The back story
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The back story
Moorish walls and orange trees: old Marbella, the back story
Phoenicians, Romans and Moors all left their mark; the Catholic Monarchs took the walled town in 1485 and laid out its famous square.
Neighbourhood guide · the Casco Antiguo
Marbella Old Town: Our Favourites
The historic heart of Marbella: Plaza de los Naranjos, the Moorish walls, whitewashed lanes, tapas bars, a two-MICHELIN-star table and hotels within walking distance of the sea.
What's onThis week in Marbella
What to see
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The heart of Marbella
Old Town & Plaza de los Naranjos
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
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Moorish Marbella
The castle and Moorish 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
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The main church of the Old Town
Church of the Encarnación
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
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Spanish printmaking
Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo
A museum of contemporary Spanish printmaking in a historic building in the Old Town, with works by artists such as Picasso, Miró and Dalí.
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Tiled benches and Dalí bronzes
Alameda Park & Avenida del Mar
A shady park with tiled benches and a fountain, leading down to the Avenida del Mar and its bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí.
Where to eat
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Two MICHELIN stars
Skina
A tiny, intimate dining room in the lanes of the Old Town, holding two MICHELIN stars for its modern Andalusian tasting menus.
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A garden bistro in the Old Town
Casanis Bistrot
A Mediterranean bistro with French and Belgian influences on Calle Ancha in the Old Town.
Calle Ancha 8Explore View on map
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A classic Old Town tapas bar
El Estrecho
A narrow, traditional tapas bar on Calle San Lázaro in the Old Town.
Calle de San Lázaro 12Explore View on map
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Chef Fernando Alcalá
KAVA
Chef Fernando Alcalá’s contemporary restaurant near the seafront in central Marbella.
Avenida Antonio Belón 4Explore View on map
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Plaza Altamirano
Zozoï
A restaurant with a lovely outdoor terrace on Plaza Altamirano, one of the prettiest little squares in the Old Town.
Plaza Altamirano, MarbellaExplore View on map
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Since 1978
El Balcón de la Virgen
An Old Town restaurant on Calle Remedios, serving Andalusian dishes and continental cooking since 1978.
Calle Remedios 2, MarbellaExplore View on map
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Since 1985
Bar Altamirano
A family-run fish and seafood bar on Plaza Altamirano, cooking from the grandmother’s recipes since 1985.
Plaza Altamirano 3, MarbellaExplore View on map
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Since 1941
Churrería Ramón
Marbella’s first churros shop, founded in 1941, on Plaza de los Naranjos.
Plaza de los Naranjos 8, MarbellaExplore View on map
Where to drink
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Pintxos on the go
La Taberna del Pintxo
A busy pintxos bar near the seafront, where the small plates come round on trays.
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Since 1996
Taberna Gaspar
A popular tapas tavern near the Old Town, serving since 1996; booking is recommended.
Calle Notario Luis Oliver 19, MarbellaExplore View on map
Shopping
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Boutiques in the lanes
Old Town shops
Small boutiques, ceramics, leather and gift shops in the whitewashed lanes around Plaza de los Naranjos.
Where to stay
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A townhouse in the Old Town
La Villa Marbella
A small boutique hotel in a 19th-century townhouse in the Old Town, three minutes from Plaza de los Naranjos.
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Central, on the beach
Hotel El Fuerte
A classic hotel on the beach right in the centre, next to the Paseo Marítimo and a short walk from the Old Town.
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Boutique Old Town
Hotel Claude Marbella
A small boutique hotel in a historic house in the Old Town, a short walk from Plaza de los Naranjos.
Share your Old Town tips
Been there? Share your experience and tips with other visitors.
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