Puerto Banús and Nueva Andalucía Area
Puerto Banús is situated to the west of the Golden Mile, its vocal point is naturally the prestigious marina that rivals that of Monaco and Saint Tropez. While Puerto Banús provides a very sumptuous ambience it is one of the few jet set locations that stayed true to its roots – taking its visitors back to an era of timeless nostalgia and boundless glamour. Inaugurated in 1970 and inspired by the emblematic design of Andalusian villages it falls perfectly in line with the Marbella Club and Puente Romano Resort. Conceived by its namesake José Banús and the acclaimed Beverly Hills architect Noldi Schreck a momentous launch party was the prelude to the epic tale of Puerto Banús. The lavish grand opening was attended by the likes of Rainer of Monaco and Grace Kelly, Aga Khan and Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, it was rumoured that – in true Puerto Banús fashion – 300 waiters were contracted from nearby Seville in order to serve an astonishing 20 kilos of the best beluga caviar.
Nueva Andalucía…
Nueva Andalucía is a large urbanisation located directly above Puerto Banús, revered as one of the best golf valleys it is home to numerous aficionados of the sport. Developed by the 2nd Marquis of Ivanrey the area is characterised by gorgeous mountain ridges and some of the most spectacular sea views. Amongst others Nueva Andalucía is now home to three leading championship courses; the Aloha Golf Club, Los Naranjos Golf and the Real Club de Golf Las Brisas. With all imaginable comforts in direct proximity Nueva Andalucía makes for an excellent holiday retreat, regardless if you plan to improve your handicap or rather unwind and take in the serenity.
Culinary
Be it Michelin starred restaurants, Mediterranean cuisine, local tapas or paella there is no culinary craving Marbella can't satisfy. At the same time we understand that such a plethora of different choices can be quite daunting, this is why we put together a list of our top picks in the vicinity of Puerto Banús and Nueva Andalucía.
El Txoco de Luis Salinero – Paseo Javier López, Puerto Banus
El Txoco offers a cuisine from North to South, diners can savour a great variety of dishes and products from all over the Iberian Peninsula. Be it baby lamb chops from Ribera del Duero, Iberian "secreto" pork cut from El Valle de los Pedroches or chilled soups such as "ajoblanco" from Malaga – the choice is yours.
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Pizzeria Picasso – Muelle Ribera, 48/49, Puerto Banus
Somewhat of a legend in Marbella this pizzeria has been in business since 1982. Their success and reputation has been built on outstanding food and service. Be it freshly baked pizza, wonderful pasta, quality meats or fresh fish, enjoy it in direct proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.
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VÔVEM – C. Yedras, Nueva Andalucia
Vôvem's is an excellent steakhouse, its state of the art maturation chamber enables guests to choose between 14 breeds of beef and veal of different origins, ages and maturation times. We recommend making reservations in advance as they often times tend to be booked out.
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Casino Marbella – Carretera Nacional 340, K174, Nueva Andalucia
Why not combing your meal with fun at the roulette tables? With Chef Agustín Román at the helm of the GastroBar you will be able to enjoy classics of the Spanish cuisine with an infusions of Hawaiian, Japanese and Moroccan influences.
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Mogli the Key – Avenida del Prado 37, Nueva Andalucia
The gastronomy of Mogli the Key creatively explores the connection between the techniques and flavors of Mediterranean cuisine with touches of international cuisines such as Asian, Latin and Polynesian. The result is a surprising proposals that takes you on a renewing and refreshing gastronomic journey.
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Magna Café – Av Calderón de la Barca, Nueva Andalucia
Magna Café offers a cuisine that selects local products to offer creative dishes paired with wines from an extensive cellar. With their new addition JAPO they now also offer exquisite Japanese food.
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Nightlife
La Sala, Pangea and Tibu are some of our favorite places to enjoy live music, dance and have a night out on the town. Below we provide you with a brief selection of some of the most stunning venues in close proximity to the Puerto Banús and Nueva Andalucía.
La Sala – Calle Juan Belmonte, Puerto Banus
It's the place to be! A trendy, stylish, buzzing venue that is the only restaurant in Marbella that offers live music from renowned musicians and DJs seven days a week.
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Pangea – Edificio Club de Mar, Pje. Muelle de Honor, Puerto Banus
Located in a building that is akin to that of a fortress from the middle ages you will enjoy gorgeous views over Puerto Banus. While Pangea certainly falls under the category of a night club many of its guest enjoy the various open spaces which provided a more relaxed and "airy" ambience.
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Tibu – Plaza Antonio Banderas, Av. de Julio Iglesias, Puerto Banus
Tibu will entertain you with the very best music and live performances from top DJ's and live acts from around the globe. Aside from a huge open-air terrace the club also has its own restaurant, perfect for a culinary excursion that can be topped off with a night out in their adjacent club.
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AIR by Breathe – Directly opposite of La Sala in Puerto Banus
Belonging to the Breathe restaurant chain, the main theme at this location is to combine natural ingredients with modern urban architecture. In the evening the scene moves to the panoramic rooftop sky bar – in our opinion one of the most exciting ones in all of Marbella.
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Dreamers Marbella – Ctra. Nac. 340 km 175 Río Verde, Puerto Banus
Luciano, Marco Carola, Bob Sinclar, Carl Cox, Erick Morillo or Swedish house mafia – they were all at Dreamers. Michael Keijzer, the founder and CEO, had the vision to bring the greatest DJ's to Marbella and provide them with a venue with state of the art sound and light equipment, he certainly achieved that with this club.
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LA HABANA DE HEMINGWAY – Edificio Muelle Levante 7, Puerto Banus
LA HABANA DE HEMINGWAY could be labelled as Disco / Cocktail venue. In existence since two decades it proved itself as one of the best meeting points directly on the frontline of Puerto Banus.
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Ocean Club Marbella – Avda. Lola Flores s/n, Nueva Andalucia
Ocean Club is the most original and classic beach club in all of Marbella – a reference for style, modern luxury and an atmosphere that made it famous as one of Europe's most elegant locations. Relaxing, partying and enjoying the best that summer has to offer. It all happens around a huge saltwater pool, where super-comfy, extra-large sun beds overlook the Mediterranean Sea.
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Activities Golf
Los Naranjos
Steeped in history, this Golf Club is considered as one of the best in all of Spain. Founded in 1977 and designed by Robert Trent Jones, this 18-hole course played a pivotal role in the Golf career of many professional players. The course still encompasses all the features the Banus Company demanded from Robert Trent Jones when they commissioned him to design it: A true championships course of classic design, long with wide fairways and large greens, suitable for international championships but enjoyable for all levels of players. Should you ever find yourself finishing a round of golf on this stunning course be sure to sample the exquisite premium cuisine of the club restaurant and enjoy the stunning views from the terrace of the club house.
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Aloha Golf Club
A stunning course that was envisioned by the acclaimed golf course designer Javier Arana. As the crest of the club implies, terrific views of 'La Concha' are guaranteed from almost every tee. While the various shrubs and bushes create a very British ambience one can't be surprised to find out that Javier Arana intended to emulate an English park with this creation.
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Real Club Las Brisas
Real Club de Golf Las Brisas aspires to be the private club of choice for those who appreciate an exceptional golf experience in a relaxing social environment. Their focus is to provide excellent service, well maintained facilities, superb dining and a variety of social events and recreational activities for the benefit of their Members and their guests.
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Magna Golf Marbella
Located in the heart of the 'Golf Valley', it is a course with 9 holes of long layout where the designer José María Elguezábal has managed to create a golf course for all levels of play. Magna Marbella Golf is a course of great tradition and with the services of a Pro Shop, Caddy Master, Drive Range as well as an innovative and fun TopTracer training system it surely will satisfy your needs.
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Other Activities
Go for a leisurely stoll in the exclusive Puerto Banús Marina
The port itself has over 900 berths, some of them allow superyachts of up to 50m to anchor. Puerto Banús regularly moors the world's finest superyachts such as the Lady Haya, Azteca or the Solandge. However, Puerto Banús is also a port of call for Christina O, the private motor yacht that once belonged to the Greek billionaire and shipping magnet Aristotle Onassis, he was a regular in Marbella during the glamorous 50s – this mystique can still be felt today and makes Marbella so special for many of its residents and guests.
Luxury shopping in the picturesque alleys of Puerto Banús
On land, the frontline marina is dotted with mostly high-end fashion boutiques and jewellery shops, indeed the shopping is second to none in the south of Spain, as it's the third-largest luxury market after Madrid and Barcelona. Some of the restaurants and café-bars that you will encounter have been open for decades – Salduba and Sinatra Bar are two examples. Just as they welcomed Liza Minelli and Sean Connery in the early 1970s they will welcome you today…
Click here for an overview of the various boutiques
Don't miss Salvador Dalí's rhinoceros in Puerto Banús
Take the opportunity to snap a photo of Salvador Dalí's famous green rhinoceros at Avandia del Mar. The sculpture was unveiled in Puerto Banús in 2004. The El Marbellero statue is also a landmark. It stands an amazing 30 meters high and was a gift from Russian expats in the area to former Marbella mayor, Jesus Gil. It is said to be a representation of Marbella's local residents.
Try your luck at the Casino tables
The Casino is situated in one of the most exclusive areas of the Costa del Sol and in existence since 1978. Discover an exceptional range of leisure and entertainment: slot machines, sports betting area by Sportium, American Roulette, Black Jack, different types of poker and numerous VIP Lounges.
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Turtle watching at El Lago de Tortugas
As the name implies the lake is home to numerous turtles. Hidden away in the northern part of Nueva Andalucia it's a lost world with probably more water birds taking refuge in this small enclave than in the whole of the rest of Marbella. Children swim in the lake during summer making it the perfect place for a tranquil picnic.