Family Life in Marbella
Street in Puerto Banos – By Tommie Hanson via Flickr
Marbella is definitely a family-friendly Spanish town to choose to visit, as there is a bit
of everything for anyone. More and more ex pats are settling here every year, drawn by
the great quality of life, the healthy living, the stunning landscapes, the multicultural
environment and, of course, the sun.
The Spanish lifestyle is a relaxed one, as all activities start in late mornings, the eating hours
are a couple of hours later than when you’re used to and then there is the siesta from 2 PM
to 5 PM when everything but the restaurants and bars is closed. So whether you are thinking
of finding your dream home in Marbella, getting a second home in the sunny Costa del Sol or
just planning to head over for your vacations, take advantage of all the little Spanish habits and
enjoy the plenty family time they value so much.
Let us introduce you to the best ways to spend your family time here in Marbella, because
there are so many great activities to choose from, fun theme parks and memorable attractions
available nearby, making your life here quite hard to get bored of.
The Great Marbella Beaches
What better way to enjoy the generous weather Andalucia has to offer than down by the beach?
The beaches in Marbella are well taken care of, perfect for sunbathing and swimming, and the
sea is always inviting you to practice watersports or sailing.
You can also enjoy a freshly caught fish lunch or dinner at a beachside chiringuito, or go to a
beach party. If you have children, don’t worry about it, everybody brings their kids everywhere
here in Spain, and stay together until late in the night.
Aquaparks Everywhere!
The great weather allows you to enjoy a great family fun day at one of the many aquaparks in
the area from May until September.
The biggest waterpark in Costa del Sol is right nearby: Aqualand Torremolinos, where you
can try out all the water slides and pools, or even go surfing in the Aqualand’s “Surf Beach”,
a big pool with 1 meter tall waves. There are also waterparks in Marbella, Puerto Banus or
Fuengirola, all called Costa Waterpark, and Parque Acuatico in Mijas, so why not try them all
one by one?
Amusement Parks
The greatest amusement park in Costa del Sol is Tivoli World in Benalmadena. This is a place
where the whole family is guaranteed to have a really great time. Apart from the over 20 exciting
and diverse rides, during the high season there are a lot of entertaining shows happening on the
streets and in the squares of the beautifully decorated park. You can also visit all the gardens or
grab a bite at one of the themed restaurants.
Animal Lovers’ Must See
Costa del Sol is an animal lovers’ dreamland, and all the main attractions are really close to
Marbella and easy to access. You can check out over 2000 sea creatures at the Sea Life Centre
in Benalmadena, go see the most beautiful zoo-like establishment at Biopark Fuengirola where
you are separated by the animals by a thick glass making the experience unique and very
interestingly close. The Crocodile Park in Torremolinos or see some more exotic animals at
Selwo Aventura in Estepona.
In Marbella you have the option to see movies in their original version, which is rare in Spain as
everything is usually screened dubbed in Spanish. Just go at the Cines Gran Marbella in Puerto
Banus and enjoy a movie from time to time with your family.
Sports Clubs
The healthy Spanish lifestyle is not only related to their food habits. Spaniards love sports.
Everywhere you go there’s a likely chance to see joggers or people heading to the gym, but
there are also a lot of sports clubs you can join and train there together with your family.
There are numerous golf courses, tennis clubs, a polo academy, go karts or even ice skating in
a covered ice rink in Benalmadena. You can also go horse riding which is very popular in this
part of Spain, and have a relaxing ride on the beach or sunny hills in the area.
Parks & playgrounds
Spending your time outdoors with your family will have a different meaning in Spain. Marbella
has a lot of parks and gardens, with or without shade, with playgrounds and picnic areas. During
the weekend, everybody leaves their houses and head out to nature.
Parque de la Constitucion is just a short walk away from the centre of Marbella and it is a
shady, beautifully arranged garden park with playgrounds. You can also head to Parque de
las Medranas in San Pedro de Alcantara where there is a beautiful lake with cable waterskiing
available. Other great parks: El Calvario, Alameda or King Fahd Gardens.
The possibilities are endless for you and your family to have a great time together during
your stay in Marbella. Apart from it’s luxurious side, there is always something entertaining
happening in the area: concerts, festivals, workshops, fun outdoor competitions and many
others.
The multicultural part of Marbella sure helps a lot in making ex pat families feel comfortable,
while the outsiders’ “invasion” has made everybody more friendly and open-minded than in
other areas in Spain, so making friends and connections shouldn’t be too hard with either
foreigners or locals.
