Marbella’s beaches are possibly the best on the Costa del Sol. Along its 27km of coast, Marbella boasts more than twenty beaches of fine, golden sand and warm blue waters where those looking switch off from their day-to-day routine on their holiday or those looking for luxury of Marbella’s Golden Mile (Milla de Oro) can find the perfect place in its exclusive beach clubs.
To reach Marbella’s best beaches, many of them awarded the Blue Flag designation for their quality, travellers will be able to hire a car in Malaga and travel the kilometres of coastline which separates the capital from this city, enjoying a stunning view and being able to reach the most hidden beaches to enjoy the peace and quiet their sand dunes provide.
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Marbella’s Beaches with a Blue Flag
Between them, Marbella’s beaches have the most Blue Flag designations of the whole of Andalusia, a community which boasts 145 of the 729 that exist throughout the world. This designation is awarded by the ADEAC and takes into account the quality of the water, the services offered by the beach, the safety of it and its environmental education work. Bearing this award in mind, it can be said that the following are the best beaches in Marbella:
Casablanca beach
Situated near to the city, this is one of Marbella’s most popular beaches. With its crystal clear waters and golden sand, Casablanca Beach boasts palm trees that make sure visitors can always find a shaded area to enjoy a day at the beach protected from the sun.
Despite its popularity, this beach doesn’t usually get too busy, so it is ideal to go as a family and enjoy the peace and quiet. Nearby, you can find numerous bars and restaurants, in addition to an outdoor gym and multitude of services including showers, hammock hire or access ramps.
El Cable Beach
Also known as Bounty Beach, this is one of the busiest beaches, although less so than the beaches located nearer to the heart of the city. In the summer season, this beach bursts with life, with beach volleyball tournaments, sports activities and sandcastle competitions. In addition, it offers all types of hire services, from pedal boats to canoes.
Its moderate waves and shallow waters make this the perfect place to visit as a family, where you can hire hammocks and parasols to enjoy a comfortable day on the beach. In addition, the area features lots of famous beach bars (chiringuitos), such as Bounty Beach, La Dolce Vita or El Hipódromo, which usually host a number of summer parties.
El Faro Beach
In the heart of Marbella, next to the leisure port, you can find El Faro Beach. Situated opposite the seafront promenade and near to Parque de la Constitución park, this small beach is one of the busiest in the city. Its surroundings are bursting with life, being home to shops, cafés and some of the most popular restaurants in Marbella. This beach features a lighthouse (faro) dating back to 1864, which gives the beach its name. The area also has its own free car park and is adapted for people with disabilities.
El Alicate Beach
Much quieter, Alicate Beach is one of the city’s most stunning beaches, with crystal clear waters and golden sand. This is one of the beaches of Marbella with the most bars along its 850 metres of length. On it you can hire parasols, sun loungers and equipment for a variety of water sports. This beach also has showers, footbaths and toilets.
Beaches in the centre of Marbella
The city of Marbella is home to a variety of urban beaches which enjoy the honour of being located near to bars, restaurants, shops and some of the best beach clubs Marbella has to offer. Visitors won’t be short of interesting plans to round off their day at the beach.
Nagüeles Beach
In the heart of the Golden Mile (Milla de Oro), Nagüeles Beach boasts a large and well cared for seafront promenade where you can enjoy a stroll and an enviable sunset. The area boasts a multitude of services and is surrounded by the city’s most exclusive beach clubs. On it, visitors will find showers, bathrooms, access for people with disabilities or hammock hire. Visitors simply cannot leave without taking a photo in its famous dock.
El Ancón Beach
El Ancón is one of the best beaches in Marbella. Situated on the Golden Mile (Milla de Oro), near to the development of the same name, this beach is home to one of the city’s most famous beach bars (chiringuitos), Victor’s Beach. It boasts a wide beach, ideal for welcoming lots of visitors and is surrounded by sports facilities, in addition to all types of services for swimmers. Ancón beach is located on the border between the beaches of Puerto Banús and those of Marbella.
Fontanilla Beach
One of Malaga’s most popular urban beaches is Fontanilla Beach. With its long rows of hammocks and parasols, this beach is just a few minutes’ walk from the city centre, with all of the facilities and services, and a plethora of leisure activities to enjoy a fun day on the beach.
Beaches in Marbella where you can relax and switch off
For travellers looking for a place to switch off on their trip to Malaga’s beaches, there are a variety of options away from the heart of the city where you can enjoy the calm sea, sun and sand.
Cabopino Beach
In recent years, Cabopino Beach has become one of the most popular beaches in the Costa del Sol. This beach features a private nudist area protected by the Dunes of Artola. With a beach stretching more than 1500 metres, the area has plenty of bars and beach bars (chiringuitos), in addition to car parking areas around it. Visitors will also be able to hire water sport equipment in a sea area which is popular thanks to its frequent sightings of dolphins.
Elviria Beach
Next to Cabopino we can find Elviria Beach, a wide and pleasant stretch of sand where you can swim in shallow and calm waters. This is a spotless and well looked after beach where you can get away from the hustle and bustle and relax in peace. The area boasts various bars and you can hire hammocks and parasols.
El Pinillo Beach
For those wanting to enjoy a beach day in the company of their furry friends, El Pinillo Beach is one of Marbella’s dog beaches. As it is one of the largest yet least busy beaches, it has been chosen to set aside an area of 250 metres which is suitable for dogs, even having showers for pets.
Hermosa Beach
With calm and shallow waters, Hermosa Beach is one of Marbella’s beaches which is perfect for families with children. In the surroundings of this beach, which crosses the Costa Bella, there are a plethora of bars and beach bars (chiringuitos) to relax a little in the sun and enjoy some of the most typical restaurants to eat in Marbella. Additionally, the beach has all types of services and is characterised for the cleanliness of its sand.
Map of the best beaches in Marbella
Marbella’s coastline boasts 23 different beaches, but this post contains the best beaches in Marbella, with options for all tastes, from those preferring to enjoy urban beaches bursting with life to those looking for more specific options, such as dog beaches or naturist beaches. On this map, you can view the selection we have made for our travellers.
