Benalmádena Holidays: Package Deals from the UK Compared

Families do well here. Sea Life Benalmádena and the Selwo Marina marine park both sit in Arroyo de la Miel, around 3 miles and 2.5 miles from the centre. That gives you two ready-made days out for when the children have had enough of sand. A short airport transfer also matters when you are travelling with little ones and a mountain of luggage.

Couples and more curious travellers have plenty to explore. Castillo Monumento Colomares, a striking monument built in the style of a castle, is well under a mile from the centre. Benalmádena Museum is in town, and the caves of Cueva de la Zorrera and Cueva de los Botijos are about a mile away. Holidays in Benalmádena, Spain, can be as lazy or as busy as you like.

Benalmádena itself is the coastal heart of the area. Playa de Carvajal runs towards Fuengirola, Playa Malibu Palace is close by, and the castle and caves are all within a short hop. If the beach is the reason you are booking, this is the natural base.

Arroyo de la Miel lies around 2 miles away and is the closest of the three to Málaga airport, at about 8 minutes. Sea Life, Selwo Marina and Castillo de Bil Bil are all here, along with Playa de Malapesquera, Playa Saltillo and the stretch known as Playas Benalmadena. Mijas, about 4 miles off, adds a different flavour with its bullring, the Museo de Miniaturas, the Ethnological Historical Museum and Castillo de Mijas. It is a good choice if you want some culture alongside your beach days.

The main season runs from April to September. April is a pleasant 21°C with only three rain days, and May reaches 23°C. June warms to 27°C. July and August peak at 31°C, with almost no rain, which makes them the classic months for holidays to Benalmádena, Costa del Sol. They also fall in the UK school holidays, when package prices generally rise, so it pays to book early. September eases back to 26°C and is a lovely time for couples.

The winter months are mild rather than hot, with highs of 16°C to 17°C from December to February. October is the wettest month, averaging 117 mm of rain over ten days, and March is also fairly damp. These shoulder months suit sightseeing and walking more than sunbathing.

Málaga (AGP) has direct flights from the UK and is the obvious choice. Transfers take about 8 minutes to Arroyo de la Miel, 10 minutes to Benalmádena and 13 minutes to Mijas. Gibraltar (GIB) is also served directly from the UK, but the drive is roughly 75 minutes to Benalmádena and 71 minutes to Mijas. It only makes sense if the flight times suit you better.

If you would like to explore beyond the resort, you can compare car hire on this page. Málaga's ferry port is about 10 miles away for anyone combining the trip with a crossing.

A package bundles your flight, hotel and airport transfer into one booking. When it is sold as a package, it is ATOL-protected. For holidays in Benalmádena, Costa del Sol, that usually means a flight into Málaga and a short coach or private transfer to your hotel. You choose a board basis to suit you, from self-catering or bed and breakfast through to half board and all inclusive.

On this page you can compare live deals from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach. You can also check hotel prices if you would rather book separately. Tours and tickets for the marine park, aquarium and other sights are here too, so the whole trip can be planned in one place.