The area belongs to Estepona and the NEW Golden Mile. It takes about 15-25 minutes to drive to Nueva Andalucia, Puente Romano and Marbella. It’s overall pretty quiet. In the mountainside area, you find fewer shops, bars and restaurants. The beachside areas have several nice and popular beach bars and chiringuitos. Sports activities like golf, tennis, and padel tennis are easy to access from many urbanisations. The new golden mile has become very popular lately as it’s been easier to find more properties at a lower cost than in Marbella. “You get more property for the money” on the new golden mile is what people like to say compared to Marbella.

This area is named “up and coming.”  Guadalmina is a favorable area to locals. It´s split between the Guadalmina baja (lower side) and the Guadalmina alta (higher side).  Guadalmina Baja is located on the beach side. It offers some local and international chiringuitos. Some are more expensive and some very inexpensive, still the food is amazing.  Guadalmina Alta offers a small shopping center with bars and restaurants and also hosts golf courses and other sports facilities.  

San Pedro de Alcantara also consists of Alta and Baja. 

San Pedro town has a quaint little town center, with local shops and restaurants. It also has a town hall. The beachside areas of the above-mentioned areas are particularly popular among property investors as it is close to the sea. There are plans to build luxury hotels, more shopping areas, and restaurants in San Pedro baja within the next 10-15 years. San Pedro town is a cozy Spanish little town with lots of bars, restaurants, and local shops.  About 10- 15 minutes drive into Puerto Banus and Marbella town.

Cortijo Blanco is also on the beach side and connects with San Pedro baja and the area of Puerto Banus. The area is becoming more desired as prices have increased in these areas which used to be fairly inexpensive a few years ago. 

To many people this area is considered affordable compared to Nueva Andalucia and the Golden Mile which is described next.

Together with the Golden Mile, Nueva Andalucia is probably the most demanded area of Marbella to invest among foreigners right now. Particularly among northern europeans.  Here there are several prestigious golf courses to find, like Las Brisas, Los Naranjos, Aloha Golf to mention a few.  As it appears that many northern Europeans invest here, it has received the nickname “Scandi Valley.”  The Center part of the Nueva Andalucia area has its own neighborhood of local bars and restaurants and also some popular nightclubs and pool clubs. This area is called Aloha. It appears to be attractive to invest in a home around Aloha as its easy access to everything from all the prestigious golf courses, shops in Puerto Banus, local supermarkets, Puente Romano luxury bars, and restaurants ( Puente Romano resort is currently among the most prestigious places to wine and dine in Marbella- more of that in the Golden mile section)

In Nueva Andalucia, you also find popular tennis courts and beautiful mountain hikes. Prices here have increased tremendously over the past years. From here its a 5-15 minutes drive to the beach, Puerto Banus and Puente Romano and Marbella town center.  

This is the original Golden Mile. You have the lower Golden Mile (area 6) which includes Altos Puente Romano, Puente Romano, La Carolina, La Margarita, Marbella Club, Rio Verde, Margarita and more… These areas are located on the beach side of the AP7 road and it takes you about 2-11 minutes to walk to the beach from these areas.

The higher Golden Mile  (area 7 ) holds Nagueles, the prestigious Sierra Blanca, Los Picos and Cascada de Camojan. It’s considered the Beverly Hills of Marbella (although a specific area of Nueva Andalucia is trying to claim the “Beverly Hills” prestige too.) 

It’s about a 0-5 minutes drive to Puente Romano and Marbella Club beach and all the luxury living there.  In Puente Romano beach resort you find NOBU sushi, Six sense SPA, PR tennis club etc. It’s the jet setters “See and be seen” place.  It takes about 5 minutes to drive into Marbella center. This area originally became popular among the rich and famous as Marbella’s first luxury hotel was built on this stretch – The Marbella Club hotel. Many parts of this area offer close up views of Marbella’s famous La concha mountain and the sea.  The higher golden mile areas offer most of the luxury mansions and estates, yet there are some to find on the lower side as well. 

Marbella town:

Marbella town – The beach side consists of tall apartment buildings and lots of tourist shops and restaurants. The old town of Marbella is quaint. There are many local shops, bars and restaurants to explore.  The higher part of Marbella town offers small houses, townhouses and lower apartment buildings. Marbella town area does not appear to be the most popular area to invest in properties among foreigners. 

Area 8 belongs to Rio Real. One of the most popular golf courses in Marbella is found here. Rio Real is a nice calm area only 5 minutes drive from Marbella center. Rio Real has a popular chiringuito called Trocadero Arena.  Lots of kite surfers are to be found on the beach here. 

Los Monteros and out east toward Elviria. 

Overall calm to live. Several Golf courses and good tennis courses. Popular chiringuitos like Nikki Beach, La Plage Casanis and many more are to be found in this part of Marbella Four Seasons and W hotels are planning their site in this part of Marbella. Lots of kite surfers also come here and the beaches on this side of town are the most beautiful (soft white sand).  It takes about 15-20 minutes to drive into Marbella. 

Further north east of Elviria you find Cabo Pino port. It’s a lovely little port with bars and restaurants.