What do Brigitte Bardot, Sean Connery, Ava Gardner, Bruce Willis, Michelle Obama and Tom Cruise all have in common? Well, they have all chosen the Costa del Sol as their holiday destination at some point or other.
But what is it about this part of Spain that attracts celebrities and prominent figures worldwide? The list of attractions is almost endless. Let’s start with its exceptional climate with mild winters when temperatures seldom fall below 12º C, and the hottest days of summer rarely rise above 36º C.
The area enjoys pleasantly warm temperatures in the mid-20s and almost constant sunshine. Its luxury housing developments, cosmopolitan vibe, and Mediterranean lifestyle are other reasons for its success.
Data before the pandemic from 2019 shows a record number of 4.4 million tourists in 2018, meaning a 5.44% growth in arrivals compared to 2017, which had already been considered a record year. It was the fastest-growing Spanish destination, and although we don’t have official data, everything seems to show that 2022 will see an excellent tourism recovery after COVID.
Many of these tourists fall into the luxury sector. They shop in exclusive boutiques, visit reputed beach clubs, and post their favourite beach snaps on Instagram. Most of them choose to stay in Marbella, and every summer, hundreds of well-known national and international faces can be spotted on the city’s bustling streets.
Spots like the Old Town, full of small boutiques and restaurants and Puerto Banús, where impressive yachts moor, are some of the most visited.
Its 27 kilometres of coastline and stunning scenery also attract a wide range of TV and film productions, and it is not uncommon to stumble upon some filming in progress. Marbella also has its own Film Office to help manage these permits.
The city also had its golden years hosting Hollywood celebrities and royal families from all over the globe. It was not unusual to see famous faces like Liz Taylor in the 1980s or Frank Sinatra in the 1960s enjoying Marbella’s legendary evening soirées.
Today, the city continues to cultivate an aura of glamour that can be witnessed in events like Festival Starlite where world-renowned artists perform and the Spanish jet set gathers.
But don’t be alarmed. Marbella has a wide range of hotel and leisure options to suit all budgets. So don’t hold back on booking your flight to discover what this city has that everyone loves. And if you want to feel like a celebrity but without breaking the bank, we recommend staying at BlueBay Banús****, a spectacular hotel located close to the world-famous marina area, which tastefully recreates a typical Andalusian village, built on 28,000 square metres of subtropical gardens with all the amenities you could possibly imagine at your disposal.
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