Old Town Marbella is a picture-perfect town with lots to see. Around every corner is another shop, restaurant, café or garden courtyard to stroll through and experience a long-lost lifestyle. The aromas from the restaurants and cafés are intoxicating, the food is amazing, and the people treat you like a long-lost friend. During my two months in Spain, if there was a location that I would like to stay at for a few more days because I didn’t get see it all, it would be Marbella.
Marbella served as an amazing hub for our crew. We stayed just outside the city in the harbor of Porto Banus where we rented a car for only 12€ a day from Sixt. This made it possible to do extensive travelling around the country; please see our posts Malaga, Alhambra de Granada, and Ronda. Provisioning and repairs were easily accomplished having all the supply houses and super mercados only a short distance away. Every store we went into had the best selection of supplies since arriving in the Mediterranean. Marbella is my top pick for obtaining provisions, gear and sightseeing before crossing the Atlantic due to location, supplies availability, employees being knowledgeable and helpful, the LOW cost of everything, and enough understanding of the English language to have a conversation with just about everyone.
As the old saying goes, location, location, location. The harbor Porto Banus is the ultimate location before crossing the Atlantic with lots to see and do within a 10-minute walk. At least 90 restaurants within walking distance, night life, massage parlors, super mercados, great beaches, flight simulator, Segway tours, and Karaoke to name a few; you will not be unpleased with this location as your final stop before jumping off. There are unlimited attractions, cities, towns, and places to see within an hour drive of this harbor, the dock rates are affordable, the streets are clean, and I just can’t say enough good things about this town.
Having searched all over Spain for the elusive “Amazing Spanish Sangria”, I finally found it here in Marbella. At the end of a lonely street sat a small and unexpected treasure. A small hotel/bar named Linda, Marbella; this boutique hotel had the right ambiance, the right location, the right menu and most definitely the right bar tender. Sherzad made some of the best drinks I have ever had. Creative and funny, blending a unique mixture of the best alcohols and flavors; this establishments recipes were a must have: See Best Sangria Recipe and Mulled Wines of Spain, My New Favorite Holiday Treat.
Best time to visit in my opinion is October or November. The daily average temperature is 68.F, it is the “shoulder” or “off season” so there are less tourists, you can walk all day without breaking a sweat, restaurants and attractions have steep discounts to gain your business and did I say few tourists?
Most surprising fact about Spain, the Siesta. Don’t get mad because the store you wanted to go to closed from 3pm to 6pm, this is really a thing. Most restaurants close at 4pm and open back up at 7pm or even later so choose if you are going to eat early or late!
Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera most of the time I was in Marbella. We had a lot of parts and supplies to acquire before heading out and there was storm heading our way which shortened our stay.
