Benalmadena holidays

Benalmadena holidays

Deals from £255 per person

Set in the centre of the Costa del Sol’s sun-splashed coast, Benalmadena is an ideal holiday destination for those travelling with children and the perfect escape for couples looking to spend some quiet, quality downtime together. In addition, the vibrant nightlife makes it something of a hotspot for those who like their nights filled with dancing and music and their days spent relaxing on the beach.

Holidays to Benalmadena are packed with attractions for everyone. Kids will enjoy days out at the Sea Life Aquarium, while if you’ve got an interest in the region’s culture and history you’ll enjoy a trip to the Picasso Museum. With so much to see and do, you can make your Benalmadena holidays exactly what you want them to be!

Things to do

This part of the Sunshine Coast is blessed with more than 10 stunning beaches, from tiny, secluded coves fringed by fragrant pines, to vast, sweeping stretches of golden sand. Benalmadena marina is packed with bobbing boats, many of which are available for hire or offering tours of the coastline. The beachfront restaurants offer an extensive range of cuisine, from quick and easy fast food, to authentic tavernas serving traditional paellas.

There’s family entertainment on tap, so you could take the kids to explore the Butterfly Park for starters. And this town comes alive in the evenings, with a whirlwind of dance clubs, sports pubs and bars in the town centre, plus great places to eat Spanish-style at the marina. 

Excellent beaches

Benalmadena has a huge 10 kilometre stretch of golden sand that’s split into sections, but they all provide a sun-drenched location to relax in. The majority of beaches have excellent amenities such as umbrellas and showers to make the most of your visit. Unwind on sun loungers along the soft sand for spectacular views of the glistening sea.

The Blue Flag Santa Ana Beach is Benalmadena’s water sports hotspot, with everything from banana boats to jet skis and pedalos. It’s really well maintained and close to several seafront restaurants, so spending a whole day at the beach is easily done. Tropical palm trees fringe all the beaches along the resort’s picturesque coast.

Culture

Benalmadena is next door to Torremolinos and is one of Spain’s much loved holiday resorts on the Costa del Sol. You’ll find a mix of contemporary hotel blocks, Spanish cobbled streets and traditional buildings. You can find authentic charm flowing through The Old Village of Benalmadena Pueblo. The popular markets sell everything from leather, art and clothing to homemade souvenirs and trinkets. Holidaymakers flock to Benalmadena for its beaches and vibrant nightlife found along the seafront and the bustling 24 Hour Square.

Vibrant nightlife

The atmosphere transforms from being a laidback sandy resort by day, into a bustling, neon-lit, party hotspot by night. The main nightlife can be found in the famous 24 Hour Square where there’s plenty of choice of entertainment. Enjoy the sports pubs, watch live music and drink delicious cocktails in one of the contemporary bars before heading to dance the night away in the vibrant nightclubs.
For something with a little more tradition, the picturesque marina has a wide selection of Spanish style restaurants and a great range of bars.

More travel guides

We also have travel guides available for destinations, including: AndalusiaBalearic IslandsBarcelona | Canary IslandsCosta Almeria | Costa Blanca | Costa Brava | Costa Dorada | Costa del Sol | Fuengirola | Fuerteventura | Gran Canaria | Lanzarote | Marbella | Tenerife | Ibiza | Madrid | Malaga | Majorca | Menorca | Nerja | Torremolinos

 

Map of Benalmadena

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17°C - 31°C

While this town enjoys over 300 days of sunshine a year, if you’re intent on catching some rays then book your holidays to Benalmadena between June and August, when the temperatures climb into the thirties °C.

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Approximately two hours 30 minutes.

Flights land at Malaga Airport, which is about 20 minutes from the resort.

Benalmadena is best for...

Families: With a huge variety of family-friendly attractions, there’s no such thing as a dull day on holidays to Benalmadena. Check out the Aqualand waterpark in neighbouring Torremolinos.

Sun-seekers: The beautiful Costa del Sol is a prime sunshine location, and has enough beaches to sunbathe on a new one each day.

Mates: With a fantastic choice of beaches and thriving nightlife with clubs, bars and shows, Benalmadena is the perfect getaway for groups of friends.

Fast facts for Benalmadena

Language: While the official language spoken here is Spanish, the locals are fluent in English, too. However, they do appreciate even a bad attempt at the basics, so take a phrasebook or download our language app and impress them (or make them laugh!) with simple Spanish phrases like ‘please’ and ‘thank you’.

Currency: You’ll need to exchange your Sterling for Euros, before jetting off on your Benalmadena holidays.

Local time: Benalmadena is 1 hour ahead of GMT/UK time.

Fly to: Malaga Airport. It takes about 45 minutes to transfer to Benalmadena. 

Flight time from UK: The Benalmadena flight time is 2.5 hours.

Tourist Information: Check out the Benalmadena Tourism website for insider tips before you go!

Visa / Health: Before you travel, visit the UK travel advice for Spain to get all the latest info from the FCDO.

Getting around Benalmadena

By bus: An extensive bus service operates here and throughout the Costa del Sol. The buses are reliable and affordable, and are suited to short journeys within the town or visiting neighbouring resorts. 

By taxi: There are plenty of taxis around, with several taxi ranks in the commercial centre that are ideal for short trips to the beach, or returning to your hotel in the evening. 

By bike: Hiring a bike is a pleasant way to get from A to B on a sunny day, and the waterfront is an enjoyable place to cycle. There are plenty of bike hire companies in the resort. 

Events in Benalmadena

Carnival: With Lent just around the corner, the Spanish like to brace themselves for giving things up, by doing them to excess! If you’ve booked your holidays to Benalmadena, you can expect the festivities to go on for ten days, with colourful parades, costumes and parties. A Benalmadena Carnival special is dining on fresh mussels. 

Summer festival: Benalmadena’s Summer Festival of Music, Theatre and Dance comes to town in July, filling the resort’s calendar with concerts, outdoor film screenings, dance shows and theatre. 

Fiesta de la Virgen de la Cruz: If you’re travelling with the children, be sure to book your Benalmadena holidays in August and catch the Fiesta de la Virgen de la Cruz. Entirely child-centric, the festivities start with the women of the town handing out sweets to the kids, followed by parties with live singing and dancing and plenty of food!

Benalmadena weather

Temperature: 17°C - 31°C

If you’re planning on hitting the beach and topping up your tan, you’d be best to book your holidays to Benalmadena between May and September. During the summer months, the mercury hovers between the high twenties and the low thirties °C, with up to 12 hours of sunshine a day. Spring and autumn offer slightly cooler conditions, with temperatures in the low-to-mid-twenties. Even the winters are warm, with the temperatures only falling as low as the mid-teens.

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