Resort Guides › Spain › Costa del Sol
A smart marina resort with a cable car, theme parks and real family appeal.
Overview
Benalmádena splits into a beach/marina resort area and an older hillside pueblo, with Puerto Marina at its centre — one of the more attractive modern marinas on this coast — and a cable car (Teleférico Benalmádena) running up to Mount Calamorro.
Families & toddlers
A strong all-round family resort: Selwo Marina (a marine park), Tivoli World (an amusement park) and the cable car all sit close together, alongside decent, well-equipped beaches — plenty to fill several days beyond just the beach.
Couples, teens & nightlife
Puerto Marina’s restaurants and bars make for a pleasant, scenic evening rather than a heavy nightlife scene — good for couples, with livelier Torremolinos and Fuengirola both a short drive away if wanted.
Seniors & accessibility
The marina promenade is flat and attractive; the hillside pueblo has steeper streets, so sticking to the coastal part of the resort is the easier option for less mobile visitors.
Best time to visit
Mild winters and hot summers, consistent with the rest of the Costa del Sol.