Covering an area of almost 30Km�, and with an official 30,000 inhabitants, Benalmadena is just 19 kilometers from Malaga Airport. It's easy to reach from both Malaga capital and International Airport by road, train or bus and its privileged position looking out onto the Mediterranean Sea, it is little wonder that it has grown so rapidly in size over the last 20 years and become so popular - especially with the British. It is always lively, but the busiest time of year is during the hot summer months, when holidaymakers swell the population by more than triple - up to 100,000 people.

This area offers an easy lifestyle and a comfortable climate (minimum temperatures of 5� and a summer maximum of 35�) with the light sea breezes. Many thousands of British families have bought holiday homes and a large number of them have settled down permanently to live the life of their dreams.

Benalmadena is split into three distinct areas:

Benalm�dena Pueblo
(The old village)

Despite the influx of foreigners, the Pueblo has managed to maintain a certain degree of decorum in the midst of the massive amounts of building works and construction developments that now surround it, where not so long ago it was rough countryside

Arroyo de la Miel
The busy commercial town centre separating the village on the hill from the sea front. Arroyo has grown rapidly, due greatly to the excellent train service running between Fuengirola and Malaga, as well as good road connection.

Benalm�dena Costa
The coastal area with many hotels, beaches and the award winning Marina, with excellent port facilities, fantastic nightlife and the fabulous Aquarium.

With the huge number of resident and visiting foreign Tourists to Benalmadena and the Costa del Sol in general, the variety of types of restaurants is enormous. There are many English, Scottish and Irish pubs, most of which have live big screen sporting events. You have the choice of all nationality restaurants, including, Chinese, Italian, Dutch, Lebanese, etc. There are also plenty opportunities to try out the local dishes and the best place to go is along the beach or to the Marina and visit a "Chiringuito" Beach Bar) where fresh fish dishes are served up with a wonderful chilled wine or a refreshing glass of sangria.

One of the best places on the Costa del Sol for nightlife is Benalmadena, with so many different types of bars, clubs, restaurants that there is always something to suit all tastes. From the latest Clubland sounds with top D.J.'s to swish sophistication and the live jazz, or salsa dancing till dawn, the Marina Port has it all.

At the crossroads before going down to the Port, is the Solimar Plaza, where there are more pubs and clubs for the night owls, as well as a recently built commercial centre with 8 cinemas to choose from.

In Benalmadena there are plenty of things to see as well as enjoying entertaining family days out to places like the theme park, Tivoli World, the fabulous Jardin de Las Aguilas (Garden of Eagles), see the penguins and dolphins at Selwo Marina and Sea Life or take a ride in the Cable Car to see breathtaking views of the coast.

All along the promenade, which stretches from the Bil Bil Castle to the Marina, you will see an amazing variety of mosaics done by different artists. The styles and materials differ greatly, with some artists using a ceramic finish, while others have opted for metal, wood or natural stone. The overall impression of this outdoor 'exhibition' is the result of the Plan of Local Art Development, which has encouraged local artists to add beauty to the area by exhibiting their art in this way.

The promenade is one of the smartest of the Costa del Sol and plans are afoot to extend it further. It presently covers several kilometres and stretches across the Benalmadena area with the relaxing tranquillity of sand and sea on one side and the bustling commercial hubbub of activity on the other. There are many bars and restaurants all along the sea front, where you can enjoy a pleasant time looking out across the Mediterranean or watching the world go by.