Things to Do in Marbella Apart From the Beach

Marbella is glamour, it is luxury, it is listening to any language except Spanish in the streets, it is beach, it is heat, it is sun. We tell you things to do in Marbella, apart from the beach.

After a tour of Cadiz and Tarifa, it’s time to head to the Costa del Sol and take a look at the places to see in Marbella. Let’s discover them!

The best things to do in Marbella

📷 Check here for the Free Tour of Marbella and book your place.

1) Beaches of Marbella

We went to the beaches in the centre of the city, where between the narrowness of the place and the number of beach umbrellas of the beach bar on duty, there was no place to lie on the sand. We walked a little to one side and found a small place to lie down. Beaches very crowded in high season.

The water in Marbella was not as warm as we might have expected to find, but with the warm weather outside, it made up for it very well. The beaches have water games for rent and very good public facilities (showers, toilets, etc.).

📷 Do you want to see the city from the sea? Book the Marbella kayak tour. Includes waistcoats and equipment.

2) Things to do in Marbella, the historic centre

Leaving the beach from the centre along the Avenida del Mar, a pedestrian street that stretches from the sea to the Alameda Park, we come across sculptures by Dalí. The park is a small square with lots of painted tile benches that are crazy cute.

The historic centre of Marbella is small and easy to walk through in a short time. As soon as you walk into it, you will find the mythical Plaza de los Naranjos, with its traditional restaurants full of foreigners, the Town Hall building, and on one side, the small Ermita de Santiago.

A few metres from the Plaza de los Naranjos, we wandered into the less crowded 10th century castle quarter, walking through the narrow streets lined with little nooks and crannies selling clothes, jewellery and tapas bars.

As in many places in Andalusia, the walls and balconies are highlighted by pots with coloured flowers. In the historic centre, the white colour of the facades of the old houses and the narrow streets to walk along are really beautiful.

📷 Check here for this guided tour of Marbella with an English speaking guide and book your place.

3) Puerto Banús, one of the must-see attractions in Marbella

Puerto Banús is a marina for yachts, with a lot of luxury and where there is no shortage of large yachts parked in the front row and branded cars driving around to gloat. Obviously the place is full of foreigners who come for holidays, and take the opportunity to have a drink or a bite to eat in the expensive local establishments.

It’s good to get a sense of the glamour of Marbella and the surrounding area, although for my taste it’s already too ostentatious.

📷 Check here the Puerto Banús Bike Tour and book your place.

4) Sailing on the Costa del Sol

It’s great to get another perspective of the Costa del Sol, from the Mediterranean Sea. There are many boat services in the ports, they are hourly and usually not very crowded.

How to get to Marbella?

Marbella does not have an airport, the nearest is in the city of Malaga. From there there are many buses that connect the city with Marbella. You can also hire a car at the airport to get to the coastal town.

✈️ Search here for cheap flights to Malaga.

In the case of the train, the Cercanías line only goes as far as the town of Fuengirola, a few kilometres before Marbella.

Where to stay cheap in Marbella or on the Costa del Sol?

It is well known that Marbella is not an affordable city to stay in, although there is a wide range of accommodation to suit all budgets. The proximity to the historic centre or the beachfront are the best places to stay in Marbella.

Our recommendations for hotels in Marbella are:

• OYO Hostal Paco: economic option in the historic centre of Marbella. Simple but nicely decorated rooms. Excellent treatment from the owners.
• Marbella Beach House: in the immediate vicinity of the centre, is a large manor house with only five rooms, a large garden and an outdoor swimming pool.
• Apartamentos Princesa Playa: flats and studios on the seafront with rooftop swimming pool and magnificent sea views from the accommodation.

🏨 Do you want to look for other options? Find here the best hotels in Marbella.

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