Benalmadena Marina, is in the coastal resort of Benalmadena Costa on the Costa del Sol. Several times winner of the ‘Best Marina in the World’ award, ‘Puerto Marina’ is one of the Costa del Sol’s busiest and most popular areas by both day and night.
The locality and overall architectural design of the marina really does make it one of the most attractive places to visit while on holiday here.
Below we have put together a list of 10 things for you to do there.
Sea Life Aquarium
The aquarium is open from 10 am until 6 pm every day of the year except Christmas day. With more than 2,000 creatures on exhibition, it is a great place to discover the amazing ocean world and get up close with an amazing selection of sea creatures including sharks, rays, tropical fish, seahorses, octopus, eels, otters and much more.
Feeding demonstrations are held throughout the day and there are 36 spectacular displays, as well as the rock pool experience, where you can hold a crab or touch a starfish. You can also take a walk through the underwater tunnel and your little ones can play in the soft play area.
If you plan your trip and go on a Tuesday, Thursday or Sunday you can see sharks devour their food at feeding time.
Ticket prices are:-
Adult (12-65 years)………………………..16.25 euros
Children (3-11 years)……………………..14.00 euros
Concession (65+ years)…………………14.00 euros
Guide…………………………………………….3.95 euros
Definitely one for the kids!
Pirate Adventure Mini Golf
Next door to Sea Life Aquarium you will find the Pirate Adventure Mini Golf. It is open from 10 am every day (except Christmas day and weather permitting) and is great for a family day of fun!
Enjoy the lavishly themed nine hole course, where each hole has its own challenge and at the same time learn about some of the worlds famous pirates.
Ticket prices are:-
Adults ( 12+ years)…………………5.00 euros
Children (3-11 years)……………..5.00 euros
Shopping
The marina has many shops selling perfumes, crafts, clothes, local artefacts sunglasses, jewellery and more. Spending the day perusing the shops will enable you to find those holiday souvenirs you are looking to take home and at the same time you may find something for yourself!
Feed the Fish
Children and adults alike enjoying feeding fish, so why not take a stroll along the marina, grab an ice-cream and feed the many fish that swim around the luxury boats. You don’t have to worry about taking your own bread either as about half way through the marina heading towards The Metro restaurant, there is a small bar that sells bags of bread to feed to the fish, for just one euro!
Dining Out
The marina is full of fantastic restaurants and bars that offer both lunch and dinner menus.
For those who want to enjoy some Spanish ‘tapas’, there are at least 20 little terrace bars scattered around the marina for you to choose from. You can sample many types of fish and other Spanish delicacies, while admiring the fabulous selection of luxury yachts and boats moored in the port.
Night time dining brings a completely different feel to the marina, with couples, friends and families all trying to decide between the many different cuisines that are on offer. The air is filled with the mixed aroma of Spanish, Greek, Italian, American, Indian and Chinese food, to name but a few, so you are certainly spoilt for choice!
Once you decide which is the cuisine for you, sit back and soak up the electric atmosphere of the port while looking out over the illuminated marina with its beautiful Moroccan architecture.
It is most definitely one of the liveliest, but at the same time most romantic places to dine, so close to luxurious yachts and the twinkling Mediterranean Sea.
Take a Boat Trip
As you can imagine, being in a marina you are surrounded by boats. Many of these are privately owned, but many also offer boat trips. Boat trips depart every 15-30 minutes, some offer you the chance to see dolphins, whilst others just cruise along the shoreline enabling you to see the beautiful coastline of the Costa del Sol.
One of the most enticing boat trips is the glass bottom boat where you can see what goes on beneath the sea as you sail along enjoying the glorious sunshine. The children absolutely love this one!
Another very popular boat trip is the pirate ship or ‘Junco Chino’ (Chinese Junk). It was originally from China and was built in 1972. The boat sets sail from the marina every two hours between 10 am and 8 pm and takes you around the marina, then along the coastline of Torremolinos, giving you views of the beautiful beaches and Malaga.
Mississippi Willow Bar and Restaurant
An extremely popular attraction at the marina is the beautifully restored American paddle steamer, the Mississippi Willow. Transformed into a floating bar and restaurant that runs an afternoon cruise around the bay, it really is a great way to view the port. If you want something a little bit livelier you could wait until the evening when the atmosphere completely changes and it becomes party time on board!
Benalmadena Beach
The Marina isn’t just about boats, it also has a beautiful sandy beach that since 1987 has consistently been awarded the European Blue Flag for its excellent service and clean waters.
So tear yourself away from the hustle and bustle of the port, grab one of the many sunbeds and parasols for hire and lie back with a book and relax!
Night-life
There are nightclubs a plenty in Benalmadena Costa, some of the more raucous ones can be found in 24hr square, just outside the marina, but the night-life inside the port carries on in a more upmarket, sophisticated way.
You will find many Spanish people partying in the marina as there are lots of Latin and Salsa clubs there. Prices of drinks however are much higher, with the price of spirits averaging 10 euros each, but this is definitely the place to be seen amongst the power boats and luxury yachts.
The Tourist Train
Benalmádena has its very own tourist train that runs from Puerto Marina to Tivoli World and back. Tickets can be purchased at the ticket-office in the marina and cost four euros for a round trip.
Each round trip takes 45 minutes, stopping at Puerto marina, Parque Selwo Marina, Parque de la Paloma, Teleférico cable car, Tivoli theme park and back again. It is a fun way for young children through to grandparents to explore the sights of Benalmadena, whilst waving at the onlookers.
We hope that the 10 tips above have given you some inspiration. Don’t forget that if you need transportation to and from Malaga airport, we at B-MET would be happy to set you on your way. Visit us at https://www.b-met.com for an instant quote.
Images courtesy of lism, Terry Wha and Sharon Ingerson.
