Benalmádena by car: marina, cable car & castle
Three towns in one — a pretty pueblo, a busy beachfront and the playful Puerto Marina — plus a mountain cable car and a fairy-tale castle. A varied, family-friendly stop close to Málaga airport.
- Puerto Marina, one of the coast's prettiest harbours
- Calamorro cable car for mountain-top views
- Colomares castle and a relaxed beachfront
Getting to Benalmádena by car
Benalmádena is one of the closest stops to Málaga airport — about 20 minutes on the A-7. The town spreads from the beach up to the hillside pueblo, so a car makes hopping between the three levels effortless.
Parking and getting around
Use the car parks at Puerto Marina or along the beachfront. For the old pueblo up the hill, park at the edge and walk in — the lanes are narrow and steep.
What to see and do
Wander the whimsical Puerto Marina, ride the Calamorro cable car for sweeping coast and mountain views, and visit the eccentric Colomares castle. The beaches are family-friendly, and Málaga city is a short hop east.
Rent a car for Benalmádena
Best explored by car. Compact automatic from €28/day — or pick any class.
Parking
Park at Puerto Marina or the beach car parks below; the pueblo's narrow streets are best left to a car park on the edge.
Nearest pickup
Málaga Airport — 22 km
More places worth the drive
Free parking at El Chorro entrance. Book the walk in advance.
The 'Garden of the Costa del Sol' keeps a genuinely Spanish old town — flower-filled lanes, a famous mural route and an easy, walkable centre — west of Marbella with long, uncrowded beaches.
Steep narrow streets. Park at the edge of the village.