‘Tour’. Just the mention of the word might conjure up visions of a guide with an umbrella droning on to a large group of disinterested tourists as they traipse round a series of overcrowded sights.
It’s time to leave those preconceptions behind, though. Because tours have changed.
In southern Spain, at least, tours these days tend to be unique experiences that take you deep under the skin of a place; inspiring, enlightening and helping you to make indelible holiday memories.
We’ve worked hard to find the most enthusiastic, knowledgeable and fun tour guides to give you an access-all-areas insight to Spain. Here are a few of our favourite Marbella tours…
1. Tapas Tour of Marbella
We can all go wandering around a town or city and trust in a mix of travel guides, social media and (gulp) TripAdvisor to help us find the best places to eat. But it can be hit and miss.
The beauty of a tapas tour is that you only get taken to the best, most authentic places, know exactly what to order in each bar and also have someone on hand to give you an insight into Spanish food, too.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
2. Off-road Buggy Tours
Leave city life behind and get into a motor powered (500cc) buggy: four wheels, low to the ground, a roll cage and the countryside to explore – this is a whole lot of fun.
Your guide will take you on a tour where you get to splash through rivers, skid round dusty corners, zoom through valleys and up mountains.
More information: Buggyfunmarbella.com
3. Marbella Helicopter Tour
Something a whole lot less exhausting but just as exhilarating is seeing the countryside surrounding Marbella from the air – by helicopter, to be exact.
There are lots of tours to choose from. A couple of our favourites are: flying over Ronda (seeing the town and its magnificent bridge perched on the gorge from the air is something else!); taking the helicopter for a romantic countryside lunch; or a tour of Marbella’s ultra-exclusive Golden Mile.
More information: Heliairmarbella.com
4. Spirit of Jerez Tour
A day trip from Marbella to Jerez is a must for wine-lovers. The home of Sherry, you can forget everything you think you know about classic Spanish vinos and be swept away by the history and culture of one of Spain’s greatest wine towns.
Aside from a guided tour with tastings of the centuries-old Sherry wineries, you get to visit the Royal Equestrian School for which Jerez is also famous. Here you can visit the stables as well as seeing an exhibition of spectacular horsemanship.
Afterwards, there’s even time for a tapas lunch sampling platters of regional specialities. Washed down with a glass or two of Sherry, of course.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
5. MOORISH SPAIN: GRANADA AND THE ALHAMBRA
This is a full day tour to the city of Granada: one of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Home to the famed 13th century Alhambra Palace and gardens this monument is an architectural masterpiece and should not be missed when visiting Andalucia. You will explore the exquisite royal chambers and stunning courtyards of the Alhambra Palace with your private guide, before strolling the luscious Generalife gardens. After the gardens the guide will then lead you on a walking tour of Granada’s most bewitching neighbourhood – the Albayzín – with its winding cobbled streets and Moroccan teashops.
More information: Tailor Made Andalucia
6.LUNCH WITH THE WINEMAKERS IN RONDA
The beautiful hilltop town of Ronda is famous for more than its iconic bridge: the region also produces some of the best wines in Andalucia.
On this unique day tour you will be accompanied by a local wine expert, who will grant you exclusive access to a family-owned vineyard, culminating in a private lunch with the winemakers themselves!
The day will start touring the streets of Ronda, where you will have time for sight-seeing and a spot of shopping. After, you will visit a Cortijo winery, famous for its full bodied, aged red wines.
After a tour and tasting you will sit down for a gourmet lunch the vineyard owners and wine makers, overlooking the spectacular views of the vineyard and Grazalema Mountain range.
More information: www.rootzwinetours.com
7. Malaga Cooking Tour
Here at LVC we’ve always thought that there’s no better way to get to know a culture than exploring it through its food. And it’s with this firmly in mind that we’ve chosen this Malaga cooking day tour.
The day will start by being driven out into the countryside north of Malaga to an 18th-century farmhouse.
Here you’re guided through various Spanish staple dishes, before settling down to eat them for yourself in a setting that couldn’t be more quintessentially Andalucian.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
8. Morocco Day Tour
One of the great things about visiting this part of the world is that you can easily add another continent to your travel log and nip across to Africa for the day.
This day tour allows you to get under the skin of Morocco’s rich cultural heritage, meander around the Kasbah, the Medina and food markets and be shielded from tourist traps and haggling. Lunch is in keeping with a sensory tour of Tangier keeping your taste buds tickled.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
9. Tour of Gibraltar’s Tunnels
Gibraltar is just over an hour by car from Marbella old town. The little slice of Britain in southern Spain is certainly a curious place… plus, well, it’s got monkeys. So it’s hardly surprising that it so often makes visitors’ to-do lists of things to do when visiting Marbella.
Gibraltar is very small – so why do you need a tour we hear you ask? Well, it’s simply because the interesting part of this British territory is its history.
The Rock is riddled with military tunnels with long and colourful pasts, and the best way to see and learn about them is to go with a guide who can bring it all to life for you.
More information: Gibraltar-sightseeing.com
10. Malaga Art Tour
There’s more to Malaga than its beautiful beaches and wall-to-wall sunshine. The city is also the birthplace of revolutionary artist Pablo Picasso. This fully guided tour will allow you to discover all the charm of Malaga while learning more about one of its most talented residents. The day starts with a walking tour Malaga, where your expert guide will fill you in on the city’s intriguing history and lead you around some of its most fascinating monuments, such as the Roman Theatre, the Cathedral and the Alcazaba.
You will also visit Picasso’s birthplace and the Picasso Museum, where your guide will explain the artist’s revolutionary trajectory. With the expert insight of your guide, you will come away with a clearer understanding of Picasso’s talent, and a newfound love of his hometown!
More information: Tailormade Andalucia
11. Historic Ronda: Wine, Bulls And Gasp-INDUCINGLY BEAUTIFUL VIEWS
Ronda is an inland town, just an hour from Marbella. It has a wealth of historic sights to see from bull rings to palaces. Its setting is spectacular sitting on a gorge and the old town is charming.
This tour gives a deeper understanding of Spanish rural life. Aside from a guided walk round Ronda historic centre you’ll be treated to a visit to a bull farm where fighting bulls are bred as well as stopping at a winery.
More information: Contact our concierge who works with Tailor Made Andalucia.
Why Hire a Tour Guide Rather than Going Solo?
A guide takes the pain away from doing the research. They’ll take you to the best places, order the best food and drink and impart as much knowledge as you choose to absorb.
You’ll also get the opportunity to ask any burning questions you have about Marbella, or just Spain generally, with no stone left unturned.
A lot of tours can be private or in small groups so there’s no limitations as to where you can visit and what you can see because of group size. There’s no better way to experience the real Spain than through a local who really knows their stuff.
If this has spiked interest and you want to see the best places to stay in Marbella then our collection of luxury villas are here. And for more reading on things to do while on holiday to Southern Spain then there are lots of fun self-guided day trips to do from Marbella too.
Happy discovering!
Ben Cooper
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