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Costa del Sol Guide - Benalmadena

Benalmadena Information

There is plenty to do in Benalmadena all the year round. Among the attractions being the Puerto Marina, the Telecabina, the Casino in Torrequebrada and the golf course of the same name. The marina, in Benalmádena Costa, can take up to almost 1,000 boats of up to six metres long, and almost all types of water sports are practiced here, including hang-gliding and underwater snorkelling. The cable cars (telecabinas) link Arroyo de la Miel with the peak of the Carramolo mountain, and from here, on a clear day, one can see right across to Africa. Heading down from the town on the Torremuelle road, one arrives at the Torrequebrada Casino, one of the best entertainment and conference centres on the entire coastline. In the housing development of the same name one finds the Torrequebrada Golf Course

Benalmádena is situated on the side of the Sierra de Mijas, at 280 metres above sea level, and easy to get to from Malaga, just 20 kilometres away, by the Autovía de Mediterráneo. There are also train and bus links to the town from Malaga. The climate is mild, varying between a minimum winter temperature of five degrees and 35 in summer. Over the past twenty years Benalmádena has become one of the key tourism centres on the Costa del Sol, triplicating its off-season population of 30,000 inhabitants in the summer period. It is divided into three urban areas: Benalmádena Pueblo, Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmádena Costa. The first is at 280 metres above sea level, a typical mountain village with narrow streets and geranium-potted windows. The second is between this area and the sea, an urban area that grew up around the train station and the main road between Benalmádena and the coast. The third, Benalmádena Costa, is just what the name suggests: a coastal town with all the relevant facilities of such a place.

Map of Benalmadena

Map of Nerja

Puerto Marina is one of the most important recreation centres in the municipality, with boats moored there from all corners of the world. Apart from sailing, the sporting facilities here include water skiing, canoeing and underwater diving. The harbour area has plenty of bars and restaurants with terraces, where one can simply sit and watch the activity of the port, if one so chooses

The Telecabina is the only one of its kind on the Costa del Sol. It leaves from the Tivoli esplanade, crossing high over the motorway to the peak of the Carramolo mountain, one of the most spectacular natural balconies in the province of Malaga, from where one can view the entire Costa del Sol and the mountains of Africa across the Mediterranean on a clear day. There are sign-posted pathways down from the mountain for those who may wish to walk.

The Church of Sto. Domingo is in Benalmádena Pueblo, and to get there one goes from calle Real through the Plaza de España, continuing to the open plaza in which we find the 18th century church.

There is a small cove in Benalmádena called Benalnatura, which is a nudist beach. To get there, take the N-340 in the Fuengirola direction and turn off at the roundabout between Torrequebrada and Torremuelle. A concrete road leads down on the right to the beach and chiringuito below

Tivoli World is the Costa del Sol's best-known theme and attraction park. Here there is something for everyone: restaurants, theatre and shows in which the top performers in Spain and abroad take part, from Isabel Pantoja to the Moscow Ballet.

There are numerous festivals in Benalmádena right through the year, with cultural events, religious events, competitive events and big festivals like Holy Week. In the Holy Week celebrations, there are processions in Benalmádena Pueblo and Arroyo de la Miel. The most emotional part of this festival is at dawn on Good Friday, when the Passion of Christ, known locally as El Paso, is represented by the people of the town. This is followed by a silent procession of the Virgen de la Soledad, and the supports of the throne are then auctioned off as tradition demands. At the end of June is the Día de los Juegos (the Day of the Games) in the Arroyo de la Miel sports centre, where the young people of the town, just out from school, have the chance to enjoy a day of organised fun sports together. The Día de San Juan is also celebrated in Arroyo, while the Día del Carmen takes place by the sea. The Feria of Benalmádena Pueblo takes place in the middle of August.

As in the case of nearby towns like Benalmadena and Fuengirola, the large foreign population of Benalmádena has resulted in a local cuisine that is part tradition, part import. Here, one can eat almost anything from any part of the world, but the local traditional cooking is excellent too. This is mainly made up of products from the soil and sea around the town, with plenty of fried fish, seafood, and gazpachos, washed down by a refreshing glass of sangria made from fresh fruit of the area.

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