Marbella combines 24 beaches along 27 kilometres of coastline with museums, historic buildings and the dune landscape of Artola. This offers different ways to plan your trip: time by the sea, art and architecture, or a glimpse of protected nature. You can choose which discoveries to focus on according to your interests, without following a set route.
Coast, beaches and activities
Activities offered on Marbella’s beaches include jet skiing, parasailing, kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding. Activities and operators may change, so check what is currently available before making plans. Chiringuitos offer another side of beach life, serving restaurant meals right on the beach, including fish and seafood from the Mediterranean region. Individual establishments and menus may vary.
The Senda Litoral also offers practical points to consider when planning. The section from Puerto de Cabopino to Puerto Pesquero La Bajadilla is designated as a cycle path and can be used year-round without time restrictions. Check the applicable cycling rules before setting out. In BahĂa Marbella, Las Chapas, a section of the Senda Litoral has a 30-metre-long walkway as well as toilet and rescue facilities. If this infrastructure is important to your plans, check its current status.
Art and architectural history
The Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo opened on 28 November 1992, based on an initial donation of 1,350 graphic works by contemporary Spanish artists. It is located in the former Hospital Bazán in the Casco Antiguo. This ensemble of representative Renaissance civil architecture dates from the 16th century and is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Monument category. The building brings together its own history and the study of contemporary graphic art.
The Museo Ralli Marbella opened in 2000 and is dedicated to contemporary Latin American and European art. Artists represented there include Wilfredo Lam, Marc Chagall, Joan Miró, Salvador Dalà and Giorgio de Chirico. The museum also houses one of Europe’s most significant collections of Latin American art; exhibitions may change. Admission was free in August 2026. Check the admission policy again before your visit.
Other places offer different historical perspectives. Centrally located, the Castillo de Marbella is the most significant surviving testament to Muslim civilization in Marbella and consists of two square enclosures. The Casco HistĂłrico also contains traces of Roman, Arab and Christian history. Cortijo Miraflores is a notable example of 18th-century rural architecture and houses the Museo de Aceite and the Municipal Archaeological Exhibition.
The buildings themselves also tell stories of different periods and uses. The Termas Romanas de las BĂłvedas is a Roman bath building dating from the 2nd century AD. It consists of seven highly vaulted rooms arranged around a central area. At the BasĂlica Paleocristiana de Vega del Mar, a baptismal font designed for baptism by immersion has been preserved. Group visits are offered there on Saturdays and Sundays from 11:15 to 13:00. Confirm the arrangements for visiting in advance.
Dunes and landscapes
The Dunas de Artola is a 19.27-hectare natural monument designated in 2003. It preserves the last significant remnant of the former dune belt in Málaga province and can be explored on foot along designated paths. The Torre de los Ladrones, a protected element of military and defensive architecture, stands nearby. Its origins seem to date back to Roman times; it was later rebuilt by Arabs and Christians. A visit to the dunes therefore combines a distinctive landscape with a building whose history spans several eras.
Another defining landmark is Sierra Blanca, the mountain range that protects Marbella. Its most prominent peak is La Concha. Together with the coast and dunes, this landscape offers a different perspective on Marbella from its museums and historic buildings.
Which focus suits your trip?
If you want to focus your stay mainly on the sea, beaches, water sports and chiringuitos take centre stage. For art and history, the museums, the Castillo, the Roman sites and the basilica offer different subjects and architectural styles. The Artola dunes provide a distinct focus on nature. When searching for hotels in Marbella, it may help to decide first which of these aspects you want to shape your trip; that way, you can choose more deliberately how to spend your available time.
The Feria y Fiestas San Bernabé may also be of interest when planning your dates: on 11 June, it honours Marbella’s patron saint. If you want to plan your trip around it, check the specific event dates. To make a balanced selection, you can also treat the coast, culture and nature as separate interests rather than trying to fit every place into a packed schedule.
Discover more destinations: Elviria, UrbanizaciĂłn Nueva AndalucĂa, Puerto Banus, San Pedro De Alcántara, Las Chapas, Artola, San Pedro de Alcántara, Alpandeire.
For the main travel overview: Málaga.
