| MARBELLA |
Located right in the middle of the Costa Del Sol, and only half an hour away
from Malaga airport, Marbella is one of the Mediterranean coasts most
representative tourist venues.
Considered unofficially as the capital of the Costa Del Sol, this cosmopolitan
town with luxury and simplicity living side by side, has an impressive
infrastructure of hotels, yacht harbours, a unique historic environment and a
privileged climate protected by the Sierra Blanca mountain range.
This famous marina located next to San Pedro De Alcantara and minutes drive
from Marbella town centre has been the main attraction of the city and in the
last decade has grown continuously turning it into the best Marina in Europe.
Today, it is filled with luxurious shops such as Hermes, Cartier, Versace, one of
the best department stores in Spain (El Corte Ingles), a shopping centre, a
casino, numerous bars, bistros and restaurants offering everything from simple
tapas and pizzas to lobster, caviar and champagne.
Puerto Banus is well worth a visit. Take a stroll in the port and check out the
yachts, you will not believe the size of some of these yachts, some about the
size of a small ferry.
It is for its sunny climate, sandy beaches and luxury lifestyle that Marbella is
best known, but the city is full of history found in every street corner where
numerous monuments bear witness to every civilisation that has occupied it.
Its origins dates all the way back to Roman times from which abundant remains
are to be found. The Rio Verde Roman villa and the Guadalmina thermal baths
are few discoveries of this past civilisation.
Under the Moors, Marbella prospered. During their period they turned it into a
walled in city, building a castle and surrounding the city with a moat with just
three entrances: from the sea, from Ronda and from Malaga. The castle walls
remains today but the moat and the doors have disappeared.
In 1485, when the Catholics Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand De Castile came
into power, they changed its name to Marbella (beautiful sea). In the old town
centre, our lady's church, the chief magistrate house and St John's hospital
were all built during the Christian re-conquest. During this period and
throughout the 16th century, the urban structure of the town underwent
important changes. The centre of the Muslim Medina (today the old town) was
demolished to open the square (today the famous Orange Square) and a new
street (Calle Nueva) in order to communicate the square with the Puerto Del
Mar (Sea entrance).
Festivities and traditions
Holy Week (Semana Santa). The dates vary every year, but it is usually in April.
Spanish take their Easter week very seriously. With daylong processions,
bullfights and Flamenco, the entire Andalucia celebrates Easter in style.
Feria de San Bernabe is during the first fortnight of June. Lasting almost a
week, this festivity is similar to the one in the capital with bullfights, musical
performances with famous singers and groups.
The 11th of June is another important day in the history of Marbella as it marks
the end of the Moorish occupation and the commemoration of the Christian
conquest (Conmemoracion De La Conquista De Los Cristianos). This is
celebrated with the traditional bullfighting and musical performances.
There is also a festivity in honour of San Pedro De Alcantara on the second
fortnight of October.
Marbella's fame has left its monumental richness in second place, and usually
surprise tourists when they come across it.
Below is a list of the most important monuments in the town of Marbella.
The monuments below can be found in the old town and surrounding the
Orange Square.
Marbella tourist offices
There are six tourist offices in Marbella, the main office being behind the Paseo
Maritimo, near the lighthouse. There is also another one situated in the old
town (Casco antiguo), next to the Orange Square (Plaza de Los Naranjos). At
the entrance of Marbella and San Pedro De Alcantara (under each Arch) and in
Puerto Banus. More offices can be found.
In these tourist offices, one can find everything from a simple map of Marbella
to information on everything that is happening in Marbella and its surroundings.
A list of all the offices along with phone numbers are described below :
Useful numbers
Marbella Townhall : 952 76 11 00
National police : 952 77 11 93
Guardia civil : 952 77 03 44
Fire Brigade : 952 77 43 49
Ambulance : 952 77 25 26
Taxis : 952 77 44 88
Bus : 952 77 58 44
Local bus services Marbella Bus station
(on the ring road) : 952 76 44 00
San Pedro bus station.(on the main road) 952 78 13 96
Trains : 952 36 02 02
from Malaga airport, Marbella is one of the Mediterranean coasts most
representative tourist venues.
Considered unofficially as the capital of the Costa Del Sol, this cosmopolitan
town with luxury and simplicity living side by side, has an impressive
infrastructure of hotels, yacht harbours, a unique historic environment and a
privileged climate protected by the Sierra Blanca mountain range.
- It is mostly for its sunny climate and sandy beaches that Marbella is
best known and most importantly its jet set lifestyle that has attracted
the rich and famous to its shores, particularly with the development of
Puerto Banus, the world's most famous port.
The truly rich don't stay in Marbella it self. They lie around, on
phenomenally large and luxurious yachts at the marina of Puerto Banus,
which hosts inside its installations 915 berths.
This famous marina located next to San Pedro De Alcantara and minutes drive
from Marbella town centre has been the main attraction of the city and in the
last decade has grown continuously turning it into the best Marina in Europe.
Today, it is filled with luxurious shops such as Hermes, Cartier, Versace, one of
the best department stores in Spain (El Corte Ingles), a shopping centre, a
casino, numerous bars, bistros and restaurants offering everything from simple
tapas and pizzas to lobster, caviar and champagne.
Puerto Banus is well worth a visit. Take a stroll in the port and check out the
yachts, you will not believe the size of some of these yachts, some about the
size of a small ferry.
It is for its sunny climate, sandy beaches and luxury lifestyle that Marbella is
best known, but the city is full of history found in every street corner where
numerous monuments bear witness to every civilisation that has occupied it.
Its origins dates all the way back to Roman times from which abundant remains
are to be found. The Rio Verde Roman villa and the Guadalmina thermal baths
are few discoveries of this past civilisation.
Under the Moors, Marbella prospered. During their period they turned it into a
walled in city, building a castle and surrounding the city with a moat with just
three entrances: from the sea, from Ronda and from Malaga. The castle walls
remains today but the moat and the doors have disappeared.
In 1485, when the Catholics Monarchs Isabella and Ferdinand De Castile came
into power, they changed its name to Marbella (beautiful sea). In the old town
centre, our lady's church, the chief magistrate house and St John's hospital
were all built during the Christian re-conquest. During this period and
throughout the 16th century, the urban structure of the town underwent
important changes. The centre of the Muslim Medina (today the old town) was
demolished to open the square (today the famous Orange Square) and a new
street (Calle Nueva) in order to communicate the square with the Puerto Del
Mar (Sea entrance).
Festivities and traditions
Holy Week (Semana Santa). The dates vary every year, but it is usually in April.
Spanish take their Easter week very seriously. With daylong processions,
bullfights and Flamenco, the entire Andalucia celebrates Easter in style.
Feria de San Bernabe is during the first fortnight of June. Lasting almost a
week, this festivity is similar to the one in the capital with bullfights, musical
performances with famous singers and groups.
The 11th of June is another important day in the history of Marbella as it marks
the end of the Moorish occupation and the commemoration of the Christian
conquest (Conmemoracion De La Conquista De Los Cristianos). This is
celebrated with the traditional bullfighting and musical performances.
There is also a festivity in honour of San Pedro De Alcantara on the second
fortnight of October.
Marbella's fame has left its monumental richness in second place, and usually
surprise tourists when they come across it.
Below is a list of the most important monuments in the town of Marbella.
- The Castle (Alcazaba Wall)
- In the old town centre, near the Orange Square, are the remains of an
Arab castle. These ruins are all that has been preserved from the Muslim
era. During their occupation, Marbella was one of the most important
cities in the province of Málaga. The Muslims' fortifications covered an
area of about 90,000 square metres.
- The Roman Village of Rio Verde
- The Romans left marks, like in the Rio Verde where remains of a city
which was probably built in the 1st century can be found. The area
includes a patio surrounded by pillars and twelve rooms designed to give
light to the interior rooms of the building. In San Pedro De Alcantara, the
Roman baths Las Bovedas (vaults) have been named for their dominating
architecture. Another important site in San Pedro is the basilica of Vega
Del Mar built in the 3rd century.
- The Ladrones Tower is one of the first Towers to be found within the
Municipality of Marbella. It is located close to the port of Capobino. The
tower was probably built in the Muslim period due to the shape and the
material used and the way the beams have been laid.
- Old Town of Marbella (Casco Antiguo) and The Orange Square (Plaza
De Los Naranjos). At the heart of the historic old
- town lies the famous Orange Square (Plaza De Los
Naranjos). Partially surrounded by the ruins of the Arab
wall and narrow white washed streets, it has remained
almost unchanged since the 16th century. The narrow
streets in the Casco Antiguo are still full of life with chic
boutiques, bars and cafes intermingling and creating an
atmosphere of a small traditional village rather than a
cosmopolitan town. The square was built after Marbella was reconquered
from the Moors in 1485 and was to become the administrative centre of
the city. The square is also home to the 16th century Town Hall and
tourist office. Close to the building are a sundial, various shields and
some commemorative stone inscriptions.
The monuments below can be found in the old town and surrounding the
Orange Square.
- The 16th century Town hall is a living
- monument to Marbella, dating back to
1568. The Catholic Kings ordered its
building and today, it still maintains the
same administrative functions. The right
hand side of the façade has a series of
commemorative plaques in honour of the
conquering of the city, the bringing of
water in 1632 and the posterior enlarging
of the building in 1779. Inside, one can see
the Mudejar style situated in the Commission Room(Ancient Capitol) and
the paintings in the Temple within the Hall Of Justice.
- Ermita De Santiago. This is the most ancient religious monument in the
city, dating back to the 15th century after the re-conquest of Marbella.
- The Chief Magistrate House situated to the left of the Town Hall next to
the Apostle Santiago's Chapel, dates back to the year 1552. With its
gothic Mudejar styles mixed with Renaissance styles, the house is
unmistakable due to the archway on the upper floor and the stone
façade that frames the door.
- The San Juan De Dios Chapel.
- Its structure is simple, but the portal, framed by a half point archway
underlines the original function for which the building was constructed. It
has a carved door with details such as the city shield to the left and a
carved religious image to the right. This image has a Granada at the
bottom of the cross. This is a new example of the mixture of cultures. In a
Christian building, ordered to be built by the Catholic Kings, we can still
find proof of the fact that this land once belonged to the Kingdom of
Granada.
- Nuestra Señora De La Encarnacion Church.
- Located In the heart of the Casco Antiguo, it is the most important
building in the town. The main facade of the building is adorned with a
beautiful red stone portal worked in baroque style. The church sol Mayor
Organ is considered to be one of the most important to have been built in
Spain in the last 125 years. In the church square there is also a tower,
which was part of the wall that used to surround the Moorish town.
Marbella tourist offices
There are six tourist offices in Marbella, the main office being behind the Paseo
Maritimo, near the lighthouse. There is also another one situated in the old
town (Casco antiguo), next to the Orange Square (Plaza de Los Naranjos). At
the entrance of Marbella and San Pedro De Alcantara (under each Arch) and in
Puerto Banus. More offices can be found.
In these tourist offices, one can find everything from a simple map of Marbella
to information on everything that is happening in Marbella and its surroundings.
A list of all the offices along with phone numbers are described below :
- Central office Gta. De la Fontanilla s/n :952 77 14 42
- Plaza de Los Naranjos Plaza de Los Naranjos, 1 :952 82 35 50
- Arco De Marbella Ctra. Nacional 340, km 183,5 :952 82 28 18
- Puerto Banus Av. Principal Jose Banus, s/n :952 11 38 30
- San Pedro De Alcantara C/ Marques Del Duero, 69 :952 78 52 52
- Arco De San Pedro Ctra. Nacional 340, km 170.5 :952 78 13 60
Useful numbers
Marbella Townhall : 952 76 11 00
National police : 952 77 11 93
Guardia civil : 952 77 03 44
Fire Brigade : 952 77 43 49
Ambulance : 952 77 25 26
Taxis : 952 77 44 88
Bus : 952 77 58 44
Local bus services Marbella Bus station
(on the ring road) : 952 76 44 00
San Pedro bus station.(on the main road) 952 78 13 96
Trains : 952 36 02 02
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