The sun-drenched coast of the Costa Del Sol literally oozes glamour and on these Andalusian shores lies an exclusive holiday spot sprinkled with opulent hotels that glitter like diamonds. In fine dining establishments and nightspots, one can mingle with millionaires. Those looking to pick up a new bauble or bespoke fashion piece will relish the ample shopping opportunities in designer shops on the boulevard. All this can be uncovered in a glitzy Spanish party town where celebrities mix with Middle Eastern royalty. This is Marbella.

This southern Spanish city in the province of Málaga is a magnet for high-net-worth individuals. In the modern sparkling marina of Puerto Banús, the yacht of the King of Saudi Arabia is docked alongside vessels of the world’s wealthiest individuals. At the backdrop to the harbour there is a copious offering of bars, boutiques, and opulent abodes to be found. Furthermore, Marbella has wonderful city beaches called playas, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, where wealthy holidaymakers and digital nomads soak up the sun. In the evening, they all dress up to the nines for yacht parties in Puerto Banús’ marina before frequenting the champagne bars and nightclubs.

Marbella was discovered by the ancient Greek Phoenician traders in the seventh century BC, before the Romans moved in and called it ‘Salduba’ (Salt City), leaving a legacy of the Baths and Villa Romana de Rio Verde. In the sixth century, the Arabs changed its name to Marbil-la. A wealth of historical buildings can be found in the beautiful Old Town including the ruins of an Arabic castle that once protected the town from pirates. Another famous landmark is the Castillian-style Plaza de los Naranjos. This tree-filled square contains the Renaissance-style town hall, the mayor’s Gothic house with a Mudejar style roof and the 15^th Century Chapel of Santiago. Yet despite such an ancient past, Marbella as we know it today bloomed out of more modern aristocratic seeds sown in the 1940s when Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe discovered a perfect place to build hotels and grand houses. He established what is today known as the ‘Golden Mile’ and the rest is history.

The 1950s saw the arrival of the fabled  Marbella Club Hotel, run by Count Rudi von Schönburg, who hosted Prince Rainier III of Monaco and his wife, Princess Grace – aka Grace Kelly – and fellow film stars like Sophia Loren, Ava Gardner, Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant, before the arrival of Prince Fahd bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud and his brother Prince Salman Al Riyad transformed the area when they built a palace modelled on the White House. More elite holidaymakers arrived in the 1960s transforming this once small fishing and farming village into a haven for the jet set. In more recent years Rod Stewart once called this home and Antonio Banderas who was born in nearby Málaga still has a home here. Additionally, Liz Hurley, Novak Djokovic, Cristiano Ronaldo and Anthony Joshua all love to visit.

Couples stroll along the promenade basking in the sunshine en-route to a day of shopping along the sandy golden mile. There are designer shops galore to peruse, set against the backdrop of the beach, fringed by the blue Mediterranean Sea. Marbella has 27km of beautiful beaches to explore: Playa Nagüeles leads onto Río Verde and stops at Puerto Banús forming a five-mile stretch full of grand places to stay and play. Nikki Beach is along the Playa de la Vibora next to the five-star Don Carlos Hotel and the JW Marriott’s Marbella Beach resort, while further west of Marbella’s fishing port lies the pebbled Playa Bajadilla that stretches all the way to the castle of Santa Ana.

The Old Town has a new concept of hotel in the shape of La Villa Marbella spread across several adjoining 200-year-old white traditional buildings adorned with bougainvillea. Together these make a boutique hotel of six to seven rooms individually decorated in  Asian styles, with flat-screen TVs, air-conditioning, and minibars and some have outdoor terraces with hot tubs. Recently, the Rhône Property group purchased similar residences to convert into five-star hotels. Guests wander through the Old Town in search of their unique lodgings, stepping away from the gleaming yachts and sports cars, and back in time to marvel at the ancient city walls and soak up the local culture. While these dwellings are popular, so are luxury establishments like Hotel Claude, a seven-bedroomed boutique hotel in the heart of Marbella’s Old Town which was once home to Napoleon III’s wife. This stunning 17th century town house fuses tradition with contemporary furnishings inside.  Alternatively, Boho Club is a discerning travellers’ choice – a boutique hideaway with beautiful, landscaped gardens, terraces and an art gallery.

Food and Entertainment

For foodies, there is the Nobu Hotel Marbella, an epicurean hotspot where the hotel’s executive chef Eleni Manousou conjures up sushi that is nothing short of sublime. Meanwhile, at the Nobu at Puente Romano Marbella: the founder of the Nobu brand, Yuki Matsuhisa conjures up internationally renowned dishes of rockfish tempura and black cod miso alongside more locally inspired fayre. Indeed, Marbella proffers a giant portion of fine dining and Michelin restaurants, alongside more traditional eateries and plenty of entertainment options. This town is touted to become a gastronomical capital with three existing Michelin starred restaurants and plenty more fine dining establishments waiting to join the club. Haute Spanish cuisine, as well as poached lobster and roasted rabbit, is on the menu at Marcos Granda’s two-Michelin starred restaurant Skina. Setting is everything and this intimate restaurant has space for just 10 diners. Marco takes diners on a ‘gastronomic dance’ with his Andalusian-enthused food and 950 wine pairing options. Meanwhile, at the Michelin-starred El Lago, diners can look out over a golf course and man-made lake from the modern dining room and summer terrace. The menu showcases Andalusian flavours and locally-sourced ingredients. Then there is Messina, a Michelin-starred restaurant run by Mauricio Giovanini, who rustles up delicious Mediterranean and South American cuisine. Finally, local boy Dani García who became Malaga’s first chef to hold three Michelin stars in 2019, owns several restaurants in Marbella; including Lobito de Mar Marbella a beachless beach bar and restaurant serving traditional seafood cuisine, BiBo Marbella with its menu without borders, taking diners on a sensory journey to different corners of the world, and the superb Leña steakhouse.

Trendy spots to grab a drink include La Sala – the place to be seen. Spread out over an entire floor of a town house, this restaurant and bar is more understated than others that epitomise the bling of Marbella. Delicious food is paired with a wine and cocktail menu making it an ideal spot for ladies that lunch. Furthermore, Cascada Cocina & Bar is a serene spot with an oasis of babbling pools and waterfalls encircled by trees.

At night, Joys Live has been an institution in Puerto Banús since the late seventies – one of the liveliest venues in Marbella, featuring a piano man every night. Meanwhile, The Piano Bar, right on the waterfront, is the place to listen to live music, while the Gran Hotel Guadalpin Banús has a Moet bar which is perfect for a pre-dinner drink while watching the sun set. And La Suite is Marbella’s most exclusive club to dance the night away.

Marbella also offers rich cultural experiences and many international events for haute travellers. A colourful display of bullfights and Flamenco dancing are the hallmarks of Holy Week and Easter. In June, the Semana Grande Feria de San Bernabe takes over the streets with live flamenco, concert performances and fireworks in honour of the city’s patron. The Starlite Festival brings concerts to the streets in July and August, where UB40 and Earth Wind and Fire have previously performed.  Undoubtedly the most glamourous event in the city is Marbella’s International Film Festival bringing movie stars to the region each October. In this golfing paradise, various tournaments take place like the Andalusia Costa del Sol Women’s Spain Open and the upcoming Solheim 2023 Cup. Capitalising on its grand outdoor space and hills, The Marbella Four Day Walking Festival also creates lots of tourism opportunities, while the Pokerstars Festival Marbella hosts elite card players over four days each year.

Marbella is just an hour’s drive from the gorgeous ancient mountain village of Ronda, home to one of the oldest bullfighting rings in the world. Famed for its beautiful bridge, this is Hemingway’s favourite city in Spain. It is also renowned for its red wines, attracting oenophiles to stay at the ‘Finca Hotels’ where they can enjoy tasting the sweet Malaga grape and olives. By combining three days in Marbella with a night or two in Ronda and another three in Seville, one can visit many different places. And within two-and-a-half hours, one can even be skiing in the Sierra Nevada in Granada or riding on a camel in the Moroccan desert.

A visit to Marbella offers everything from beaches to history, grand gastronomy, culture and shopping opportunities in one of the most exclusive locations in southern Spain. The beauty of Andalusia is waiting to be discovered and will leave you with memories long after the suitcase has been unpacked.