The city of
Marbella on the Costa del Sol is considered one of the foremost resorts in Spain and Europe. It has a reputation as the destination for the ultra rich and famous that was further cemented 50 years ago by the grand opening of the chic Marbella Club, originally set in place by Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe of Liechenstein. Marbella started to fall into a decline in the eighties but its fortunes were soon revived by the flamboyant Jesus Gil y Gil, who begun a large number of much needed improvements to the town, including a remodeled esplanade, clean beaches, and cleared up the graffiti and litter problems. Marbella was called Salduba in the Roman era, until the town was much later renamed Marbiliya during the then Moorish age.
In the heart of Marbella is the old quarter or the "Casco Antiguo" which, with its maze of narrow roads and byways plus small plazas, is in complete contrast to the modern holiday hotels found along the beach area of the resort. The focal point of the famous Casco Antiguo is the pleasant Plaza de los Naranjos, on one side of which is the old Town Hall which probably dates from the early 16th century. Near to the Plaza de los Naranjos is
Malaga Cathedral the Iglesia de la Encarnacion, that also dates from sometime in the 16th century but then later remodeled in a Baroque design. Marbella museums include the Museo del Grabada Espanol Contemporaneo which has a displays of engravings by artists such as Picasso, Dali and Miro, while the rather unusual Museo de Bonsai shows collections of the Japanese miniature trees.
Marbella beaches or the best ones, can be located to the west of the centre in an area now known as the
Golden Mile. This strip of coastline is the location of some very glamorous beachside villas, 5 star hotels, and mentioned earlier, the Marbella Club. The holiday resort also has a yacht marina, but this is surpassed by the amazing one at Puerto Banus further down the coast. Towering above Marbella on the limit of the Sierra Blanca is the huge Concha Mountain, whose summit is about 3,300 feet above mean sea level.
Marbella golf is particularly well known for the splendid and sometimes pricey golf clubs surrounding the town, including
Los Naranjos Golf Club, La Quinta Club and
Las Brisas Golf Club, the latter having been the site of the Andalucian Open (2008). Also near by is the nine hole La Dama de Noche floodlit course, the first in the whole of Spain.
Quality shopping is a very important part of the Marbella economy and there are some well known boutiques and shops in the Casco Antiguo, while top designer labels can be purchased from along the Avenida Ramon y Cajal plus the Avenida de Ricardo Soriano. The newer La Canada shopping centre which contains loads of shops, fast food chains, a cinema and ten pin bowling alley can be found on the town outskirts.
Marbella bus terminus is situated near to the bypass, about a mile from the town centre, where there is a regular coach service to Malaga international airport a journey that takes roughly 45 minutes. There are also bus services from Marbella to many of the towns along the whole Costa del Sol, as well as inland to Ronda. Long distance bus or coach services to Cadiz, Jerez, Granada and north to Almeria are also available. There is not a railway station, but the coast line from Malaga may be extended to Marbella over the next decade.
