Marbella

Marbella sits under La Concha, the mountain you see from everywhere. The municipality is long and each part feels different. This page covers the town and the east side. The western parts have their own pages: Puerto Banús and San Pedro de Alcántara and Nueva Andalucía.

Neighbourhoods

• The old town (Casco Antiguo). A knot of narrow white streets around the Plaza de los Naranjos, full of restaurants and small shops. Pretty and busy with visitors; homes are older and parking is hard.
• Marbella centre. The ordinary Spanish town around the old town: markets, offices, schools, a seafront promenade and a small marina. You can live here on foot, which suits people who want town life. There are also small parks that locals know and rarely mention, so that they stay quiet.
• The Golden Mile. The stretch between the town and Puerto Banús, known for large villas, long-established beach hotels and a seafront path. It is among the most expensive addresses on the coast. The Puente Romano resort here has some of the most expensive restaurants on the coast and is a typical place to take visitors. The invitation-only EGR Power 50 Summit has been held there in recent years, most recently in April 2026.
• Sierra Blanca. A hillside area of large villas above the Golden Mile. It is among the most expensive residential areas in Spain and is home to well-known names.
• Elviria and Las Chapas. East of the town, quieter and greener, with pine trees, dunes and long beaches. Popular with families; you need a car.
• Calahonda. Sitio de Calahonda belongs to the municipality of Mijas, but it sits right at Marbella’s eastern edge and many people think of it as part of Marbella East. It is a large hillside residential area with its own shops and a big international community.

For work

Marbella is the traditional home of gaming on the coast. Companies with offices here include GiG and Valsea; see the company directory. Many independent consultants and remote workers in the industry also live in the area.

Getting around

• No train reaches Marbella. You need a car, or the bus to Málaga and the airport.
• The A-7 coast road is free and busy. The AP-7 toll motorway is faster at rush hour.
• From Elviria or Calahonda, both Marbella and Fuengirola are a short drive outside rush hour.

Who it suits

People who work in a Marbella office, families looking at the international schools in the area, which include the Swedish school (Svenska Skolan Marbella) and the British International School of Marbella, and anyone who wants beach clubs, padel and golf close by.

Keep in mind

Marbella is one of the more expensive parts of the coast, and traffic on the A-7 is heavy in summer. Choose your neighbourhood with your daily drive in mind.