Benahavis is a delightful mountain village which boasts examples of the richest and most important cuisine on the whole of the Costa del Sol, in terms of both quality and category. Documentation situates the origins of the locality in the times of the Arab occupation, appearing under the protection of the Montemayor Castle (an important defensive bastion in the period of Nazari rule in Granada) when the territory was owned by the Banu Habis (meaning "children of Hell") family, from which the present day name of the village is derived.

This castle, along with several watchtowers built during Nazari rule in  Granada, such as the towers of Daidin or La Leonera which have been well preserved, or the small parish church of La Virgen del Rosario, dating back to the eighteenth century, is one of the most important monuments in Benahavis, whose urban appearance today is in keeping with the typical style of the white villages of the west coast which twist their way up into the mountains, surrounded as it is by wild countryside and spectacular views, as well as having three rivers, (the Guadaiza, the Guadalmedina and the Guadalmina), which gives us an idea of the wealth and prosperity of its location.

Historically, after the capture of Marbella, the whole area was conquered by the Catholic Monarchs, who granted the locality of Benahavis, along with the village of Daidin, to Juan de Silva, Count of Cifuentes, to thank him for his help, which created tension between Marbella and Benahavis, as the latter belonged to the former until1572 when King Felipe II gave Benahavis its own charter, thus proclaiming its independence from Marbella.

The fair and festivities take place between the 11 and the 15 of August, with a special mass sung in a Sevillana style and the procession of La Virgen del Rosario, the Romeria (an outdoor party) of which -on the 6 and 7 of October- is also of great interest.

On the sporting front, golf is especially well catered for in Benahavis, considering the numerous courses which surround it (a new course has recently been built in El Coto de la Zagaleta), along with the no less abundant luxury housing complexes, which also offer different sports facilities. In addition, activities such as hiking, mountain biking or hunting can be practiced in Benahavis and the surrounding area with great ease.

But without doubt one of the most important aspects of Benahavis is its Cuisine; the village is known as the "dining room" of the Costa del Sol because of its large number of restaurants it contains, of every style and category. They offer the chance to try almost everything, but Benahavis bases its specialties around pork, lamb and game.

Scenically speaking, Benahavis is a mountain paradise: lying between the Palmerita and Bermeja sierras and traversed by three rivers, the options for a scenic holiday are practically endless, and the opportunities for gastronomical tourism, something really in vogue of late, offer an excellent wide range of possibilities.