When you walk through the Marbella Old Town the sweet aroma of jasmine and orange blossom fill the air. The quiet bubbling of one of the many fountains can be heard nearby. It is a moment of magic.
A very popular spot in Marbella’s historic centre is the Plaza de los Naranjos, a square from the 16th century, surrounded by Orange trees. The surrounding streets received their names with popular and religious background during the middle ages, such as Panadería, Pasaje, Cruz, Caballeros, Remedios, Virgen de los Dolores and Ortiz del Molinillo are picturesque narrow streets with plants and flowers on the balconies.
Other streets are Calle Valdés with shops and Calle San Lázaro with bars and Tabernas. In the old town we can find many streets full of history, like the Plaza de la Iglesia and the streets Trinidad, Salinas and Portada which are bordering the antique Moorish castle wall. Labyrinths of little streets formed part of the former Moorish quarter like Mendoza, Apartada, Pelleja, Viento, Hospital Bazán and Misericordia, Soledad, Muro Alderete and Caridad.
One of the southern entrances to the city was Enrique de Castillo; from here we can go up the Calle Tetuán and reach a nice little square called Plaza de Manuel Cantos. Another square is Plaza Jose Palomo close to the located on the site of one of the three doorways to the town, Puerta del Mar (The sea gate), Puerta de Ronda (Ronda gate) and Puerta de Málaga (Málaga gate).
Another peaceful spot is the square Plaza Victoria where we find a fountain adorned with little frogs.
The west entrance to the old town was next to Castillejos street. From there the calle Huerta Chica leads up to the Calle Isaac Peral, where we can find many little shops and bars. Further up to the right you come to the little Plaza Puente de Ronda; from there starts calle Ancha towards the quarter of san Franciso, as well called Barrio Alto. This part is not so well known, but is still full of the simply wonderfully whitewashed walls decorated with multicolored flowers.
