This municipality is composed of three urban districts with very distinct characteristics: Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmádena Pueblo and Benalmádena Costa. Although they are practically adjacent to one another each preserves its separate identity. While most of the tourism offer is concentrated on the coastal strip it can be said that Arroyo de la Miel is the district where the native population resides, while the Pueblo is the epitome of a white village in the midst of the mountains, a sort of spacious balcony two kilometres from the sea and at some 250 metres elevation that commands a view of an enormous land- and seascape.

Between the Pueblo and the coastal zone stands one of the most unusual buildings not just of the province of Málaga but of all Andalusia: the Colomares Castle. It was built by Esteban Martín y Martín between 1987 and 1994 with only the help, so it is said, of two bricklayers from the nearby municipality of Mijas. This monument is devoted to Christopher Columbus and the Discovery of America just as are many other monuments scattered over half the world, but the extraordinary thing about this construction is the blending of architectural styles to be observed in it. Starting from a base of Medieval features, the work is broadened and enriched by other artistic trends to form a whole that is aesthetically surprising, to say the least.

In its decoration and structure the fantasy-inspired builder employed signs and symbols that explain the Columbian feats and at the same time concentrate one’s attention on other interesting aspects, thus not only showing the history of the Discovery but also rendering homage to the three religions that were professed in fourteenth century Spain. Certain architectural features therefore correspond to Christian, Hebrew and, naturally, Mohammedan traditions. There is, however, one element that is “foreign” to all this symbolism: a sort of Chinese pagoda. It was not eccentricity on the part of the builder to make this nod to eastern cultures, since Columbus was convinced when he began his voyage that he would arrive in Asia once he had crossed the Atlantic.

The castle has a floor space of 1,500 square metres, making it the largest of all the monuments devoted to the Discovery of America. As a counterbalance to this large surface area it has within it a chapel of exceedingly small size, just 1.96 square metres, in which are venerated the images of Christ and Saint Isabel. This peculiarity has encouraged many couples to choose the Colomares chapel for holding their weddings. Both the castle and the chapel are listed in the Guinness Book of Records, the former for its large dimensions (in reference to a monument dedicated to the Discovery) and the latter for its tiny area.

The artistic quality of the glasswork is equally remarkable. It has been recognised by experts as an excellent modern contribution to an art that has practically fallen into disuse due to the complexity of its execution.

The schedule for visits in the summer is from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. In the winter the morning schedule is the same (from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM) but in the afternoon it is from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM. Only the outside of the building can be visited. For information telephone 952 44 88 21.

This locality is perfectly linked with the Costa del Sol by the Mediterranean Expresssway (AP-7; N-340) and also by commuter train (Cercanías) with Fuengirola, Torremolinos and the provincial capital.