Colomares Castle tickets cost €3.50 for adults and €2.50 for children and pensioners and are purchased at the entrance. Standard tickets are not sold through an official online shop, and advance booking is not required.

If you prefer to have your visit arranged before you arrive, you can book a 40-minute guided tour online with admission included. More importantly, the guide explains the castle´s history and symbolism-details that are easy to miss when exploring independently.

This extraordinary monument in Benalmádena was built in the 1990s as a tribute to Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas. Its ship-inspired design blends Gothic, Romanesque and Mudéjar architecture, giving it the appearance of a much older fairytale castle.

Colomares Castle Tickets: What You Need to Know

Ticket optionPriceHow to bookBest for
Standard admission€3.50 adult; €2.50 child/pensionerPay at the entranceIndependent visits
Guided tour with admission€9
Check live price		Reserve onlineUnderstanding the castle’s symbolism and history

Can You Buy Castillo de Colomares Tickets Online?

Standard Castillo de Colomares tickets online are not available from an official ticket shop. Ordinary admission is paid at the castle when you arrive.

The online alternative is a guided visit that includes:

– Your entrance ticket

– A 40-minute guided tour

– An English- or Spanish-speaking guide

– An explanation of the castle’s history and hidden symbolism

– Time to continue exploring independently afterwards

This is not simply a more expensive entrance ticket. The value comes from having a guide explain how the building represents Christopher Columbus’s voyage and the meaning behind its unusual architectural features.

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Alternatively, you can check the guided tour on Viator:

Book via Viator

Is the Colomares Castle Guided Tour Worth It?

Choose standard admission if you mainly want to admire the architecture, explore the grounds and take photographs.

Choose the guided tour if you want to understand what you are looking at. Colomares Castle contains ships, towers, religious references and other details connected to Columbus’s journey, but their significance is not always obvious during an independent visit.

The guided option is therefore worth booking for the explanation it provides—not because you need to avoid queues or secure ordinary admission.

Colomares Castle Ticket Prices

The current official entrance fee are:

  • – Adults: €3.50
  • – Children: €2.50
  • – Pensioners: €2.50
  • – Groups of 25 or more: €2 per person
  • – Groups of 25 or more with a guide: €2.50 per person

Group visits and professional photography sessions should be arranged with the monument in advance. 

Standard admission does not need to be reserved, but check the official website before travelling in case prices or conditions change.

Colomares Castle Opening Times

The current Colomares Castle opening times vary by season:

– Winter (Invierno): Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM
– Spring (Primavera): Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM
– Summer (Verano): Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM and 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM 
– Autumn (Otoño): Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM

The Colomares Monument is visited primarily from the exterior. Do not expect furnished castle rooms or a large museum; its main attractions are the elaborate architecture, gardens, symbolism and hilltop views. The castle is closed on Mondays.

Colomares Castle Parking

Colomares Castle Benalmadena is located on a hillside close to Benalmádena Pueblo, approximately 9 km from Fuengirola, 30 km from Málaga and 37 km from Marbella.

There is a small free parking area close to the Colomares Castle entrance, but spaces are limited. Alternatively, public parking is available in Benalmádena Pueblo, approximately 600 metres from the monument.

Arrive near opening time if you want the best chance of parking close to the entrance. If it is full, look for public parking in Benalmádena Pueblo and continue to the castle on foot or by taxi. Be aware that the surrounding area is hilly.

How to Get to Colomares Castle from Benalmadena

How to get to Colomares Castle from Benalmadena depends on where you are staying. 

From Benalmádena Pueblo, the castle is a short drive or approximately a 15–20-minute walk. Bear in mind that the surrounding roads are hilly.

From Arroyo de la Miel or Benalmádena Costa, taking a taxi is the simplest option and normally takes around 10–15 minutes. Alternatively, the M-103 bus connects Arroyo de la Miel and parts of Benalmádena Costa with Benalmádena Pueblo. Get off near Las Mimosas and walk the remaining distance to the castle.

Check the latest M-103 timetable before travelling, particularly at weekends or on public holidays.

How to Get to Colomares Castle from Malaga

If you are wondering how to get to Colomares Castle from Malaga, here are your main options:

1. By Car:

The drive from Málaga to Benalmádena takes about 25-35 minutes via the AP-7 or N-340 roads. Use “Castillo Monumento Colomares” as your destination rather than searching only for “Benalmadena Castle.”

2. By Train or Taxi:

To reach Colomares Castle from Malaga without a car, take the C1 Cercanías train towards Fuengirola and get off at Benalmádena-Arroyo de la Miel. The trains leave roughly every 20 minutes. 

From the station, then take a taxi to the monument. This is more comfortable than walking, particularly during summer or when travelling with children.

3. By Bus:

Buses connect Málaga with Benalmádena, but you may still need to walk or take a taxi for the final part of the journey. Check the latest route and timetable before travelling.

Is Colomares Castle Worth Visiting?

Colomares Castle is worth visiting for its extraordinary architecture, intricate symbolism and hilltop views. 

Although it is often called Benalmadena Castle, Colomares is not a medieval fortress. It was built between 1987 and 1994 by Doctor Esteban Martín y Martín with the help of two local masons. Its Gothic, Romanesque and Mudéjar influences tell the story of Christopher Columbus’s voyage to the Americas.

Look closely and you will find representations of his three ships, references to Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and a Chinese-style pagoda symbolising his original ambition to find a route to Asia. The grounds also contain a tiny 1.96 m² chapel, often described as the world’s smallest church.

The monument is compact, so allow around 45–60 minutes and combine it with Benalmádena Pueblo, the Buddhist Stupa or the Butterfly Park for an enjoyable half-day trip.

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