Benalmádena has 22 beaches along 9 kilometres of coast, which is how the Ayuntamiento lists them, and they come in two kinds. From the Torremolinos boundary to Los Melilleros the beaches are town sand with a promenade and lifeguard posts. West of Torrevigía they turn into small coves of coarse sand and pebbles under the cliffs, until the sand returns at Carvajal. The three Blue Flags of 2026 sit at the two ends.
Which Benalmádena beach should I choose? For facilities, Fuente de la Salud or Carvajal, which both have a Blue Flag, a lifeguard post and an adapted bathing point. For a quiet swim, the western coves such as La Yuca or Benalnatura, the naturist cove. Every beach is at least 12 minutes on foot from a C-1 station.
Where to stay if you want the beach without a car
Benalmádena is three places, and only one of them, Arroyo de la Miel, has a main train station, inland. That matters more than any beach ranking:
- For the town beaches (Malapesquera, Santa Ana, Bil-Bil), stay in Benalmádena Costa near Puerto Marina and walk; from Arroyo de la Miel station they are 23 to 26 minutes away on foot.
- For the coves, use Torremuelle station: Playa Bonita and Arroyo Hondo are 12 minutes away, Benalnatura 19.
- For Fuente de la Salud, the eastern end, get off at El Pinillo, in Torremolinos, 25 minutes away.
Arriving from the airport, the C-1 runs every 20 minutes on weekdays, so plan the walk, not the wait. Which of the three resorts suits you best is weighed up in Fuengirola, Torremolinos or Benalmádena, the arrival options in Malaga airport to the coast, and tickets in getting around Malaga. A single ticket from the machine is enough; nothing needs booking, and all the beaches are free.
Which beaches have the Blue Flag this year
The 2026 flags went to Carvajal, on the Fuengirola boundary, Fuente de la Salud, on the Torremolinos boundary, and Torrebermeja-Santa Ana, which regains it this year.
The award now runs for two seasons with a yearly check, and the marina keeps its own. Malapesquera and Arroyo de la Miel have no flag but do have a lifeguard post and an adapted point, so in practice they offer the same. The full list for the province is in Malaga’s Blue Flag beaches.
What the coves are like
Go early if you want a spot: the coves are small. Torrevigía has 6,900 m², La Yuca 5,800 m², Arroyo Hondo 4,000 m², Benalnatura 3,000 m² and Las Viborillas 2,900 m², all coarse sand, pebbles and rocks, reached by steps from the coast road.
Only 2 of the 9 lifeguard posts, Playa Bonita and Carvajal, are west of Torrevigía, so swim where you can stand. Water shoes help; a pushchair does not. Benalnatura is the cove the town hall designates as naturist; others along the coast are in naturist beaches near Malaga.
Lifeguards, accessibility and dogs
The season the Ayuntamiento sets starts at Easter, and lifeguards then work daily from 15 May to 15 October, a longer season than most neighbours: 45 lifeguards, 3 jet skis and an ambulance in 2026. The 23 SOS points reach them from 11am to 8pm in summer and the local police otherwise. There are 4 adapted bathing points, at Fuente de la Salud, Malapesquera, Arroyo de la Miel and Carvajal; see accessible bathing in Malaga.
Dogs are banned from the beaches in season except on the dog beach set in each year’s plan, so check before you go; the one fixed dog beach nearby is in Fuengirola, covered in Fuengirola’s beaches. Keep your valuables with you on the busy town beaches in August.
Benalmádena beaches FAQ
What is the best beach in Benalmádena?
For facilities, Fuente de la Salud or Carvajal: both have a 2026 Blue Flag, a lifeguard post and an adapted bathing point. For a quiet swim in clear water, the western coves such as La Yuca or Benalnatura, which are small, pebbly and have no lifeguard post of their own.
Is there a naturist beach in Benalmádena?
Yes. Benalnatura, which the town hall describes as a small naturist cove between cliffs, about 3,000 square metres of coarse sand and pebbles. It is reached by steps from the coast road and is about 19 minutes on foot from Torremuelle station.
Which train station is closest to the Benalmádena beaches?
It depends on the beach. Torremuelle serves the western coves, 12 to 24 minutes on foot. Arroyo de la Miel, the main station, is inland: the town beaches are 23 to 26 minutes away. Fuente de la Salud is closer to El Pinillo station in Torremolinos.
When are there lifeguards in Benalmádena?
At Easter and the weekends after it, then daily from 15 May to 15 October, with 45 lifeguards at 9 posts. The SOS points along the beach connect to the lifeguards from 11am to 8pm in summer and to the local police outside those hours.