| One of the most important beach resorts on the | | | | mosaics, and you will always find local guides ready to |
| Costa del Sol, Marbella is known as the holiday | | | | fill you in with the cultural details. The great advantage |
| destination of European business tycoons. An open | | | | is that these ruins are very close to the beach of |
| port to the Mediterranean, Marbella is a flourishing city | | | | Guadalmina, west of San Pedro, so you're actually |
| in Andalusian Spain and one of the oldest inhabited | | | | close to other sights on the tour. Furthermore, there is |
| places in Europe. The mountains of Marbella have | | | | also the city's mosque, a tribute to the city's Islamic |
| hidden the secrets of the Paleolithic and the Neolithic | | | | past, and a great pride for the Arab community of |
| people for millenia. Like its southern Spanish relatives: | | | | Marbella. |
| Alicante, Valencia, Sevillia and others, the city still | | | | As for museums, one highly recommended place to |
| preserves the vestiges of five different conquering | | | | go is the Museum of Spanish Contemporary |
| cultures. | | | | Engravings. Formerly a residential palace, belonging to |
| Founded by the Phoenicians, Marbella also knew | | | | Don Alonso de Bazan, it served later as a hospital for |
| Carthaginian occupation in the area of Rio Real. Later, | | | | the poor. It houses and exhibits works of Picasso, |
| it was a Roman base known under the name of | | | | Chillida, Tapies and some other great names in the |
| Salduba. The cities fortifications date back to the | | | | Spanish patrimony. To pass from museums to open |
| Muslim rule, when the city castle was also built. Even | | | | air sights, that's one great idea for any sightseeing |
| the name of Marbella is of Arab origin, Marbi-la, from | | | | tours. Marbella boasts some of the most beautiful |
| which it derives. The city entered a period increasing | | | | parks and gardens in Spain, where every small area is |
| development some seventy years ago, and it has | | | | valued, and planted with flowers. There are Naguelas |
| maintained this upward trend to the present day. | | | | Parque, Parque de la Constitucion, La Alameda, |
| The main touristic attraction is the large seafront | | | | Parque de las Medranas and others all worth a visit if |
| promenade, which may just prove ideal for the | | | | you have the time. |
| traditional Spanish "paseo". There are cafes and | | | | Marbella is as crowded at night as it is by day, since |
| restaurants, souvenir boutiques and tea houses, but | | | | the Costa del Sol has an abundance of restaurants, |
| most of all, there is the soft golden sandy beach and | | | | discos and nightclubs swarming with people. Here are |
| clear blue sea. This is the final destination spot for | | | | some of the best spots to have fun in the warm |
| most European tourists, above any other sight in the | | | | nights of Marbella. Ana Maria's will entertain you with |
| city. Furthermore, the promenade has the advantage | | | | fun flamenco shows, for rock music, try Frank's |
| of being within just a few minutes walk from the old | | | | Corner, and if your after the chic high life of Marbella, |
| centre. | | | | La Notte Piano Bar is great place to visit. Stones Music |
| Part of the old civilization, remnants of a Roman | | | | Bar should also be mentioned, as it offers a friendly |
| settlement and now a popular tourist attraction are the | | | | atmosphere of Karaoke sing-alongs and sports |
| Roman villas and baths. They have well preserved | | | | matches. |