Now that I’ve got you thinking about a nice rental apartment somewhere on the Costa Del Sol, and I’ve got all the important details of day-to-day life here sorted out for you, it’s time to do some exploring.
I will probably do a deep dive into all the towns we have stayed in on the Costa in a later post, but I would like to begin to share some information and photos about where we are staying this year, Marbella
It probably should be said that when I talk about Marbella, I am essentially talking about the area involving what I am assuming is the original town. I popped over here from Torremolinos in 1975 but I have zero recollection of what it looked like then. Marbella, (the greater municipal area) also includes locations like Puerto Banús and San Pedro de Alcántara… a sizeable area.
If you are looking for a general overview about what Marbella is all about, I will not be doing that during this series. If you would like to read a little background information, I would suggest that you check out the Wikipedia reference site or the official Marbella tourism site in English.
Besides the obvious attraction of the beach and the mountains, Marbella does offer some charming and interesting sites to visit. First and foremost among these is one of the town’s major draws, the large, pedestrian only “Old Town”.
I went out onto “Ye Olde Inter-web” in search of a definitive description about what the Old Town was all about. Sadly, the only thing I could come up with is this general statement generated by Google.
“The quaint Old Town is home to Renaissance-era whitewashed buildings, flower-draped balconies, and narrow, winding streets. Plaza de los Naranjos draws visitors with its orange trees, 15th-century Ermita de Santiago church, and restaurants with terraces, serving traditional dishes like gazpacho and meatballs. Avenida del Mar is a long, narrow plaza dotted with palm trees and bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí. ― Google”
I think this is a dandy little set of pictures, hopefully providing you with a bit of a feel for what the Old Town is like. The photos are generally in the order of a walk we took through it recently. It was a beautiful cloud free day, but you’ll notice that in a few photos it appears to be overcast. These were taken a couple of weeks before on our first walk through the area this year. For the sake of brevity, I will mostly refer to the Old Town as “the OT”. So here we go!
To see a larger version of all the photos simply click on them. The photo will pop up in a new tab or window, allowing you to examine any of the images in greater detail.
The Walk Begins
1) There are several entrances into the Old Town. The one we used brings us to this little square, Plaza de la Victoria. Many such squares can be found in the OT.
2) Same square. Looking back towards where we have come from. The building with the red awning was a restaurant we have eaten in previously. As you can see, it has been a victim of the pandemic. The business is gone, and the building is up for sale.
3) A cute little hidden intersection is tucked away in the back corner of the square. When we were here last, I decided I really needed to walk down one of its two little narrow streets.
And here it is. I was not kidding when I said it was narrow. All kinds of restaurants, with only enough space outside for some tiny tables attached to the walls. I have always been amazed by how much greenery they squeeze into the OT.
4) Peeking inside the second restaurant we came to… we definitely have to come back here for lunch when we are feeling comfortable enough to eat inside. This photo was taken at 12:30 PM. You may be wondering why there was no one inside the restaurant. That is because lunch hour here in Spain begins at 2:00 PM.
5) The restaurant’s lovely, tiled sign. One thing you really notice in the OT is a lot of thoughtful attention to detail. Even here on this hidden away narrow street, along with the sign, you see flowerpots hanging in the recessed faux windows behind the bars.
6) Our walk led us to another street that I don’t think I’ve ever been on before. An interesting antique Gallery. Is that a painting of Franco?
7) Yet another little square. As I said, MANY of these are scattered throughout the area. Each one typically has a few tables set up by a nearby restaurant.
8) There are also MANY cute shops in the OT. The entire neighbourhood is primarily filled with shops and restaurants. We are about to head up this second narrow laneway. It will take us up to the main square.
The other thing I would like you to notice here are the light sconces mounted high up on the buildings. You will see these in many of the pictures I am posting. These do a wonderful job of making the whole area inviting and welcoming… and navigable…at night.
9) Yes, there are a few cheesy souvenir shops in the OT if you need to find something delightful for a child or grandchild… or yourself. 🙂
10) Lots of interesting architectural features. Again, outstanding attention to detail.
11) We arrive at the main square in the old town, La Plaza de los Naranjos (Plaza of the Oranges). Unfortunately, all the oranges have been removed. They were ripe, and I don’t think they wanted them falling on people’s heads.
12) On the day of our walkabout, La Plaza was awash in people enjoying the nice weather.
13) Lots of fountains can be seen in the area. This one is sequestered away in a corner of La Plaza de los Naranjos. With a cute little church in the background.
Pausing for Lunch
The plan was to wander around the Old Town so that I could take pictures for this article. We decided to include a lunch stop in La Plaza de los Naranjos. The plaza does have some interesting looking restaurants, but most of them cater exclusively to tourists … it being one of the biggest “tourist magnets” in town. This is not something we would normally do.
14) We searched out what we thought was the tackiest tourist type of restaurant and took a seat at a table away from other folks… also fulfilling the other important table selection criteria… half of the table was in sun, and half in shade. All diners have their own priorities. 🙂
And how do you determine what is the cheesiest tourist restaurant out of many you ask? If the tabletop is the menu, it is a dead giveaway. LOL!
15) And what do you order at a restaurant that caters to tourists, why a hamburger, of course. And yes, I did put one of the eggs on the burger. I had this in a market in Lisbon once and it was delish.
That said, we both agreed that my burger, her calamari, and the Pil Pil shrimp all amounted to absolutely the worst meal we have ever had in Spain. Possibly in Europe. Don’t eat in tourist restaurants folks!
16) Our table did offer a nice view back across the Square though. That building on the right is Marbella’s City Hall.
The Walk Continues
17) More walking ensued after lunch. I loved this image of the giant dress hanging on the wall of this little clothing store.
18) The narrow “dress shop” lane “T’d” into this narrow street. The arched walkway has an alleged history, that I cannot recall, involving one of Hitler’s henchmen.
19) At the risk of repeating myself, I remain amazed at the amount of incredible greenery that gets crammed into the Old Town.
20) You see these coloured flowerpots attached to walls everywhere.
21) A classic Old Town shot. It’s got it all, the blue pots, the greenery, the light sconces, cute shops, and a little restaurant.
22) There are several churches in the OT including this large one, Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación
23) This little square presented a lovely image.
24) For history buffs, a bit of a Moorish fortification can be visited, El Castillo de Marbella. Only some exterior walls still exist, this being the best section. I am using a photo from the El Periódico de Marbella website because all the ones I have taken don’t show it in as good a light.
25) A number of large maps are scattered around to help you find your way. I took a picture of one that I was going to post here, but I found this one on a local hotel’s website. It gives a much better sense of the whole Old Town area, and additionally, provides a suggested walking tour.
26) And finally, here it is, the old town at night. Many would find it even more beautiful in the evening than it is during the day. I have always been impressed with how the local authorities in many regions of Spain have installed generous and attractive lighting to enhance the historical areas in town. This photo is from 2017.
Excellent travelogue señor Retiree! You make it all look very interesting and enticing I’m sure. Enjoy your stay – and stay safe
Glad you are enjoying the articles.