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Marbella is a city and municipality in southern Spain that is part of the province of Málaga, which is part of the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is located on the Costa del Sol and serves as the regional headquarters of the Association of Municipalities; it is also the seat of the judicial district that bears its name.

Marbella is located on the Mediterranean Sea, between Málaga and the Strait of Gibraltar, in the Sierra Blanca foothills. The municipality encompasses an area of 117 square kilometers, which is traversed by highways along the coast, which serve as its main entrances.

Marbella is the second most populous municipality in the province of Málaga and the eighth most populous municipality in Andalusia. It is one of the most important tourist cities on the Costa del Sol and is an international tourist attraction for the majority of the year, owing to its climate and tourist infrastructure.

The city also has a significant archaeological heritage, a number of museums and performance spaces, and a cultural calendar that includes everything from reggae concerts to opera performances.

Landmarks and tourist attractions

The ancient city walls of Marbella are preserved, as are the city's two historical suburbs, the Barrio Alto to the north and the Barrio Nuevo to the east. The ancient walled city's layout is nearly identical to that of the 16th century. The Plaza de los Naranjos is an example of Castilian Renaissance architecture, with its plan laid out in the heart of Old Town following the Christian reconquest.

Other notable buildings in the center include the Church of Santa Mara de la Encarnación, which was built in the Baroque style beginning in 1618, the Casa del Roque, and the remains of the Arabic castle and defensive walls; also in the Renaissance style are the Capilla de San Juan de Dios, the Hospital Real de la Misericordia, and the Hospital Bazán.

The Ermita del Santo Cristo de la Vera Cruz (Hermitage of the Holy Christ of the True Cross), built in the 15th century and expanded in the 18th century, is one of the highlights of the Barrio Alto. It consists of a square tower with a roof covered in glazed ceramic tiles. The Barrio Alto neighborhood is also known as the San Francisco neighborhood, named after a Franciscan convent that used to be located there.

Between the old town and the sea, in the area known as the "historic extension," there is a small botanical garden on Paseo de la Alameda, as well as a garden with fountains and a collection of ten sculptures by Salvador Dal on the Avenida del Mar, which connects the old town to the beach. To the west of this road, after passing through the Faro de Marbella, is Constitution Park (Parque de la Constitución), which contains the auditorium of the same name as well as the Skol Apartments, designed in the Modernist style by the Spanish architect Manuel Jaén Albaitero.