The story of the famous town of Marbella

The beautiful town of Marbella is known all over the world today as being the home of celebrities, but how many know its' history?

Put on your walking shoes, and hit the streets of Marbella and you'll soon find yourself entranced. … and maybe lost. It's one of the pitfalls of historic towns and cities with labyrinthine narrow streets. Fortunately for you, we can't think of a better place to be lost in. For a start, there's always delicious food and drink on hand, and any of those impossibly narrow alleys will soon open up to elegant 'plazas' and lead you down to the glistening blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea.

Much if the early history of Marbella has been replaced by modern architecture however here and there you can still see glimpses of its' chequered past.

Puerto Banus marina

Puerto Banus marina

The early history of the town can be found in the Roman Barbesula, dated from the first century of our chronology. The archaeological remains of this period are located in the mouth of the Green River. Near San Pedro de Alcantara, and also belonging to the municipality, we find the remains of the Roman colony of Cilniana, one of the most interesting sites around the coast of Malaga, which some historians identify with the city of Salduba, mentioned by Pomponio Mela. Near the beach there are some Roman baths which have been named Las Bovedas (The Vaults)

Enjoy the waving palm trees

Enjoy the waving palm trees

Another important archaeological site located in San Pedro de Alcantara is the Early Christian Basilica of Vega del Mar, built in the third century and later used by the Visigoths as a necropolis.

Photo by Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash

Photo by Silviya Nenova on Unsplash

The town of Marbella is full of history if you know where to look, and some of it may surprise you!

In the Arab Andalusian period, The city was located on the site now occupied by the village, playing a prominent role in local history. During the time of the Taifa kingdoms, the idrisids, rulers of the city, maintained a permanent confrontation with the Hammudies of Algeciras, until the arrival of the marinid (1274) who, after taking Marbella and Malaga, unified the territory.

During the Moorish period the place became part of the kingdom of Granada, a situation that would continue until the conquest of the city by the Catholic Monarchs in 1485.

From that period only the old town of Marbella remains, the castle walls and defensive towers.

In the first decades of the 20th century we find hotels such as Marbella Commercial, opened in 1918. In 1936, the day after the outbreak of the Civil War, several religious buildings were burnt down, including the Santa Maria de la Encarnacion Church and the Church of San Pedro Alcantara.

Enjoy the glistening Mediterranean Sea

Marbella Old Town

white boats on sea near mountain during daytime

The iconic La Concha safeguards Marbella

Supercars define the Marbella of today

The Marbella arch

Since the 1950s, Marbella becomes a favorite place for the entertainment of personalities like Jose Antonio Giron or Banus, among other people in charge of the tourist development.

D. Ricardo Soriano Scholtz von Hermensdorff, Marquis of Ivanrey, acquired a property located between Marbella and San Pedro where he built a resort called Venta y Albergues El Rodeo, beginning the development of tourism in Marbella.

His nephew, Alfonso de Hohenlohe, acquired Santa Margarita Ranch, the origin of what would be the Marbella Club in 1954. And the rest as they say, is history! Read on to find out more ....

brown wooden dock on sea under blue sky during daytime

Photo by Peter Walkley on Unsplash

Marbella has experienced a rejuvenation in recent years and was voted the second best place on earth to visit for a holiday in 2022

These steps would be seconded later by members of other well-known European families: Bismarck, Rothschild, Thurn und Taxis, Metternich, Goldsmith de Mora and Aragon, Salamanca (Marquis of Salamanca and Count of los Llanos) or the Thyssen-Bornemisza family, turning Marbella into a meeting point for the international jet set.

Another of the most emblematic hotels in the city is El Fuerte (Fuerte Marbella today), which among other milestones had the first lift of the Costa del Sol.

The stunning Boho Club

The stunning Boho Club

The twenty-first century Marbella is a place of relaxation, where you can enjoy outdoor dinners, go shopping during the day and sunbathe or play sports in open spaces because along its 26 kilometers of coastline you can find bars, luxury hotels and beach clubs as well as hundreds of international restaurants and a dozen spectacular golf clubs and sports centers, many with their own restaurants and spas.

Parque Alameda in Marbella center

Parque Alameda in Marbella center

Marbella is connected to the famous Puerto Banus by the so-called Golden Mile, an avenue that runs through wonderful green areas and properties, considered as the most luxurious in Europe. Also, don't forget, the Golden Mile is also home to Verdin Property!

The list of international celebrities who have properties in Marbella or visit it regularly is very long, including personalities ranging from Prince Albert of Monaco to artists such as Rod Stewart, Paul McCartney, David and Victoria Beckham, Bruce Willis, Dolph Lundgren and Dustin Hoffman.

Puerto Banus is well known for hosting big brand boutiques, nightclubs and restaurants overlooking the spectacular harbor full of yachts and luxury cars.

The coastal strip between Marbella and Estepona has been named The New Golden Mile due to its golf courses and the presence of luxury urban areas. Benahavis is a small white village about 8 kilometers inland from San Pedro de Alcantara. Located along a peaceful green valley, you can find a number of luxury villas that reach Marbella. This is the area where the most exclusive golf and country club in Europe is located.

Marbella as a whole offers a unique way of life. Its wonderful setting, its unique climate and lifestyle in general have turn it into the favorite destination in Europe.

Arial view of Marbella and surrounds