The first known settlements in Benalmádena date back to the end of the upper late Palaeolithic, as evidenced by the archaeological remains found in some of the municipality’s caves (Cueva del Toro, Cueva de los Botijos and Cueva de la Zorrera).

In the 7th and 8th centuries B.C. the Phoenicians reached this coastal area, giving rise to the cultural exchange of farming techniques, cattle raising and trade. The remains of some Phoenician settlements can be found in the municipality.

Roman settlements followed and numerous remains can be found along the coast of Benalmádena. The ruins of a salting factory in the Benal-Roma area, together with ruins of other villages and fishing facilities near Torremuelle and Capellanía are particularly noteworthy.

It was at this time that the famous botanist and doctor Ibn-Al-Baytar was born (1190-Damascus, 1248), a celebrity of his age.

The watchtowers marking the Benalmádena coast, whose mission was to keep the area free from the attacks of the pirates that threatened the coast, also date back to that time.

The Feast of San Juan

June 24th is the day of San Juan. Arroyo de la Miel celebrates from 24th to 29th June with its annual local fair held in the feria ground in Paloma Park.

It is a popular fiesta all over Spain with bonfires and fireworks usually starting from midnight on the 23rd.

This night is the only night during the year where large open fires are permitted. For good luck, the tradition is to dip your feet in the sea, just after midnight. This is one celebration not to miss out on, the atmosphere is electric with thousands of people on the beaches all along the coast.

The firework display in Benlamadena is also something rather special.

The town up to today

The town’s name, of Arab origin, comes from the Arab word ‘Ben-Al-Madina’, which means ‘children of the mines’. This could be due to the existence of mines in the area, from which iron ore but mainly ochre had been extracted since Phoenician times.

Following the Christian Re-conquest the town’s history went through a dark period due to the fact that the area had been practically abandoned as local inhabitants fled out of fear of attacks from the sea. Several attempts to repopulate the municipality were made but none of them were successful.

It was not until the beginning of the 18th century that the area began to recover with regards to population, partly due to the several paper mills that were built (four white paper mills and two brown paper ones) and to social stability. The growth of this industry lasted about twenty years and continued into the 19th century with the establishment of farming, particularly vineyards, which eventually became the sole crop of the area. At the beginning of the 20th century, a plague of phylloxera caused serious damage to all crops and resulted in an economic slump.

During this period Benalmádena’s old fortifications and castle (which used to be where the current Muro de Benalmádena presently stands) were systematically destroyed and at present there are hardly any physical vestiges of that time left.

Finally, the real growth of Benalmádena began halfway through the 20th century with the construction of the first hotels and the arrival of tourism, which is today’s main source of income.