How to Get to Marbella
Marbella. There aren't many places offering year-round sunshine in Europe that, from beaches and golf to shopping and fine dining, tick as many of the luxury holiday boxes. Sounds tempting?…
Malaga is a great city to visit all year round – and Christmas is absolutely no exception. Here are just a few things that the LVC team will be doing in the city over the festive period.
Ooh and Aah at the Christmas Lights
Every year at Christmastime (until 6th January), the whole of Calle Larios is turned into a cathedral of lights. Malaga Christmas lights are the best in Spain and, with a light display with music usually around 18.30hrs and at 21.00hrs, they make for a great evening experience.
Shop ’til You Drop
Malaga is a great place to do some Christmas shopping. The high street is almost taken over by Spanish brands throughout Europe so it’s good to visit Zara, Maximo Dutti, Bimba y Lola and Cortefiel on their home turf.
Malaga city centre is small enough to wander round on foot. The main shopping streets branch off Plaza de la Constitucion with most international brands represented. There are also Christmas markets held at different locations throughout December, the biggest being on Muelle Uno where you’ll find local produce, crafts and clothing stalls.
Book a Festive Theatre Night
There’s nothing like a festive trip to the theatre to get you into the Christmas spirit. See Swan Lake at Teatro Cervantes on 13th December. (For more information and to book: Teatrocervantes.com.)
Take in the Views at El Corte Ingles
Every Christmas, the main department store, El Corte Ingles, always has a winter wonderland with ice skating, snow slides, carousels and fun festive activities to do with children. The store itself is decked out and great for a browse in the warm. If you fancy a bite to eat or a drink, head up to the top floor to the Gourmet Experience where there are gorgeous views of the twinkling lights of the city.
Experience an Authentic Zambombá
The zambombá is a typical southern Spanish Christmas tradition. Direct translation of this word is actually a specific percussion instrument (see above) but a zambombá is also a sort of Andalucian equivalent to Christmas carols with flamenco at its roots. Traditionally anis is drunk, and mantecados or polvorones (soft, crumbly shortbread sweets) are passed around. Not to be missed during a break in Malaga over Christmas. (For more information and to book: Teatroechegaray.com.)
Visit a Nativity Scene
Malaga has more than its fair share of nativity scenes. The two we like best, though, are Malaga Cathedral’s – a huge nativity scene from 4th December to 8th January – and The Glass Museum (Museovidrioycristalmalaga.com) where they have a whole nativity scene made from porcelain figures, known as Lladro, running from 13th December to 8th January.
Pay a Visit to Father Christmas
The big man himself, Father Christmas, is ready for visitors at Muelle Uno (near the Pompidou Centre) between 12 and 14.00hrs and 17 to 20.00hrs – on the 2, 3, 6, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 23, and strangely 26 to 30 December, and from 2 to 4 January. There’s also a snow machine and a Christmas market.
Try a Roscón de Reyes
The bakeries are full of Roscón de Reyes, a special cream cake in the shape of a crown, traditionally eaten at Christmastime. Look out for the surprise inside.
Spend an Afternoon on the Beach
Malaga has the best year-round climate of pretty much anywhere in Europe, and during December daytime temperatures can reach the late teens. With clear blue skies and sun on your face more or less guaranteed, the city beaches are great for running around with the kids, going for a walk or simply kicking back and chilling out.
Visit the Gibralfaro at Night
Perched high above the city looking out to sea, Malaga’s castle is an interesting place to visit any time. However, they offer evening tours, and at Christmas with the city all lit up it’s a beautiful spectacle.
Have a Warming Drink
Visit the longest running bar in Malaga, Antigua Casa de Guardia, on the corner of Alameda Principal. Have a glass of sweet local wine – ideal as the nip of the evening sets in and a perfect foodie gift for friends back home.
Catch Some Verdiales
An annual competition of Verdiales, traditional folk dance and music, takes place on 28th December just outside Malaga. The costumes are colourful and the atmosphere is always upbeat. (Address: Recinto Ferial del Puerto de la Torre, Calle Pirita, 29190.)
Chuckle Your Way through ‘Day of the Innocents’
The 28th December is all about tricks and giggles in Spain. So play a joke on someone for the Spanish equivalent of April Fools’ Day.
Make a Date with the Three Kings
On the night of the 5th January – at 17.30hrs, to be precise – there’s a huge parade around the historic centre of the city with music and dancers. The Reyes Magos or Three Kings (from whom children traditionally receive their Christmas presents) and their helpers throw tonnes of sweets into the crowds for children to collect.
Take a Tapas Tour
One of the best ways to see a city and learn more about its culture is through its food. Toma & Coe do a fantastic tapas tour (Tomaandcoe.com) that explores the best places to eat and drink over the course of a hugely fun night out.
Coming to Malaga this festive season and looking for a great place for a Christmas meal or to celebrate New Year’s Eve? Check out our pick of the best.
Ben Cooper
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[post_content] => Marbella. There aren't many places offering year-round sunshine in Europe that, from beaches and golf to shopping and fine dining, tick as many of the luxury holiday boxes.
Sounds tempting? Perhaps the best part of all is just how easy it is to get to...
Where is Marbella?
First things first, though. Where is it? Marbella is in southern Spain - in the province of Malaga in the Andalucia region, to be exact - on a stretch of coast called the Costa del Sol.
Here's a map of Marbella to help you get your bearings:
Where Do You Fly to?
It depends on from where you're flying in. The nearest international airport to Marbella is Malaga. Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (Aena.es) is 51km away and an easy 40-minute car/taxi ride. Virtually all the major airlines fly there direct from the UK and from across northern Europe.
The next closest airport to Marbella is Gibraltar (Gibraltarairport.gi), which is just over an hour's drive away. British Airways, Easyjet and Monarch all fly direct from the UK to Gibraltar.
From the US
If you’re flying into Spain from the USA you'll probably have to travel to Madrid-Barajas Adolfo Suárez Airport (Aena.es). From there you'll have to either fly, take the fast speed AVE train (Renfe.com) or drive to Malaga and transfer from there to Marbella.
The most convenient way to get to Marbella from Madrid is by the fast speed train taking just 2.5hrs or by flying taking only 1 hour and 15 mins.
how to get there from malaga airport
By Car
The best way to get from Malaga to Marbella is to drive. And if you're on holiday that probably means you're going to need to hire a car.
As with almost all international airports, Malaga has a frankly baffling array of different car hire options to pick through.
To avoid the scrum of the departures lounge, jump on the complimentary minibus to the offices of Niza, Helle Hollis or Enterprise situated a mere minute outside of the terminal. Inside the terminal you can find Sixt, Hertz and Europcar.
If you're unsure of which company to use, click the following link.
For a more luxury car hire service we'd recommend Sixt (Sixt.com). They're friendly, totally professional, trustworthy and have a range of high-end rental options, from BMWs, Audis and Porsches to Mercedes and Range Rovers - and even automatics. If you're travelling in a large group, they also have 8-12 seater self-drive minibuses available for hire.
Of course if you're looking for ease, our Concierge can make the reservation for you to be dropped directly off at the villa. A car of your choice can be delivered to your villa.
Once you've picked up your car/minibus hire, driving from Malaga airport to Marbella could hardly be easier.
Directions from Malaga-Costa del Sol airport are as follows:
- Leave the airport and head southeast onto N-348
- At the roundabout, take the 2nd exit and stay on N-348
- Take the Torremolinos ramp to N-340/Cádiz
- Merge onto Avenida de Velázquez/N-340/MA-21
- Take the ramp to E-15/A-7/Benalmadena/Algeciras. Merge onto AP-7
- Pass Torremolinos, Benalmadena, Fuengirola
- Take exit 184 towards Marbella/Casco Antiguo/Avenida del Trapiche
By Taxi
For sheer ease, you can’t beat jumping in a taxi. A taxi rank is situated outside the arrivals sidewalk of Terminal T3, level 0.
It's best to ask the driver, beforehand, how much a taxi is from Malaga to Marbella to ensure they don’t overcharge you.
There are two transfer prices, and these are dependent on both times of the day and the day of the week. Transfer Price Band 1 is weekdays from 06.00 to 22.00 hrs. Transfer Price Band 2 is weekdays from 22.00 to 06.00 hrs, all day Saturdays, Sundays, public holidays, the August Feria and Holy Week. Band 2 transfer time is more expensive than Band 1.
Alternatively, you can pre-order a taxi at Malaga Airport Taxi (Malagaairporttaxi.net) and get a price when booking. The transfer time from Malaga Airport to Marbella takes around an hour, in a taxi.
Other Ways to Get to Marbella
- By bus: It is possible to take a bus (Alsa.com) from Malaga airport to Marbella. But it's a whole lot less convenient than driving via hire car or private transfer.
- By train: There isn’t a train connection from Malaga airport to Marbella.
Distances - how far is marbella from...
- Malaga (city): 61km away and 46 minutes' drive.
- Granada: 187km and just over 2 hours' drive.
- Seville: 258km and 2 hours 45 minutes' drive.
- Gibraltar: 78km and 1 hour 2 minutes' drive.
- Madrid: 584 km and 5 hours 45 minutes' drive.
A Bit of History
The land previously belonged to the Saudi businessman Adnan Khashoggi, who it is said, used the estate as his party house and hunting grounds. The property and land went up for sale and a group of Spanish property developers bought it and put plans together to create a playground for the rich and famous in Marbella. Each villa is unique, with their own styles depending on the specifications of the owner.Location & Getting There
So where is La Zagaleta?
The large estate sits in Malaga province in the south of Andalucia. It’s in the foothills of the Ronda Mountains just 25 minutes from Marbella, 18 minutes from Nuevo Andalucia and the nearest beach. It's 20 minutes from the village of Benahavis, 40 minutes from Sotogrande port, 50 minutes from Ronda, 55 minutes from Malaga airport and just over an hour from Gibraltar airport. La Zagaleta is very easily accessed by car or helicopter. There's heavy security surrounding the estate and entrance is on prior permission only.
What Else is in La Zagaleta?
It’s worth noting that all the facilities in La Zagaleta are for exclusive use to villa owners only; they pay an enormous service charge to be allowed to use the facilities.Golf Course
La Zagaleta golf club is only open to villa owners and their guests. They have exclusive access to two of the Costa del Sol's best private golf courses, La Zagaleta and Los Barrancos. La Zagaleta golf course - known as the Old Course - is to championship standard with 18 holes, Par 72 over a distance of 4800 - 6000 yards. Designed by renowned golf architect Brad Benz in 1991 and redesigned by Marc Westenborg in 2016, it’s a rewarding course with fantastic views to the coast and flanked by mountains. The New Course, Los Barrancos, is very different to the Old Course. It’s a challenging 18-hole, Par 70 with lots of obstacles over a distance of 4356 – 5381 yards.
The Clubhouses
The hub of the estate is the spectacular Old Clubhouse, or La Zagaleta country club. Measuring 5,100m² it has an indoor/outdoor swimming pool, billiards, bowling alley, tennis courts, gourmet food supermarket, pro-golf shop and restaurants (see below). There's also a nightclub, bars and events space where there’s a full schedule of experiences and parties planned. The New Clubhouse is a thatched lakeside venue. A lot smaller than the Old Clubhouse, it's still just as popular with La Zagaleta residents for events or having a quick drink in the bar.Horse Riding
La Zagaleta is home to some beautiful stables with indoor and outdoor schooling arenas. Horses can either be kept on a full livery basis, or horses and ponies can be hired for lessons or hacks. ‘The Riding Club’ equestrian centre has a team of instructors and well-schooled horses for all levels of rider including Arab, PRE and, for the children, Farabella horses and Welsh ponies.Restaurants
Why leave the comfort of a beautiful villa when you can enjoy a top-quality meal at home? At La Zagaleta there are Michelin starred chefs available for in-house dining throughout the estate. However, for owners the clubhouse has two restaurants: the formal dining Old Course Restaurant; and a terrace bar restaurant that's ideal for light bites and brunches.Famous Residents
There is private security throughout the whole of La Zagaleta - so know one really know who lives or owns houses there. It’s a place where the super-rich and famous go to be away from the limelight. However, it is said that Hugh Grant, Rod Stewart and Vladimir Putin all have house in La Zagaleta.What to Do Nearby
When staying in La Zagaleta, the houses are so special that it’s sometimes difficult to tear yourself away from the estate. However, if you do want to see more of the area, here's our pick of easily accessible and great day trips:
- Ronda: historic, boutique wineries and ab-so-lutely beautiful.
- Benahavis village: a great option for restaurants; have a lunch or dinner in this pretty village.
- Granada: a romantic inland city and home to the Alhambra Palace, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Malaga: the birthplace of Picasso with a fort, palace and Roman amphitheatre.
- Cordoba: historic city with a stunning mosque-church at its centre.
- Sevilla: one of the most beautiful cities in Europe.
- Sotogrande: a lovely port, wake boarding lake and polo hub.
When to Go
The temperatures in Marbella are some of the most comfortable in Europe. Depending on the time of year, you can expect from 16°C to 30°C for daytime temperatures. The houses in La Zagaleta are the most luxurious around, and so often have heated pools, spa areas and lots of home entertainment options. As a result, visiting in the winter is also a good option.Where to Stay
All villas have unbroken views of mountains, golf course, the sea or all three.
Our collection of La Zagaleta villas are Villa Shiro (sleeping 16), Villa Vivaldi (sleeping 15), Villa Azure (sleeping 10) Villa Matisse (sleeping 10) and Villa Verdi (sleeping 12).
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