Marbella is a popular town and with good reason, famous for golf, partying and glamour, but there’s so much more to see and experience. Here are a few ideas of what to do in Marbella.

The Old Town

The oldest part of Marbella is a maze of pedestrian streets made out of red tiles and paving.  The buildings are renaissance style, whitewashed with terracotta roofs and decorated with flowers.

The clean and picturesque  housing areas lead to small squares such as the Plaza de los Naranjos, with a small formal garden lined with orange trees.  There are usually a range of restaurants in these squares with plenty to choose from.

 

The resort beaches

Needless to say in a place like Marbella there is a range of different beaches to choose from.  Whether you want a secluded beach or a busy beach with activities, beaches in Marbella are amazing.

Alameda Park

Just around the corner from the Old Town is Alameda Park which is actually much more like a private garden. There is tropical foliage, marble paved walkways, fountains and places to sit where you can sit in the shade and enjoy a coffee.  Many of these benches are clad with classic Andalusian tiles hand-painted to show the city’s famous monuments and the history of the area.

Vega del mar Basilica

Vega del mar Basilica is an archaeological site close to Guayaba Beach.  It has great historical significance and items recovered here have ended up in the prestigious National Museum of Archaeology in Madrid.

It was built by the Romans and then expanded by the Visigoths.  The 200 graves on this site make up one of the biggest Roman burial sites in Spain.

Watersports and activities

There are over 300 activities and sports to do in this area.

If you’re a thrill-seeker you’ve got a couple of companies based around the marina providing jet-skis, parasailing, wake-boarding and white-knuckle powerboat rides.

If bouncing around the sea at 50mph isn’t your idea of a good time then you could always charter a luxury yacht to experience the lifestyle of Marbella’s ultra-wealthy, if only for a day.

If you pool together with friends or family a yacht with captain is surprisingly inexpensive.

You could set off for open sea or drop anchor at exclusive beach clubs where launches will even bring out your food and drinks.

If you are struggling to know what to do in Marbella, for yourself or with children, then just look at our activity guide.

Art and culture

There are many classes and workshops to join in Marbella. From pottery and jewellery making, to wine tasting and tapas tours, yoga on the beach and private nude painting classes for your group. Ask about our recommendations!

The Ralli Museum is home to a large collection of artwork by living contemporary Latin American artists, in fact it claims to hold the most important collection of Latino-American art in Europe. It is one of five Ralli Museums; however is the only one in Europe and specialises in surrealist style works including the works of famous European artists such as that of Miró and Dalí. 

Markets

Puerto Banus street market is held every Saturday between 9am and 2pm, and is popular with tourists and locals alike. It is one of the largest flea markets in the Costa Del Sol with over 120 stalls to visit. Starting from the Puerto Banus Bullring and stretching all the way down to the port, market traders are selling everything from fruit and vegetable, to clothes, furniture and antiques.

San Pedro promenade

San Pedro Beach is one of the more popular beach resorts, awarded the Blue Flag in 1992 for its excellent facilities and cleanliness. There are great beach bars and restaurants which provide music and sunbeds for hire, and cycle paths for those who are more into active. But generally this is a great place for a walk alongside the beach and enjoy the relaxed lifestyle here.

Photos from Pixelbay and Tripadvisor.