Stay awhile and breathe in the fragrant orange blossom on the Plaza de los Naranjos—the enchanting heart of Casco Antiguo, the Old Town, where white stucco townhouses spill their bougainvillea onto the cobbles. Browse its chic boutiques and pick up a piece of artisanal jewelry at the Sunday market. Walk north and discover quirky designer shops, brooding Gothic Renaissance churches, art galleries, and open-air restaurants. The layout of these labyrinthine streets has survived since Arab rule. The Arabs first arrived here in the sixth century and ruled for nine centuries, changing the city’s Roman name of Salduba (Salt City) to Marbil-la.
Head further and you’ll find the apartment blocks and busy roads of the main residential area of Marbella—the neighborhoods of Divina Pastora, Las Albarizas, Miraflores, and El Mirador. Together, they make up Marbella Town. Between here and the upscale Puerto Banús marina to the southwest, you can meander the Milla de Oro (the Golden Mile), a tree-lined boulevard with luxe hotels and sought-after residential enclaves. Tucked among the superyachts and swanky clubs, all the prestigious labels are in Puerto Banús: Gucci, Escada, Louis Vuitton, Burberry, Versace, Dior, and fabulous Spanish department store El Corte Inglés. It’s a shopper’s Shangri-la. And behind this lies Nueva Andalucía, also known as “Golf Valley,” with its top golf clubs and gated estates.
“If it’s luxury property you’re looking for, then Marbella is the perfect place to invest,” says Veenhuijsen. “Among the huge variety of prime real estate, we have everything from magnificent houses, modern apartments with a sea view, and mansions in the hills, to villas in one of the many golf resorts, such as La Zagaleta and Finca Cortesin.”
