Since its initiation as an exclusive summer destination for the European aristocracy and elite, Marbella has grown from a small Mediterranean fishing village, to the present day cosmopolitan and prestigious town.
Marbella is a wonderful place to spend a holiday or to choose your residence. The mixture of Marbella's mild year round climate, Andalucía's relaxed but lively style of living, and the cosmopolitan international community, creates a unique atmosphere. Many of the residents initially came to Marbella for a visit, and decided to stay!
The taste of the true Marbella is found staying in one of its attractive homes, whether it is an "old-world" aristocratic villa on the famous Golden Mile, an avant-guard style apartment on the seaside or a magnificent villa by the best golf courses.
We want to share our love of Marbella and its elegant homes with you!
In order to help first time visitors become acquainted with the infinite possibilities Marbella has to offer for entertainment, we have created a brief list of recommendations and general information.
Marbella most important areas:
The coast of Marbella starts in Cabopino and finishes in San Pedro de Alcantara. The following are the best main areas of Marbella:
- Los Monteros (East)
- Marbella Center and Old Town
- Golden Mile
- Puerto Banus
- Nueva Andalucia
Marbella Center and Old Town Marbella:
The original small fishing village started here. "Old Town Marbella" is charming and traditionally Andalusian. It forms a labyrinth of narrowly paved streets, all leading to "The Orange Square" (Plaza de Los Naranjos). There are numerous shops, restaurants and cafés.
Marbella Center is the newer area of the city, with numerous businesses. The walk along the seaside promenade is very pleasant. This marble paved promenade stretches from Hotel El Fuerte all the way to Puerto Banus! Approximately 5 km.
The Golden Mile:
This famous stretch is considered the prime location in Marbella, which received its exclusive reputation from the opening of the Marbella Club Hotel in the ´50s. Aristocratic and elite families owned summer homes in this area, which initiated Marbella as an exclusive resort destination. Many of these beautiful old homes still exist today, such as Casa Los Llanos and Villa Ramtona, which you can look up on our website. Today, this area boasts the best hotels, and many restaurants and shops along the roadway. Mediterranean style urbanisations and single home villas have also been built in the hills above this area.
Nueva Andalucia:
Nueva Andalucia is almost a residential city of its own. It is called the "Golf Valley" due to its numerous golf courses. It is mostly residential, with beautiful single home villas and urbanisations, and is located on the hills by Puerto Banus.
Puerto Banus:
The famous Puerto Banus, home of some of the most exclusive private yachts in the world. HRH Conde de Barcelona (King Juan Carlos' father) often sailed into Puerto Banus on his sailboat "Giralda". Today, a bronze bust of Don Juan sits near the lighthouse in his memory. The port has grown into Marbella's main recreation area, with the opening of high-fashion designer shops, El Corte Inglés department store and countless restaurants, cafés, bars, piano bars and movie theatres. For books in English, visit "Bookworld" opposite El Corte Inglés.
Restaurants
Marbella has a great selection of restaurants where you can find a wide variety of foods, from local Andalusian, traditional Spanish to international and exotic cuisines. The following is our list of recommendations:
Cipriano, Playas del Duque, Puerto Banus: Elegant, specialising in fish, although all their food is excellent. Superb service.
Santiago, Paseo Maritimo of Marbella: They specialize in fish, all excellent food. Very good service.
La Tirana, opposite Gran Meliá Don Pepe Hotel: International and Andalusian cuisine. Very pleasant terrace surrounded by mature gardens, set in a traditional style villa.
La Virginia, Urb. La Virginia: A well kept secret by residents. International menu, in a lovely andaluz pueblo style urbanisation. Open in summer season.
Finca Besaya, hills of Golden Mile: International menu. Good atmosphere, trendy cocktail bar/terrace.
Da Bruno, Paseo Maritimo of Marbella: 5 restaurants in different locations. Good quality Italian food. Pleasant decor. Very well managed. Lunch and dinner.
Casanis Bistrot, Old Town Marbella, Calle Ancha: French cuisine. Fun atmosphere and good cocktails.
La Cuisine, Old Town Marbella, calle Ancha: International, Wok and Scandinavian cuisine.
Marbella Club Grill, Marbella Club Hotel: International cuisine. Elegant, beautiful gardens and good service.
Roberto Ristorante, Puente Romano Hotel: Deluxe a la carte Italian restaurant, by the sea, glimmering candle-light and soft music.
Calima, Gran Meliá Don Pepe Hotel: By Dani Garcia, one of the most well-known and trendy chefs in Spain. You will find the latest technology in cuisine. Very modern décor design with warm colours and a terrace overlooking the Mediterranean.
Toni Dalli, Golden Mile: Italian food and good atmosphere. A classic open for dinner, where you will be able to hear an opera sung by Toni Dalli.
Pasta Factory and Pizza Factory: Pasta Factory in Marbella and Pizza Factory in Puerto Banus. Good Italian cuisine and very good service. Informal.
Beach and chiringuitos:
Enjoy the beach and a nice lunch in one of the following beach restaurants, called "chiringuitos". Many of them have good andalusian cuisine and the traditional small fried fish:
Marbella Club, Beach Restaurant: Exclusive beach restaurant at the Marbella Club Hotel, serving a superb buffet for lunch by the swimming pool and beach.
Trocadero: All open air restaurant on a wide stretch of beach. Paseo maritimo.
Victor's Beach: Fun informal and rustic place for lunch and dinner, with live music on some summer evenings. Beautiful views of Banus.
Los Sardinales, Playa Los Alicate, Las Chapas: One of the best for traditional Andalusian style fried small fish and Paellas.
Los Cano, Urb. Las Chapas: Situated close to Los Sardinales, of similar style.
La Mangaleta, in Bahia Marbella: More sophisticated than the usual basic chiringuito.
Marisa, by Coral Beach Hotel: Good service and food.
Hippopotamus Beach: Good for children and teenagers. They serve salads and sandwiches.
Nikki Beach, by Hotel Don Carlos: "Chill out" atmosphere.
Bars and Nightclubs
Marbella Club Bar, at the Marbella Club Hotel. Elegant.
Suite Discotheque, Puente Romano Hotel: Nice decor and atmosphere.
Olivia Valere Discotheque: Moroccan style decor. Also has a restaurant, Babylonia with live music.
Puerto Banus: You will find a variety of bars and piano bars in this area.
Shopping areas:
La Cañada: It is the largest commercial center in the area, with boutiques, supermarket, cafés, restaurants and movie theatres.
El Corte Inglés: Large department store in Puerto Banus.
Puerto Banus: Numerous shops and high fashion boutiques.
Marbella Center and Old Town: Shops and boutiques.
Laguna Village, Estepona: Exclusive boutiques. Puro Beach is situated here.
Golf Courses:
Marbella, as part of the Costa del Sol and Málaga region, has more golf courses than in any other part of Spain. This area is known also as Costa del Golf. There are 45 golf courses in the area of Málaga. In Marbella you have an excellent selection of golf courses, all within 15 minutes distance. The following are our recommendations:
Aloha Golf Club, Nueva Andalucía: This course was designed by Javier Arana, one of Spain's best known golf designers. It was inaugurated in 1975 and is situated in the Golf Valley. There is a varied vegetation, where no two holes are the same. Neither long nor short. The course is immaculately maintained. Serving good food at the club house.
Atalaya Golf, Benahavis: This is one of the most popular clubs since its opening in 1961. Located between Marbella and Estepona.
Dama de Noche Golf, Nueva Andalucía: This is a comfortable 9 hole course on which to play during the summer season, lit by 36 floodlights 12 mts. high at sundown.
Flamingos Golf, Benahavis: Inaugurated in 2001 the course is located in one of the most beautiful enclaves of Marbella. From each of the 18 holes, players can enjoy breath-taking views of the Mediterranean Sea and Africa. The course presents innumerable playing situations, great variety, and ample greens, many of which are made difficult by their undulations and split levels.
Mijas Golf, Mijas: This club boasts two 18 hole courses. Los Lagos is a mainly flat course with wide fairways and 6 large lakes. Los Olivos is a narrow technical course, with small fast greens, which are a challenge for even the most demanding players.
Los Naranjos Golf, Nueva Andalucía: Designed by Robert Trent Jones and inaugurated in 1977. One of the most interesting features of Los Naranjos is the significant difference between the front nine and the back nine. Located in the Golf Valley, with a very nice club house serving good Scandinavian food for lunch.
La Quinta Golf, Nueva Andalucía: The club commands views of the mountains and the Marbella coastline. It consists of three combinable nine hole courses. Although apparently easy, it is in fact very demanding due to the design of the fairways and the excellent quality of the greens.
Rio Real Golf, Rio Real: Opened in 1965, the club is situated only 3 km from the centre of Marbella. The course lies on a gentle incline which slopes towards the sea, and many of the holes offer magnificent views on the Mediterranean. Designed by Javier Arana, the course, with its exceptional nature surroundings, is not particularly hazardous, despite the fact that the river to which it owes its name crosses it on four occasions.
Tennis and paddle:
Puente Romano Hotel, Golden Mile: Offers good quality tennis and paddle courts.
Manolo Santana Racquet Club, in Nueva Andalucia, offers quality installations for both tennis and paddle.
Nueva Alcantara Paddle Club, in San Pedro de Alcantara, is a very well managed club and also offers paddle and tennis.
Fitness Clubs:
O2 Wellness Center, in Plaza del Mar commercial center, Marbella Center.
Nueva Alcántara Paddle Club, in san Pedro de Alcántara.
Puente Romano Hotel, Golden Mile.
Water sports:
All sorts of water sports, like water-ski, jet-ski, wind-surf and hobby-cats are offered by seaside hotels. For sailing we recommend the Club Marítimo of Marbella. They offer weekly summer courses for children. Scuba-diving and snorkelling is offered by the PADI Centre.
Horseback riding:
The best club in the area is the Club de Arte Equestre de la Costa del Sol, located in Estepona. Occasionally competitions and exhibitions of Spanish "Doma" are performed here.
Basketball:
At the Aloha Gardens, a multi-sports club, in Nueva Andalucía.
Children's daily summer camps:
Most of the British curriculum schools in Marbella offer day summer camps, where children can enrol for a week or more for various activities. For more information contact Swan's International School, Aloha College, International College of San Pedro and Colegio Alborán.
N.B.: For families seeking residence in Marbella we can give you a full list of international and national schools on the coast.
Excursions from Marbella:
Ronda: This is a half day excursion. Only one hour and a half by car. This charming village is home to the oldest bullring in the world.
Málaga: This city has gone through important changes in the last few years. It is only a 35 minute drive from Marbella on the highway. The Picasso museum, the Cathedral and the Alcazaba are some of the interesting visits in this historical provincial capital. It is very pleasant to stroll down calle Larios (the main street) to do some shopping or have a glass of wine at one of the old bodegas.
Sierra Nevada: Skiing in the winter at a mere 2 hours driving distance.
La Alhambra, Granada: A master piece of Arab architecture. One of the world's wonders from the IX century, is only one hour and a half from Marbella.
Tangier, Morocco: One day excursion by ferry boat from Tarifa. The straight cross takes only 30 minutes.
White Village Route: One day excursion to see typical white villages of Andalusia.
Tarifa: Beautiful white sand beaches in the province of Cádiz at one hour and fifteen minutes from Marbella. Very good for windsurfing.
Córdoba: Only 2 hours driving from Marbella. The Mosque of Cordoba is a must.
© Copyright 2007 Lamar Properties SL, Marbella, Spain