The place
Marbella stretches 27 kilometres along the Mediterranean, warmed by more than 320 days of sun a year. It is a city of contradictions in the best sense, Roman ruins a short walk from superyachts, whitewashed lanes a few minutes from designer boulevards. Today it is home to residents from over 155 nationalities, with more than a third of the population arriving from abroad.
01
Casco Antiguo
Built inside walls that once held off Berber pirates, the old town keeps a 16th-century layout of narrow streets designed to break the wind and trap the shade. Orange trees still line Plaza de los Naranjos, their fruit too bitter for eating but perfect for the city's annual marmalade tradition. Renaissance churches, family bodegas and a 17th-century town hall share the same cobblestones, and on summer evenings the entire quarter becomes an open-air dining room as locals pull tables onto the streets.
02
A district for every mood
West of the centre, the Golden Mile delivers five-star resorts and beach clubs along a single four-kilometre boulevard. Inland, Sierra Blanca and Cascada de Camoján offer hillside privacy. East, Los Monteros, Las Chapas and Elviria open onto wide sandy beaches and the protected Artola dunes. Most residents end up belonging to two or three of these neighbourhoods at once.
03
Schools, healthcare and golf
International education runs deep here, with the British International School of Marbella, EIC, Aloha College, Colegio San José and Swans all within the municipality. Healthcare is among the best on the coast, anchored by Quirónsalud Marbella, HC Marbella International Hospital and the public Hospital Costa del Sol just west in Marbella, San Pedro. Golfers have more than fifteen courses inside the municipality, including Río Real, Santa Clara, Marbella Golf and Santa Clara Golf Marbella.
At a glance
40 min
To Málaga airport
8 min
To Puerto Banús
320+
Days of sun / year
27 km
Coastline
Eat & drink
Where Marbella eats
From Michelin-starred tasting menus to whitewashed tapas bars and chiringuitos grilling sardines on the sand.
Fine dining
Skina
Andalusian · 2 Michelin stars
Twelve covers hidden in a corner of the Old Town, tasting menu only and one of the most coveted reservations in Spain.
Smoked Room (Dani García)
Modern Spanish · 2 Michelin stars
Dani García's intimate omakase-style counter at Puente Romano, built around live fire and aged fish.
Leña Marbella
Steakhouse · Dani García
Open-fire steakhouse at Puente Romano, the more theatrical sibling of Smoked Room.
Brasserie Astoria
Brasserie · Nordic-French
Frantzén Group's Marbella brasserie in Nueva Andalucía - à la carte classics, weekend brunch and cocktail bars indoors and out with a Nordic focus and Asian influences.
El Lago
Modern Andalusian · 1 Michelin star
Lakeside terrace at Greenlife Golf in Elviria, a long-standing local favourite for special occasions.
Nobu Marbella
Japanese-Peruvian
The Marbella outpost of the global Nobu, set inside the Puente Romano resort.
Local tapas
Casa Eladio
Traditional tapas
Old-school tapas bar tucked behind Plaza de los Naranjos, where locals go for grilled prawns and a caña at the bar.
Taberna Casa Curro
Andalusian tapas
Hams hanging from the ceiling and tiled walls, the kind of unchanged neighbourhood spot the Old Town is built on.
El Estrecho
Classic Marbella tapas
Running since 1954, a narrow Old Town institution famous for boquerones, croquetas and a packed lunchtime counter.
Bar Altamirano
Seafood tapas
Plaza Altamirano square, simple plastic chairs under orange trees and some of the best fried fish in the city.
Bodega La Venencia
Sherry & tapas
Tiny bodega on Calle Álamos pouring manzanilla from the barrel alongside Iberian hams and aged cheeses.
Beach club
Trocadero Arena
Beachfront Mediterranean
Classic Golden Mile beach club, sun loungers by day and white tablecloths under the pines by night.
Nikki Beach Marbella
International · day club
The original Nikki Beach, daybeds, champagne lunches and DJ sets through to sunset in Elviria.
Puente Romano Beach Club
Mediterranean
Resort beach club on the Golden Mile, fresh seafood, paellas and a long lunch culture that runs into the evening.
Bono Beach
Modern Mediterranean
Polished beach club between Marbella and Puerto Banús with a strong kitchen and a calm, grown-up crowd.
Chiringuito El Ancla
Traditional chiringuito
No-frills beach shack on Playa de la Fontanilla grilling sardines on espetos the way Málaga has done for a century.
Golf
Courses around Marbella
Real Club de Golf Las Brisas
1968 Robert Trent Jones design in Nueva Andalucía, host to the Spanish Open.
Los Naranjos Golf Club
Another Trent Jones classic in the Golf Valley, surrounded by orange groves.
Aloha Golf Club
Javier Arana design, considered one of the most elegant courses on the coast.
Río Real Golf
Javier Arana parkland course running down to the sea east of Marbella centre.
Marbella Golf Country Club
Robert Trent Jones Sr. design with sweeping sea and mountain views.
Santa Clara Golf Marbella
Enrique Canales parkland course east of Marbella with wide fairways and panoramic sea views.
Beaches
The coast at Marbella
Playa de la Fontanilla
The main town beach, blue-flagged, with the Paseo Marítimo running its full length.
Playa de Nagüeles (Golden Mile)
Home to Trocadero Arena and the beach clubs of Marbella Club and Puente Romano.
Playa de Cabopino & Artola Dunes
Protected dune system east of Marbella, the wildest stretch of coast in the municipality.
Playa del Alicate (Las Chapas)
Long, wide sandy beach lined with chiringuitos, popular with families.
International schools
For families
British International School of Marbella
British curriculum (EYFS to A-Levels), San Pedro de Alcántara.
Aloha College Marbella
British curriculum and IB, Nueva Andalucía.
Swans International School
British and IB, two campuses on the Golden Mile and Sierra Blanca.
EIC Marbella (English International College)
British curriculum to A-Levels, Elviria.
Colegio San José
Bilingual Spanish-English, Estepona, long established and popular with relocating families.
Getting around
40 min
Málaga Airport (AGP)
55 min
Gibraltar Airport (GIB)
45 min
Málaga city centre
8 min
Puerto Banús
25 min
Estepona
1 h 10 min
Ronda
FAQ
Living in Marbella
Is Marbella a good place to live year-round?
Yes. With more than 320 days of sun a year, mild winters averaging 16–18°C and a large, settled international community, Marbella is one of the few places on the Costa del Sol that stays fully open and lived-in through the winter months.
Which area of Marbella is best for families?
Nueva Andalucía, Sierra Blanca and the eastern suburbs of Elviria and Las Chapas are the most popular with families, thanks to their proximity to international schools, quieter residential streets and easy beach access.
How much does property cost in Marbella?
Apartments typically start from around €450,000, while villas range from roughly €1.5M in the eastern suburbs to €15M+ on the Golden Mile and in Sierra Blanca. The municipal average sits above €5,000 per square metre and has risen consistently over the past five years.
How far is Marbella from Málaga airport?
Málaga–Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) is around 40 minutes by car via the AP-7 toll road or 50 minutes on the free A-7. Gibraltar Airport is roughly 55 minutes west.
Do you need to speak Spanish to live in Marbella?
No. With residents from more than 155 nationalities, English is widely spoken across schools, healthcare, restaurants and professional services. Learning Spanish enriches daily life but is rarely a barrier to settling in.
For sale here
A taste of Marbella
A spread of homes currently on the market in Marbella, across price points.
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