Marbella has many faces, and each offers a different experience. It’s not just about luxury or tourism; it’s about unique environments, different landscapes, types of food and lifestyles. If you’re in the area (or thinking of coming), this guide will help you understand what to expect in three key areas: Marbella Pueblo, Puerto Banús and San Pedro de Alcántara.
Marbella Pueblo: tradition, narrow streets and Andalusian flavour
Atmosphere: quiet, charming, with the soul of a white village.
Landscape: narrow streets, whitewashed façades, courtyards with flowers, small squares under orange trees.
In Marbella Pueblo everything is more intimate and authentic. Here you can feel the Marbella of old, with its cobbled alleys, its smell of jasmine and its bars where you can enjoy a good cold beer. Ideal for wandering around aimlessly, discovering unexpected corners and eating like a local.
Type of people: a mix of locals, quiet tourists, couples, travellers with a cultural interest.
Food: classic tapas, Andalusian portions, local wine. Here you come to eat aubergines with honey, pescaíto frito (fried fish), ensaladilla and to chat without haste.
The perfect plan: wander through the streets of the old town, have a coffee in the Plaza de los Naranjos and dine on a hidden terrace with lanterns.
Puerto Banús. Luxury and international rhythm
Atmosphere: sophisticated, lively, cosmopolitan.
Scenery: harbour full of yachts, roaring sports cars, palm trees, luxury shops and picture-postcard beach clubs.
Banús is Marbella at its most glamorous and over-the-top. Here everything sparkles: the clothes, the watches, the cocktails and the Instagram stories. It’s a place to see and be seen, surrounded by beautiful people, music and exclusive brands.
Type of people: influencers, jet-setters, international tourists (mainly British, Arab and Scandinavian), groups of friends looking to party.
Food: fusion cuisine, sushi, champagne brunches, gourmet burgers, lots of English menu. On every corner there is a restaurant overlooking the harbour or a terrace with DJs.
Perfect plan: afternoon stroll along the quayside, dinner on a rooftop overlooking the sea and drinks at a beach club until dawn.
🌴 San Pedro de Alcántara. Local essence, quiet beach and real life.
Atmosphere: relaxed, familiar, authentic.
Landscape: landscaped areas, a very wide and open promenade, clean and uncrowded beach, wide and more modern streets.
San Pedro is the perfect counterpoint to Banús. Here there is no posturing, there is life. This is the place where the people of Marbella stroll, where children play in the sand and where the beach bars still serve espetos with their feet in the sand.
Type of people: local families, foreign residents (many Scandinavians and French), retired people, quiet tourists.
Food: very product-focused. Rice dishes, fresh fish, salads, traditional beach bars and cafés with homemade pastries.
Perfect plan: long breakfast on the promenade, bike ride by the sea, afternoon on the beach and dinner with the sound of the waves in the background.