The DM Properties Guide to Costa del Sol

Helping clients to explore, find their place and safely buy a house in Marbella and the Costa del Sol since 1989.

Marbella, Spain

The experts' guide to living in Marbella

Marbella offers so many different lifestyles and real estate options that it can be hard to make a life-changing decision.

Marbella, home to a variety of nationalities and holiday destination for many, has always been synonymous with luxury. But Marbella has much more to offer than the nightlife and extravagance it is known for. Marbella and its neighbors Benahavis and Estepona offer a variety of lifestyles and environments with distinct characteristics. We have put together a guide to the different neighborhoods of Marbella highlighting what they are known for and why they remain the perfect choice for new residents looking to enjoy the Marbella way of life.

Marbella Golden Mile

Marbella Golden Mile Marbella’s Crown Jewel

Puerto Banús

Puerto Banús International appeal

Marbella East

Marbella East A diverse and family-friendly area

Nueva Andalucía

Nueva Andalucía Marbella's Golf Valley

San Pedro de Alcántara

San Pedro de Alcántara A town in itself

Marbella City

Marbella City Practical urban living

Sierra Blanca

Sierra Blanca Marbella's sought after address

Cascada de Camojan

Cascada de Camojan Peaceful prime location

Benahavis

Nestled in a valley, Benahavis is a charming white mountain village, with numerous nature-based activities, and home to some of the area’s best golf courses.

Benahavis

La Zagaleta

La Zagaleta World class estate

El Madroñal

El Madroñal Tranquil country living

La Quinta

La Quinta Tranquil golf location

Los Flamingos

Los Flamingos 5 Star Golfing destination

Estepona

Estepona is a lively town for people of all ages, combining beautiful Andalusian architecture and local character with modern facilities.

Estepona

New Golden Mile

New Golden Mile Estepona's gem

Atalaya

Atalaya Classic golf charm

El Paraiso

El Paraiso A consolidated golfside area

Estepona Centre

Estepona Centre The garden of the Costa del Sol

Sotogrande

Sotogrande, a luxurious destination on the Andalusian coast, has been a haven for the global elite since the 1960s.

Sotogrande

One day trips from Marbella

Be it a 20min short drive up the Ojen road to a 2.5 hour drive to the Sierra Nevada skiing station, Marbella is conveniently located to a variety of beautiful places, with amazing scenery, food and activities. Take advantage of what Marbella and this part of Spain has to offer!

Cádiz

Cádiz Though it is roughly an hour and a half away from Marbella, Cádiz is a treasure trove of history, culture, architecture and indeed, mystery, for this ancient city first founded by the Phoenicians almost 3,000 years ago, is poised at the tip of Europe where the Atlantic and Mediterranean worlds meet.

Jerez de la Frontera

Jerez de la Frontera There is, therefore, much to see in this country town of 200,000 souls. Situated roughly between Seville and the ancient port of Cádiz, it is surrounded by the rolling chalk hills upon which the local winemaking business is cultivated. Here, you will find yourself west of the Serranía de Ronda mountain range, north-west of the...

Grazalema – Serranía de Ronda

Grazalema – Serranía de Ronda Marbella and the Costa del Sol are often called the ‘European California’ because of their sunny outdoor lifestyle and cosmopolitan population, but venture half an hour northwards, into the expansive Serranía de Ronda mountain range, and you come across a succession of beautiful green valleys and majestic mountains dotted with pretty little white-plastered villages where the real Andalucía lives on.

Tarifa

Tarifa Spain’s warm southern coast may be known for its resorts, beaches, golf clubs and marinas, but amid what is the largest concentration of summer tourism in Europe there is also space for highly unique beauty spots with an ambience and character all of their own. Tarifa is perhaps the best example of this, for somewhere...

Monda

Monda It is sometimes said that Marbella, and the Costa del Sol, is not part of the real Spain. With its modern facilities and cosmopolitan population, Marbella is regarded as a separate part of Andalucía, yet venture just a short distance inland and you come across ancient mountain villages that are still imbued with the atmosphere...

Ojen

Ojen Though it’s just a five-minute ride from Marbella, the little white town of Ojen can rightly be described as the gateway to the interior. Peeking through a gap in the hills it takes in stunning sea views, as well as parts of Marbella itself, but in spite of its proximity Ojen is the first true...

Gaucín

Gaucín Long notorious as a den of bandits and smugglers, Gaucín became part of a rich popular tradition that romanticised these often-tragic figures as free spirits and champions of the oppressed. As one of the first white villages to have become popular among foreign residents, Gaucín’s ‘free spirits’ are now mostly made up of the colony...

Jimena de la Frontera

Jimena de la Frontera Jimena de la Frontera is a White-plastered outpost in a sea of green at just half an hour from the Sotogrande coast, and around an hour from Marbella.

Ronda

Ronda The first real country town of any size that you come to when you venture up-country from Marbella is Ronda. As such, this elegant historical town is synonymous in the region with stylish country living. A long and eventful history has bequeathed it with buildings in Moorish, Renaissance and Baroque styles, and above all with...

Casares

Casares Turn inland off the coastal road just after Estepona and you head through beautiful green valleys and forested hills into the foothills of the Serranía de Ronda, the large mountain range that dominates much of the Andalusian interior. Less than a half hour into this journey you will turn a bend and emerge out of...

Sierra de las Nieves

Sierra de las Nieves A mountain range whose name Sierra de las Nieves translates as ‘Snowy Mountains’ would not normally be associated with a place like Marbella, yet within sight of the town’s palm-fringed Mediterranean shores exists an untamed natural reserve that carries a white snow-cap in winter.

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada Southern Spain is known for its exotic, passionate culture; the Costa del Sol for the sunniest climate in Europe, and Marbella for its glamorous lifestyle under clear blue skies. As a result, the region has become a major destination for golfers, beachgoers and culture vultures – many of whom may not realise that they are just over two hours from some of the best skiing this side of the Alps.