Puerto Banús is a lifestyle melting pot: designer shops, funky bars, gourmet restaurants, fast food chains and more or less everything in between. It’s one of our favourite haunts for spending time as a family during the daytime, and partaking in a bit of people watching as the sun sets.

If you’re planning to check out the famous name boutiques, take a minute to admire the stunning yachts and motor cruisers berthed around the Marina. The King of Saudi Arabia’s yacht often has a crowd of admirers standing nearby, cameras at the ready! Often you’ll hear about celebrities and royalty from all over the world enjoying themselves on yachts moored just outside Puerto Banús, so you never know who you might see! Continue reading »

This year saw the return of the prestigious Andalucía Open to Aloha Golf Club in Nueva Andalucía, Marbella, an important leg of the men’s professional European Tour.

The four days of exciting golf culminated on Sunday 18th March with 31 year old Julien Quesne taking his first European Tour title and the winner’s prize of €166.660. Frenchman Quesne, ranked only 322nd in the world, matched the Aloha Golf course record hitting a 64 (eight under par) on the last day of play and became the 400th player to win a title on the European Tour. Continue reading »

One of the newer luxurious residential areas of Marbella, Sierra Blanca occupies the furthest reaches at the base of La Concha, the mountain that overlooks Marbella and itself forms part of the Sierra Blanca range. As a result, its grand villas and ultra-luxurious apartment complexes look straight down onto Marbella and its broad bay.

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One of the great attractions of Sierra Blanca is the fact that it is so central – right above Marbella and just minutes from its beaches, shops, restaurants, café society and professional services, and just a few minutes more to those of Puerto Banús. You might say that here you are at the heart of it all without having to forsake your own peace and privacy. Continue reading »

Among the different parts of the Marbella area that offer distinct lifestyle options La Zagaleta certainly stands out for its exclusivity. This luxurious gated community offers a haven of peace and privacy set within acres of natural scenery that overlooks large sections of Marbella and the Mediterranean coast. Continue reading »

One of the reasons that Marbella is such a popular destination both for holidaymakers and second home purchasers is that there is plenty to do on every day of the week. Wherever you choose to live, you will not have to travel far to find an activity that suits you.

However, Nueva Andalucía is an especially central location and this is never more apparent than on Saturday mornings, when the popular Saturday rastro – or flea market – rolls into town. For more than three decades this colourful collection of stalls, located close to the Puerto Banús Plaza de Toros (bullring), has been attracting crowds of people from all parts of the Costa del Sol. Continue reading »

It doesn’t take long for even the most casual visitor to realise that the Costa del Sol has an alter-ego; not only is this stretch of Spain’s coast famous for the reliability of its warm temperature, but it is equally proud of its reputation as one of the world’s key destinations for golfing tourists.

The area that extends from Málaga to Gibraltar alone contains quite literally dozens of courses, some of which have hosted some very important tournaments. Most famously, in 1997 Valderrama was chosen as the venue of the Ryder Cup, an event that attracted golf fans from around the world, many of who became repeat visitors. Continue reading »

The transaction costs when buying a property in Spain consist of lawyer and notary fees, land registry costs, transfer tax and a mortgage tax. A rate adjustment coming into effect this year sees a number of small but important changes in the make-up of these property purchase costs.

Lawyers’ fees, which are approximately equal to 1% of the purchase price plus VAT, will most likely remain the same, as will Notary fees (dependent upon the price of the property and the length and complexity of the purchase contract), and Land Registry costs, which vary according to the purchase price and what needs to be registered. Continue reading »

The term ‘frontline beach’ takes on its proper meaning at Los Granados de Banús. Situated just east of the lively marina and shopping area of Puerto Banús, it fronts not a busy beachside road or boardwalk but leads directly to a large stretch of beach.

The luxuriously designed and appointed properties at Los Granados de Banús range from spacious two-bedroom apartments two double-floor penthouses complete with expansive panoramic terraces and private rooftop swimming pools. Inside, the properties are elegant, comfortable and modern, offering space, style and home comforts in one of the most desired locations along the whole Spanish coast.  Continue reading »

Situated about a kilometre west of the lively, glamorous port of Puerto Banús, and just 150 metres from the sea, Bahia de Banús reflects the best of Marbella. Close to all amenities, including elegant shops, fine dining, nightlife and beach clubs, it is also just a short drive away from a wide variety of golf clubs and other sporting and professional facilities.

A short stroll will take you to the nearby Guadalpin, a luxurious five-star hotel with swimming pool, fine dining restaurant, outdoor terraces and café that form ideal spots to enjoy breakfast, meet for a drink or conduct business meetings. A little further along, overlooking the sandy beach, is Mistral Beach, an elegant seaside beach club complete with restaurants, bars, sundeck areas and a water sports centre. Continue reading »

For those who like to be close to the beach and within walking distance of the excitement and bright lights of Puerto Banús, yet don’t want to be in the midst of it all the time, the beachside urbanisations of Malibu and Laguna de Banús offer a perfect alternative.

Exclusive and peaceful, they offer seaside living combined with space in what is a prime piece of real estate along the Mediterranean. Stretching out along the sandy beaches that follow the gentle curve of the Bay of Marbella, these bordering areas are among the most sought-after addresses on the Costa del Sol, combining villa suburb amenities with direct access to a peaceful beach not far from the restaurants, boutiques and nightspots of Puerto Banús. Continue reading »