The Marbella Golden Mile is the gem of Marbella and one of the first things that come to mind at the mention of this city. Dating as far back as the 1950s, the famous strip has become a symbol of ultimate luxury and exclusivity. Through this in-depth area guide, you will become well acquainted with everything there is to know about this glamour-filled community.
“The Golden Mile” is synonymous with “the best area of Marbella”. It is also one of the most prestigious residential and holiday areas in Southern Europe. Here you will find the most luxurious and refined real estate complex on the Costa del Sol. In fact, this concentration of high-end homes on the coast is only comparable in southern Europe to those located in and around La Zagaleta, Benahavis. But one must always bear in mind that the latter are not seaside locations, while those on the Golden Mile are, which is a very important residential advantage.
The Marbella Golden Mile began its journey in 1954, when Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe started building the iconic Marbella Club Hotel. It was inaugurated in 1976. This became the pinnacle of Marbella’s elite at the time, with many celebrities and royalty spending their vacations here. This area rose to popularity and in turn, development of surrounding areas began. The prestige lives on over 60 years later, as some of the world’s rich and famous have homes here. Jason Statham, Sylvester Stallone and Michelle Obama are just a small portion of the long list of celebrities that chose Marbella as their summer getaway.
Actually, a mile is a measurement of less than two kilometres. In the very beginning, Marbella’s Golden Mile comprised the stretch between the emblematic five-star hotels Marbella Club and Puente Romano. Even today, both hotels are still flagships of the area and favourite destinations for VIPs from all over the world.
But the paradisiacal lifestyle that both establishments offered was in high demand. Therefore, from the epicenter of glamour that these two hotels are, the developers knew how to develop towards the sides and towards the mountains. Villas, apartments and development complexes, as well as complementary services, sprang up around them, extending the Mile to the five kilometres we are talking about today.
So we understand that it is called mile in a metaphorical sense, but it encompasses a wider, very comfortable and select territory that is the icing on Marbella’s urbanistic cake. The concept of the Golden Mile is so well established that it has come to define a “high concentration of products and services of the highest quality” and is now being used to refer to the best of the best in Marbella.
The concept of the Golden Mile is so well established that it has come to define a “high concentration of products and services of extreme quality” and is now being used to refer to the best neighbourhoods in other major cities in Spain and around the world. Even in neighbouring Estepona, its strip of prime properties is referred to as the New Golden Mile. But it should be clear that Marbella’s Golden Mile really can’t compete, because its exclusivity and lifestyle is second to none.
The exclusive and high demand strip of the Golden Mile is located roughly from the Piruli de Marbella, where El Corte Ingles de El Capricho is located, to the beginning of Puerto Banus, where the Hotel Melia Banus is located. Along the coast, this makes up five of the twenty seven kilometres of coastline that Marbella has. On a map it is easy to distinguish the Golden Mile geographically. It is framed between the mouth of the “Arroyo de Guadalpin” at the beach of La Fontanilla, and the outlet to the sea of “Rio Verde” at the beach of the same name.
These references would be for the coastal profile or going along the National Road 340 that crosses the municipality of Marbella. But the famous Golden Mile also climbs up the slopes of Sierra Blanca towards the imposing La Concha mountain. We would say that, on the mountain side, the Mile runs from the area up the AP7 motorway from Puerto Banus to the British International School in Marbella.
Marbella has an area of 117 square kilometres. The Golden Mile comprises approximately 5 kilometres of coastline. As residential luxury has extended into the mountains, it is good to know how much territory the Golden Mile is actually made up of, in order to realise its delicacy.
Making a calculation, not exact, but useful to know how much super luxury space we are talking about, the territory of the Golden Mile would be about 21 square kilometres. In just this concentrated and attractive space there are the most sophisticated lifestyle and prime properties in Southern Europe.
Due to the Golden Mile’s proximity to everything, it is an extremely popular place for home-buyers. The fact that you are living amidst all the action, and all the beauty Marbella has to offer, attracts many people. Being the closest community to the beach, this too boosts its popularity.
Additionally, the Marbella Golden Mile is heavily pedestrianised in order to accommodate walking and cycling, yet also has roads that enable cars to reach every point on the Golden Mile. This balance between both creates easy movement as it is very well connected, which is crucial when buying a house. Also, the A-7, N-340 and AP-7 are all closely and conveniently reached.
The Marbella Golden Mile holds a reputation of being the most high-end place in Marbella, which influenced people to purchase properties here. Similarly, it is also a very family-oriented area, as many families have homes here.
The Golden Mile is modern, exclusive and elegant. It is also highly entertaining and healthily relaxing at the same time, depending on how you choose to enjoy it. In this area, you can really live a splendid life on all levels.
For example, you can have breakfast with croissants, roses and champagne, practically in the sea, on the beautiful and iconic pier of the Marbella Club. You can run outdoors on the promenade, under a row of palm trees, and have an aperitif at the charming MC Beach beach bar, then take a dip in the Mediterranean. Afterwards, you can choose to relax at the Six Senses Spa and get beautiful at the Milk & Roses centre.
On the Golden Mile, you can buy an exclusive Channel handbag, a Porsche or an avant-garde work of art in the same morning. Or hit a racket on the same courts where John McEnroe, Boris Becker or Novak Djokovic have played, at the renowned Puente Romano Tennis Club.
Of course, you can have lunch in Spanish, Thai, Japanese style… in any of the wonderful restaurants on the Mile, among which the fun proposals of Dani García or the exclusive Asian Nobu stand out. You can drive at sunset towards La Concha to enjoy a concert with the marvelous acoustics of Starlite. And finally, you can dine by the sea at the Sea Grill and then go for drinks at the Olivia Valere nightclub. Is the Golden Mile a celebrity hotspot?
The Marbella Club Hotel was the origin of what Marbella is today in terms of international tourism and lavish lifestyle. Undisputed celebrities such as Hollywood actresses Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Elisabeth Taylor or Grace Kelly were regular visitors to the nascent “Marbella of Glamour”. We are referring to the early days of the Marbella Club Hotel, back in the 50’s. We can say that they were among the first group of reputed names that rested or enjoyed themselves in the beginnings of high level tourism in the city. Celebrities, aristocrats and businessmen often arrived in their own private jets, hence the name “jet-set”.
From the 70s onwards, Barbra Streisand, Prince, Tom Cruise, Melanie Griffith and Antonio Banderas, among others, also stayed in Puente Romano (the latter quickly realised that it was much better to have a property in the city to come here regularly).
Now in the 21st century the faces have changed in Marbella, but its level of worldwide popularity has not. The Golden Mile has reinvented and modernised its services and continues to welcome the likes of Lady Gaga and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Marbella Golden Mile has unrestricted movement, seeing as it is a very important road in getting around Marbella. However, several residential areas are often protected by barriers during the day and night with security hubs monitoring movement. Speed limits are strictly enforced throughout the Marbella Golden Mile, with several speed cameras being present. The limit used to be 80km/h, but has recently been changed to 50km/h to reduce traffic incidents.
Seeing as the Marbella Golden Mile is so close to Marbella Centre, there are many police stations in the area, so a fast and efficient assist in case of an emergency is assured. Furthermore, local police routinely drive around the Golden Mile.
The Marbella Golden Mile is also heavily pedestrianised, so people can safely walk, run or cycle the streets of the Golden Mile. Gated communities within the Marbella Golden Mile have their own on-site security and patrol guards. For villas on the promenade, gates and individualised entries protect the homes.
There are two schools within the Marbella Golden Mile, both private schools offering a British education. Both of these are located in Area C. Swans International School teaches children aged 4 to 18, and the British International School of Marbella provides education for children aged 2 to 12.
Other international schools for kids aged 4 to 18 include Laude San Pedro International, where education can be completed in either the Spanish or British curriculum, being only 7km (or a 10 minute drive) from the Marbella Golden Mile. Aloha College is 4km away, and the English International College is 15km away, heading toward the Elviria area and Marbella East.
Sotogrande International School, being the only boarding school on the coast, can be found 52km away, equating to a 40 minute drive. It is located in a beautiful municipality and students have the choice of boarding or attending day school.
For higher education, Marbella International University has its grounds in the hills of the Golden Mile, where degrees in business, marketing and international relations can be obtained. Les Roches, one of the world’s top hospitality and hotel management universities, is also located in the Marbella Golden Mile. The American College, which provides an American higher education, can be found 6.3km away.
Spanish Public Schools on the Marbella Golden Mile are also worth mentioning. The most known is IES Guadalpin, which offers primary and secondary education, as well as Baccalaureat and further studies of subjects such as Production and Business. These classes are all conducted in Spanish.
The culinary offer of the Golden Mile is very wide thanks to the fact that the type of permanent or holiday residents who visit the Golden Mile are people who demand high-level gastronomic experiences. We can divide the restaurants in the area into two sub-areas: those located in the Hotel Puente Romano itself and those in the surrounding area.
Puente Romano’s collection of restaurants is, frankly, very powerful. In the well-known La Plaza, in the heart of the complex, there are four very significant restaurants: Bibo, Leña, Serafina and Thai Gallery. But in the network of streets and gardens of the resort you can also find proposals such as Nobu, Flamma, New Thai Pan, Rachel’s Eco Love, Les Jardins, or Monkey Club. The offer includes almost twenty restaurants, which can be consulted in more detail in our Gastronomic Guide to Puente Romano.
Regarding the surroundings of the resort, to the east there are emblematic restaurants such as Villa Tiberio. It looks like a small Italian “palazzo”, full of gardens and offering a family atmosphere. Also very good are Momo, which has a cocktail lounge and sometimes live music, as well as a small steakhouse called La Cabaña, in La Carolina urbanisation. But undoubtedly the king of this area is Lobito de mar by the multi-award winning Dani García. Defined by themselves as “a chiringuito without a beach”, their menu brings the best and freshest fish and seafood from the fish markets, to be served in dishes that range from the tradition of Andalusia to the wisdom of Japan. Past the hotel, to the west, there is another group of restaurants. Classics such as El Carnicero or very new ones such as Boho Club. The offer of flavours is completed with the proposals in the sea such as Sea Grill, La Milla, Trocadero Playa, SeaSoul Club or Besaya Beach, which are among the most exclusive beach clubs in the region.
Elegant luxury is the hallmark of The Golden Mile. Exclusive fashion brands such as Chanel can be found here. There are establishments where you can buy diamonds with a guarantee, such as De la Fuente jewellers. You can go casual in boutiques such as Las Noches de Ibiza, or very traditional in Baidoux. Swimwear and beachwear at Orlebar Brown and the finest linen at 100% Capri. There are textile and furniture shops, car showrooms, art dealers… and even organic shops such as Organic.
Just a few minutes’ drive away is the incredible world of international brands in Banus. There Dior, Prada, Gucci, Roberto Verino, Hannibal Laguna, Manolo Blahnik, Jimmy Choo… live together ostentatiously in the commercial area of the marina. In addition, two buildings of the prestigious El Corte Ingles company are very close to the Golden Mile, one in Banus and the other in Gran Marbella. Within a short stroll is also Marbella Centre and its commercial life, full of local flavour and a multitude of services. Approximately fifteen minutes east side is the large La Cañada Shopping Centre and, even closer is Nueva Andalucía and San Pedro de Alcantara with its array of business and commercial centres.
In addition to the benefits of being in an international city like Marbella (enviable climate, beautiful beaches, exclusive ambience, first class services…) the Golden Mile stretch is a step up in the residential experience. It is a step up to the top of luxury.
The properties on the Golden Mile stand out because they are certainly the best in the area, something recognised by all specialised real estate agencies. Whether you want a large family villa, with gardens, swimming pool, privacy and total security, or a cosy apartment in the Puente Romano Beach Resort, the range of luxury options is very diverse.
It also has an immense variety and quality of leisure, restaurants and services. That is why it is one of the favourite holiday destinations for people from all over the world, which gives it an international atmosphere, and it is also the first or second home of those who know how to opt for the exquisite.
Much of the world’s rich and famous have been enamoured by the Marbella Golden Mile lifestyle thus purchasing homes in the area. The Marbella Golden Mile is a very family-friendly location, with many choosing to raise their children here. It remains an international community, merging residents of various cultural backgrounds. Some of the big names that own homes on the Marbella Golden Mile include Prince Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who purchased a plot on the Marbella Golden Mile next to the Mosque financed by Saudi Arabia and named after their first monarch, King Abdul Aziz. A replica of the White House was built, thus the Saudi Royal family visited frequently. Simon Cowell, a British TV personality and record executive, owns a villa on the Marbella Golden Mile near Sierra Blanca. Also, Sir Alan Sugar owned a frontline villa just off the Marbella Golden Mile in Puente Romano.
Within the Golden Mile there are different real estate areas of great value. What they all have in common is that they are equipped with the best comforts and incredible construction qualities. To classify them better, we can divide them into those that are below the N-340 road and look more towards the sea, and those that are above the road.
Beach side, the leading area is Puente Romano, whether for long or short term rental, to buy a home and live in, or to invest in real estate. All the apartments, penthouses and private villas in Puente Romano are wonderful and enjoy many of the advantages of the resort. On the seafront there are also other luxury options such as the urbanisation Alhambra del Mar, Las Cañas Beach, the Marbella-Mar area, La Comunidad Las Torres del Marbella Club, Los Verdiales and Playa Esmeralda.
Mountainside, after the national road 340, we would have a group of very select urbanisations that would gradually rise in height, such as: La Carolina, Altos Reales, El Vicario, Monte Paraiso, Altos de Puente Romano, Las Lomas de Marbella Club, Las Lomas de Sierra Blanca, Jardines de Sierra Blanca, Meisho Hills and Monte Paraíso. The most outstanding locations are Altos de Puente Romano, Urbanización Señorío de Marbella, Urbanización Lomas del Rey and La Trinidad.
The extension of the Golden Mile towards the mountains would go towards the wonderful Sierra Blanca and Cascada de Camojan, as well as the beautiful area of Nagüeles. Here you will find interesting residential complexes such as Arroyo de las Piedras, Tomillar de Nagüeles, Mansión Club, Imara, La Capellanía, Marbella Hill Club, Jardines or Jardines Colgantes.
The Marbella Golden Mile hosts some of the most grand, luxurious houses on the coast. To name a few, El Nido in Cascada de Camojan, priced at €21,900,000 was sold in May of 2022 to a direct client. This house was a very popular one, as it received a lot of attention due to our marketing efforts via social media. Another mansion, priced at €29,000,000, located in Nagueles; this one is considered a gem in Marbella due to the size of the plot and its prestigious location on the Marbella Golden Mile.
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