Marbella

Distance wise, Malaga and Marbella are relatively close to each other – it only takes an hour to drive there from Malaga’s city centre. Nevertheless, the cities feel like worlds apart. Marbella is a glitzy, glamorous seaside resort with a worldwide reputation among the rich and famous.

It’s most well known spot is Puerto Banus: a harbour filled with designer shops, fast cars and super yachts. I must admit, I wasn’t impressed by Puerto Banus. It felt flashy and over the top – a big contrast to Malaga city’s quirky and authentic feel.

Having said that, Marbella has preserved it’s old town centre, known as ‘El casco antiguo’ which is worth an explore.

At the heart is the Plaza de los Naranjos, a charming town square lined with orange trees. The square has many outdoor cafés to enjoy and soak up the sun. I ate at Lateral, a famous Spanish restaurant chain. Lateral serves yummy tapas and has tables on the town square as well as a lovely, stylish interior.

Plaza de los Naranjos is surrounded by narrow streets built in the traditional, whitewash style. Down these streets you can find small boutiques and restaurants which have kept the typical Andalusian charm – although they are rather more up-market (and pricey..!)

As you wander down the streets, you discover that Marbella’s old town has many little squares and patios with old churches and chapels. Despite the old centre being small, it is still charming.

All in all, Marbella is worth discovering in a day trip.

The old town gives you a sense of how simple and unassuming it was before being transformed in to the glitzy and glamorous place it is today.