Azimut 58 motor yacht cruising off Marbella with La Concha mountain behind

Things to Do in Marbella

The luxury edit

By Live Love Marbella · Updated 18 October 2026

Marbella packs a lot into one stretch of coast: beaches, a whitewashed old town, a mountain on the doorstep and some of Spain’s best dining and nightlife.

This is our edit of the best things to do in Marbella, chosen for guests who want the best version of each: on the water, on the sand, in town and after dark.

If you are in town for a weekend, our Marbella events page lists the parties, DJ nights and beach-club days.

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In this guide

In brief
Yachts and the sea
The old town
Golden Mile and Puerto Banús
Golf, padel and hiking
Spas and wellness
Fine dining
Nightlife
Events
The full list
Tips for planning your days
FAQ

At a glance

Marbella in brief

Coastline: 28 km of beaches, according to Marbella’s tourism office
Sunshine: Around 320 days of sun a year, by the same count
Mountain: La Concha, about 1,215 m, rises behind the town
Areas: Old town, the Golden Mile, Puerto Banús, Nueva Andalucía, San Pedro and East Marbella
Best months: May to October for the beach; spring and autumn for golf and hiking

On the water

Yachts and the sea

Charter

A yacht for the afternoon

Board in the port, swim off the boat, have lunch on deck and come back with the sunset behind La Concha. Skipper and crew included; prices on request.

See yachts for charter

Beach

A day at a beach club

Reserve a sunbed or a Balinese bed, order lunch to the sand and stay for the music. From the Golden Mile to East Marbella, every style is covered.

See beach clubs

Pool

A pool club instead

Prefer fresh water and a quieter crowd? Pool clubs mix lunch, cocktails and a big pool without the sand.

See pool clubs

Culture

The old town and the Avenida del Mar

Marbella’s historic centre is the opposite of the glossy coast: narrow white lanes, flower pots on every wall and small squares with café tables.

Plaza de los Naranjos

The square was laid out after Ferdinand the Catholic took the town, as the new centre of civic life, with the Town Hall, the Corregidor’s House and the chapel of Santiago around it. The orange trees that gave it its name were planted in 1941.

The Avenida del Mar

Walk down from the old town to the sea along the Avenida del Mar, where a permanent open-air exhibition of bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí lines the promenade.

Classic Marbella

The Golden Mile and Puerto Banús

West of town, the Golden Mile is home to the Marbella Club and Puente Romano, beach clubs and the flat beachfront promenade, perfect for a morning run or cycle.

Keep going and you reach Puerto Banús: superyachts on the quay, rooftop bars, boutiques and some of the busiest nights on the coast. Our Puerto Banús guide and Golden Mile guide go deeper.

Puerto Banús restaurants

Active

Golf, padel and the mountains

Golf Valley

Nueva Andalucía’s Golf Valley holds a cluster of well-known courses, among them Real Club Las Brisas, Aloha Golf Club, Los Naranjos Golf Club, La Quinta Golf & Country Club and Magna Marbella Golf.

Padel

Padel is Marbella’s social sport. Book a court and a coach for a morning session, before the heat.

La Concha

The shell-shaped peak above Marbella stands at about 1,215 m in the Sierra Blanca. On a clear day the summit views reach across the coast, and sometimes as far as North Africa. Go early, take plenty of water and hike with someone who knows the route.

Dunas de Artola

In East Marbella, by Cabopino, the Dunas de Artola are a protected Natural Monument since 2003: 19.27 hectares of dunes with boardwalks and an old watchtower, Torre Ladrones (the Thieves’ Tower).

Slow down

Spas and wellness

The resort spas are the easiest way to recover from a long night. Puente Romano’s Six Senses Spa is one of the best known, and won Europe’s Best Resort Spa at the World Spa Awards 2023.

For privacy, we can arrange a therapist at your villa.

Eat

Fine dining and villa dinners

Marbella has more MICHELIN stars than anywhere else in Andalucía: Skina holds two, and BACK, Messina and Nintai one each in the 2026 guide.

Prefer to stay in? A private chef can cook in your villa, from a pool barbecue to a tasting menu.

See Marbella restaurants

After dark

Nightlife

Nights start late: dinner around 21:30, drinks, then clubs that fill up after midnight. Puerto Banús is the busiest, with more options along the Golden Mile and in town.

See nightlife

What’s on

Events and festivals

From summer concerts and galas to the ferias of Marbella and San Pedro, there is usually something on. Our events page lists what is coming up.

See upcoming events

The full list

All our ideas in one place

All 20 things to do

Sea Charter a yacht for a sunset cruise
Beach Book a Balinese bed at a beach club
Pool Spend a day at a pool club
Old town Coffee in the Plaza de los Naranjos
Old town Walk the whitewashed lanes of the historic centre
Art See the Dalí bronzes on the Avenida del Mar
Golden Mile Run or cycle the beachfront promenade
Golden Mile Lunch at Puente Romano
Port Sundowners on a Puerto Banús rooftop
Port Window-shop the boutiques on the quay
Golf Play a round in Nueva Andalucía’s Golf Valley
Sport Book a padel court and a coach
Nature Hike La Concha, early in the morning
Nature Walk the boardwalks of the Dunas de Artola
Wellness Book a treatment at a resort spa
Dining Dinner at a MICHELIN-starred restaurant
Dining A private chef dinner at your villa
Night A table at one of Marbella’s clubs
Events Catch a concert, gala or festival
Family Kids’ clubs, beaches and sea trips

Insider tips

Tips for planning your days

Mornings for activity. Golf, padel and hiking are best before 11:00 in summer.
Afternoons for the sea. Beach clubs and yachts are at their best from lunch to sunset.
Book the big things. Yachts, beach beds and dinner tables sell out in July and August.
Use a driver. Distances are short, but parking in Puerto Banús and the old town is hard in summer.
Mix it up. Pair a busy day with a quiet one at the villa or the spa.