Puerto Banus

Local information about Puerto Banus, and Puerto Banus properties

History and Timeline of Puerto Banus

Located just west of Marbella, Puerto Banus is synonymous with wealth, fashion, celebrities, & the highlife. It is doubtful that this would have been fully realised in the 1950's when Jose Banus gave the port its name; though even then it was frequented by the likes of Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly, Marlon Brando, & European royalty. In 1962 the first flight connections were established between Malaga Airport & several European cities, & as flight routes grew more frequent Puerto Banus attracted more visitors.

Puerto Banus is arguably southern Europe's premier yacht harbour/marina, & it forms the heart of the community here. Well worth a visit, some of the most beautiful yachts & motor cruisers in the world can be admired. The marina is also home to a plethora of restaurants & cafes, catering for all types of dining from burgers & fries, to high end al la carte offerings. There are also a collection of leisure activities to be found here including; an underwater observatory, casino, shopping centre, Corte Ingles department store, & a multi screen cinema showing films in English (with Spanish subtitles).

Apart from eating & strolling around the marina another popular pastime in Puerto Banus is shopping. The area is literally brimming with designer boutiques; so if what you are looking for is "in fashion" then you will find it here. More recently high street clothing chains have established themselves, catering for those whose budgets do not stretch as far as haute couture. There is a large market on every Saturday near the bullring; a wide range of goods are on offer, though with a heavy leaning towards antiques.

When the sun goes down Puerto Banus really comes to life, with an excellent selection of alfresco bars, piano clubs, & nightclubs on offer. For those with sufficient stamina the party continues until daybreak, though expect to pay for it.

The seafront in Puerto Banus is (as you would expect) very well maintained. There are a number of good sandy beaches close by (see Puerto Banus Beaches page), all are well equipped, clean & feature life guard stations.

In more recent times Puerto Banus has attracted a lot of interest from residential tourists. Many people looking to purchase their dream home in the sun found Puerto Banus to be the preferred option. As a result prices soared; making Puerto Banus & neighbouring Marbella the most expensive spots along the Costa.

Puerto Banus is quite literally surrounded by golf courses; many in Marbella's infamous golf valley. In fact the Costa del Sol boasts perhaps the highest concentration of quality golf courses in Europe, with many golfing professionals using the Costa as their winter training ground.

Finally its mild weather makes it an ideal destination for holiday makers all year round. The coastline in this part of Spain is sheltered by hills & high mountains; thus limiting rainfall, & as a result the surrounding areas enjoy sunshine for in excess of 300 days per year.