On the third day of our summer vacation in Spain, we headed towards the sophisticated beach resort town of Marbella. It is considered the classiest and most expensive of all the towns comprising the Costa del Sol region in Southern Spain. Up to this day, many rich people, including Arab kings and famous actors like Antonio Banderas, own residential properties in Marbella. But the town doesn’t just offer glamorous beaches, flashy marinas and shopping and dining facilities, it also offers a well-preserved old town full of history!
Here’s what to expect about Marbella’s fine sand beaches and promenade:
Norwegians like to spend time sun-bathing and just relaxing by the beach, and because my hostfamily had been in the town in the past, I decided to roam around and explore the town center on my own (my kind of vacation activity). Before one gets to the old city center, one will get amazed by the beautiful promenade and its fancy shopping malls, little kiosks and a string of restaurants and bars.
Here are some photos of Marbella’s resort, promenade and modern shopping district:
The famous beach town has had a very long history before becoming a classy tourist destination. The infrastructures, though might seem modern, are very Spanish. Note: Be careful when taking a stroll – the Spanish tiles can be very slippery! Perhaps that’s the Spanish version of walking on icy roads in winter Norway. 😉
According to sources, the seacoasts of Malaga was first inhabited by an ancient Celtiberian tribe. Around 770 BC, it was colonized by Phoenicians, and from the 6th c BC, it was ruled by ancient Carthage in Africa. The Roman Empire conquered the region at the end of the first century, followed by the Germanic people, the Muslim Arabs, and eventually, the Catholic Monarchs in 1487.
I find it really fascinating to learn about Spain being colonized in the past, not in an insulting manner, but in a critical way. To me, Spain had been the colonizer, putting my home country under its wings for about 350 years.
Anyway, the old town has much to offer, from beautiful historical and office buildings, to fancy restaurants and shops, to Catholic churches. Before finally reaching the Old Town, one will pass by the Alameda Park, a haven where one could take a break from the scorching heat of the sun! The garden is teeming with luscious green bushes, banana plants and palms, and there are a few drinking fountains, a nice Spanish fountain and Spanish-styles benches. Here are some shots taken at the Alameda park:
And finally here are some of the stuff to expect at the Old Town:
To top the day, we went to La Cañada, the main indoor shopping center in Marbella. One thing Norwegians do (and I do, since I moved to Norway) is to buy clothes and other basic stuff from the neighboring European countries because THEY’RE CHEAPER. 😉 Although I didn’t really buy anything from the shopping center. I found a nice ukay-ukay and bargain shops near Doña Lola resort, where we stayed, and there, I spent some euros for extra clothes. The ukay-ukay was organized by the British residents and aimed to help the needy (me?).
There you have it! Loved Marbella, and I was lucky enough to experience the flashy Spanish beach town. 😉 More about my first escapade in Spain in the next entries! Cheers! ❤
PinayOdyssey 