Marbella

Sophisticated Marbella, with its pleasingly atmospheric old town, is the dazzling star of the Costa del Sol; With a distinctly European feel, it is renowned as the jet-set capital of the Costa del Sol.

Famous artists, authors and film stars have bought homes and spend parts of the year in this celebrated resort. It comprises both old and new towns, thus blending 16th-century charm with Andalusian modernity. The heart of Marbella follows the coast for 2.5 miles, spreading (and rising) inland for 1.5 miles.

Filled with classy boutiques selling top-name fashion labels, the area around the port offers some of the most exciting shopping opportunities, and boutiques often stay open well into the night.

The beach front gives way to the steep, narrow streets and whitewashed houses of the Old Town where a variety of small shops compete for business in its warren of tiny, twisting streets.