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Benalmádena is a town situated approximately twelve kilometres to the west of the city of Málaga, on the southern coast of Spain. About 30,000 people now live in the town and the region was previously occupied by Phoenicians, Romans, and Moors. It is now an important tourist destination. The origin of the name is unknown; the most common suggestion is that it derives from the Arabic ibn al-medina, or "children of the mines", referring to nearby deposits of iron and ochre. Alternatively, Madena may be the name of a person or family.
The town is divided into two main urban areas: the coast area, Benalmádena Costa, with hotels and an excellently equipped sailing harbor called Puerto Marina; and the interior, with the small village of Benalmádena Pueblo and its sister town of Arroyo de la Miel. This latter falls administratively under the jurisdiction of Benalmádena.
Notable landmarks include the two Almenara towers on the coastline, dating back to the fifteenth century. They were built to guard the coast and its population from the frequent incursions of Barbary pirates in those days, following the reconquest of the region by Henry IV of Castile. The town of Benalmádena also boasts an interesting archaeological museum with pieces dating back to the bronze age.
In recent years the municipality has been subject to an unprecedented urban expansion with new buildings and homes built, sometimes causing environmental degradation.