Marbella

Many words are used to describe the town of Marbella - some that sum it up well are clean, secure, beautiful, atmospheric and cosmopolitan. However, Marbella still remains quintessentially Spanish.

It is an old town with narrow streets and beautiful parks, tree lined avenues, fountains and plants. However, it is also has an efficient and modern infrastructure, excellent transport and communications and a thriving business community.

Accommodation is of the highest quality - whether it be the million pound properties along the delightful Paseo Maritimo , or the five-star hotels along the famous Golden Mile.

The Old Town

The Phoenicians, who installed their trading posts and settlements all along the southern Spanish coast, founded Marbella town over 3600 years ago. In the third century BC the Romans came and settled, giving Marbella its first name. They called it Salduba.

Salduba was much more a trading post and agricultural settlement than a fishing village due to its strategic situation on the Augustus Highway (an important Roman route). There is reason to believe that Ricardo Soriano Avenue and its extension Ramon and Cajal Street run along this historic route.

Roman ruins remains can still be found in both the Old Town and Marbella's monuments. By visiting the town wall, situated on the outskirts of the Old town, one finds signs of Roman presence. When the Moors later occupied Marbella they used all the cut stones they could find to build with. Proof of this can be seen, as there are Roman remains plainly visible in the wall's structure.

After Roman rule and a short Visigothic period, the Iberian peninsula was invaded in 711 by the Moors. They disembarked just along the coast from Marbella on the beaches of Tarifa.

Muslim occupation, which lasted until the year 1485 (774 years) was the birth of Marbella's Old Town as it stands today. Its present name comes from that time. The Moors called it Marbilha.

Moorish presence is plainly visible in Marbella's fortress wall. This is popularly known as "The Castle". Within these walls, Marbella was first formed. It didn't take long before village spread beyond the walls into a labyrinth of narrow streets that today make up the Old part of the town.

The geographical limits of this Moorish "Medina" can be easily seen. Where they built there is an abundance of exceptionally narrow, winding streets. Typical of the way the Moors built at the time. These streets still offer refuge from the harshness of the summer sun and allow one to walk in the shade throughout the Old Town.

Restaurants

There is an enormous variety of restaurants which offer everything from international cuisine to typical local dishes of the area. The wide variety and types of food available is surpassed only by the wide variety of settings.

One can eat 'al fresco' in The Orange Square - in March the trees are covered in white blossom, which fills the air with a delightful fragrance, on covered terraces, tiny candlelit roof-top patios or terraces overlooking the sea.

The narrow streets of the Old Town are interspersed with bodegas, where the traditional "tapas" snacks are delicious.

One of the culinary traditions of the area are the "chiringuitos" that can be found along all the beaches. Here one can try the tasty "espeto de sardinas" - fresh sardines cooked on a wooden stake over a wood fire - the delicious Malagan fried fish - "fritura malagueña" - the nutritious Andalucian gazpacho, and of course, paella.

Also, the most demanding gourmets can enjoy in Marbella national and international cuisine (Lebanese, Italian, Russian, Indian, among others), which are offered by the quality restaurants and hotels, some of which have the best cooks in Europe.

Beaches

Within the municipality of Marbella there is some 27 kms of coastline, which is divided into 24 beaches. All are very clean and tidy and have the European blue flag for cleanliness. Most have showers and restaurants or refreshment cabins nearby.

Ranging from sand to pebbles, all beaches are fully accessible. The Spanish enjoy the beach life and at the weekends whole families will assemble their sunshades, chairs and picnic all day. In the summer months it is not unusual to see many people still on the beach at 9pm as the sun finally sets.

All manner of beach sports can be found along the coast and there are many beach clubs where comfortable sun-lounges can be hired for about £2.40 per day.