altitude of almost 800m above sea level, you can not only admire the beauty of the landscapes on well-equipped observation platforms, but also go on an exciting journey through the reserve, which was recently recognized as a natural landmark of world proportions. Hiking trails stretch for 2.5 km, and the crown of an exciting walk can be a visit to the nursery, where you can see rare species of birds of prey – Eagle Park.
The abundance of various natural beauties, including wild animals walking right within the city, is a distinctive feature of Benalmadena. The Las Agigas and El Maro gardens, the Mariposario de Benalmadena tropical butterfly park, the De la Paloma park – here you can see peacocks, rabbits, ducks, ostriches, roosters and other inhabitants walking leisurely and feeling quite comfortable under the close attention of visitors. But the interesting objects of the city do not end there. If you plan to explore all the attractions and hidden corners of Benalmadena in a short time, then it’s worth using Kiwitaxi.com. This service offers private transfers with experienced drivers, transparent pricing with no hidden fees, and flexible routes tailored to your travel plans. With Kiwitaxi, you can comfortably move between parks, museums, and coastal spots without worrying about bus schedules or searching for taxis, making your trip smooth, efficient, and enjoyable.
Benalmadena’s Entertainment Infrastructure – Everything for Everyone!
A casino, a port, a diving center and a yacht club, museums, including with Indian household items brought by Columbus’s first expedition from Latin America, numerous bars and clubs on the waterfront where nightlife is in full swing, the Playa Mini Golf Espana golf park, the famous and only Tivoli World amusement park on the entire Costa del Sol, where everyone, young and old, will find entertainment to their liking – an abundance of recreational opportunities in
Benalmadena is amazing. Dolphinarium and penguinarium “Selwo”, aquarium “Sea Life”, where more than 2000 species of marine animals live, as well as the most sharks among all aquariums in Europe – so much entertainment can not be seen in every resort city in many countries of the world. For such a small settlement, there is everything you can imagine when thinking about an exciting and interesting vacation or a fun life at sea.
And the city authorities have not forgotten about spiritual life – the Stupa of Enlightenment, built in 2003, is the largest Buddhist temple in Europe. So, along with the abundance of Christian churches and striking examples of Muslim architecture, the spirit of the far eastern countries is present here.
If we add to all of the above the low cost of living in this region of the country, beautiful beaches, many of which are marked with a blue flag, affordable property prices on the Costa del Sol, boasting a welcoming investor program including easy Golden Visas, it’s clear why Benalmadena’s population has doubled in just 20 years.
This place is one of the best in all of Spain for a bright, eventful, pleasant life surrounded by stunning nature!
