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TEL. KEVIN: +353 (0)91-762454 / +353 (0)87-6549183
Benalmadena's tourist trade has benefited from both the successes & failures of its coastal neighbour; Torremolinos. In this respect they are inextricably linked.
It all started in the 50's & 60's, which saw a multitude of hotel complexes, restaurants & bars open in Torremolinos. This led to the gradual development of neighbouring coastal areas; including that which is now known as Benalmadena Costa. As the tourist trade grew so did the coastal resorts & before long Benalmadena's old town (Benalmadena Pueblo) & its port Benalmadena Costa had joined together; swallowing the smaller town of Arroyo de la Miel (now the town's main commercial & residential district) in the process.
Benalmadena Information
Costa Del Sol DIY Holidays , 40 Wellpark Grove , Galway Ireland - Tel: +353 (0)91-762454 / +353 (0)87-6549183
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As the years passed Torremolinos became less fashionable; gathering a reputation for being a party destination frequented by rowdy types. This led to the resort receiving bad press. Benalmadena did well out of this as the downturn in Torremolinos led to a surge in popularity for itself & Fuengirola.
Benalmadena has remained popular ever since. The town has a resident population of around 30,000 inhabitants, which swells to 100,000 during the peak summer months. Many of the Costa's amusement parks & other attractions are based in this area; Tivoli World, the Selwo Marine Park, & the Benalmadena Sea Life centre to name but a few. There are also plenty of sights to take in; from the Castillo de Colomares built in honour of Columbus, to the world famous Puerto Marina sporting harbor. Of course you could just spend time relaxing on Benalmadena's 10 kilometers of beach, playing golf in one of the areas many high quality courses, or wandering around the streets of the enchanting old town.
Local markets are held daily & can provide you with some good bargains if you're prepared to haggle a little ( or a lot ) . Markets take place in the following areas on these days each week :
Monday
The Fair Ground in Marbella & in the village of Alora
Tuesday
The Fair Ground in Fuengirola & Calle Chaparil in Nerja
Wednesday
Calypso Centre in Calahonda & Estepona (On the Avenida Juan Carlos) & Arroyo de la Miel & Benalmadena (CarBoot Sale & Flea Mket )
Thursday
Near the Aqua Park in Torremolinos & Alhaurin el Grande
Friday
Arroyo de la Miel & Benalmadena & at the Calypso Centre in Calahonda
Saturday
The Fair Ground in Fuengirola (Car Boot Sale) & at the Bullring in Nueva Andalucía
Sunday
Arroyo de la Miel & at the Marina in Fuengirola & Málaga (Near the Soccer Stadium)
TRANSPORT INFO
BUS : Buses run daily between Benalmadena & Torremolinos , Fuengirola and Malaga
More information can be obtained from the local bus company : Portillo TEL: (0034)952 360 191 or (0034) 952 35 00 61
TRAINS : The railwayline runs between Fuengirola and Malaga. The station is in Arroyo de la Miel. Trains depart at 2 minutes to the hour & at 28 minutes past the hour each day . Fares are cheaper than in Ireland or the UK. MORE INFO
TAXI'S : Taxi's in comparison to Ireland & the UK are quite cheap . Make sure that the meter is running or else agree a price with the driver before commencing your journey .
ENTERTAINMENT INFO
The Costa del Sol is famous for the nightlife.There are an enormous amount of bars, pubs and clubs to suit all ages and nationalities on the Costa del Sol. The Bonanza Square, Puerto Deportivo and 24 Hr. Square are a few places worth a visit.The 24hr. Square is situated on the main road of Benalmádena Costa by the tourism office. Bonanza Square is situated directly across the road from the Minerva Jupiter Apartments . The square consists of Pub's, Bars and Discotheque's etc... Within walking distance of the apartments you'll have no problem finding a pub or club to suit your taste .
To list all the pubs & clubs in Benalmadena would be almost impossible but here's a few to get you started .
24 Hour Square on the coast road (leading down to the port) is THE place for disco's in town . Kiu is the largest and most popular with ladies night on Thursdays. It has three dance floors: Sala Latino, Hard-core Dance and Chart music. Smart entrance adorned with weird, bubbly décor leads to what appears to be a run-of-the-mill disco bar, but a door situated at the far end leads into the Atlantis room, a huge club with great lighting, metal décor and balconies. Mango is also a good atmosphere with a young crowd, plus, most of the bars have a small dance floor and throbbing music. For a more sophisticated dance scene head down to the port where several of the bars on the front have dance floors and/or live music at weekends. Main discos here are Oh Marina and Maná where you can expect to pay three times the normal price for drinks, especially during the summer months. Discoteca Aqa - Top spot in the port, Aqa is a great club with large outdoor terrace, dance-floor and a tropical ambience. Smart dress essential. Another favourite with tourists is Buzby's Bar where you can see cabaret and top Costa acts at this Brit run bar. Comedy, hypnotist acts and impressionists are a regular feature also , as well of course as music. Located across from the Hotel Villasol on the coast road. Tel 609 274178 .
El Elefante, Plaza Bonanza Square has a casual club atmosphere . This is a vast club in the centre of the costa which features a variety of acts, ranging from 'Stars in their Eyes' performers to hypnotists and lookalikes. The Peacock Tavern, Villa Las Yucas, Benalmádena Costa has a tropical style garden which adds to the atmosphere . It is geared to families with live music nightly and Happy Hour from 8 to 9 pm. Wyn's Bar in Benalmadena Pueblo. Specialises in comedy and unusual acts – such as a 'full Monty' vocalist - the mind boggles!
If you're really homesick & want some Irish entertainment there are numerous Irish bars to choose from including the following -
The Irish Rover
7 Plaza Ole, Benalmadena Costa
The Ha'penny Bridge
URB. Costamar C1, Benalmadena Costa
The Mad Ass
Carril del Siroco, 4, Locale 2, Benalmadena Costa
Things to do in Benalmadena
Stroll around the Marina , or take the small train for a guided tour (aprox. 20 minutes) . The architectural style of the buildings is fantastic; reflecting the heritage of the area . Various boat trips are available to Fuengirola , Malaga or even dolphin spotting . Dream your way past the boats moored alongside the path or visit the shops , bars , disco's & restaurants . Plenty to choose from whatever the time of day .
Take the circular or Mijas Pueblo bus & get off for an hour or two in the Pueblo .
Walk along from the bus stop & follow the signs for the Colomares Castle . Take a taxi from the Pueblo if you don't like to walk too far . Visit the spectacular monument erected to honour Christopher Columbus . The Archeological Museum in the Pueblo houses a collection of mainly South American artefacts pre dating the discovery of America . Take the lift up to the local church & the small walled gardens which surround it .
Family Attractions
TIVOLI WORLD theme park is located in Arroyo de la Miel . The park is designed for adults as well as children and has wonderful gardens, fountains and walkways. This park is one of the oldest established on the coast. The park is set in beautiful gardens with illuminated fountains and several squares where you can stop and watch one of the many free shows. For example, in the Western Square there is a reproduction of a Wild West Town with French Can-Can shows and Country & Western music and the Plaza de Andalucia gives you an insight into the regional culture and folklore with its Flamenco and Spanish ballet show. Tivoli World has its own currency (Tivolino) which
you use to buy rides and entrance to other amusements, so you need to change up the money you think you'll use. Alternatively, you can buy the Supertivolino, a ticket which gives you unlimited access to the 35 or so rides and attractions, some of which are subject to age restrictions. There is also an open-air theatre, which puts on shows during the summer. On Sundays there is the Rastro market and the Bric-a-Brac Garden Market (open 11am - 3pm, except July and August). In addition, there is a large selection of restaurants and cafés to keep you fed and watered for the whole afternoon and evening.
AQUA LAND Torremolinos - Aqualand is located only 10 minutes from the centre of Torremolinos. Aqualand is a place where you can spend a day having lots of fun with the best aquatic attractions one can ever imagine. Also, this year the park offers a new attraction: the “Boomerang”, plus relaxing green areas and 18-hole mini golf course.
Aqualand Torremolinos is the only place on the Costa del Sol where you can find the water park attraction which is taking the world by storm. BOOMERANG is a most daring ride, there and back, on a floater … a ride you can enjoy with anyone. If you try it, you’ll understand why everyone wants to repeat it. Don’t lose out. Try it this summer!
SELWO MARINE PARK One of Spain's newest themed attractions is devoted to the exotic creatures of South America. Selwo Marina in Benalmádena, Malaga, Spain, is billed as new concept of marine park, bringing together the sea life and birds of South America and complementing the theme of the successful Selwo Adventure wildlife park in Estepona, Spain. Visitors to Selwo Marina participate in an expedition in which they discover the amazing ecosystems of the South American continent. The park is accessed through the Plaza of the Americas where shops and food services are available. Through the plaza, visitors enter the Caribbean zone known as the Antilles,
home to the Dolphinarium, an installation designed to exhibit, maintain, and breed species of dolphins and sea lions. Next up is the Papagayo Club, where visitors can watch a variety of birds in flight and bird exhibitions.
SELWO ADVENTURA PARK SELWO AVENTURA PARK is a nature park unique in Europe where animals of the five continents coexist in semi wild conditions. The park is divided into several zones, each of which features a variety of different animals. The first remarkable area which you will encounter is the lagoon which is populated by exotic birds, including some colourful flamingos. Nearby are habitats suitable for birds and monkeys. One of the park's most striking man-made features is the bird canyon, a massive enclosed area of hills and plants, within which more than 40 different species of birds live freely. A great part of the circuit is made in all-terrain trucks, although there is lots to see
on foot, so wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Also there is limited shade so summer visitors should remember to bring along a hat and sun cream.
Benalmadena's SEA LIFE CENTRE takes you on a fascinating voyage of discovery. From Shrimps and Starfish to Stingrays and Sharks you will be able to enjoy incredibly close encounters with a wealth of Mediterranean marine life. View from above, alongside and even from it in as more than 30 displays bring you incredibly close to the wonders of the marine world. We recognise the vital role that the sea plays in our lives and are determined to respect it. We nurse sick and injured creatures and return them fit and healthy to the sea.
Danger In The Reefs:The new exhibition features a host of amazing marine creatures from around the world all of which are capable of
causing severe pain and sometimes even death to humans. It is the first interactive underwater park in Costa del Sol that allows you to walk across the bottom of the sea and gaze at almost three hundred thousand aquatic species from the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans and the Red Sea. There are more than thirty tanks of different dimensions that accurately recreate the natural surroundings of the sea life that inhabits them. e Ocean area contains different types of sharks, moray eels, turtles and other endemic species. The Tropical area is filled with surprising colours and unexpected creatures such as, balloon fish, butterfly fish, stone fish, surgeon fish, sea horses, etc.
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