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?…
If you like to shop and like your designer brands then there aren’t many places that come close to Puerto Banus. Why? For the sheer concentration of designer boutiques in a relatively small area: Bond Street may have the designer staples in mega-boutiques, but Puerto Banus has a very heels-friendly, bite-sized offering.
Here’s our guide to the very best luxury Puerto Banus shopping – whether you’re mad about Michael Kors or love a bit of Lois Vuitton, there should be something for you in this little lot…
Versace
Conjunto Residencial Benabola, 8 (First shop into the port at the fountain)
No introduction is needed for this famous fashion house. Always a favourite for that evening dress to impress.
Gucci
Muelle Ribera, 15-16 (Near Salvatore Ferragamo)
Another shop front, another global fashion icon. Gucci’s PB instalment features lashings of the usual glamorous looks from the brand’s recent magazine front cover-conquering collection.
Tod’s
Muelle Benabola, 3 (At the entrance to Puerto Banus)
Household name Italian accessories designer Tod’s sells classic shapes in wearable colours. Their moccasins are a basic holiday necessity.
Carolina Herrera
Muelle Benabola, 5 (A little further along from Tod’s near Sinatra’s Bar)
Carolina Herrera is the high priestess of classic, high-end, stylish design. Head here for sheer sophistication.
Intropia
Calle Ribera
While Intropia can be found on most of the more desirable shopping streets in Europe they still have a unique edge compared to other high-end high street offerings. Their exquisite designs are ideal for wedding guest attire or summer evenings or… just any time, really.
Michael Kors
Muelle Ribera, 13
New York-based designer Michael Kors offers wearable, practical solutions for your wardrobe. The Puerto Banus boutique stocks his MICHAEL Michael Kors sports luxe range as well as his ready-to-wear collection.
Dior
Calle Ribera, Casa F, 15 (Second road from the port)
Oh, Dior! Raf Simons left the helm in 2015 and Maria Grazia Chiuri finally took over in 2016, she has brought Dior into a new era. However, customised accessories is where it’s at and Dior has just pretty much blown all other options out of the water. If you’re in sunnies this season make it Dior.
Tom Ford
Muelle Ribera, Casa F, 20
Tom Ford brought Gucci from the brink of bankruptcy in the 90s before setting up his own label in the noughties. Thank you Tom for having a store in Puerto Banus – we can’t get enough of the American chic, feminine designs.
Hackett
Calle Ribera, Casa L, 8 (Second road from the Port opposite Hermes)
Traditional British clothing brand Hackett is still doing what they’ve been doing since 1979. Expect the usual beautifully made men’s classics in their Puerto Banus store.
Hermes
Calle Ribera, 11 (Second road from the Port)
French label Hermes may be famed for its accessories (it’s a scientifically proven fact that you can never have too many Hermes silk scarves) but don’t overlook its ready-to-wear collection.
La Perla
Avenida de la Rivera, 33
Italian luxury lingerie designer La Perla’s Puerto Banus shop is a romantic, elegant affair full of pure silk, Chantilly lace, ribbon and feathers. They also have a gorgeous swimwear collection, too.
Salvatore Ferragamo
Muelle Ribera, 17K
Need shoes? Visit Salvatore Ferragamo. From classic heels to avant-garde statement shoes, the Italian designer’s shoes are a thing of legend.
Jimmy Choo
Muelle Ribera Casa N, 5-6 (Near Louis Vuitton)
One word: swoon. While Jimmy Choo’s sun-kissed Puerto Banus boutique couldn’t be further from his beginnings in East London, the clientele is much the same as anywhere else: fashion royalty and the international city jet set.
Louis Vuitton
Muelle Ribera, Casa N (At the end near Dolce & Gabbana)
Little introduction is needed for the French brand that managed to make luggage sexy. Suitcases and bags aside, you can pop in and browse their full range of holiday-friendly accessories and a ready-to-wear collection, too.
Dolce & Gabbana
Muelle Ribera 3-4
Italian designers Dolce & Gabbana have been at the forefront of fashion for nearly three decades. Always fresh and inspiring, their designs are youthful with killer tailoring.
High Street with Edge in Puerto Banus
Uterque
Calle Ramon Areces, 5
From the same house as Zara, Uterque is not luxury but it does do fashion accessories and some choice basic clothing items very well indeed. A good option to browse through for basic wardrobe-fillers.
338B
Calle Ramon Areces, 16B
This compact shop pulls together a youthful selection of clothes and accessories from recognised labels including Ted Baker (thank goodness), Highly Preppy and Sam Edelman (more shoes) among others.
Adolfo Dominguez
Centro Comercial Marina Banus
Also on the same road as Uterque and 338B is a shopping centre (Centro Comercial Marina Banus) with some high street stores inside. One of note is Adolfo Dominguez. It’s always worth visiting as it hits trends in a classic, effortless way with its easy to wear everyday favourites.
El Corte Ingles
El Corte Ingles is the department store in Spain, it sits somewhere between the British stores of House of Fraser and Selfridges – or similar to Browns, if you’re North American.
The usual suspects are all present and correct in the cosmetics hall with the likes of Bobbi Brown, Bare Minerals, Chanel, Kiehl’s and Estée Lauder on offer. Elsewhere there are accessories from Bimba y Lola (a Spanish fashion brand to love, think Jonathan Saunders with uniquely bold, easy to wear designs – they also have a full boutique on Calle Ribera), whole floors of women’s and men’s designer fashion (Burberry, Emporio Armani and Missoni to name but a few brands), as well as a good children’s department (yes there’s a Petit Bateau). Other floors include homeware, electrical goods and food departments – everything you’d expect from a large department store, basically.
Liking our guide to the best Puerto Banus shopping, but in need of more top retail therapy? Check out our edit of the very best Marbella shopping.
Lindsay Gregory
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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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