Things To Do in Benalmadena

You can’t get much more of a swankier location than Benalmadena’s marina – and at night the restaurants here are buzzing. You’ve got an international mix on the menus, but the paella is always high on the popularity list. So is the fish, whether you’re up for swordfish, seabass or a full-on lobster. It’s a busy place here, so you might want to book ahead to get a ring-side seat.

For views of the Costa del Sol, Gibraltar, and even Morocco on a clear day, hop on this cable car. The station is right next to Tivoli Park, in Arroyo de la Miel, and the 771-metre journey glides over Tivoli before climbing up the side of Calamorro Mountain. When you reach the top, there’s a birds of prey show and an Andalusian dressage show in the auditorium. And if you’re feeling energetic, you can walk back down to town.

The heart of the action for this four-day festival is Plaza Espana in the old town where there’s tonnes of live music, from flamenco to marching bands. Locals in ruffled Andalusian dresses had out chocolate. You’ve also got a fairground in the big car park, which is lit up like Oxford Street at Christmas. And the fun goes on until the early morning.

Playa de Arroyo de la Miel has tonnes of inflatables lined up on its fine sand, including banana boats, tow tubes and fly-fish. And if you want to take it up a notch, you can try parasailing, which will give you a view of the resort from 200 metres in the air. The prom is just behind the beach, so after your ride, you can sit down with an ice-cold San Miguel and get your breath back.

Torre Bermeja is a good place to start a beach hop. It’s a 600-metre stretch of grey sand packed with sunloungers and hammocks. You’ve got a good quota of watersports here plus volleyball nets and a beach football pitch. Then just over the rock wall there’s Santa Ana, a busy Blue Flag number popular with the locals. If you want a quieter spot, 10 minutes’ drive gets you to Tajo de la Soga, a sweet spot for scuba diving.

The name gives it away, really. This area off Avenida de Antonio Machado doesn’t do much in the way of sleeping. It’s wall-to-wall bars and nightclubs here. When you’ve run through the Irish pubs and sports bars, the clubs kick up a storm with everything from salsa to hardcore dance. Entry fees are cheap, drinks are even cheaper – and nobody’s in a rush to get to bed.

Everything’s good on the menu at this friendly place in one of Benalmadena’s quaint squares. There’s a top line-up of tapas – the spinach croquettes and fried aubergines with honey get a special mention. On the mains front, the rabo de toro – oxtail stew – is pretty special. And there’s no way you can leave without trying one of their 7 Deadly Sins desserts.

Arroyo de la Miel has the pick of Benalmadena’s Spanish restaurants. Wherever you turn, you’ll find little tapas bars and seafood restaurants teeming with locals. If it’s tapas you fancy, there are loads of dishes to try, like grilled sardines, sizzling chorizo, and tortilla – or Spanish omelette. And the cheese plates are legendary around these parts – you’ll get manchego, roncal and cabrales. Look out for the Spanish singers or flamenco dancers in some of the busier restaurants.

This piano bar is a swanky affair. You’ve got paintings of flamenco dancers hanging from the wood-panelled walls, and vintage glass cabinets where the drinks are kept. It’s popular with the locals, who come for the live Latin music and the chance to practice their ballroom steps on the marble dancefloor. Drinks prices are steep, but the atmosphere is unlike anything you’ll find in Benalmadena.

Billed as Spain’s first ice bar, this place deals in chilled-out nights – and then some. Literally everything here is made of ice – the walls, the seats, even the glasses. The entry fee includes a cocktail and the hire of a furry cape and gloves. The temperature’s minus 14 degrees in here so a 20-minute stint is advised.

Benalmadena’s glamorous marina has some of the best shopping in town. There’s a modern shopping centre, Puerto Marina Shopping, which looks like it was built by Gaudi, Spain’s most famous architect. Among its colourful mosaics and curvy facades, you’ll find shoes, perfumes and typical Andalusian handicrafts on sale. Afterwards, you can walk over the bridges, admire the yachts, or pick a spot at a water’s-edge bar.

When it comes to religious festivals, the locals in Benalmadena like to get creative. They start this one by carpeting the streets of the old town with colourful pictures made from flowers and herbs. Things get a bit more serious the next day when they join a procession holding candles and effigies. But still, that pavement art is worth viewing.

Tivoli World takes a theme park – then ramps it up a notch. The place is packed with 40 rides including the Big Wheel, Roller Coaster and Free Fall Tower plus it has its own lake and train. You’ve also got go-karts, bumper cars and Tiny Town for the kids. Between thrills, there are free shows – the flamenco is popular – and food stops at one of the park’s themed restaurants.

This family-run restaurant is all about location, location, location. It’s in a cobbled Andalusian square, which is ringed by cast-iron lamp posts and has a fountain in the middle. The cuisine is a mix of Spanish and English, so you can have tapas for starters, fillet of beef for your main, and strawberry cheesecake for dessert. There’s usually a guitarist to set the mood. Booking in advance is recommended as tables on the terrace fill up fast.