There are 3 ways to get a Transfer to Marbella and your private Malaga Airport transfers service Malaga Cabbie will advise you the best route in your case. The fastest is taking the highway AP7 that it is only 51 km and our cheap transfer will take you to Malaga Airport in just 37 minutes. Other option is Gibraltar Airport which is further at 76 km, but this is no problem to Malaga Cabbie Transfer.

Weather

Marbella is the heart of the Costa del Sol and on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea and on the slope of the mountains “Sierra Blanca”. This special location makes a very pleasant weather to enjoy at any time of the year. Its temperatures are mild in winter and summer (an average of 18 degrees). It boasts having 2900 hours of sunshine per year and raining only 50 days per year.

The city

It is between Fuengirola and Estepona and to the north is Ojen, in the popular Costa del Sol in Malaga.  It has 140744 inhabitants therefore is the second largest city in Malaga and the eighth in Andalusia. Everyone knows Marbella for its important tourist infrastructures, its luxurious parties and its well-known visitors, but Marbella is much more than that.

Old town

The narrow white streets give the old town a typical Andalusian character. The “plaza de los Naranjos” is the neuralgic centre of the city where you can visit historical building such as the town hall (1558), the house of the Corregidor (palace of 1552) and the Santiago´s hermitage (the oldest religious building in XV century).

You can find other historical buildings while you walk through the old town, for example: Maria de la Encarnacion´s church (Baroque style), Santo de la Veracruz Hermitage (XV Century), Bazan´s Hospital, Misericordia´s Real Hospital or San Juan de Dios Chapel (Renaissance style).

The old town is not only history monuments. You will also find cheerful streets full of shops and bars as well as other services such as banks, the town hall, etc.

Between the old town and the sea there is an area with gardens its name is “Ensanche Historico”. It is made up: “Paseo de la Alameda” and “Avenida del Mar”. This pedestrian zone is a great place to take a  walk where you discover a botanical garden, a playground and  many sculptures of Salvador Dali.

In the 4 km between the centre and Puerto Banus there is a luxurious and exclusive area where you will admire the most amazings villas and urbanizations. This is the “milla de oro” (golden mile) where many celebrities lives such as the King Fahd´s palace from Saudi Arabia.

Puerto Banus

Definitely it is the best marina in Spain. The builder  Jose Banus built the first marina with leisure area in 1968. It has 915 moorings for yachts and leisure boats which are one of the most expensive in Europe. In Puerto Banus you will find the most exclusives boutiques such as Louis Vuitton, Dior or Versace, luxury hotels, restaurants, discotheques and many services. The people, who have promoted Marbella, have in the “boulevard de la fama” a Hollywood-style recognition. At the beginning of this street there is a Dali´s sculture of a huge rhinoceros.

Marbella has 3 marinas more: Virgen del Carmen Marina, Cabopino marina and La Bajadilla Marina.

Virgen del Carmen: this marina is close to the old town so it is a busy place specially on weekends. Here you will find many restaurants and a handicraft market. It is the favourite place for people to walk and jog.

La Bajadilla: it is in the urban area. It is marina and fishing port at the same time with 268 moorings.

Cabopino: It is a few kilometres from Marbella in the middle of nature with a relaxed atmosphere. This is a modern marina with 169 moorings.

 

Historical attractions

The historians do not agree on the historical origin of Marbella, on the one hand they say that there are remains from the Paleolithic and on the other hand they assure that the first inhabitants of the city were the Phoenicians.

The first remains of an urban nucleus belong to the Romans. In Mabella they built a wall that surrounds the old town and there was an Ancient Roman Villa close to Verde river as well as the Guadalmina Roman Baths.

There are also remains of a Visigothic necropolis. This is proof that all civilizations have appreciated everything that this area offers.

Later in the Middle Ages, Marbella belonged to the Muslims who reinforced the Roman wall to protect the city. There were many orchards that were famous for their excellent figs and their mulberry for silkworms breeding.

The Catholic Kings conquer the city in 1485 and it joins the Kingdom of Castilla. The Plaza de los Naranjos and its buildings belongs to this period of time. In 1644 a new crop comes from America, the sugarcane, and the “Trapiches” (sugar mills) industry appears such as the Trapiche de el Prado in Marbella close to urbanizations Sierramar and Lomas Bellas.

At the beginning of the XIX century there was a great abundance of iron in Ojen and wood in the mountains, as a result the blast furnaces appear in Marbella. It was a great richness fountain until in 1860 a decline begins. However as the same time appears San Pedro De Alcantara like an agricultural area and its founder was the Marques del Duero.

The “Comercial Hotel” was the first hotel in Marbella that appeared in 1918. But the touristic boom begins in 1950 when many celebrities choose Marbella as their favourite destination on vacation.

 

The best restaurants in Marbella

 First of all, it is difficult to decide which are the best restaurants in Marbella. Because quantity and quality abound in Marbella. But as we all like to eat well. And because Marbella combines the best of the Mediterranean diet with the freshest products. We have chosen the Michelin Star restaurants in Marbella

 Because if you want to eat divinely read very carefully the following restaurants in Marbella:

 The Messina Restaurant

 This restaurant opened its doors in 2003 as a life project of its owners Pia Ninci and Mauricio Giovanini. In addition, it now has the recognition of its customers who come from different parts of the world. But also with that of the critics.

 Also, this one Michelin star restaurant is not very big. However, it has an exquisite decoration. Because it is minimalist, select and with a menu that delights those who wish to try new gastronomic experiences.

 It serves international cuisine in which many elements come from the hand of its own chef. 

 The design of this restaurant in Marbella is wonderful and has the particularity that manages to relax you. In addition to this, the music helps. The attention is also remarkable because it is patient and effective. That’s why we can talk about a very good service.

 Restaurant el Lago

 The restaurant El Lago Marbella with more than 20 years of experience Because it has been here since the summer of 2000. Which was a bet to create an innovative restaurant. It also offers a daring cuisine and a very personalized service. It is in a very pleasant environment, in front of the artificial lake of the Greenlife clubhouse, in Elviria.

 As with all select places, it has excellent raw materials and an exquisite presentation. Also in El Lago the service of waiters is better than average. Because they all speak two or three languages. And they can also clarify any questions about the menu.

 Finally we can say that El Lago is a reference in the Andalusian gastronomy, being recognized by the prestigious Michelin guide with one star since 2005. 

 Besides always betting for a modern and daring quality cuisine. During all these years. A young and dynamic team, mostly trained at the hotel management school in Malaga La Cónsula.

Skina Restaurant

At Skina, love of the product and commitment to quality leads him to turn to local producers. But always looking for the best of each season to prepare their dishes. That is why he always finds excellence. Truffles, seafood, meat, fish, vegetables… Or the traditional bread and sweets. 

The exquisite cuisine of this restaurant in Marbella is based on a mixture of contrasts. Which mixes traditional Andalusian cuisine with a cuisine of sensations and pleasures. In addition, all this is combined with a complete and select wine list. Which make the palate of their customers to rise to the highest expression. That is why this restaurant got its Michelin star in 2008.

And it also has a wine list with more than 700 references from all over the world. Everything in this small place in the historical centre of Marbella. That is why it is perfect for the communion of creativity, tradition, vanguard and taste.

Dani Garcia Restaurant (Close)

Dani Garcia Restaurant’s cuisine is brilliant. Also in continuous reinvention and evolution, which was based on the philosophy of “thinking locally and cooking globally”. Because it has no frontiers and because it was born to fulfil the dreams of its customers. And dreams, like magic, have no limits.

The gastronomic history of Dani Garcia Restaurant can be summed up in a journey full of fantasy. Which began in 2014 with Alice in Wonderland. Then it continued with The Little Prince (2015 and 2016) that made you close your eyes and dream. Because it is one of the chef’s favorite stories. He also continued with Caleidoscope (2017) a menu full of color and rhythm. Until in his world of Arcadia (2018) he played the summit with the third Michelin Star. And in 2.019 he made a tribute to his mother.

Dani Garcia’s restaurant has three Michelin stars. And it has two Michelin stars because it offers an experience full of flavour in which the product is the undisputed protagonist. 

That’s why customers here enter the world of the chef’s story. Here you can also taste dishes made with the most advanced techniques and preserving the traditional cooking.

 

Accomodation in Marbella

It is obvious that a city as tourist as Marbella must have a wide variety of tourist accommodation. These are the best rated:

Hotels

• Marbella Club Hotel Golf Resort & Spa***** It is a very luxurious and exclusive resort that imitates an Andalusian village with white houses and yards full of plants. It has several types of rooms, siute or villas. It has all types of services such as golf course, tennis club, wellness center, horse riding, miniclub for kids, etc.
• Gran Meliá Don Pepe*****: a luxurious hotel on the beachfront with direct access and close to the city center. It has a spectacular pool with Balinese bed and its restaurant is the best steakhouse in the country where Dani Garcia begins his career as a chef.
• Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa***** is a glamorous beach resort with exclusive services such as fitness and wellness, tennis club, its own golf course and several accommodation options.
• Amare Marbella Beach Hotel**** is the best hotel only for adults in Marbella. It has an exclusive beach club where you can taste the Mediterranean gastronomy as well as drink a cocktail. It also has a spa wellness center where pamper our body that is a paradise to have a relax time
• Hotel Doña Catalina*** It is in San Pedro de Alcantara which is surrounded by golf courses, the nearest is the Guadalmina (only 5 minutes by car).

AIRBNB

If your budget is more adjusted or you prefer a quieter accommodation in airbnb you will find everything you need. They have wide offer accommodations in Marbella

 

What can you do in Marbella

The nightlife

It is really lively that offer different possibilities. In Marbella you can choose between a quieter atmosphere and something more lively and glamorous where to have fun until dawn.

If you prefer the first option, you have to look for it in the centre. There are many bars where drink something and taste good tapas. There are also any pubs where you can drink a cocktail, such as David´s places. It is the ideal pub where you can drink a good mojito after eat some tapas. It has a cosy and fun atmosphere. There is something similar in Puerto Banus “Astral Cocktail Bar” it is famous because its cocktail are the best in Marbella where you can talk with your friends and enjoy the wonderful marina views.

If look for a place where dance and drink cocktails until sunrise, we recommend you some of the best Discotheques in Marbella.

Funky Buddha: there are 2 discos, one of them in Marbella and the other in Puerto Banus, both have an amazing oriental decoration. Here it is usual to meet some celebrities enjoying the night like you.

Pangea:  It is an open air disco with a glamorous atmosphere where to enjoy a good cocktail.

La Suite club: its decoration is of the same style as studio 54 in New York. It has an incredible terrace to enjoy the summer nights that is the meeting point of the jet set.

Olivia Valere is the most popular disco in Marbella. you will dance with the music of the best Djs.

 Playing Golf

Marbella is the paradise for the golf players because there are 19 golf courses of excellent quality in addiction the perfect weather of La Costa del Sol. We introduce you the best golf courses in Marbella:

Marbella Club de Golf Resort belongs to Puente Romano Beach Resort & Spa which has excellent views of the Mediterranean Sea. It is a perfect place to play golf or have your first experience.

Club de Golf El Higueral: it an amazing course with an innovative design that you will love. It is between Marbella and Benahavis.

Magna Golf Marbella: It is luxury urbanization “Nueva Andalucia” and close to other golf courses. Its golf school offers a great oportunty to learn.

Cabopino Golf Marbella: it is close to the marina Cabopino. Its golf school also has groups for children.

The best beaches in Marbella

Marbella has 27 km of coastline and its 24 beaches are very that are very different from each other. All of them are busy (specially in summer) and they are located in urban or semi-urban areas because of its urban boom however there may be beaches with fine sand and others with little stones. The most popular beaches are:

Artola or Cabopino

It is close to Marina Cabo Pino. It is in a natural environment surrounded by pine trees and the only nudist beach in the city . There are the dunes “Artola” which is a protected natural area.

Venus Beach

It is between the 2 marinas la Bajadilla and Virgen del Carmen. It is very busy because it is close to the centre. Her you will find all the services that you need. Its sand is fine and golden and it is ideal for families.

Fontanilla Beach

It is similar to Venus Beach because it is also a busy beach which is close to the centre with fine sand. It is close to the popular Hotel Don Pepe and the Palace of Congresses “Adolfo Suarez”

Puerto Banus beach

It is close to marina Puerto Banus where you will find all the services that you need. But at the beach you have active tourism companies that offer aquatic activities and in the mountains, for example hiking. It has the blue flag, which is a European recognition of the quality of the beach and its services.

San Pedro de Alcantara Beach

It is between Marbella and Estepona which also has the blue flag. It is the quieter beach in Marbella. Its sand is fine and dark and it is surrounded by eucalyptus trees. You can arrive here by its promenade where you will see an elephant sculpture trading the sand.

Puente Romano beach

It is close to the luxury hotel “Resort Puente Romano & spa” in the golden mill between Marbella and Puerto Banus. The Romans built a bridge but nowadays there isn´t any remain. This beach has little stones.

Las Chapas Beach

It is further from the centre so it is quieter. This beach has a glamour atmosphere because of the luxury beach club such as the famous Nikki Beach Club. There are many good quality restaurants.

Faro Beach

It is close to the marina Virgen del Carmen and the Constitucion park. Here there is an old lighthouse and also all the services that you need at the beach, therefore it has the blue flag. It sand is fine and it is very busy and cheerful.

Cable beach

This well-known beach is at the entrance of the city. It is very popular for its fine sand, its blue flag and above all because there are many activities organized here such as beach volleyball championship or sandcastle competitions.

Funny beach

On this beach there is an amazing amusement park with activities for the whole family ranging from karting, inflatable mattresses and all kinds of water activities.

La Fontanilla

Central beach very frequented, is next to the marina. The sand is black of medium grain and the swell is moderate. It is 850 m long and 30 m wide.

La Víbora

Semi-urban beach of golden sand and moderate waves. It has a medium occupancy rate and an extension of 640 m long by 30 wide.

Las Cañas

Semi-urban beach of 1.2 km long and 15 m wide. Fine golden sand and moderate waves. It has a low occupation rate.

Las Chapas

Semi-urban beach of fine golden sand and moderate waves. It has a medium degree of occupation and an extension of 715 m long by 25 m wide.

Linda Vista

This beach houses the paleochristian basilica of Vega del Mar. It is a semi-urban beach of coarse-grained dark sand and gravel and moderate waves. It has a medium occupancy rate and an area of 650 m long by 30 wide.

Los Monteros

This  beach of more than 2 km long and 30 wide, consisting of the smaller beaches of La Adelfa, Realejo and Rio Real. It is a semi-urban beach of golden sand of medium grain and moderate waves. It has a medium occupancy rate.

Nagüeles

Semi-urban beach of golden sand of medium grain and moderate waves, located in the Golden Mile. It has a high degree of occupation and an extension of 800 m long by 40 wide.

Pinomar

Semi-urban beach of golden sand and moderate waves. It has a medium degree of occupation and an extension of 350 m long by 25 m wide.

Real de Zaragoza

Semi-urban beach located next to the Ciudad Residencial Tiempo Libre. It has golden sand of medium grain and moderate waves. It has an average degree of occupation and an extension of 1.6 km long by 30 wide.

Río Verde/Puerto Banús

Semi-urban beach 1 km long and 40 m wide. The sand is golden-pink and the waves are moderate. It has a high occupancy rate and the blue flag.

Venus

Urban beach with black sand and calm waves. It has a high degree of occupation and an extension of 500 m long by 50 m wide.

Visit museums

Museum Grabado español contemporaneo that has an engraving collection of twentieth century painters such as Pablo Picasso.

Cortijo de Miraflores that has an exhibition hall and an old oil mill-

Bonsai museum that has a large collection of bonsai, especially olive trees.

Rali Museum where you will find a great collection of South American art as well as some Salvador Dali´s sculptures.

Archaeological museum is where visit the remains of ancient civilizations found in Marbella.

Cultural events

Marbella has many theatres and auditoriums where you can assist to many cultural acts as well as the annual music festivals:

Starlite festival is a benefit festival in which well-known artists participate. Others examples are the Marbella opera international festival, the Marbella reggae festival, the International Jazz festival, etc.

Monthly there is a cultural agenda with lots of interesting activities and you can choose what interests you.

Excursions

Marbella has very good connexions by motorway therefore you can also visit the nearby towns. We recommend you some cities to explore:

Malaga

This city is very international and lively. You just have to walk through the centre to check. The street “Larios” always so animated. You can also visit the fort from where you can admire the nice views of the Mediterranean Sea and it is less than one hour by car.

Ronda

Ronda is further, it takes 1 hour and 10 minutes but it is worth visiting. From Ronda come great bullfighters, you can feel the great tradition of bullfighting that lives here, in fact its bullring is the oldest in Spain. Ronda is also a beautiful Andalusian town with its white houses and its narrow streets. The “Tajo” is a deep gully that is the most representative of Ronda.

Granada

There is good connexion to travel to Granada but it takes 2 hour by car. You “must see” La Alhambra how to describe it in one word AMAZING. But Granada offers much more to its visitors for example tour the ancient neighbourhood of Albaicin, walk through the Paseo de los Tristes, etc.

Gibraltar

It takes only 1 hour by car and you can travel to Britain. It is a tax haven where you can also visit the monkeys that live in the rock.

Tarifa

It is the European town nearest to Africa. It is the windy paradise of surfing and kitesurfing. Its beaches are long and its sand is fine and golden. From Tarifa you can see the Morocco´s Mountains and in clear days you will see the white houses.

 Fuengirola

This town is nearer; it takes only 30 minutes by car. If you travel with children you can visit the zoo “Bioparc” that always surprise the visitors because of its differents facilities for the animals. A recommended visit is the castle to admire its magnificent views of the sea.

Estepona

Estepona is 32 km far from Marbella. A good idea is walk through fishing port because there are many restaurants to taste to fresh fish. Selwo Aventura is other option especial recommended if you go with children. This is a zoo where the animals are in semi-freedom.

Everyone knows Marbella for being a luxury city where the jet set lives but Marbella will surprise you because it has much more to offer such as history, cultural events, great beaches… Come and discover Marbella with Malaga cabbie and our cheap transfers to Malaga airport

 

Film and television set

 The city of Marbella and its surroundings has been the location of exteriors of a great number of successful movies. And also, it has been the venue for some television programs and reality shows.

Among the most successful films shot entirely and partly in Marbella, we can highlight the following:

• Torrente, the silly arm of the Law some scenes, which was a success De Santiago Segura in the year 1.998.
• Its sequel, Torrente 2: Mission in Marbella in the year 2.001. That was filmed almost in its entirety in the city of Marbella.
• Even Steven Spielberg dedicated some minutes of footage to his success Munich in 2005.
• Also from the year 2.005, the winner of several Oscars, Syriana.
• And the Netflix series, the Warrior Nun in the year 2020

 On the other hand, for television, the series have been shot:

• The Queen of the South (by Telemundo Global Studios 
• The Pact (2010). 
• Other films in which Marbella has been used as a location have been:
• The Finnish Uuno Epsanjassa (1985) 
• A Five Star Hit (1985)
• Oh Marbellaǃ (2003)
• Box 507 (2002)
• Jet Marbella Set (1991) by Mariano Ozores
• Naked Weekend (1974)
• Operation Cabaret (1967) 
• Tourism is a great invention (1968).

 In addition, in Marbella there have been episodes of several realites from outside Spain like ITV2’s The only way is Essex or Channel’s Coach Trip.