Over the last 50 years Benalmadena has been a tremendously popular tourist destination with Northern Europeans and is ideally situated just 19 km, approximately 10 minutes by car west of Malaga international airport. Benalmadena is located between Fuengirola and Torremolinos and has a population of around 66,000 inhabitants. The town is really split into three different areas, there is the Benalmádena Costa (Hotels, Nightlife and Beaches), Arroyo de la Miel (the business district and holiday attractions) and Benalmádena Pueblo, where you’ll find the white washed traditional houses and winding streets.
Benalmádena Costa
As well as two golf courses this area has an abundance of attractions encouraging tourism on a year round basis. Along this busy stretch of coastline there are over 20km of golden sandy beaches and the award winning Puerto Marina which is known for its buzzing nightlife and sea life Marina. As well as its busy bars and restaurants the Marina is home to some lovely yachts and motor boats and it’s here where you can take a catamaran or fishing trip from one of the local tour operators. Along this beautiful and very compact coastline there are many of the busy tourist hotels and of course the famous Casino by the water’s edge in Torrequebrada.
Benalmadena Pueblo (old village) has maintained its traditional Spanish charm and is renowned for its breath taking views overlooking the Mediterranean coastline. Centered around the Plaza de España which dates back to the 18th Century, this tranquil village offers a relaxing alternative to the hustle and bustle of the coastline. The cobbled streets are lined by small popular family owned restaurants and tapas bars and tourist attractions include historical buildings such as the seventeenth century church, the Municipal Archaeological Museum (Pre-Columbian Art Museum) opened in Benalmádena to house the area’s important historical exhibits including a collection of Neolithic artefact’s which pre-date Christopher Columbus. Colomares Castle and La Fonda which has now been converted into a cookery school.
ATTRACTIONS
Arroyo de la Miel and Benalmadena Pueblo
The busy town area of Benalmadena stretches from Benalmadena Pueblo (Mountain village) down to Benalmadena Costa and is known as Arroyo de la Miel. Here you will find many thriving businesses and it is home to the very popular train service linking Malaga International Airport to Los Boliches and Fuengirola. This part of town is busy all year round with its popular attractions including Tivoli World, Selwo Sealife Aquarium and Zoo, The Butterfly Park and even a cable car ride taking you from the centre of town to the top of the Calmorro Mountain range where you have the most breath taking views with Sierra Nevada to the east and Gibraltar and Africa to the West.
Golf courses in and around Benalmadina
- Golf Torrequebrada – 18-holes, restaurant, club house, pro-shop and driving range
- Benalmádena golf – 9-holes par 27, pitch and putt, golf school, pro-shop
FACTS AND FIGURES
Travel
Benalmadena is ideally situated just 19 km, approximately 10 minutes by car west of Malaga international airport. There is a handy train link to the Airport and a regular bus service or Taxis are readily available should you require them.
Schools
Benalmádena has a wide choice of nursery, junior and secondary level schools; private, international and state school, offering the English and Spanish syllabus. The Benalmádena International College is situated in Nueva Torrequebrada, close to Benalmádena, this private establishment opened in 1997. The College offers international education for children aged from 3 to 18 years. And it also provides education for those with special needs.
Education is compulsory in Spain from 6 to 16, and schools in Spain are increasingly considered to be of a better standard than those in many other European countries (including the UK) with fewer discipline problems
BILINGUAL NURSERY SCHOOLS
ARROYO DE LA MIEL
Peter Pan Nursery
C/ El Olivar 5, Arroyo de la Miel (Benalmádena). Tel: (+34) 952 562 103. Also now at MARBELLA; C/Los Naranjos s/n, Urb. Linda Vista, San Pedro de Alcántara, 29670 Marbella. (+34) 952 782 051; Bilingual education: 0 – 3 years. Also offering after school activities club, excursions and baby-sitting service.
BENALMÁDENA PUEBLO
Costa Kinder Care
(Next to the Buddhist Stupa), Benalmádena Pueblo. Tel: (+34) 952 448 007; www.costakindercare.com Bilingual education: 0 – 6 years. Also offering after school activities/homework club and language classes for adults.
COMBINED PRIMARY & SECONDARY SCHOOLS
BENALMÁDENA
Benalmádena International College
C/. Catamarán s/n, Urb. Nueva Torrequebrada, Benalmádena Costa. Tel: (+34) 952 561 666; www.bic-benalmadena.webs.com/ 3 – 14 years. In addition to the usual curriculum, BIC also offers vocational studies for less-academic students.
The British College
C/. Guadalmedina, Urb. Torremuelle, Benalmádena Costa. Tel: (+34) 952 442 215; www.thebritishcollege.com Buses from Churriana and Riviera del Sol.