About Marbella
Situated along the Costa del Sol, Marbella is Spain's answer to St Tropez. Like its French counterpart Marbella is renowned for being a playground for the rich and famous. An exclusive destination for wealthy tourists from around the globe, and a (second) home to many of the well-heeled from across Europe.
Marbella's history goes back further than most imagine: archaeological excavations point at human habitation in Paleolithic and Neolithic times and remains of Phoenician and Carthaginian settlements have also been found. Marbella Old Town is thought to correspond with the ancient Roman town of Sálduba and the Roman origins of the ashlars and chapiters of the City Wall seem to confirm this.
Marbella's reputation as a jet-set destination did not emerge until the 1940's when Alfonso de Hohenlohe decided to buy land commercially and to market the area as a tourist destination. In 1954, Alfonso - a true socialite with maternal membership in Spain's titled aristocracy and paternal kinship to the royal courts of Europe - opened the doors to the Marbella Club Hotel and the hotel quickly became popular with Europe's ruling elites as a casual but discreet and luxurious holiday destination.
The elite from the Middle East soon followed when Prince Fahad bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud - who would later become the King of Saudi Arabia - settled on Marbella as his summer retreat in the 1970's. To this day, and despite King Fahad's death in 2005, Marbella remains a popular destination for Arab oil magnates seeking to escape the summer heat in the Middle East.
There are many reasons for Marbella's continued attractiveness despite a history that has seen as much scandal and controversy as it has prestigious and esteemed visitors and residents. The cosmopolitan lifestyle, the luxury hotels and residences, the conglomeration of designer shops and high-end restaurants and the unbeatable micro climate are just a few of the elements that make up Marbella's "Way of Life".