Benalmadena, Spain
Located on the Mediterranean Sea with the Sierra Navada mountians to the east and Gibraltar to the east, Benalmadena makes the perfect home camp for a Spanish adventure.
A suburb of Malaga and about 30 minutes by Uber from the airport, this seaside town is a popular holiday location for British citizens. If English is your language, you won’t feel too out of place here. Your hotel attendants, cabbies, and waitresses will all have a decent level of understanding and communication in English.
The beachside and all the way up the mountainside, you will find hotels, motels, and resorts to fit any budget and vacation style. During our visit, we stayed at the all-inclusive resort Palladium Costa Del Sol. I felt confident in that my first trip to Spain should be with a brand that I was familiar with. Palladium is well known for their resorts throughout the Caribbean and Mexico but they also have resorts in certain towns along the Mediterranean in Spain.
Taking advantage of the all-inclusive experience, we were able to rely upon the resort for meals while spending the days out exploring. The most notable experience we had was a private sail boat charter with Funsail Puerto Benalmadena for a four hour tour of the beautiful Mediterranean coastline. The crew is very accommodating and offered to allow the men to try out a little fishing (with no success), played music to our liking, and offered refreshments throughout the excursion. The men-folk were also allowed to take turns at the helm under the supervision of the captain.
About half way through our sun soaked Mediterranean cruise, a pod of dolphins joined us. Our small sail boat glided along the water following the pod as they jumped, dipped, and swam all around us. There were dolphins of all sizes and it was the largest pod I’ve ever seen together. The majestic creatures accompanied and captivated us for nearly half an hour. That’s a dolphin viewing experience that could not have been planned but was a gift from above.
Benalmadena is about a one and a half hour drive via taxi to Gibraltar; home of the infamous Rock of Gibraltar. It is said that you can see the African coastline from the top. However, if you don’t wish to make the trek to Gibraltar or don’t have proper visas (it’s a British territory), there is a location in Benalmadena that allows you to see Africa on a nice clear day. The cable car system, Teleferico, is a short taxi ride from most of the resorts and hotels. It will take you to the top of Mount Calamorro to enjoy spectacular views of the area and, hopefully, a peak of the African coastline. ** Note: When we arrived to purchase our tickets to take the ride up the mountain, they had closed the cable cars down due to heavy winds**
When visiting any new place, domestic or foreign, a great way to get to know the local culture is to visit a farmers market or street market. Every Tuesday starting at 9am, the Fuengirola Street Market draws a huge crowd of locals and tourists alike. Stalls are countless and the wares being sold are endless. From fresh fruits and veggies to home goods and knock off brand name clothing. If you love to haggle and find some good deals, this is an experience you don’t want to miss. The only souvenir from our trip was a heavy Sherpa blanket purchased at this market. Creativity was needed to figure out how to get it home but it has graced our master bed for nearly a year now.
Whether you are looking for a warm beach getaway, a Spanish cultural experience, or a history laden vacation, Benalmadena and other small resort communities along the southern coastline of Spain are welcoming to visitors from all nationalities. Flights into Malaga are accessible from most large airports throughout the European Union. If flying from the United States, expect at least one layover depending on your departure city.
Now what are you waiting for? Vamonos!
