Picturesque Marbella Old Town
Picturesque Marbella Old Town
Marbella’s Old Town is one of the most picturesque places to visit on the Costa del Sol. However many times you have visited this historic quarter, you will always find something new to see and do around the cobbled streets.
Away from the sandy beaches and glitzy night life you will find a more sedate and traditional way of life in the Old Town. Orange Square is Marbella´s prettiest area, and is home to the 16th century Town Hall and tourist information centre.
The Town Hall has a sun dial on the corner of the building, various shields and stone inscriptions, still legible today. One of them dates back to 1485 when the town was re-conquered by the Moors.
The narrow streets around Orange Square are packed with small shops, art galleries and pavement cafés, where visitors can relax and watch the world go by. As its name suggests, orange trees and tropical plants fill the main square with a burst of colour and blossom, especially in the spring.
Marbella properties for sale include villas, apartments and original whitewashed village houses in the Old Town.
Bars and restaurants in Marbella Old Town
Bars and restaurants are plentiful here, and many are situated in the Old Town. Fine dining restaurants are situated in and around Orange Square, but if you prefer something cheaper and more traditional, there are some great tapas bars and cafes to choose from.
A wonderful place to lose yourself, the further up you head in the Old Town, the better the restaurants seem to get. Choose from delicious fresh fish and seafood, paella, Serrano ham and Manchego cheese, accompanied by a glass of crisp local wine or dry fino sherry.
The most typical dish is fried fish, using anchovies, mackerel, mullet or squid, among others. Gazpacho and garlic soup are typical summer dishes.
History of Marbella Old Town
It is all credit to the local government that even though Marbella is linked to large scale tourism, it still manages to maintain much of its original charm in the old part of town.
The street plan of this part of the city preserves the irregular layout that is characteristic of the Arabic era, although some of its narrow streets open onto plazas designed immediately after the Christian Conquest.
The ancient walled city still has almost the same layout as it did in the 16th century. The town hall was built in 1568 and the Chapel of Santiago, the oldest religious building in the city dates back to the 15th century.
Other notable attractions in Marbella Old Town include the Church of Santa María de la Encarnacion, the 16th-century Capilla de San Juan de Dios, otherwise known as the Hospitalillo, and the Museum of Contemporary Spanish Engravings (Museo del Grabado Espanol Contemporaneo), housed in the former Hospital Bazán.
Marbella is still one of Europe’s most sought after resorts and with property prices once again on the rise, now is a perfect time to buy an apartment, villa or townhouse on the Costa del Sol.