Puerto Banus Marbella

Puerto Banus is Marbella´s most famous marina and was the brainchild of local property developer José Banus. It took him three years to build this harbor, but when Prince Rainier of Monaco and his wife, actress Grace Kelly, officially opened it in May 1970 it immediately gained star status.

This luxury marina has berths for hundreds of boats and spans 15 hectares with beaches on each side to the east and west. The extravagant yachts that are docked along the pier belong to the super rich and entice looky-loos to ogle in envy, while the boats bob up and down against a backdrop of Marbella´s most famous mountain and landmark La Concha. Tourists typically stroll up and down the docks reading the names of each boat and size each one up.

The marina is closed off for traffic, however there are parking spaces reserved for those who live, work or have their yachts parked there. Most of the traffic is made by high-end luxury cars, whose owners have a need to show off their latest toy. So hold your little ones´ hand and watch the traffic, particularly if you are there at night. Also, keep in mind that there are no tall gates fencing off the sidewalk from the water, so if your child doesn´t know how to swim you might want to keep a mindful eye on him.

Puerto Banus, or The Port, is also home to the biggest names in fashion from Dolce & Gabbana to Louis Vuitton and is Marbella´s answer to the Champs Élysées. These up-market boutiques cater to the jet-set and famous who visit the area year round. In summer, the streets come alive with tourists and locals alike who cruise and people watch from one of the local bars.

There are plenty of places to eat out in the port from a simple pizza at Picasso´s to fine dining at Aretusa. In summer the restaurants fill up fast, so it is recommended that you make reservations in advance. Beware, however, that Puerto Banus is the most popular place to visit in Marbella and the prices reflect this.

Parallel to the main harbor street, you will find more streets filled with boutiques, restaurants, bars and nightclubs. For a family it´s best to visit the marina in the day to gaze at the yachts, have a meal, enjoy an ice cream or feed the fish (take some bread along - that will amuse the kids). Nightlife in Puerto Banus is big business and in the summer it gets very crowded and quite rowdy, which may turn off families with younger children.

Behind the marina, you can walk to Spain´s most famous department store, El Corte Ingles, for more reasonably priced shopping, pick up some guide books at Bookworld España, or have a bite to eat at Terra Sana in the Marina Banus shopping complex.

On Antonio Banderas Square you can have a break while the kids jump on a trampoline or play air hockey in the outdoor play area. There is a café just in front where you can sit down and have a drink.

If you are visiting the port on a Saturday, you may want to try shopping at the mercadillo, or street market, which starts at the top of the bull ring and trails down to Puerto Banus. Here you will find lots of bargains in souvenirs, hats, clothing, spices, music, shoes, ceramics, home ware and more. In the summer time, there is a street market everyday in the Antonio Banderas Square.

Puerto Banus is a Must-See while in Marbella and when visiting, it is best to park in the Antonio Banderas Square and walk across the street to the port. This is a huge modern parking lot that is clean, safe, and has large parking spaces that are well indicated when they are free or occupied.