UltimateCity Guide Marbella
Our favourites
Plaza de los Naranjos and the town hall, Marbella

13 of the best · Marbella, Spain

The Best Things to See and Do in Marbella

Orange trees, Moorish walls, yachts and dunes: the essential Marbella.

Our 13 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated 2026-10-19

Insiders' picks

Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Marbella.

  1. The heart of Marbella

    Old Town & Plaza de los Naranjos

    Old Town·Historic quarter

    Whitewashed lanes, flower-filled balconies and the orange-tree square laid out after the Christian conquest of 1485.

    Plaza de los NaranjosExplore View on map

  2. Yachts, supercars and boutiques

    Puerto Banús

    Puerto Banús·Marina

    The glamorous marina built by José Banús and opened in 1970, lined with yachts, boutiques, bars and restaurants.

    Explore View on map

  3. Tiled benches and Dalí bronzes

    Alameda Park & Avenida del Mar

    Marbella centre·Park and sculpture avenue

    A shady park with tiled benches and a fountain, leading down to the Avenida del Mar and its bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí.

    Explore View on map

The full list: Sights, A–Z

Neighbourhood

The back story 3

Marbella: the back story.

  1. The back story

    Marbella in style: a luxury lifestyle guide, the back story

    Golden Mile·In depth: luxury Marbella

    Yachts, five-star beach hotels, beach clubs, golf and boutiques: how to enjoy luxury Marbella well.

    Explore View on map

  2. The back story

    Moorish walls and orange trees: old Marbella, the back story

    Old Town·In depth: history

    Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all left their mark; the Catholic Monarchs took the walled town in 1485 and laid out its famous square.

    Explore View on map

  3. The back story

    Princes, yachts and the jet set: how Marbella became Marbella, the back story

    Golden Mile·In depth: history

    A prince’s hotel in the 1950s and a port in 1970 turned a quiet fishing town into an international playground.

    Explore View on map

The icons 6

The unmissable Marbella.

  1. Tiled benches and Dalí bronzes

    Alameda Park & Avenida del Mar

    Marbella centre·Park and sculpture avenue

    A shady park with tiled benches and a fountain, leading down to the Avenida del Mar and its bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí.

    Explore View on map

  2. The main church of the Old Town

    Church of the Encarnación

    Old Town·Church

    The main church of the Old Town, with a richly carved stone doorway, on a small square near Plaza de los Naranjos.

    Plaza de la IglesiaExplore View on map

  3. The heart of Marbella

    Old Town & Plaza de los Naranjos

    Old Town·Historic quarter

    Whitewashed lanes, flower-filled balconies and the orange-tree square laid out after the Christian conquest of 1485.

    Plaza de los NaranjosExplore View on map

  4. The seafront walk

    Paseo Marítimo

    Marbella centre·Seafront promenade

    The seafront promenade that runs along the beaches through the centre of Marbella, for walking, running and cycling.

    Explore View on map

  5. Yachts, supercars and boutiques

    Puerto Banús

    Puerto Banús·Marina

    The glamorous marina built by José Banús and opened in 1970, lined with yachts, boutiques, bars and restaurants.

    Explore View on map

  6. Moorish Marbella

    The castle and Moorish walls

    Old Town·Historic walls

    Surviving stretches of the walls and towers of Marbella’s Moorish castle, on the edge of the Old Town.

    Calle TrinidadExplore View on map

Museums 2

Art in the Old Town.

  1. Spanish printmaking

    Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo

    Old Town·Museum·€

    A museum of contemporary Spanish printmaking in a historic building in the Old Town, with works by artists such as Picasso, Miró and Dalí.

    Explore View on map

  2. Latin American art

    Museo Ralli

    Golden Mile·Art museum

    A museum of Latin American and European surrealist and contemporary art on the coast road west of the centre.

    Explore View on map

Nature 2

Dunes and mountains.

  1. Dunes and a watchtower

    Artola dunes & Torre Ladrones

    Cabopino·Natural monument

    A protected dune system by the beach at Cabopino, east of Marbella, with the old Torre Ladrones watchtower.

    Explore View on map

  2. The mountain above Marbella

    La Concha & Sierra Blanca

    Sierra Blanca·Mountain

    The peak that rises behind Marbella, in the Sierra Blanca, a classic half-day hike with views across the coast to Africa on clear days.

    Explore View on map

Explore more of Marbella

44 of the best Restaurants16 of the best Beach Clubs & Nightlife17 of the best Hotels5 of the best Beaches & Parks6 of the best Shopping10 of the best Golf5 of the best Spas & Wellness2 of the best Luxury Cars4 of the best Health3 of the best Property6 of the best Getting Around

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