If there is a province with an Andalusia duende, it is Malaga, where its flowery patios, white villages and Mediterranean beaches make up a unique microcosm full of charm and color. The challenge, even so, is to decide on the city that brings together all these characteristics of luxury villa rental Marbella in the same space.
Located to the west of the capital of Malaga, Marbella continues to be one of the great classics of the Andalusian coast thanks to the luxury of Puerto Banús , the charm of its nocturnal gardens or a cultural life of almost infinite options. We tell you what to see in Marbella so that you can start preparing a vacation in which the murmur of the sea and the aroma of the ladies at night will be part of all those future summer nights.
Marbella: Spanish Hollywood
When we enter that maritime city located at the foot of the Malaga Sierra Blanca, the powerful infrastructures and the care of the streets announce that we are approaching a particular city, one that lives by its own image. And it is at the entrance where a certain sign as a native version of the Hollywood one reveals our position: we are in Marbella, the city whose explosion during the Industrial Revolution in the 19th century served as an excuse to turn it into one of the most solid urban centers on the Spanish coast in terms of tourism, partying and, especially, luxury. However, as is often the case in many cities, Marbella has also been overshadowed at times by clichés among which we rarely find that historical heritage to discover among white streets and patios where geraniums and bougainvillea hang. A heritage whose best example is its old town, a network of alleys in whose windows hang pots of geraniums and tea houses intermingle with secret patios until they lead us to the heart of the city: the Plaza de los Naranjos,An example of Renaissance architecture converted into an urban orchard where palm trees and orange trees stand out, and the aroma of Mediterranean flowers such as the lady of the night wafts through the nights of July and August. A setting where there is no lack of hustle and bustle and terraces brimming with tapas, flamenco and white wine.
The architectural Trinity of the Plaza de los Naranjos is made up of three of the most emblematic buildings in the city: the Town Hall , ordered to be built by the Catholic Monarchs, the Casa del Corregidor , which combines Mudejar and Andalusian styles, and the Ermita del Santiago, the oldest monument of all, which dates from the earliest period of the Christian reconquest, at the beginning of the 15th century.
Marbella: leisure and culture
If we continue towards the sea through the streets of the Old Town of Marbella, we will discover the charm of the Paseo de la Alameda , the central urban artery of the city and a place to stroll for all those who, above all, come to Marbella to rest. This street brings together everything from gardens and palm groves to huge fountains, as well as places like the mythical Café Marbella and the iconic horse-drawn carriages that start nearby. Art lovers will find a particular oasis in Marbella, as you can see when you arrive at Avenida del Mar where the ten Dalí-inspired statues display , ranging from his tribute to Don Quixote to the Cosmic Elephant. The best preamble before getting ready to enjoy the selection of restaurants, loungesand nightclubs offered by the maritime zone of Marbella.
Because above all, the city of Malaga is synonymous with good food and leisure, lots of leisure. Every year Marbella brings together numerous musical events (reggae, opera or tablaos), nightly craft markets during summer weekends, the already famous event Los Jueves al Casco, which brings together exhibitions, offers and tastings of the entire city and even museums as curious as the Bonsai museum, one of the most important of its kind in all of Europe. But it will be at some point when we arrive at the famous Villa de Oro and after a stop at the Ralli Museum, specialized in contemporary Latin American art, we begin our route towards, possibly, the pinnacle of luxury tourism in all of Spain: Puerto Banús.
From Marbella to Puerto Banús: yachts, boutiques and beaches
In 1970, in the vicinity of the famous Nueva Andalucía urbanization, a shopping and leisure area was erected destined to become one of the most important tourist lungs on the Costa del Sol. Almost five decades later, Puerto Banús continues to be the best exhibitor of that Andalusia chic and festive. Walking among the sculptures of mermaids and the palm trees that welcome you at their entrance already heralds that curious walk along a Ribera Pier where stores like Gucci or Louis Vuitton intermingle with five-star restaurants overlooking an impressive selection of yachts and sailboats. ready to explore the 24 beaches that the municipality of Marbella has, with Cabopino, its dunes of Artola and its famous marina being one of the best settings.
Mostly urban in nature, the beaches of Marbella fulfill the objective of anyone who drops by the Andalusian city in the summer: cool off and enjoy the Mediterranean without forgetting that, not far away, the party and charm of Malaga they continue to wait for you for the rest of your vacation. Do you dare to visit Marbella this summer? How about from a hotel in Marbella overlooking the Patio de los Naranjos? More hotel deals in Marbella.
