Gecko Towers
If you are looking for property intelligence on the region that is loosely described by estate agents as “Marbella” look no further. This is the comprehensive and honest guide to the area and is offered with full transparency to avoid wasting your time and making a mistake with your property search.
In recent months there has been a spike in interest from all corners of the globe. Some stimulated by concerns for security in a home country and some by a seizing of the day optimism that their best life could best be lived on the Costa del Sol.
Let me declare an interest. I have no “dog in this fight”. I work with a team of bi-lingual (Spanish/English) Abogados (lawyers) and my primary intention is to ensure that you receive an exceptional service whilst only your best interest are looked after. I am not involved in property sales. That said, I do know some very decent people in real estate agencies up and own the Costa del Sol who have long track records of working very effectively with clients.
Geographically, when referring to “the Marbella Region”, what do I mean? The whole of the western Costa del Sol from Malaga in the East to Sotogrande in the West.
For clarity, the city limits of “Marbella” are from Cabopino in the East and San Pedro de Alcantara in the West. This can lead to intentional or unintentional confusion, often as the municipality contains many of the higher priced property locations. The unfortunate fire that happened at a restaurant in La Cala de Mijas some months ago allowed the British Press to fall into a usual trap of describing the town as being “Marbella”. It is some twenty kilometers or twenty-five to thirty minutes by road away!
The main N340 (also known in parts as the E15) is the road that runs from Barcelona to Cadiz. It‘s over 1000 miles long and most of the towns along the Marbella coast sit off the N340.
In this post the time in brackets after the name of the town will be the suggested time in minutes from El Piruli, the iconic Copper Tower, in central Marbella.
To the West of the City of Marbella – with the sea on your left – you will find the following:
Sierra Blanca/Nagueles – (5 minutes) Super swanky, very established and luxury standard “Old Marbella”. Sitting beneath the La Concha mountain, in places it enjoys high views towards the coast although its a couple of kilometers inland. Very exclusive, lovely villas, security guarded streets with some town houses and apartments. Very desirable location! Loosely described as the “Golden Mile”. Near the “Starlight” disused quarry (“El Penoncillo”) venue used for music through the summer season.
Point to note – To the East of Marbella centre is the historic fisherman’s port surrounded by wonderful fresh fish restaurants and beach side bars. If you look out to sea you will see a lonesome looking concrete tower which supports a painted steel pylon structure. These are the remains of “El Cable” that was constructed in 1957 but fell in disuse in the early 1960’s. Literally meaning “the cable”, it was connected to the quarry in Sierra Blanca that carried iron ore to boats moored off Marbella. El Cable Beach is one of the finest in Marbella City.
Nuevo Andalucia – (10 minutes) The heart of Golf Valley. Beautiful urbanizations of very high spec apartments, townhouses and many beautiful and high value villas. As the name suggests this is the home of the Costa del Golf with Los Naranjos, Las Brisas and Aloha Golf clubs deserving a mention. It’s a solid and reliable location with some excellent bars and restaurants but without any apparent snobbish excess. This is a very multi-cultural spot where neighbours will often be a combination of British, Dutch, Scandinavian, Swiss, Belgian, French and German.
This is a very multi-cultural spot where neighbours will often be a combination of British, Dutch, Scandinavian, Swiss, Belgian, French and German.
For those looking for long term investment the property stock is varied. There are newly built/being built villas some sold off plan and there are older villas on reasonably large plots which although often highly priced – and quite rare – can be renovated into very desirable properties. In my view a those seeking a reliable investment for their own use that may deliver some appreciation in the mid to long term a purchas in Nueva Andalucia of a well priced/well positioned property should deliver.
Puerto Banus – (10 minutes) In 2020 the Puerto of Jose Banus celebrated its 50th Anniversary, with 5m visitor a year, it’s a hive of boats, shops featuring international brands and beautiful people. There is a limited amount of apartment property which is often a little dated but very convenient for the Port. Described as the Second Line – the road behind the Port’s front – has become a little seedy in recent years with clubs and cheaper pubs catering to the the Hen and Stag markets. Mixed Feelings Over Mixed Drinks
Istan (15 minutes) – an historical enclave away from the coast and bustle of Marbella somewhat over looked but with old village houses and some small scale development of lovely often smaller villas. Views across the reservoir – that provide Marbella with much of its drinking water – towards the Mediterranean, this could deliver an almost country experience while being very near the coast.
San Pedro de Alcantara – (15 minutes) Until relatively recently more economically tied to Marbella, now a thriving town with a fabulous all year round vibe. Great combination of older town property, newer apartments and smaller beachside villa properties. Many great restaurants – including beach-side “chiringuitos“ – catering for an international market. The beach is wide and beautiful but frequently washed away by the higher winter waves leaving it stoney and less attractive. It does boast a stunning one kilometer long measured promenade and an award winning wavy bridge walk in front of the town centre.
SPA is where we call home. We have always liked the more authentic sense of a truly Spanish town with the myriad of local annual celebrations combined with a diverse cosmopolitan local population. A blend that works really well with local and relocaters integrating to create a very happy environment.
Guadalmina (17 minutes) The home of the Guadalmina Golf course. Has an Alta section, away from the beach, with more apartments and older villas, and a Baja section featuring older apartments, stylish town houses and many stunning but pricey villas. Guadalmina Baja has an “Old Money” feel about it with beautifully manicured hedgerows, wide streets and contemporary and more traditional architecture. The beach is lovely and often less crowded than San Pedro‘s.
Benahavis (20 minutes) Inland from the coast this hilly valley houses several good developments built in the last thirty years. There are also some very quaint village houses and an attractive boutique hotel. There is a combination of art and gastronomy that bring visitors from other areas particularly on a Sunday. Benahavis has an almost “artist community” vibe akin to Arles or St Ives. Out of town there is canyoning in the high side river gorges.
Included in the Benahavis municipality – said to be one of the most valuable in Spain – are the beautiful and super luxury developments of La Zagaleta and El Madronial. They are worth a site-seeing visit if nothing else. Los Arqueros and La Heredia, located either side of the Ronda Road, offer some amazing golf orientated developments of apartments, town houses and villas. Set back a little from the coast and as a result a little more secluded.
Atalaya, El Paraiso and El Presidente (20 minutes) Atalaya is an older urbanization that surrounds the Atalaya golf course. It has several low rise apartment blocks and many older but rather typical, classical and good looking villas in the white walls/terra-cotta roof tile style. Increasingly larger plots are being subdivided and redeveloped for year round occupancy often in a glass and minimalist style. These seem to be fueling an increasing interest from Northern Europeans including Scandinavian purchasers attracted by the clean lines of these new developments. Neighboring Atalaya is El Paraiso another good quality and traditional golf course with many more substantial individual villas. Nearer the beach is El Presidente, originally called by this grandiose name as there were several beach front properties built to satisfy the tastes of General Franco’s lieutenants. A favourite of English purchasers since the 1980s, it is now more characterized by large individual villas resting in the shade of eucalyptus trees, this is an older urbanization where the quality of property is generally good.
Estepona (25 minutes) – Is a great example of a town that went through some difficult years but with the love and dedication of the local Mayor – a former Notary Public – it is now thriving. Some excellent restaurants in the centre of town and the summer evenings are great fun. The sea front has undergone large scale redevelopment making it a very attractive and practical. This fabulous updating has prepped Estepona for a growing and enthusiastic crowd of year-round residents and visitors.
Property both East and West of the town tends to appeal more to the international market whilst there is a strong heart of local people living centrally. Several new signature developments are reviving interest in this central location for those looking for a more municipal feel with convenient shops, bars and restaurants. The Mayor has encouraged many of the older town blocks to allow artist to paint fabulous murals depicting regional life and mythology. The wide, long beach that sits in front of the town is beautifully sandy and quite deep.
Casares (27 minutes) – hugging the beach much of the property offer is now more dated than surrounding regions having in part been made popular by the La Perla developer responsible for the La Heredia village (see above) nearly thirty years ago. The beautiful Golf Course of Finca Cortesin is located inland from Casares and is graced by some golf-orientated properties.
Sabanillas (30 minutes) – A beach-side town that following development in recent years has become a favourite with the international community, particularly the British. Great beach and local historical monuments.
Gaucin (35 minutes) A traditional Andalucia “White Town” perched high in the local hills with views down to the Coast and Gibraltar. A favourite with those seeking a more rural way of life away from the more tourist orientated neighboring areas. Some excellent local restaurants serving more traditional food. A great location to follow passions for painting, gardening and local crafts. A wonderful multi-cultural and artsy vibe.
La Duquesa (35 minutes) The port surrounded by apartments built over the last twenty five years is a favourite with those who’s daily commute into Gibraltar is just a short way up the Coast. As a result it has a high British content with curry houses and bars to suit their tastes. There are more developments away from the beach that have typified the boom of the late 1990’s and whilst some are well conceived others are less attractive. Properties are significantly cheaper here than those nearer Marbella.
Sotogrande (45 minutes) A really beautiful development bordering the sea on one side and on the other, the magnificent golf courses of Valderrama, San Roque and La Reserva inland. Many large villa properties provide an exclusive seclusion to local residents. I have always thought that Sotogrande lacked a centre of town although the Port of Sotogrande sitting on the edge of a fine estuary does have a very picturesque front with several good bars and restaurants. Excellent local private schools. The villages of Pueblo Nuevo, Guadiaro and San Enrique sits inland from Sotogrande and to the west of the N340. Pueblo Nuevo is a charming and very traditional local village whilst Guadiaro and San Enrique seems largely devoted to serving the horse riding and polo playing communities who enjoy the World famous ‘Santa Maria Polo Club‘ that backs onto Sotogrande and is on the southern bank of the estuary opposite Sotogrande Port.
To the East of Marbella – with the sea on your right heading away from Marbella – you will find the following:
Los Monteros – (5 minutes) – In years gone by there were three main Hotel complexes which served the Marbella tourist around which villa developments thrived. One was Los Monteros. The Los Monteros Hotel is still a focal point. The immediate area around the hotel there are many beautiful and highly valuable villas often on large plots. The beach is fine sand and a great view back towards Marbella. On the mountainside in recent years a number of golf course orientated developments have been constructed with amazing coastal views. There are also several signature developments nestling in the hills high above Los Monteros. Here is also the location of the local and very well equipped Costa del Sol Hospital.
El Rosario (7 minutes) A substantially developed plane leading to an excellent beach. There is wide variety of property on offer from taller apartments in older blocks to parallel streets of decent villas.
Elviria (10 minutes) I am told Elviria was developed by the German and Dutch visitors to Marbella from the mid-1970s and its village heart has a slightly Germanic feel. There are smaller villas and older apartments reaching down to a wonderful sandy beach. Behind the town developments abound from the late 1990’s. It has some excellent restaurants, cafes and bakeries. Nikki Beach and the Don Carlos Hotel add greatly to the feel of a quality location under the ever present Umbrella Pine trees that characterize this part of the coast. This is also the location of the excellent private school, The English International College.
Las Chapas (15 minutes) A little more secluded and inland away from the beach are the many beautiful villas of ‘Hacienda Las Chapas’. Developments of older beach-side villas at Artola – with its beautiful dunes – and Urbanisation Marbesa are fabulous locations to find more in need of re-development properties.
Cabopino (17 minutes) Is a beautiful and purpose built port favoured by the boating, bar and restaurant crowd. Thought to be the location of JG Ballard’s “Cocaine Nights”, Cabopino has a long standing resident community of particularly British and Dutch origin. There are many apartment buildings some older than others but the port is well maintained though I suspect it may be noisy in the summer. Neighbouring beaches are lovely with great beach bars “chiringuitos”.
Approaching Cabopino are the smaller regions of Marbessa on the beachside with a combination of state of the art new homes and smaller older single story villas. On either side of the N340 is also Artola and Artola Beach. In the former, the skyline is crowded with cranes, evidencing that much development underway of apartment complex’s, many with stunning sea views.
Calahonda (20 minutes) The furthest East of the Marbella municipality, the development of Calahonda dates originally from the early 1960’s when lower rise apartments and older more traditional villas were the norm. The late 1990’s saw a boom in sales of apartments and townhouses in the hills above Calahonda. The price points were very attractive to British and Irish purchasers which meant that these and several other Northern European nationalities now dominate this region. This is typified by “The Strip” which comprises several British and Irish restaurants and bars.
La Cala de Mijas (25 minutes) is a pretty bay with low rise older town properties fronting a fine beach. Apartments and town houses dominate the hills away from the town which have become very popular with the British over the years. There are many British-run local businesses based in La Cala de Mijas and along this part of the coast that add greatly to the local economy. There are quite a number of new developments appearing in the hinterland behind La Cala which will feed demand for this area.
Fuengirola (30 minutes) is a fine old Spanish town that was sought out as a desired tourism local by Scandinavian “Snowbirds” from the late 1960’s. The town has a great heart and much culture to offer those seeking a slice of genuine Spain. Aside from the local restaurants the town is a marvelous sight during its annual Feria, at Easter and pretty much anytime horse and human can interact. There is much surrounding property that offers a wide choice of slightly older and more established developments.
Mijas (35 minutes) Is a classic hill town with inviting squares and restaurants offering the visitor much in the way of a local experience. A climb by car away from Fuengirola up the Mijas Road many Northern European property venturers have sought out the rustic choices of property on offer from the large urbanization down to the even more rustic feel of Voltocado with its groves of olive and avocado trees.
Benalmadena (45 minutes) There are two Benalmadenas. First is the older village with many excellent urbanizations with substantial villa, apartment and town house properties. The second is Benalmadena Port. They are two very different regions. The views from the higher locations in the village are wonderful and it has a much more rural feel. From the late 1990s to date, several good looking apartment developments have been approved in the older part of town. By contrast, Benalmadena Port is in part older with many established hotels and some much newer development that have a much more holiday-maker vibe.
Torremolinos – (50 minutes) Is the closest major centre to Malaga airport and was as a result one of the first areas to receive an influx in the late 1960’s of bucket and spade tourists. Dominated on the outskirts of town by some very impressive hotel buildings that provide a fun environment for a week or two. The old centre of town has maintained some dignity but is a party capital in the summer. Torremolinos is very forward thinking and is a regional heart for the thriving Gay community. There has been comparatively less property development more recently that suggests the immediate region should offer some interesting opportunities to re-develop older villa style properties.
Should you be interested in discussing the legal process involved in buying a property in the Marbella region, we would be delighted to assist you. Our multi-disciplinary team of bi-lingual, highly experienced and wholly independent Abogados and Asesores Fiscales are ready to help you.
Please call me, Mark FR Wilkins, during usual business hours on +34 600 343 917 or, if you prefer, or e-mail me at mark@roslegal.es
Please note that our posts are for general interest. There is no substitute for proper legal advice tailored to your specific circumstances as provided by a qualified Abogado who is experienced in the application of the Spanish Law.
Nothing contained in this article should be seen or taken as the writer or the publisher providing legal or financial advice.
© Mark FR Wilkins 2022. All rights reserved.