Town · Andalusia, Spain, Europe
Benalmádena, Andalusia
Beach town of about 78,000 between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, 18 minutes from Málaga airport on the C-1 train. Several of the coast's family attractions (Selwo Marina, the cable car, Monowa) are near Arroyo de la Miel station. Research draft, not first-hand.
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep–Oct
- Our pick
- 1-bed flat, centre
- €863 / month
- Crowd-sourced, rough guide
- Time zone
- Madrid time
For families
Benalmádena with kids
Opening hours, prices and age limits for each day out, with the date we read them. Beaches have their own access notes further down.
Selwo Marina
general (8–64) from €15.90 online, reduced from €13.90, free under 3 / under 1 m; Cercanías stop Arroyo de la Miel (selwomarina.es, 9 Oct 2026). Main pool temporarily without activities.
Teleférico up Monte Calamorro (769 m, about 10 minutes)
general from €17.90 online, reduced from €12.90; closed for maintenance on 9 Oct 2026, check before you go.
Monowa butterfly park
general €13.50, children 3–12 €11.50, under-3s free; bus 103 from Arroyo de la Miel station (monowa.es, 9 Oct 2026).
Sea Life in Puerto Marina
online from €18.50, about an hour; the operator calls the train the least direct option.
Three Blue Flag beaches in 2026
Carvajal, Fuente de la Salud and Torrebermeja-Santa Ana (ADEAC 2026).
In detail
The notes behind this page
Benalmádena is a beach town of about 78,000 people between Torremolinos and Fuengirola, 18 minutes from Málaga airport on the C-1 train. Its main station, Arroyo de la Miel, is the closest stop to most of the coast’s family attractions: Selwo Marina, the cable car and the Monowa butterfly park are all reached from there, and Sea Life is down at the marina. It suits a family without a car that wants a day out every few days. For remote work we found no reason to pick it over Málaga or Fuengirola.
Places we researched
| Type | Places |
|---|---|
| Kids | Selwo Marina (marine park, Arroyo de la Miel stop) · Monowa (butterfly park) · Sea Life (aquarium at the marina) |
| Views | Teleférico Benalmádena (cable car to 769 m; check it is running) · the Stupa (free) |
| Sights | Castillo de Colomares · Puerto Marina |
Everything to see and do, with winter and getting there: things to do in Benalmádena.
Keep reading: 3 more sections
Why Benalmádena (research)
- Population 78,338 (1 Jan 2025); 27.2 km². [Wikidata, 9 Oct 2026]
- Three parts: Arroyo de la Miel (inland, main residential and shopping area), Benalmádena Costa (seafront, Puerto Marina) and Benalmádena Pueblo (old village uphill). [Wikipedia]
- C-1 train: 18 minutes from the airport, two stations (Benalmádena-Arroyo de la Miel and Torremuelle), a train every 20 minutes for most of the day and every 30 to 40 minutes early and late. [Aena; thisisbenalmadena.travel, 9 Oct 2026; Renfe timetable data, 13, 17 and 18 Oct 2026] First and last trains and taxi fares: Málaga airport transfers.
- Three Blue Flag beaches in 2026: Carvajal, Fuente de la Salud and Torrebermeja-Santa Ana. [ADEAC]
- Rent (Numbeo, 8 Mar 2026, 14 contributors): 1-bedroom centre €862.50, outside €800. [numbeo.com] For a month’s stay, the October 2026 lease rules (Royal Decree-law 29/2026) are in Málaga monthly rentals.
- Who it suits: families and budget stays without a car. Who it does not: anyone after a work scene; Málaga is the better base for that. The old village, Benalmádena Pueblo, is uphill and needs its own transport plan.
With kids (research)
- Selwo Marina: general (8–64) from €15.90 online, reduced from €13.90; on 9 Oct 2026 the main pool was “temporarily without activities”. [selwomarina.es]
- Teleférico: general from €17.90 online; it was closed for maintenance on 9 Oct 2026. [telefericobenalmadena.com]
- Monowa: €13.50, children 3–12 €11.50, under-3s free; 10:00–18:00 from October to December. [monowa.es]
- Sea Life: online from €18.50; about an hour; no stroller storage. [visitsealife.com]
- Selwo Marina, the Teleférico and Selwo Aventura (Estepona) sell a combined “SelwoPack” from €48.90. [selwomarina.es]
- All of it in one place: the Costa del Sol with kids and without a car.
Open questions
Benalmádena: quick answers
How do I get from Málaga airport to Benalmádena?
Take the C-1 Cercanías train towards Fuengirola. Aena gives 18 minutes to Benalmádena (17 to 19 in Renfe's timetable data); trains run every 20 minutes for most of the day and every 30 to 40 minutes early in the morning and late in the evening, from about 05:30 to 23:40 from the airport (Renfe timetable data, 13, 17 and 18 October 2026). Benalmádena has two stations: Benalmádena-Arroyo de la Miel (the main one, underground, by the town centre) and Torremuelle (Benalmádena Costa, near the beach of the same name).
Is Benalmádena good for families?
Yes, on the data we checked. Selwo Marina, the Teleférico and Monowa (the butterfly park) are all reached from Arroyo de la Miel station, on foot or by local bus, and Sea Life is down at the marina. Add three Blue Flag beaches in 2026. Research, not first-hand: check each park's calendar, since Selwo's main pool was without activities and the Teleférico was closed for maintenance on 9 Oct 2026.
What are Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena Pueblo and Benalmádena Costa?
The three parts of the municipality. Arroyo de la Miel, inland, is the main residential and shopping area with the main train station; Benalmádena Costa is the seafront with Puerto Marina; Benalmádena Pueblo is the old village up the hill (Wikipedia).
How much does it cost to rent in Benalmádena?
Numbeo showed €862.50 a month for a 1-bedroom flat in the centre (range €700–1,000) and €800 outside, last updated 8 March 2026. Only 14 contributors in 18 months, so treat it as a rough guide. These are long leases. Since 8 October 2026 a holiday let can't exceed 31 days and a longer furnished stay needs a temporary-housing lease with a real, provable reason (Royal Decree-law 29/2026, still awaiting Congress approval, so check before you sign).