Cultural route in Marbella

With family, as a couple or with friends. Marbella has a lot to offer to all types of travellers. This cultural route through the most emblematic places of the city shows that it is much more than a destination of luxury and exclusivity: it is art, history and Mediterranean essence. 

What to see on a sightseeing and cultural tour of Marbella 

Marbella's wealth goes beyond its good weather or being an internationally renowned luxury destination. In its colourful narrow streets of whitewashed houses you can breathe that Mediterranean atmosphere that makes it the true jewel of the Costa del Sol. A small paradise for residents and visitors who can get a true sense of this philosophy of life on a walking tour. 

La Alameda Park is a good place to start this tourist and cultural route through Marbella. It was built in the 18th century around a central promenade and two side streets with a succession of roundabouts, fountains and numerous varieties of botanical species. On one side of the park is the Avenida del Mar, where, just before reaching the Paseo Marítimo, you can see a dozen sculptures by Dalí that turn this part of the city into a veritable open-air museum. 

At the end of the route is the Paseo Marítimo of Marbella. It is one of the busiest places in the city during the summer, with beautiful views of the sea and numerous establishments where you can have a drink after a day at the beach. 

During the winter, the movement moves to the old part of Marbella. This cultural route through the city continues through the historic centre, taking in such popular places as the Plaza de los Naranjos, built after the reconquest in 1845. Around its Renaissance fountain surrounded by orange trees stand three of the most important buildings in Marbella: the Town Hall, the Casa del Corregidor and the chapel of Santiago, the oldest in the city (15th century). 

After strolling through the narrow, picturesque streets of the centre, such as Calle del Carmen, the route leads to the church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, built on the site of a former mosque. From here it is just a five-minute walk to Calle Arte, from where you can get a close-up view of the ruins of the wall that surrounded the Moorish medina in the 10th century and, right next to it, the remains of Marbella Castle. It is also a good place to start a stroll through the La Represa park before returning to the centre and ending the day with some tapas in a charming spot such as the Plaza Santo Cristo, which is also home to one of the city's most traditional flamenco clubs.