Getting around
Drive times
Parts of the strip are walkable along the promenade. For most trips you use a car. Times are typical, outside peak summer traffic.
| To | By car | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Marbella centre | ~5 min | [1] |
| Puerto Banús | 5–10 min | [1,2] |
| Golf Valley, Nueva Andalucía | 10–15 min | [2] |
| Hospital Quirónsalud Marbella | ~5 min | [2] |
| Málaga airport (AGP) | 35–55 min | Via the AP-7 [1,4,5] |
| Gibraltar airport | ~1 hr | [1,5] |
Character
Where modern Marbella began
The Golden Mile runs along the coast from the west of Marbella town to Puerto Banús [1,3]. The A-7 bounds it to the north and the sea to the south [3].
Its centre is the pair of resort hotels, Marbella Club and Puente Romano [2]. The Marbella Club was founded in the 1950s by Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe [3].
Prince Alfonso opened the Marbella Club in 1954 [6,8]. He built Puente Romano in 1974; it takes its name from a Roman bridge on the old Via Augusta, which still stands inside the resort [6,7].
Homes are mixed. On the beach side there are frontline villas and gated apartment estates such as Marina Puente Romano [2,5]. Above the road, hillside enclaves include Nagüeles, Sierra Blanca and Cascada de Camoján [2,5]. We cover the last two in their own guides.
Security depends on the estate. Some are gated with 24-hour guards; others are open streets [2]. Price per m² to confirm.
Agents split the area in three bands. From the beach to the coast road: the promenade, Puente Romano, Casablanca and La Carolina. Between the coast road and the motorway: gated estates such as Lomas de Marbella Club. Above the motorway: Nagüeles and the hillside enclaves [7].
Casablanca is the only beachfront villa community within walking distance of the town centre [8]. La Carolina is known for large Andalusian-style villas [7]. Nagüeles, higher up, has large gardens and a more rural feel [8].
Green & outdoors
Sea in front, mountain behind
La Concha and the Sierra Blanca rise directly behind the strip [5]. Gardens are mature, but the coast road is built up.
The seafront promenade runs the length of the strip. It suits walking, cycling and paddleboarding from the nearby beaches [3].
Nagüeles beach sits at the foot of the Sierra Blanca and is about 400 m wide on average [8]. Plot sizes on the strip vary a lot; typical range to confirm.
Golf
Golf a short drive away
There is no full course on the strip itself. The Golf Valley of Nueva Andalucía (Las Brisas, Aloha, Los Naranjos) is 10–15 minutes away [2].
Schools
International schools
There are no schools on the strip itself, but several are a few minutes away [3].
| School | By car | Curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| Swans International School (Sierra Blanca / El Capricho) | ~5 min to confirm | British; IGCSE and IB [4,5] |
| British International School of Marbella, Nagüeles | ~5 min to confirm | British [5] |
| Aloha College, Nueva Andalucía | ~10 min | British and IB [1] |
| Laude San Pedro International College | to confirm | British and Spanish [1,3] |
School-run times vary a lot along the strip [4].
Everyday life
Everything close, including the crowds
Hotel restaurants, beach clubs and the Puente Romano tennis club are on the strip itself [2,5]. Town and Banús cover the rest, each a few minutes away [1].
Puente Romano alone has many restaurants and bars, a spa and a well-known tennis club, where international tournaments have been held [5,7]. The main boulevard carries Prince Alfonso’s name.
It is the busiest of our guides in summer. Choose the side of the road and the estate with care.
For daily shopping, supermarkets and pharmacies are along the coast road and in town [8]. Hospital Quirónsalud is about five minutes away [2].