Best Things To Do in Marbella

If you think of a beach town in Spain that is pleasant, beautiful and very safe, then Marbella will always be the first choice in the minds of tourists. This town on the Costa del Sol, located in the south of Andalusia, has become the main reference point for beach tourism in the whole country.

This is thanks to the beauty of the 27 km of white sandy beaches that make it an ideal destination for those looking to enjoy the favourable weather conditions that define this Andalusian region all year round.

So in this publication I have grouped together some of the best things to do in Marbella all year round. This so that you have a more complete and balanced idea of the kind of activities you could enjoy if you happen to travel to this tourist destination in the near future.

Marbella is quite an interesting destination due to the fact that it is a city that was founded during the Islamic occupation of the peninsula, but since its withdrawal it has become a community with strong ties to the Hispanic world. All this is reflected in the architecture of its historic centre and the truth is that this is a place that deserves to be visited and enjoyed during your stay in the city. It has real treasures such as the Plaza de Los Naranjos or the famous Calle Ancha.

From this section of the city I can highlight several sites such as the Plaza de los Olivos, the Marbella municipal market, the Marbella Castle which is actually the ruins of an ancient Islamic building that later became a Catholic fort, or also the remains that delimit the whole area, known as the urban wall of Marbella. Keep in mind that this is an area characterised by cobbled streets and patterns of Andalusian architecture with its wooden balconies and picturesque white walls.

The church of Nuestra Señora de Encarnación is also quite an interesting place to visit as it is a Catholic church that was once a mosque. The chapel of San Juan de Dios is another of the city's picturesque religious buildings. The surroundings of the historic centre of Marbella are also worth a visit, as the Alameda Park with its tropical vegetation and the well-known Avenida del Mar with its open-air museum of several sculptures by Salvador Dalí are iconic places of the city. Both are less than 200 m from the historic centre.

I would highlight the fact that the whole area can be toured on your own if you wish, but it is also advisable to go for the best Marbella tours. Knowing that you can tour the area in a more entertaining and interesting way with the accompaniment of a guide specialised in its history who will tell you about the importance of each of the places and corners that you will see along your walk.

Along the Costa del Sol, between the urbanisation of Puerto Banús and the marina of Marbella, stretches one of the most important avenues in the whole region. This is the promenade and is basically a pedestrian boulevard that runs along a section of about 7 km. That means that it passes through most of the region's beaches and allows visitors to enjoy a complete perspective of what the neighbourhoods closest to the beautiful sand that characterises these Andalusian communities look like.

There are plenty of ways to cycle along this public space and many people opt for a simple walk where you would have the chance to stop and enjoy some of the shops, bars and restaurants that line the promenade and which cater for all budgets and all types of interests. However, a bike ride is also an excellent way to appreciate the beauty of Marbella's promenade, as it reduces the time it takes to get from one end to the other and then back to the starting point.

By cycling or even walking along this area you can enjoy important landmarks for the Marbella community such as the town's lighthouse, the marina itself and the famous Puente Romano hotel. You can even appreciate the views on a clear day over the Strait of Gibraltar and the coast of Africa in a much more distant plane.

Bear in mind that walking along the promenade can take around three hours depending on whether or not you decide to stop at one of the shops along the route. That's why a bike ride is the best alternative when you have a relatively short trip such as those three-day visits to Marbella in which every minute counts in order to enjoy the city to the fullest.

The beaches of Marbella are undoubtedly one of the great tourist attractions of the city. Few places in the world have such a long stretch of white sandy coastline surrounded by so many luxury developments as here. At the same time, the characteristics of the waves are another of the great distinguishing features of the experience of visiting the beaches of Marbella. For most of the year this is an area of Andalucía where there are practically no waves at all and this makes it an ideal place for paddle surfing.

If you don't know what that is, you just have to understand that it consists of standing on an elongated surfboard and paddling as if you were in a kayak while standing upright. For this reason it is extremely necessary that it is done on a body of water without too much movement, just as it happens on the coast of Marbella.

There are hundreds of beaches where you can enjoy this activity without any inconvenience, but I can highlight particularly the Pinillo Beach, the Monteros Beach and the famous Playa Real de Zaragoza, all suitable for paddle surfing in the late afternoon. You also have the central beaches that are close to the promenade such as Playa del Faro or Playa de la Bajadilla.

In these last two options you will also have the opportunity to enjoy other maritime activities such as renting a jet ski to travel at top speed around the area or also enjoy a good meal in some of the restaurants that offer the service to the visitors of these resorts. Keep in mind that no matter how you decide to do it, visiting the beaches of the area will always be one of the best things to do in Marbella all year round.

On the other hand, if you want to enjoy the Costa del Sol in a more luxurious, safe and quiet way then you can opt for boat trips departing from the marina of Marbella or one of the nearby marinas such as Puerto Banus or the famous Estepona marina.

These types of boat tours ranging from sailing boats to catamarans to yachts are one of the best things to see or do in Marbella. Knowing that they offer you a direct perspective of the beauty of the region. You can also entertain yourself by enjoying a swim in the open sea or following the dolphin trails of this part of the Mediterranean.

Keep in mind that boat trips are offered in all types of modalities for all types of tourists with all types of budgets and schedules. There are some that take you all the way to Gibraltar or even offer a full day trip to the African coast, while there are others who just want to tour the surroundings in Marbella for about two or three hours. I can advise you to go for those that focus on giving you a sunset tour, as it is quite a beautiful experience all year round.

Marbella boat trips can be an activity for the whole family or there are also some itineraries that are focused on groups of two. There are some that include the accompaniment of alcoholic beverages such as sparkling wines along with dinners with locally produced ingredients typical of Andalusian gastronomy. So the choice of the type of tour is something that depends on your pocket and your interests, but keep in mind that it is one of the best activities to do in the city according to all the specialists in tourism in Marbella.

Marbella is a destination that is also known internationally for the quality of its nightlife and for the luxurious approach that is maintained in some of its areas to everything to do with parties, bars and nightclubs. With this in mind, it is imperative that you take advantage of your visit to the city to enjoy a good party in the best Costa del Sol style. There are different places along this area to organise a memorable night out and without a doubt the Avenida del Mar is the best option if you don't want to leave the central section of Marbella.

This is due to the fact that at both ends of this famous boulevard there are restaurants or bars where you can have a drink such as La Notte. Then you can go to some of the famous nightclubs that are also in this area such as Key Boite or Funky Buddha.

On the other hand, if you don't mind going out of the historic centre of Marbella, then you can opt for other types of restaurants or bars and clubs such as Nikki Beach. This is a legendary beach bar located a couple of kilometres west of the centre of Marbella that tends to extend its evenings until the early hours of the morning. This is so that visitors can enjoy themselves to the fullest is a beach party experience during the more touristy times of the year.

If I keep talking about places to enjoy and make plans in Marbella at night then Puerto Banús and specifically Calle Ribera can't be left out. This is a very famous section of Marbella that has several bars and restaurants oriented towards luxury tourism, being located right in front of the marina of this exclusive community.

In fact, Puerto Banús is a must-see destination within the Marbella area no matter how little time you have to visit the most famous beach town in all of southern Spain. Keep in mind that this is an urbanisation that was created with the aim of attracting the wealthiest and most affluent tourists from all over Europe. Indeed, today it is a destination that represents the luxury and exclusivity that many people associate with Marbella.

The Calle Ribera, which during the evenings is the epicentre of the party in this urbanisation, has several luxury shops such as Louis Vuitton Hermes and is therefore an important shopping destination in the city. The Duque beach, the Ocean club of Marbella, the beach of Nueva Andalucia and the Avenida de Lola Flores next to Avenida de Jose Banus are just some of the places you should visit when in this beautiful area of the Costa del Sol.

El Mirador del Muelle de Honor is another place worth visiting and the Centro Comercial Costa Marbella can be an entertaining place for you if you are looking to do some shopping for luxury goods at a price a little more favourable than what you get in the boutiques. I would highlight the fact that Puerto Banús is such an important place for the region that it really is a place not to be missed even if we are talking about a one day trip to Marbella where you will only be staying one night in Costa del Sol accommodation.

Marbella is a destination that also has a lot to offer when it comes to good gastronomy and a culinary identity that is interesting enough to keep all tourists entertained. That's why opting for a guided or self-guided gastronomic tour is one of the best things to do in the city all year round.

This especially applies to things to do in the winter in Marbella, as it is a time when the most famous restaurants in the city or also the more unknown ones will be a little emptier than during the summer. This is due to the high tourist influx that defines that season.

Something you can't miss when in Marbella is an Andalusian paella that differs a little from the typical Valencian paella by the incorporation of seafood as the main ingredients. My recommendation is to go for all the establishments that are in the historic centre, as they are the ones that stay away from the exorbitant prices of the most famous establishments in the city. At the same time they are the ones that offer the most interesting gastronomic proposals when it comes to Andalusian food.

El Patio de Mariscal on Calle Virgen de los Dolores is a very recommendable one along with the restaurant El Cortijo located on Calle Remedios. Spanish tapas is something you should also try if you are looking to explore Marbella's gastronomic identity. In the event that you decide to do so, I would especially urge you to try all things that include olives grown in the region of Andalusia as well as all the Iberian ham sandwiches in these types of bars and taverns.

Marbella's surroundings are so touristy and beautiful that a trip to them is definitely a must when visiting the city for long enough so that it doesn't disrupt your travel logistics.

Ronda, which is a town located on the top of a mountain in the Sierra Blanca is one of the most important destinations for such excursions. It is a very old community with a bullring more than 250 years old and a famous stone bridge that crosses the abyss of a gorge known locally as El Tajo.

El Caminito del Rey with its hiking route that also crosses a mountainous terrain with its own gorges and suspension bridges is another of the most important destinations of the day trips that leave from Marbella. The town of Estepona located about 30 km from Marbella is also another popular destination for day trips from Marbella that aim to allow participants to explore all the tourist facets of the Costa del Sol.

During a trip to the Costa del Sol it is also important to know what are the best things to do in Marbella with children and interestingly this is a city with a lot of urban parks. These present themselves as the perfect entertainment for a family who is looking for their children to run free for a few hours of the day and then focus on touring the tourist attractions of the city.

I can highlight with special emphasis the Parque de la Constitución for the fact that it is the largest of the whole city and for the fact that it is quite close to the beaches that could also entertain the whole family for the rest of the day. In addition to this is the well known Parque de la Represa which year after year is named as the best public space on the Costa del Sol.

This second site is characterised by a duck pond and a bonsai museum. There are also several paths for your children to run and play on. There is even a rhythmic gymnastics centre within the park where local people participate in sports entertainment activities.

Marbella, like so many Spanish Mediterranean destinations, is characterised by several street markets that are open during the weekends or every day during the tourist season. This is so that local artisans can sell their products to the hundreds of thousands of tourists who come to these communities to enjoy their beaches and architectural beauty.

This means that craft markets are set up all over the city and in the surrounding areas. However, one of the most famous is the one in Nueva Andalucía and it is set up every Saturday of the year from eight in the morning until approximately three in the afternoon. The handicraft market in Puerto Banús is also a good alternative although a little more expensive and a little more luxurious and is located just off the Plaza Antonio Banderas.

On the Golden Mile there is also another flea market which is very successful during the warmer months of the year and is therefore one of the best things to do in Marbella during the summer. It's known locally as the "Mercadillo del Patio" or the "Golden Mile Market". If these options are not enough for you then you should know that there is an ecological flea market held every month on the third Saturday in the community of La Campana, approximately 10 km away in the historic centre of Marbella.