Marbella Area Guide

Marbella is a city and municipality in southern Spain, belonging to the province of Malaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is integrated into the region of the Western Costa del Sol and is the seat of the association of municipalities of the same name and the head of the judicial district that bears its name.

Location

Marbella is located on the shores of the Mediterranean, between Malaga and the Strait of Gibraltar, and at the foot of the Sierra Blanca. Its municipal term occupies an area of ​​117 km², crossed by the highway and the toll motorway called the Mediterranean, main accesses to the municipality. With 144,473 inhabitants according to the 2012 census, it is the second most populous municipality in the province and the eighth in Andalusia. In addition, it is one of the most important tourist cities on the Costa del Sol and during most of the year it is a center of attraction for international tourism thanks mainly to its climate and its tourist infrastructure.

History

Although less known, the city also has a significant archaeological heritage and several museums and performance spaces, as well as a cultural calendar with events ranging from reggae to opera. Pioneer of the Spanish iron and steel industry in the 19th century, Marbella experienced continuous expansion and growth throughout the last decades of the 20th century, developing an economy based on construction and the tourist offer aimed at visitors and temporary residents of medium and high purchasing power. The development of the tourist industry and the prosperity derived from it (the municipality concentrates between 7 and 10% of Andalusia's GDP according to some sources) have attracted a population of diverse origins, and above all a Fame of Exclusive and Luxurious City.