Located between both the mountain and the beach, at 22 kilometres from Malaga, rises the city of Benalmadena. In a beautiful natural environment, with hills dotted with white developments and the Mijas mountain range in the background, Benalmadena offers the visitor an urban environment clearly divided, and sometimes, conflicting.

At two kilometres from the coast and with an altitude of 280 metres the old city centre is found, with traditional houses, narrow and well maintained streets, typical in a white Andalucian village. From the gardens of the city wall and its splendid viewpoint one can enjoy the wide perspective of a good part of the Costa del Sol. The coastal zone, which is called Benalmadena-Costa, with its length of nine kilometres forms the largest concentration of hotels and apartments of the Mediterranean with wide and well kept beaches such as Car-vajal, Tajo de la Soga, the Perla, Torremuelle, Arroyo Hondo, Viborillas, Arroyo de la Miel and the Melilleros.

Even with traces from the Neolithic Age, Iberians, Phoenicians and Romans, the town acquired its true importance during the Arab domination which has resulted in its actual name, which means children of the mines in reference to its past richness in refined minerals. Since the Christian conquest, and due to its splendid situation, it has been converted to the authentic "Lookout point of the Costa", whose function still remains in footprints in its well-conserved defensive towers like the Torre del Muelle and the Torre Quebrada.

Currently Benalmadena has a stable population of more than 25 000 inhabitants and three different urban nuclei: Benalmadena-Pueblo, Benalmadena-Costa and Arroyo de la Miel.

In Benalmadena-Pueblo it is interesting to visit the church of Santo Domingo, (from the XVII century even though it has been reformed), as well as the Municipal Archaeological Museum which houses a pre-Columbian art collection donated by the Mexican painter Felipe Orlando.

In Arroyo de la Miel, Tivoli World, the only attraction park of the Costa del Sol, offers magnificent gardens and great shows in the summer. Located on the coastal zone one can find the Casino of Torrequebrada, the Marina (Puerto Deportivo), the Sea Life Centre, the province's first natural submarine park and the single Bil-Btf castle, presently reformed as a cultural centre.

Highlights within festivals and religious celebrations include the Corpus procession, held in streets covered with natural flowers and a live representation of the Pasion de Jesus (Jesus' Passion) on Holy Thursday and Holy Friday during the Semana Santa.