Tourist Attractions in Benalmadena

Situated a short 15-minute drive from Marbella and sandwiched between Fuengirola and Torremolinos, the little town of Benalmadena boasts a surprising number of family amusement parks and tourist attractions. It's easy to get to by local bus, if you happen to be staying in a Marbella hotel or Marbella holiday apartment.

Benalmadena boasts a Seal Life Centre, Tivoli World and the enchanting Butterfly Park, a great place where parents can take small children and have a wonderful time.

Discover Thrilling Fun Rides at Tivoli World

Tivoli World not only has fun and thrill rides that will appeal to all ages, the park holds regular shows and features a magical night-time garden filled with twinkling fairy lights.

During summer Tivoli World is open from round 11.00 am until 1.30 am at night. The park boasts around 40 rides, and attractions like mini-roller coasters, go-karts, play areas, amusement arcades with games, a haunted house with "live ghosts" and chainsaw-wielding locals jumping out at unsuspecting visitors to give them a jolly good fright. Ticket prices start from 7.95 euros per person.

The park also has bars and restaurants, where tired feet can rest and refreshments and snacks can restore parent's fractured nerves. 

Some of the most thrilling rides and attractions, such as the 60-metre tall Free Fall Tower ride require children to be at least 1.40 metres tall, so the safety harness/belt can hold them securely in place during the ride. Beware: this ride is the highest Free Fall Tower in Spain and not suitable for the fainthearted or very young children. 

The Techno Jump ride is a crazy tourist attraction which will test everyone's nerves to the limit with thousands of jumps back and forth, but it's great fun. Again, children need to be at least 1.40 metres tall to be allowed in.

American style go-karting is ideal for anyone preferring to stay firmly with both feet close to the ground. A little competition between friends and family members can easily result in a go-kart race around the multi-curved track and provide anyone who hasn't got a head for heights with the same thrills the scary Free Fall Tower would offer.

Other rides and attractions include the Tivoli Dragon, the Big Wheel, bumper cars and Mysterious Boat, a Tivoli Tour train trundling through the park and Tivoli Jungle, Pirate Adventure, Pinocchio area and traditional carousels for toddlers.

Location: Avda de Tivoli, s/n, 29631 Benalmádena, Málaga, Phone:+34 952 57 70 16

Mariposario Butterfly Park 

Opened in March 2011, the Mariposario Butterfly Park in Benalmadena is an enchanting place for all ages. More than 1,500 butterflies from 150 species sourced from across the globe flutter around freely in a tropical setting. Butterflies tend to live for only 2 to 3 weeks, so every time visitors come they'll see different types of butterflies.

The Butterfly Park is open year-round and a great place to come in spring, autumn and winter, when even the Costa del Sol's climate can get a little nippy. Inside the butterfly park the temperatures range from a toe-warming 24 to 28º Celsius with 70º humidity.

Covering more than 2,000 square metres of tropical terrain, this park is the largest climate controlled space in Europe that is purely dedicated to butterflies. Sporting attractive Thai-style architecture, especially the blue-tiled pagoda entrance hall, and decorations sourced directly from Thailand, the building serves as a highly educational but also very entertaining information centre.  

Around 70% of the park's species reproduce in the park and visitors will be able to see all of a butterfly's different life cycles, from the moment they hatch from their chrysalis and spread their wings and take off. Tickets cost 8.50 euros for adults and 5.00 euros for children aged 3-12. Senior and disabled visitors pay 7.50 euros respectively. The park opens at 10.00 am daily. 

Make the visit even more educational and fun by handing out a little prize to the first person to spot a Mediterranean butterfly. In return for pointing out a Cleopatra or a Plain Tiger (two butterfly species) award the lucky natural historian with a chocolate bar or bag of gummy bears. It makes the visit so much more fun, when a little competition is a foot.


Location: Autovía del Mediterraneo A7, Exit 217. C/ Muérdago, s/n. (next to the Buddhist Temple in Calle Muérdago) El Retamar. Benalmádena, Phone: +34 951 211 196