Benalmadena from the top
The city of Benalmadena a costa is a very very touristic city. The old Benalmadena which is situated a bit up from the coast up on the mountain side is nice but small. It is not one of my favorite places but it has it charm with a the white and welkept buildings. Benalmadena is an old Phoenician Merchants Colony, but it was the Arabs who named the town. The Castle was an important military stronghold, in the time of the Arabs. After the conquest by the Catholic Monarchs, the Castle was absolutely destroyed and its inhabitants were spread out.
Benalmadena became an important place for the defence of the coast against the North Africa pirate attacks. There are on the coast some rests of three towers: The one of the Quay, Quebrada and Bermeja. Nowadays, the municipality is divided into three distinct parts, Benalmadena Pueblo, Benalmadena Costa and Arroyo de la Miel.
The areal have some activities to offer, there is an aqualand, an action land (tivoli), a lot of bars and night life. You can also vist the Jardines del Muro (Wall Gardens), where there is a wonderful viewpoint over the Costa del Sol, Castillo de Colomares o de Águilas (Colomares or Aguilas Castle), the Local Archeological Museum where the Archeological rests from the Neolithic Period, and an important sample of Pre-Columbian Art are situated and also the Plaza de España (Spain Square), where you can find the 'Fuente de la Niña de Benalmádena' which means Benalmádena is twinned with the famous Belgian Manekken Pis from the year 1.991.
One of the attractions is also a skilift that takes you above the city and up the a mountain about 800 meters high. I must say I didn't have the best anticipation of this trip but it surpriced me positively:D
On the top there was a trail around the top _ a really nice walk. There was also a falconer and a horseshow.
Some of the main users of this feature was bike riders who transported themselves and their bikes to the top for a fast run down to the start again.
