Marbella is Spain's most exclusive and quality resort area. From flashy houses to stylish boutiques and miles and miles of coastline, Marbella is truly a resort paradise. Located just 25 miles from Malaga, travelers visiting Marbella will retreat to resort hotels on the beach, yachts in the marina, and houses on the hills that overlook the gleaming Mediterranean. Graced with exquisite restaurants and stylish bars and cafes, Marbella retains its medieval charm in Old Town. Only a few miles from the highly-visited and built-up resort town of Torremolinos, and the more exclusive Puerto Banus, Marbella is central to just about everything giving travelers exactly what they want from this posh resort location. Flights to Marbella arrive at Malaga airport; take a little drive through the other Costa del Sol resort towns and stop off for some tapas and wine on your way to Marbella.
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Backed by the Sierra Blance mountains and faced with the sea, Marbella has a temperate micro-climate that tends to be mild year-round. Summer temperatures reach the high 70s (F)s and winters cool down to the 60s and 50s.November through March is the rainy season, but Marbella averages less than 50 days of rain per year. For the rest of the year there is very little rainfall, and the area boasts over 300 sunny days a year.
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Peak Season:
The coast is mobbed with travelers from June to October. Flights to Marbella are high, as are hotel rates and attractions are hard to get into so reservations need to be made in advance.
National Day is October 12 when the Spanish are also on holiday.
Off Season:
Marbella during the fall and winter has fewer tourists, cheaper rates, plenty to do, and pleasant weather. However, many restaurants close while their owners go on vacation around October 15.
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Most visitors prefer to drive around Marbella. Motor scooters are also popular, and helmets are required. Taxis are available.
The tourist train offers a guided ride through Marbella, starting at El Faro Street. The fare is inexpensive and children under five ride free.
Walking is a pleasure in Marbella, especially along the Patio de los Naranjos and the cobblestone streets of the Old Town. A favorite tourist activity is a walk along the beach, regardless of the time of year.
Heading out to explore the Costa del Sol presents several transport options. Trains and buses are plentiful. There are taxis, but they are harder to find during certain times of day, such as when everyone is heading back to the hotel from the beach. During the peak season you may also have to wait for a taxi. Bicycles are available for rent, but are not allowed on the main highways.
Driving is straightforward, except during the peak tourist season when traffic can be quite heavy, especially on Sunday evenings and national holidays. Be especially careful when driving the Costa del Sol’s main highway: it averages over 100 fatalities a year.
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- The Old Town is charming with fine buildings, churches, small shops, cafes, restaurants and galleries. The heart of the Old Town is Orange Square or La Plaza de los Naranjos.
- Puerto Banus is where the beautiful people shop and sunbathe. Watch out for the yachts. Other notable beaches are Puente Romano, La Fontanilla, Playa del Faro, Venus and El Pinillo.
- Marbella is a golfer’s heaven with courses designed by top golfers including Seve Ballasteros. There are more than 40 quality courses throughout the Costa del Sol.
- The Bonsai Tree Museum in Parque Arroyo de la Represa has more than 300 specimens from 40 species.
- Relics from Roman days: Las Bovesas, the Roman baths, in Guadalmina, date back to the 3rd century. They can be toured on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at midday. Near Rio Verde beach are the remains of a Hispano-Roman villa from the 1st century. Known as the Rio Verde Roman Villa, there are wonderful mosaics.
- Museum of Spanish Contemporary Engravings in the 16th-century Bazan Hospital building boasts etchings and lithographs by Dali, Miro, Picasso and Tapies.
- Andalucians know how to party. Some of the most popular festivals are the Fair and Fiesta of Saint Bernabe held in mid-June (Saint Bernabe is the patron saint of Marbella); Feast of the Virgen del Carmen in July, which features a seafaring procession; and Romeria of the Juanar Cross in May, an annual pilgrimage to the Cruz de Juanar.
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