Benalmádena is a resort town on the Costa del Sol between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, about 20 minutes west of Málaga. It divides into three distinct parts: the pueblo (old village) up in the hills, Arroyo de la Miel (the main residential and commercial centre), and the costa (the beachfront strip with hotels, bars, and the marina).
Puerto Marina is the focal point — a large marina complex with restaurants, bars, and shops built in a vaguely Moorish style. The beaches are decent if not spectacular, with fine grey sand and warm water. The Tivoli World amusement park, the Sea Life aquarium, and the Selwo Marina are all aimed squarely at families. The Teleférico connects Arroyo de la Miel to the top of Monte Calamorro, with good views along the coast.
For a break from the resort strip, the Castillo de Colomares above Arroyo de la Miel is a bizarre and oddly charming monument to Christopher Columbus, built in the 1980s and 90s and mixing Byzantine, Romanesque, Gothic, and Mudéjar styles. Higher up, the Benalmádena Stupa is the largest Buddhist stupa in the western world.