Marbella Guide - Things to Do on Holiday

The jewel in the crown of the tourist resorts along the Costa del Sol, Marbella has become internationally famous for its well-heeled, exclusive atmosphere, its beaches and shady parks, a location that between the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea and the flair of a cosmopolitan city. In summer, especially, the city comes to life and you find a colourful and multicultural mix of locals and wealthy international visitors.

Marbella has been inhabited through its 3000 years of history by many civilisations – from the Romans to Moors and later on Christians – and some of the remains of these eras can still be seen in well preserved monuments of the old city.

Puerto Banus

A famous marina situated six kilometres from Marbella city, Puerto Banús inherited its name from its promoter J. Banús, who designed the port in the 1970s. It is, without doubt, one of the major attractions of Marbella and has been awarded the Gold mercury International for having fomented economic, social and cultural growth. At the heart of the town, the sport and leisure marina hosts a total of 915 berths with some of the most luxurious yachts in the world.

Marbella Castle

One of the more interesting things to do in Marbella is to visit its castle. The city’s most prominent remains from the culturally rich Moorish era of Al-Andalus are now to be found in the historic centre, which in former times was one of the most important cities in the province of Malaga. The fortified town of Marbella of Muslim times enclosed a space of approximately 90,000 square metres.

Marbella Old town

No Marbella guide would be complete without at least touching upon the beautiful, and very well preserved old town which has remained practically the same since the 16th century. Key monuments includes its famous square Los Naranjos and narrow streets with whitewashed houses that nowadays host a great variety of establishments like shops, bars and restaurants. While essentially a thrusting, modern, cosmopolitan city, the charm of Marbella lies in its old town, with its feel of an Andalucian village.