Marbella 101: urban beaches and roman ruins in the Costa del Sol
Monday, 18th Jun 2012by Richard Speigal, Editor
Marbella is considered to be the jewel in the crown of the Costa del Sol. It’s one of the 101 municipalities of the province of Malaga situated in the autonomous region of Andalusia on the south of the Iberian Peninsula.
Once a humble fishing village, Marbella began its transformation in the 1950s when it became the preferred getaway of German Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe-Langenburg. The Prince developed and sold land to wealthy friends, finally converting a house he had built into the Marbella Club, Marbella’s first luxury hotel. In its heyday, the Marbella Club welcomed a number of silver screen icons including Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn, Cary Grant and Sir Laurence Olivier. Over the years, the glitz has had to contend with the grime, as the Costa del Sol became known as the Costa del Crime – a hideaway for high profile British criminals, intent on living a lavish lifestyle out of police view.
But we want to introduce you to the modern Marbella; a Mediterranean sunspot replete with 27 kilometres of beaches, beach clubs and restaurants for the whole family. So here goes…
Marbella city beaches
If you’re planning on being centrally located on your visit to Marbella then your first port of call will be the city beaches. As Marbella has evolved from a tiny fishing hamlet to the sprawling tourism hub that it is today, the beaches and ports of the southern coastline have been steadily urbanised. Each of the beaches in Marbella is kept to a high standard by daily cleaning services and most have showers, public toilets, first aid stations and life-saving equipment. Full lifeguard patrols take place throughout the summer season.
Marbella is a Mediterranean sunspot replete with 27 kilometres of beaches
There are five main beaches at the heart of the city of Marbella: La Fontanilla, El Faro, La Venus, La Bajadilla and El Cable. As is to be expected, these beaches are some of the most densely populated throughout the summer months but that also means that they are well serviced with amenities and entertainment to make your visit all the more satisfying.
La Fontanilla offers 800m of dark sand flanked by a pedestrian promenade and ten beach restaurants with sun beds. La Venus beach offers similar facilities and water activities such as wind surfing; water-skiing and jet-skiing are a popular form of amusement on both beaches. Sandwiched between Fontanilla and Venus is El Faro, a smaller beach at the very centre of Marbella. It has two beach restaurants and offers free children’s’ games on the beach making it incredibly popular with young families.
The main beaches of Marbella are dotted with distinctive elephant showers
If you’re looking for a more authentic Marbella experience, perhaps stretch your legs a little and take a wander down to La Bajadilla and El Cable. Located on either side of the fishing harbour, La Bajadilla and El Cable are popular with the locals and it is here that you will find some of the cheapest seafood eateries in town. Hire a hammock at El Cable to really get into the holiday swing of things.
This stretch of coastline that runs alongside the city of Marbella is easily accessed by foot and car. Use the N-340 or the AP-7 toll road and follow the signs to the beaches. Arrive early to ensure a car parking spot near the beach of your choice as these can get very busy throughout the summer season.
Although these city beaches may not be to everybody’s taste, for sheer convenience and ease of access, you can’t beat them.
The Golden Mile
Lying to the west of the city of Marbella is the famous Golden Mile. The Golden Mile is actually around four miles long and runs all the way to Puerto Banus. Along this stretch are some of the most aspirational retailers, restaurants and homes, and the famous Marbella Club. It is here that you are most likely to bump into a celebrity or two.
Puerto Banus is famed for its rich marina but it also has 1000m of fine blonde sand
Starting at Puerto Banus, the beach is a 1000m stretch of fine blond sand typical of a Mediterranean idyll. The water at Puerto Banus is very shallow and warm and the beach is largely rock-free, making it perfect for small children to play safely while parents kick back on the plentiful sun loungers. It has many of the features expected of city beaches including access to water sports equipment and pedalos for those of a more genteel nature (note: we must advise against any Freddie Flintoff-inspired pedalo shenanigans).
For the more inquisitive, a trip to Rio Verde is a must. Not only does the beach provide a sumptuous golden sand beach, accessed by a footbridge over the river of the same name, but located nearby are the ruins of a roman villa from the first century. Although not much remains of the villa, the mosaics found there are unique; annotating the history of the villa and life in Roman times. The site is open to visitors on Fridays between 11am and 1pm although it is possible to see the ruins from a distance and it is well worth the visit.
The Golden Mile also plays host to one of Marbella’s best beaches, Nagueles Beach. Situated next to the Marbella Club, the 800m long golden beach is particularly popular with the young and the beautiful. Like many beaches in Marbella, Nagueles Beach is perfect for water sport activities including wind surfing, water-skiing and jet-skiing. In keeping with its aspirational surroundings, this area of Marbella is not cheap, with the eateries and beach bars all costing a pretty penny.
Eastern beaches
While the city centre and golden mile beaches are conveniently located and have excellent facilities to cope with the demands of tourists, it is the stretch of coastline to the east of the city that is considered to have some of the finest beaches of the Costa del Sol.
At Las Chapas, there is a 1000m stretch of beach which is one of the few in the Marbella area to have official camping and caravan facilities. To get to the beach take the Las Chapas exit off the N-340 highway. There is very little parking around the beach itself so it is advisable to leave your car in the nearby estates and make your way to the beach on foot.
Finally, Artola is perhaps the most beautiful beach in Marbella because it is the only one that is not backed by an urban landscape. Instead, it has a backdrop of fine, golden sand dunes of the Dunas de Artola, a protected area which prohibits construction. It is next to the pretty Cabopino marina and is Marbella’s only official nudist beach. To access the beach exit the motorway at the Cabopino junction. As the beach is situated in a protected area there is no official parking so it is best to park on the scrubland further inland and continue on foot to the beach.
Tags: beaches, celebs, costa del sol, kids, nudism
Related holiday pages: Costa del Sol, Marbella
About the author
Richard quit his job and founded España Breaks with wife and business partner Lisa back in 2002. The couple enjoyed a life in Spain for some years and brought back a passion for all things Spanish. They now run their company from Bath where they live with their very lively son Oscar. Richard remains madly enthusiastic for everything Spain, travel and web related.
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