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Marbella is probably the most famous area of the Costa del Sol. It has always been renowned as a magnet to the rich and famous from around the World, although nowadays it is popular as a holiday destination and permanent home for people of all walks of life, from all different countries.
Marbella has expanded and is now a large area consisting of a number of smaller towns and resorts. Marbella itself starts at San Pedro (a quaint Spanish town) to Cabopino (a popular holiday destination).
Marbella town centre is a cosmopolitan shopping paradise with lots of high street names and boutiques to satisfy the needs of most shoppers. There is also a large scattering of bars, restaurants and cafés providing most types of international and Spanish cusine. You can choose from small bodegas which have great selections of local wines and tapas to upmarket hotels and fine restaurants offering things like fresh lobster and champagne. If you want to see the traditional Marbella then a must see is the old town or Casco Antiguo as it is known locally. At the heart of the old town, once you have wound your way up through the maze of narrow cobbled streets lined with traditional Andalucian houses and boutiques, you will find Plaza de los Naranjos or to non Spanish speakers Orange Square. Here you will be surrounded by restaurants, bars and even the odd club. Every new years eve both locals and foreigners flock to the square to see in the New Year.
Heading away from the sea Marbella rises up in to the mountains, the most famous of which is La Concha. There are now many luxury developments in this area such as Sierra Blanca and the views from this area can only be described as breathtaking.
As you exit the centre of Marbella heading West you will enter the golden mile, an area that is home to a host of famous people and royalty from around the World. Along this stretch of Marbella as well as finding many fine restaurants, you will see some of the best hotels of the area like the Marbella Club and the Puente Romano.
At the end of the Marbella golden mile you will arrive at the World famous Puerto Banus. The port is named after its founder José Banus who transformed a sleepy fishing port in to a playground to the rich and famous. As you might expect there are hundreds of shops and boutiques including some of the top fashion houses such as Dolce & Gabana, Armani, Dior and Louis Vuitton. There are many restaurants on the frontline of the port which, are ideal spots to sit and just watch the luxury yachts moored around the port and people watch.
The other areas of Marbella are now becoming very popular with tourists and property buyers. These include places like San Pedro, Nueva Andalucia, Los Monteros, Elviria, Calahonda and Cabopino. | 
