Dubbed the ‘Most Beautiful Park on Costa del Sol’, Paloma Park will certainly make you feel like you’re visiting an exotic destination in Thailand, and not strolling through the middle of Benalmadena.
200 square meters of gorgeous lush surroundings with sea views, exotic tree varieties and bunnies chasing running around in the grass – what’s not to love here?
After spending over 6 years living in Cyprus, with zero access to city parks of this size (or grass for that matter), spotting a huge park close to my new home was certainly a huge reason to get excited.
The park has an artificial lake in the middle, complete with swans (and their babies!), turtles sunbathing on the rocks, ducks and perfectly manicured gardens.
As you walk around, you can spot chickens, ducks, rabbits and peacocks strolling around and finding new hiding places among the exotic trees and plants in here.
If that wasn’t enough, there are over 90 species of palm trees and one of the best collections of bamboo, cactus and succulents in Europe.
The walkways are all named and easy to navigate through, and when you get tired you can take a sip of coffee in one of the three cafes here.
The absolute highlight for me was the cactus garden, in fact, Europe’s richest collections of cacti and succulents. Just the sheer size of them was amazing and I was walking around like Alice in Wonderland.
My husband and son didn’t share the same enthusiasm as running around prickly friends in 36C heat wasn’t their idea of fun. To get you an idea of the size, there are over 2,000 cacti from over 450 different species.
I can’t wait to return here very soon, as the autumn takes charge of the changing leaves and transforms the park for its winter season. And you certainly should add this place to your Benalmadena itinerary, if you’re planning to visit Costa del Sol.
For now, I will let you enjoy a virtual visit through the photos!
Most Popular Activities & Day Trips in Benalmadena
Here is a selection of some fun activities and day trips from Benalmadena – these are independently organized tours with pick-up from the town. To see available dates and check the prices please click on the link for each activity.
- Caminito Del Rey Guided Tour – with pick up from Benalmadena, a guided tour of the famous walkway along the El Chorro Gorge, with transportation, entrance fees and tour guide included.
- Dolphin Watching Boat Trip in Benalmadena – explore the coast of Benalmadena from a boat, enjoy a trip that includes spotting dolphins in their natural habitat, swimming and sunbathing on the boat.
- Day Trip to Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas – see one of the wonders of Andalusia, the Puente Nuevo in Ronda with one of the oldest bullrings in Spain, and admire the houses built into massive rock formations in Setenil. Includes pick up from Benalmadena, a tour guide, a glass of Ronda wine, and entry to Palacio Mondragon.
- Day Trip to Granada with Tour of Alhambra – see one of the most famous monuments in Andalusia, the palace complex of Alhambra with a tour guide with a pick up from Benalmadena.
- Day Trip to Gibraltar – enjoy a trip to the UK territory with free time for shopping and an optional visit to the Nature Reserve with a guide.
Explore More in Benalmadena
The Best Benalmadena Restaurants: Top Picks by a Local Expat
15 Fantastic Things to Do in Benalmadena: Recommended by a Local
Mariposario de Benalmadena (Butterfly Park)
How to Spend One Day in Benalmadena
Selwo Marina in Benalmadena: Worth a Visit?
Castillo de Colomares: The Fairy Tale Castle in Benalmadena
Southern Spain Travel Tips
BEST CAR RENTAL
To rent a car, I highly recommend Discover Cars, an award winning price comparison site for car rentals.
BUS & TRAIN TICKETS
To get the cheapest bus or train tickets, take a look at Omio to find the timetables and prices.
LOCAL TOURS
Local travel companies offer many day trip options from almost all the destinations in Southern Spain. You can check them out here.
HOTELS
I have been using booking.com for all my trips in Spain and abroad, and it’s the best place to book your hotel.
LUGGAGE STORE
If you would like to leave your luggage behind to explore the city on your last day, you can use Radical Storage service, which lets you book luggage storage in all the destinations in Spain.
LOCAL SIM CARD
If you want to avoid surprising extra charges from your operator, you can use a service like Airalo, where you can buy digital packs for e-sim cards.
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