Located a couple of kilometres west of Marbella along the ‘Golden Mile’ – a glamorous stretch of top-class hotels and private villas – Puerto Banus is the glitz to Marbella’s glamour. While the latter displays a tangible yet covert level of wealth and style, the effect is much more ostentatious in Puerto Banus, often thrillingly so. The mega yachts and speed boats that line the harbour reflect the bars and the people gathered just across the threshold: invariably sleek, expensive and stylish, with the odd kooky exception thrown in for variety and good measure.
Two inviting beaches flank ‘The Port’ on either side, one a more sedate, family-oriented affair, the other a vibrant and hip place that attracts a young crowd intent on having a good time. Celeb spotters should head to the adjacent Ocean Club, while watersports enthusiasts should head slightly farther afield to MistralBeach. The first line of the marina has a number of exceptional restaurants, bars and boutiques, while the second line is given over to late night revelry and is pretty much wall-to-wall bars and clubs.
Beyond this, there is a large plaza which has a permanent summer market, a small shopping mall, a large El Corte Ingles department store and a range of additional dining establishments, shops and services. Just behind Puerto Banus towards Aloha and Nueva Andalucia, there is a Saturday morning market that sells everything from artwork to traditional African jewellery.
