marbella

With over 330 days of sunshine a year and scorching summers with long warm evenings, Marbella has become the envy of all!

Exploration…

Marbella, nestling in southern Andalucia, enjoys its own microclimate and is near to one of Spain's most scenic and historic areas. Only a short drive away, lay the ancient cities of Granada, Sevilla and Córdoba, steeped in history and fascinating Moorish architecture.

Sevilla, the capital of the province, is acclaimed as Spain's most beautiful city and is accessed by a new motorway built with EU funding. Since Expo '92, the city has expanded as a tourist destination and is well worth a visit.

You can also enjoy the breathtaking views as you drive inland through the white villages and the scenic town of Gaucin, Ojen, Istan and Ronda perched on a cliff with Spain's oldest bull-ring and museum. If you have the time, the beauty and culture of southern Spain await you.

As the jewel of the Costa del Sol, Marbella offers the most glamorous Spanish experience on the Andalucian coast. Marbella Town with its surrounding beach and hillside developments is a sun-drenched paradise for lovers of golf and gastronomy. Here you can enjoy the finer things in life in an exotic setting of soft, sandy beaches, dramatic mountain ranges, tropical gardens and white-washed villages. Whether you crave tranquility or hedonism, this large and varied area has everything.

Marbella is a prime example of Spain at its best, and is an ideal base for exploring this exciting, multi-faceted country. Marbella is in the Costa del Sol, the most famous tourist destination in Andalucia. The Andaluz region is the birthplace of many of the iconic elements of Spanish culture, including Flamenco, bullfighting and tapas. The ancient culture of the Moors is particularly evident in this area. In Granada you will find the Alhambra palace, the last fortress of the Nasrid Dynasty, and in Cordoba the cathedral is built inside a10th century mosque. Andalucia also boasts modern, sophisticated cities like Sevilla and thriving commercial centres like Las Canadas in Marbella itself.  

 Marbella is in Malaga province, therefore Malaga airport is only 40 minutes away, offering direct connections to all major European cities. Whilst in Marbella you can explore the whole of Andalucia, although you may never wish to leave the municipality. The perfect blend of striking natural beauty and modern luxury, found in world famous golf courses and fashionable ports, promises to leave you spellbound. 

Your daytime schedule may consist of little more than reading those books you never get the chance to read, or improving your handicap on some of the best golf courses in the world. In the evening you may wish to use your terrace for a spot of alfresco dining. A crisp white or a warm red Rioja is best enjoyed with delicacies handpicked from local markets. 

 You can sample innovative cuisine in world class restaurants such as Silks by the Sea, and mingle with the beautiful people in designer bars and nightclubs like Olivia Valere . Six kilometers from Marbella’s bustling town centre, experience a slice of the jet-set lifestyle in Puerto Banus. This fashionable marina is home to some of the most luxurious yachts ever built, with the grandest belonging to King Fahd of Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Monarch has also built a White House replica, with mosque, on the edge of the town centre.  

For a more authentic Andaluz experience, venture into Marbella’s Casco Antiguo (Old Town). Here you can stroll through cobbled streets lined with beautiful, white buildings and colourful flower displays. The focal point of the Casco Antiguo is Plaza de los Naranjos, a smart square surrounded by fragrant orange trees, quality tapas bars and designer boutiques. 

 Marbella is an ideal base for exploring Andalucia, Spain’s largest and most passionate region. Here dreams of experiencing traditional culture, ancient architecture, and breath-taking landscapes can be fulfilled. Visit the Alhambra, a 13th century Moorish palace in Granada, or relax in the peaceful Alcazar Gardens in Sevilla, the region's exciting capital city. In season, go skiing in the Sierra Nevada, or enjoy a summer's day in historic Ronda. Nearby Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, now boasts the recently built Picasso Museum. In Tarifa you can even catch a glimpse of the Rif Mountains in Morocco, 14km across the Strait of Gibraltar.

To millions of people across Europe the very name Marbella brings with it an association of sunlit days spent on the beach or golf course, sumptuous yachts lying in the marina, luxurious resort hotels on the seashore, villas tucked into the folds of hillsides and nights filled with the glamour and excitement of a Mediterranean jet set location. In recent years, however, this luxury resort town has also become an increasingly popular place to settle in.

Quality of life

Marbella attracts a growing number of professionals who come for the quality of life, range of services and increasingly, the ability to earn a living under the sun. The stylish marinas, boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs of Marbella offer a sophisticated Riviera lifestyle that is complimented by country clubs, top-class sporting facilities and a host of specialised services. Together, they provide a privileged setting that an increasing number of people are calling home.

Those who come in search of a free, healthy outdoor life where they can watch their children grow up safely are attracted not only by the climate and good educational and sporting facilities, but also by the active social scene and a Spanish society still very much focused on family and community. If ever there was a pan-European community it is along this coast, with its international schools, multilingual businesses and the amazing variety of cuisines on offer in Marbella, where you can find fine restaurants catering to anything from the familiar to the exotic.

While always known for its lively, cosmopolitan social life, summer parties and full calendar of glamorous events, Marbella is also becoming increasingly focused on culture and entertainment, with Fine Arts Societies arranging art appreciation classes and visits to museums, theatres and concert halls in the area. These include the international ballet troupes, opera companies and philharmonic orchestras that visit the beautiful classical Teatro Cervantes in Málaga. Along the coast, there are English-language theatre productions at Salon Varietés in Fuengirola, summertime jazz festivals, traditional Flamenco and organised visits to local cultural highlights such as the Ralli Museum, the Museo del Grabado and Cortijo Miraflores in Marbella. The most internationally renowned art museum in the region, however, is naturally the beautiful Picasso Museum in Málaga.

Outdoor living

The sunny climate and outdoor lifestyle remain at the heart of the region’s appeal. With over 50 courses covering the 200-kilometre stretch between the famous Valderrama course in Cadiz province and the Desert Springs course in Almeria, it is no exaggeration to call the south coast of Spain not only the Costa del Golf, but also the epicenter of the European game. Nowhere else is there such a concentration of fine courses and nowhere else in Europe a climate that permits such a long playing season and variety of options.

The excellent facilities and conditions for golf, tennis, water sports and horse riding are reflected not only in the large number of adherents, but also in the major international sporting events held here. From the annual Volvo Masters, which draws the likes of Colin Montgomery and Sergio Garcia to the fairways of Valderrama, the international polo stars who compete in Sotogrande and the sailing teams who converge in its marina to Marbella’s annual Seniors Tennis Tournament, sports enthusiasts need not travel far to enjoy top-level competition.

Equestrian enthusiasts will also enjoy the horse riding at the Marbella Club Golf Resort or the exhibitions of supreme skill at the Escuela de Arte Ecuestre Costa del Sol in Estepona, while an increasing number of stylish spa & health centre’s provide pampering health and beauty treatments, and a glamorous brand of relaxation is offered at trendy beach clubs such as Ocean Club, Spain’s only Nikki Beach, and Laguna Village—the stylish new beachside shopping centre inspired by Polynesia. The region even boasts its very own state-of-the-art racing circuit, where motoring enthusiasts gather in safe conditions—an indication of just how much Marbella and its surroundings are evolving from a privileged resort into a vibrant modern town.

Surroundings

Like any other city, Marbella does not exist in isolation. Surrounding it are the Mediterranean Sea—the main focus—and a cordon of majestic mountains that conceal a countryside rich in nature and authentic Andalusian culture. Although this rustic environment seems a world removed from the cosmopolitan mélange that is Marbella, it is usually no more than half an hour’s drive distant. This brings the highly developed services of places such as Marbella and Málaga within easy reach, but conversely also opens up the many hidden treasures of the hinterland to residents on the coast; Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada’s Alhambra and the ski pistes of the Sierra Nevada are just a small sample of the delights on the doorstep of Marbella.

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