Benalmadena in Spain. The most beautiful yacht port in the world and a fairy-tale castle!

Benalmadena on the Costa del Sol is very hospitable. It is one of the most beautiful yacht ports in the world and a popular resort loved by the British, but also certainly by Poles! 300 sunny days a year, beautiful beaches, amazing attractions and location close to the airport, 20 km from Malagaand 40 km from Marbella make the number of tourists in the season significantly exceed the number of residents! Check out what to see in Benalmadena!

Things to do in Benalmadena What to see and do in Benalmadena

A stunning yacht harbour, a fairy-tale castle, sandy beaches and excellent restaurants are just some of Benalmadena's attractions. The cosmopolitan, yet friendly atmosphere allows you to indulge in blissful rest and great fun. Check out what is worth seeing in this city and discover the best attractions of Benalmadena!

Benalmadena Colomares Castle

Colomares Castle is an unusual, fairy-tale building that is the world's largest monument dedicated to Christopher Columbus and his discovery of America. Hence, images of three ships of Columbus were incorporated into the building: Santa Maria, Pinta  and Nina. The unique concept was created in 1987–94 on the initiative of Dr. Esteban Martín, a history enthusiast who financed and, together with his friends, built almost the entire peculiar fortress, with the smallest chapel in the world inscribed in the Guinness Book of Records. It measures 1.96 m² and is dedicated to St. Elizabeth of Hungary.
Address: Finca la Carraca
Admission: 3 euros, closed on Mondays

Buddhist Stupa in Benalmadena

The Buddhist Enlightenment Stupa in Benalmadena is the largest and highest stupa in Europe and reportedly in the entire Western world. Opened at the beginning of our century, in 2002 or 2003, it measures 33 m high and proudly rises on the viewing platform high above the sea. It offers an observation deck, a meditation room and exhibitions. Usually, the stupas are small and colorful, the one on the Costa del Sol is white, because it refers to Andalusian architecture and the famous "pueblos blancos" or "white towns". The stupa stands in the oldest district of the city - Benalmádena Pueblo with typical Andalusian architecture, located about 3 km inland, on the southern slopes of the Sierra de Mijas, at an altitude of 200 m above sea level.
The stupa in Benalmadena is the last project of the Buddhist master Lopon Tsetchou Rinpoche, who was responsible for the concept and construction of 16 stupas in Europe, but Wojtek Kossowski, an architect of Polish origin, also worked on the project here.
Address: Av. Retamar
Admission free, closed on Mondays

Puerto Marina yacht port in Benalmadena

The yacht port of Puerto Marina is one of the most beautiful in the world. We could not see this beautiful, unique architecture combining Arab, Indian and Andalusian motifs and yachts shining in the sun. Guests from all over the world moor here. Next to it stands the Ferris wheel, a great sightseeing carousel.
Address: C. La Fragata

Seaside promenade

The promenade in Benalmadena stretches for kilometers and is a beautiful walking area where you can enjoy views, pubs, palm trees and murals.

Red Castle - Castillo El Bil Bil

The red Bil Bil Castle is a tiny palace from the 20th century, standing by the sea and contrasting beautifully with its blue and sand. The red façade attracts attention from afar, all the more so because it is maintained in the Mudejar style, combining Arabic and European styles. The place is beautifully illuminated in the evening, it is an ideal place for dating and weddings.
The castle was built in 1936 for the Hermann family, according to the design of the architect Enrique Athencio. Unfortunately, the Spanish Civil War quickly forced the Hermanns to flee to France. At that time, the building was bought by an American family of Schesters and gave it today's name Castillo El Bil Bil. In the 1970s, the castle was bought by Gerard Saintmoux, but he did not care about it at all, so 10 years later the palace was bought by the city and after restoration, the Cultural Center was established here.
Address: Av. Antonio Machado 78

Beaches in Benalmadena

The city is famous for its large number of beaches, stretching for long kilometers. They are largely sandy, although the sand is not as clear as over the Baltic Sea. They offer water equipment, sun loungers in many places, but some are also very intimate and quiet. Here are some Benalmadena beaches:

• Bil Bil Beach - stretches at Bil Bil Castle. This is a typical city beach, which is quite crowded in the summer season, but in November it is almost empty, and during this time you can still sunbathe here. Along its entire length, about 400 meters, you will find bars with drinks, tapas or dinners
• Santa Ana beach - ideal for families with children, offers equipment rental with canoes, sup boards and pedal boats. There are also sun loungers and umbrellas that need to be rented for a few or a dozen euros
• Arroyo de la miel beach - famous for its crystal clear waters and is considered one of the cleanest beaches in Benalmadena. The place is also popular with children who like to play by the stream crossing the beach. Water equipment rental is also available here
• Torrequebrada Beach - a tiny and intimate beach, rarely visited. There are no bars and it is not easy to approach the promenade, so it is not suitable for the incomplete. On the other hand, it is perfect for nature lovers. It is rocky and you can meet sea urchins here, it is worth having water shoes with you. Very clear water makes for good conditions for diving and underwater photography
• Playa Malapesquera
• Los Melilleros Beach
• Torrevigía Beach
• Playa La Viborilla
• Playa Las Yucas
• Playa Fuente de la Salud

Benalmadena: Instagram spots, Instagram friendly spots, photo points

In Benalmadena you will find some cool places perfect for Instagram photos, with the name of the city. Here are the locations:

• Yacht port: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vnhnM6DWYoCa7YzR8
• Window on the beach: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZzTzQc2CmESZUTv7
• Swing on the cliff: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZzTzQc2CmESZUTv7
• Moon under the Red Castle: https://maps.app.goo.gl/kZzTzQc2CmESZUTv7
• Heart under the stupa: https://maps.app.goo.gl/xMDwuZWKccAtVoyD6

Municipal Park de la Paloma in Benalmadena

The de la Paloma city park is a green asylum of the city, with tropical vegetation and a mini zoo. Beautifully blooming dragon trees with huge flowers grow here, and screaming green parrots fly between them. We also came across a tiny turtle. The trees and shrubs are well-groomed and nicely pruned, the alleys wind picturesquely among the vegetation and you will meet a lot of succulents here. There is a pond and a huge bench, there are also restaurants and picnic areas in the park, and during the season there are events, so you can spend a very pleasant time here. It is also worth visiting the Selwo Marina dolphinarium. In addition to dolphin skills shows, you will see other animals here, such as penguins, bats or tropical birds.
Address: Av. Federico García Lorca

Sea Life Aquarium in Benalmadena

Sea Life Benalmádena is a family attraction, especially interesting for the youngest. It offers various aquarium zones, pleases the eyes and educates about the underwater world. The Isla de Rayas zone features many species of stingrays and starfish. The Shark Tunnel (Túnel de Tiburones) raises the adrenaline, where you will stand face to face with these marine predators. But the bloodthirsty piranhas may turn out to be even worse.
Address: Av. del Puerto Deportivo, Calle de la Dársena 1

Teleférico Benalmádena - cable car to Calamorro mountain

Benalmadena's mountain attraction is the cable car, which will take you from the city center to the impressive Calamorro peak in 15 minutes. It rises in the Sierra de Mijas mountains to an altitude of 771 m above sea level. From above, there is a spectacular panorama of the city, the Costa del Sol and the Mediterranean Sea. Already on the way, you will enjoy the beauty of your eyes, because gondolas are modern, glazed carriages. The Teleférico Benalmádena cable car operates for most of the year, and tickets can be purchased online.
Address: Explanada del Tivoli

Mariposario de Benalmádena - Butterfly House

The butterfly farm in Benalmadena is tropical at your fingertips. 1,500 butterflies from 15 species fly over your head and sit on your shoulders or hands. They come from different parts of the Earth, e.g. Malaysia, the Philippines, Costa Rica or Kenya. You will see them not only adult and colorful, but also how they look in the first stages of development. 
Address: Autovía del Mediterráneo A7, C. Muerdago

Benalmadena watchtowers

In Benalmadena you will see as many as 3 former watchtowers:

• Torre Bermeja – dates back to the 14th century and stands near Puerto Marina. Its name means Red Tower and refers to the color of the ground on which it was erected
• Torre Quebrada – built at the turn of the 14th and 15th centuries, it was also intended to protect against threats coming from the sea
• Torre del Muelle – also called Torre de Benalmádena, it is the youngest, because it was built around the 16th century and also served as an observation tower to warn of enemy ships arriving by sea

Experiences in the area

In the area, it is definitely worth visiting the Fortress and Castle of Malaga, the King Caminito Del Rey Path located about an hour's drive from Benalmadena, the white town of Mijas Pueblo or the karst paradise of El Torcal also located about an hour's drive from Benalmadena.

Accommodation in Benalmadena, where to sleep on the Costa del Sol?

Throughout our stay, we slept at the MedPlaya Hotel Alba Beach, which has a fantastic location, almost on the beach. It offered tasty breakfasts and other amenities like an outdoor pool, bar, etc.

Here you will find a wide selection of accommodations. By booking your stay on Booking.com through our link, you support the development of our blog — and we thank you in advance! It helps us reach many interesting places that we later love to show you and share our experiences and information with you.

Where to rent a car when visiting the Costa del Sol?

We rented a car in Malaga, near the airport, from Centauro, through Discover cars. Centauro takes customers from its headquarters to the airport free of charge. The rental price of Fiat Punto in 2025 is PLN 350 for 2 nights and PLN 80 for full insurance. When buying it, you do not have to worry about possible scratches, because they were not even checked. Of course, it also protects against financial consequences in the event of possible unpleasant events on the road. We also paid a 44 eurofuel deposit, which was refunded 2 days after returning the car.

Our video about Malaga and its surroundings

In our video about Malaga there is also a fragment dedicated to Benalmadena. We invite you!

What's worth seeing in the area?

If you are looking for more ideas for interesting places to visit, we have it for you some options in the area. There are several attractions within a radius of 100 kilometers, that are worth adding to your travel plan.

• Malaga, Spain, distance: 16.2  km
• Costa del Sol in Spain, distance: 16.7  km
• Torcal de Antequera in Spain, distance: 39.7  km
• Caminito del Rey King's Path in Spain, distance: 42.4  km