Spaans in Marbella

Why Marbella?

Video on Marbella

Marbella & Interesting facts

The origins of Marbella reach back to Roman times. The Romans left many traces such as the archaeological excavations of the Rìo Verde settlement, which is about 5 km from today’s city centre and was built during the 1st and 2nd century AD, or the Roman baths from Guadalmina. Roman buildings also make up the bottom parts of the towers and walls of the former Moorish castle that can still be seen today.

The Moors controlled the town since 771 AD and gave it the name Marbilha. During the following centuries the Moorish dynasties changed several times and until the conquest of the area in 1485 in relation with the Spanish Reconquista, Marbella and surrounding areas were under the rule of the Moorish Kingdom of Granada.

During the 19th century mining was very important for Marbella because the iron ore mined in the mountains of the Sierra Blanca was processed here.

At the beginning of the 1950s, when Alfonso von Hohenlohe bought extensive estates in order to further merchandise the area, the big change from an industrial to a holiday and tourist town in the 20th century had began.

As early as 1954, the Marbella-Club Hotel opened its doors in the then village of Marbella. During the tourism boom in the 1960s the number of inhabitants of Marbella increased enormously: between 1950 and 2001 by 897%. At the end of the year 2008 Marbella had 134,623 inhabitants and during the summer months the population number increases every year by up to 30%.

With the inauguration of Marbella’s most famous Puerto Banús marina in 1970, the city started to become a meeting point for the ‘Rich and Famous’ and the Jet-Set. Until today the port is the centre of the nightlife with exquisite restaurants, bars and upmarket shops. Here you can admire 50m long yachts together with Ferraris and Jaguars.

During the 1990s Marbella’s glamour began to disappear behind political turbulences and local politicians suspected of corruption.

Marbella & Culture and places of interest

Two of Marbella’s outstanding main characteristics are its 25 km long beach coast and its extensive offers for tourists:
Strolling along the Paseo Maritimo, the 6 km long beach promenade is one of the most popular leisure activities with both tourists and locals.
There are untouched nature reserves, like the dunes of Cabopino.
Out of 26 beaches 5 have been awarded with the Blue Flag, an eco-label for beaches with high environmental standards.
The city offers innumerable excellent and top-modern sports facilities:
21 golf courses, the biggest concentration of golf courses in the whole of Spain (or maybe even in Europe?), with Greens over viewing the sea or the possibility to play at night
4 harbours (for water sports)
many tennis clubs
horse riding clubs and schools
gyms and leisure centres
and a vast offer of outdoor sports and activities in the Sierra Blanca

It is quite amazing that the historical part of the city has been protected in spite of the building boom and all modernisation efforts. It is nestled along a bay, the houses are built in traditional Andalusian style and whitewashed and the streets are lined with Orange trees.
Worth a visit are the remains of the Arabic castle, the towers and the city walls, which were built during the 9th and 10th century on the Roman buildings using them also as building material.
At the entrance to the town San Pedro de Alcántara (Urbanisation Guadalmina) one can visit the Roman baths dating from the 2nd to the 3rd century AD.
The palaeochristian, Visigothic basilica of Vega del Mar, dating from the 4th or 5th century is also near San Pedro de Alcántara in the Urbanisation Linda Vista.
Many tourists also go to the world-famous marina Puerto Banús to see the yachts or luxurious cars, or with the hope to meet a celebrity, or just to enjoy the glamorous nightlife.

Furthermore, worth a visit are the Bonsai Museum (with a unique collection of wild olive trees), the Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo – Museum for Contemporary Spanish Art of Engraving (constructed on three former Arabic houses it exhibits engravings from Antonio López, Picasso, Dalí, Tàpies, Clavé, Barceló and many others), or the Museum Cortijo de Miraflores with changing exhibitions.

Semana Santa or Holy week: in Marbella this typical Andalusian festivity is mixed with the traditions of its foreign inhabitants. There are processions of the 9 brotherhoods through the city and nearby districts with especially beautiful ones on Palm Sunday in front of the setting of the historic Moorish castle.
First part of June: Marbella’s most important festival is the Feria San Bernabé, a folk festival to honour the patron of the city, which is celebrated in typical Andalusian environment and atmosphere with many concerts and bull fighting. In the historic part of the city, the festival is taking place during the day (‘Feria de día’) and during the night it is continued on the fairground Arroyo Primero outside of the city (‘Feria de noche’).
16th July: Virgen del Carmen, Day of the patron saint of the fishermen
October: Feria to honour the patron saint of San Pedro de Alcántara
1st November: Día del Tostón, on this day it is a tradition in many mountain villages and towns to drive together to the fields and countryside and to roast chestnuts.

Marbella & How to get there and public transport

Marbella & Surrounding areas

Marbella – Learning Spanish with sun, beaches, sport and innumerable other activities!

Marbella: all this and much more!