Puerto Banús – playground of the rich and famous
Located on the Costa Del Sol, to the southwest of Marbella, lies glittering Puerto Banús. Puerto Banús. was a small fishing village up until the 1970s, at which point it was transformed into a luxury holiday destination by José Banús. At the heart of Puerto Banús is the beautiful marina where everything is glitzy, from the size of the luxury yachts moored through to the high-end sports cars parked nearby. A place where people dress to impress, and go to see and be seen, Puerto Banús is popular with celebrities and you never know who you might see.
Shop until you drop
Whatever the budget, shoppers will find something in Puerto Banús. In the streets around the marina you will find many famous luxury brands for clothing and jewellery. If the thought of designer shopping tempts you, do not head out too early, particularly in the summer, as the shops open late on a morning and stay open until late at night. Bargain hunters will enjoy the large, busy weekly market held in Nueva Andalucia which is only a short walk from the town centre. Here the stalls offer a variety of items including clothes, handbags and music. If you would like some local handicrafts, an artisan market is regularly held in Antonio Banderas square in the town centre. Opposite the square you will find a large shopping centre, plus a smaller shopping centre which houses popular Spanish high street shops. As Puerto Banús is a compact town, with a large choice of hotels, you should not have too far to carry your purchases at the end of the day.
Eat out and then party until dawn
Puerto Banús was designed with entertainment in mind so there it is no surprise that there is a good choice of places to eat and drink. Around the marina you will find delicious local seafood, along with Italian and Indian cuisines, while there is more choice around the main square which is less than a ten-minute walk away. If do you plan to party until the sun comes up, you might want to choose one of the more centrally located hotels in Puerto Banús so it is just an easy stroll back to your hotel in the morning when the bars and nightclubs close. If enjoying a flutter is more your idea of entertainment than drinking and dancing, Puerto Banús has the Casino Marbella. With a restaurant and bar, the casino is just a five-minute drive from the centre, and there is a modern spa hotel conveniently located next door too.
Chill out on the beach
In the busy summer season, there are luxury beach clubs in Puerto Banús that you could sample. These are always popular with revellers. If simply enjoying the sand and the sea is more your style, you will find hotels in Puerto Banús which are only a short walk from one of the three pretty beaches. There is a beach on either side of the marina. The largest beach, but also the quietest, is Playa Levante which reaches all the way to Marbella. Here, you will find a number of beach bars called chiringuitos that serve food and drink throughout the day and into the evening. The busier main beach – and the location is of the beach clubs – is Playa Nueva Andalucia which is to the west of Puerto Banús. During the summer months, you will find beach parties day and night with music and dancing. The third beach is Playa Rio Verde.
Take to the high seas
If you want to do more than simply gaze at the beautiful yachts in the marina you can take a boat trip to nearby Marbella. Boat trips can be taken from the marina in Puerto Banús and they give you the opportunity both for a quick visit to Marbella as well as to enjoy the views of the Golden Mile coastline from the sea. With several private companies based in the marina, catamarans and yachts are available to charter for private boat parties, dolphin watching, day trips to Gibraltar or simply relaxing and catching some sun out at sea. Sport fishermen can also charter boats, including experienced crew, giving them the best chance of catching tuna or one of the many other species found in the rich, warm waters around Puerto Banús.