A Guide to La Zagaleta
La Zagaleta is one of the most luxurious estates in the world. An inland gated nature reserve of 420 luxury villas on 2,200 acres with the dramatic peaks of the Serrania de Ronda as a backdrop,…
Want to tick off all the best parties around the globe? Serious clubbers know to hit Las Vegas, Miami, Ibiza and the legendary club nights in Marbella. This glamorous town is the last word in sophisticated clubbing, an adult playground where party boats steam off into blazing sunshine, beautiful people drink cocktails on day beds and world-class artists pump music into the small hours.
Think miles of silky sand dotted with buzzing bars and beach clubs, where cocktail quaffing is actively encouraged, comperes dare you to spray as much Champagne as you drink, and raucous closing parties round off the clubbing season. There’s no party like a Marbella party – it’s just a matter of knowing where to go and when. Going out in Marbella is about relaxing and let your hair down, so we’ve done the hard work for you – read up, dress to impress and head out into the sunshine…
Unmissable Club Nights and Parties
There’s so much to do, it can be hard to choose where to party in Marbella. Allow us to give you an overview of the huge events you’d be devastated to miss, from artist residencies to weekly ladies days via the biggest celebrity appearances.
Aqwa Mist
One of the best clubs in Marbella, Aqwa Mist sits directly under La Sala bar. It’s open daily from 1am until dawn, with an unrivalled sound system and 30ft waterfall. Book ahead if you can – it has a large VIP area, complete with a private hot tub.
DON’T MISS:
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Charlie Sloth – Friday 4th August 2017
Pirate radio DJ turned BBC Radio1Extra producer jets over from North London to spin grime, dancehall and R ‘n’ B.
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Kid Ink – Friday 14th August
Brian Todd Collin AKA Kid Ink brings his unique brand of hip hop all the way from LA.
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Craig David presents TS5 – Friday 25th August 2017
The beloved multi-platinum rapper has enjoyed the most talked about chart resurgence of the year. Hear his latest tunes and old school classics for one night only at Aqwa Mist.
Mirage
Complete with a Funktion One audio system, cutting edge laser show and floor to ceiling video screens, Marbella’s newest club goes all out on the tech decor – and the celeb bookings.
DON’T MISS:
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Lil’ Wayne – Saturday 5th August 2017
The world-renowned rapper will no doubt perform hits like ‘Lollipop’ to the biggest crowd Mirage has ever seen.
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Paris Hilton DJ set – Saturday 12th August
The reality star turned disc jockey brings her Gold Rush tour to Marbella – That’s hot!
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Jason Derulo – Thursday 24th August
Following an immense Marbella show in 2015, the ‘Ridin Solo’ singer performs all his biggest hits.
Tibu
Tibu is sleek and upmarket, with a spacious open-air terrace if you need a breather. Start the week with Tropicana Mondays, Marbella’s biggest industry night, or head to Cirque Marbella on Wednesdays – prepare to get glitter bombed.
DON’T MISS:
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Y Not Ladies Night – every Thursday
The only ladies night in Marbella offers a free cocktail on arrival, live music and nostalgic 90s garage. Don’t forget your heels.
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Sintillate VIP Terrace Party – every Saturday
Celebrate the weekend with a VIP table – pop bottles from 11pm.
Pangea
Sintillate parties run from Thursday to Sunday night at Pangea, with amazing views of the harbour bursting with chic super yachts.
DON’T MISS:
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OC Champagne Party Afterparty – Sunday 27th August 2017
Expect eye-popping entertainment and the most extravagant Champagne sprays.
Olivia Valere
Open every night of the week from 9pm to 7am, OV is housed in a Moorish castle, and the setting is nothing short of breath-taking. The newly attached pool club Nao promises to keep things wet ’n’ wild.
DON’T MISS:
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Bob Sinclair – Sunday 6th August 2017
Put simply: We’re gonna rock this party, dance everybody!
Boat Parties
Marbella boat parties are nothing short of wild. Turn up the tempo on dreamy summer days with beautiful people, flowing drinks, glittering waters and a gentle breeze, then party into the night back on dry land. The world’s best DJs provide the soundtrack to a day of debauchery, where you’ll find a fully stocked bar and an electric atmosphere. The best parties in Marbella happen on water, and they’re perfect for special occasions – we recommend planning one for a birthday, hen party and stag do you’ll never forget (but struggle to remember).
DON’T MISS:
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Candypants – every Saturday until 9th September 2017
Simply the best boat parties Marbella has to offer, Candypants’ legendary booze cruises are unrivalled. Let the Candygirls host you for a daytime drinking session like no other, checking in at Babilonia at Puerto Banus from 1.30pm and coming in to shore at 4.30pm. Making waves in destinations across Europe and now Dubai, the home of Candypants will always be Marbella. Finishing up this early leaves you plenty of time to get polished for round two that evening – going out in Marbella doesn’t stop until you want it to.
Pool Parties
For the full experience, you can’t head home without hitting a Marbella pool party. Pack your glitziest swimsuit and highest wedges because this is your moment to get noticed (‘no carbs before Marbs’ suddenly makes a lot of sense – there’s a lot of skin on show). A sea of bronzed bodies and brunch platters, days start off pretty chilled as party-goers snooze off hangovers on squidgy beds in the sun. As the heat turns up, so does the bass – the weather forecast says Champagne showers – and when it rains, it pours.
Nikki Beach
Open every day from 10am, head straight here for the ultimate pool party Marbella style. Every Tuesday is Ladies Day, so get in touch to secure your free day bed.
DON’T MISS:
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H2Oh! – 19th August 2017
Think bright swimsuits in tropical prints – this is THE place to get that snap of you lounging in a flamingo pool float, drink in hand.
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Anchors & Sailors – 23rd August 2017
Anchors away! Don your captain’s hat for an adventure on the high seas.
Sisu Boutique Hotel
Sisu’s intimate, must-book pool parties start at 11.30am right through to sunset at 7.30pm. Events vary from Black Diamond to Laurent Perrier, and the music is soulful house with live accompaniment.
DON’T MISS:
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Disturbing Marbella With Giggs – Saturday 5th August 2017
A live performance from London rapper Giggs, whose career hit new levels in 2017.
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Disturbing Marbella With Tinie Tempah & DJ Charlesy – Saturday 19th August
Following hugely successful stints at Ushuaia Hotel and Disturbing Dubai at White Nightclub, Tinie’s coming to party – and he’s bringing friends.
The Secret Villa
As the name might suggest, this super exclusive party takes place in a secret location revealed when the time is right.
DON’T MISS:
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Super Brunch & Secret Pool Party – every Saturday until 23rd September 2017
From 12-3pm enjoy an open bar and canapés, before DJs turn up the heat for a scorching party until sunset.
Ocean Club
The most (in)famous party in Marbella for a reason, this is where Champagne parties were born – the original hub of poolside excess. Order a platter of sushi to line your stomach before cocktails, cocktails and more cocktails.
DON’T MISS:
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Tom Novu – Tube & Berger – 10th August 2017
Ocean Club Marbs celebrates its 10th anniversary the only way it knows how – you don’t want to miss this.
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Bank Holiday Champagne Party – 27th August 2017
Get ready to get soaked.
Closing Parties
Read on for the hottest Marbella closing parties 2017 has to offer. Watch an incredible season come to climax at one of these outrageous celebrations, where dancers, flame throwers, acrobats and fireworks will compete for your attention – not to mention thumping beats and beautiful people throwing themselves into one last Marbella fiesta.
DON’T MISS:
Ocean Club
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Black & Gold Closing Party – 30th September 2017
Closing parties in Marbella are a big deal, and Ocean Club’s firework display is seriously impressive. Don your slickest black outfit with accents of gold (or vice versa, if you really want to turn heads) and get ready to shine until sunset. As darkness falls, the venue goes from laid-back daytime hangout to a downright decadent evening joint.
Nikki Beach
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Red Party – Party 1st October 2017
One of the biggest closing parties Marbella can offer, expect glamorous guests as far as the eye can see (and a few famous faces, too) – all dressed strictly in red, of course.
To get yourself on the guestlist, book the best table and receive VIP treatment on arrival, contact our concierge.
Need some retail therapy after all that partying? See our guide to the best shopping spots in Marbella.
Ben Cooper
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[post_content] => La Zagaleta is one of the most luxurious estates in the world. An inland gated nature reserve of 420 luxury villas on 2,200 acres with the dramatic peaks of the Serrania de Ronda as a backdrop, it’s the jewel in Marbella’s crown.
The state-of-the-art houses that are included in the nature reserve are off-the-scale magnificent – huge in size with helipads, uninterrupted views and every luxury you could imagine.
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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[post_content] => ‘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…
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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
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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
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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
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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
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A Day at an Olive Farm
Spend the day in a beautiful farmhouse (just a short drive from Marbella) learning about organic olive farming. Disconnect and reconnect with nature among fields of olives.
You’ll learn what the different olives taste and look like, and what the difference is between EVVO and lower quality oil.
You’ll also see how traditional methods are still used to harvest this golden oil which is so important to the Mediterranean diet – past, present and future.
After the tour you stay at the farmhouse for an al fresco rustic lunch of local produce, giving new meaning to ‘farm to fork’. There’s even a visit to a 15th-century chapel with its very own mosque.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
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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.
Malaga city centre is only 50mins drive from the centre of Marbella so a easy day trip. Starting the day in a fresh food market in Malaga city you’ll be guided around the meat, vegetables, spices and fish to select what dishes are going to be made for lunch.
Once you’ve stocked up on supplies, you leave the big city behind and are 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
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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
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Uber-Luxe Moroccan Overnight Trip
For something a little bit special, you don’t get much more VIP than this overnight tour of Tangier.
You’re driven over from Marbella to Tarifa from where you can hop across the Straits, take in the sights, do some shopping, and then settle down to dinner in a private house/mansion that belonged to a Sheikh.
Contact: Tomaandcoe.com
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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
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Moorish Malaga City Tour
With its Pablo Picasso art heritage, shopping, diehard foodie credentials and lovely history-studded old centre, the city of Malaga offers a jam-packed day of sightseeing.
Rather than doing a whole city tour and trying to take it all on in a day, we’ve chosen a specific tour of just the Alcazaba.
Exploring this palace-fort with a guide gives you a unique insight into Moorish Malaga and a bit of general background into the captivating history of Al-Andalus – not to mention some beautiful views of the city.
This tour is only just over an hour long, so you’ve got plenty of time to see at least some of the rest of Malaga. Our top lunch tip is La Terraza de la Aduana: the views are wonderful; the service is excellent and the food’s delicious.
More information: Malagaadventures.com
11. Historic Ronda
Ronda is a inland town, just an hour from Marbella. It has a wealth of historic sights to see from bull rings to palaces. It's setting is spectacular sitting on a gorge and the old town is charming.
The tour visits all the sights in Ronda with a guide explaining the relevance of each as well as a boutique winery in a ancient monastery.
More information: Tomaandcoe.com
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!
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11 Marbella Tours & Experiences You’ll Never Forget
‘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…