Be Our Guest: A Summer’s Day In Marbella With The Websters’

You've already done the hard part. Requested the annual leave. Negotiated the family itinerary. Battled the airline booking system. Argued, lovingly, about luggage allowances.

Marbella asks nothing of you today. Put the planning away. Sit with this for a few minutes.

Good morning !
Wherever you've come from, you've woken up in the city that has, quietly and rather deservedly, become the most sought-after summer destination on the European coast. Not Monaco. Not Saint-Tropez. Not Mykonos. Something altogether more confident than any of them.

Before you leave, run the mental checklist:

Sunscreen?
Sunglasses?
Wallet?
Swimwear?
A hat?
Comfortable sandals? because today involves walking.

And your keys, always the keys.

Your first stop is Zoco Café Marbella.

You're going to arrive at one of Marbella's most aesthetic breakfast spots. Being there feels like being inside a perfectly decorated home, and on top of that, the food is excellent. Matcha, cold-pressed juices, well-made coffee, natural fruit smoothies — they have it all. If you want to be our literal guest, order the avocado toast with everything, a fresh orange juice and a white coffee. You'll thank us later.

If you're in Marbella and you're not enjoying its beaches, you're not in Marbella. Marbella has many things but its beach clubs... are an independent peace of mind.

This time we advise you to move, but trust us, it will be very much worth it. Head to Marbella Este, more specifically to Dune Beach.

Start the day on their sun loungers and chill-out areas and when the smell of the incredible food they make reaches your nose, go in and enjoy a meal that will close out your morning perfectly. We recommend the wagyu steak tartar, any of their salads, their red tuna and without a doubt, their cocktails. This beach club is made to literally spend the entire afternoon. We'll stay here for now.

Around this time you might be thinking about making a change. We've thought of that.

This is when the paths open up depending on the holiday traveller spirit you woke up with. We've calculated three types. 

Type A, the traveller who wants to make the most of every last ray of sunshine — this traveller can stay at Dune Beach –. Type B, the shopping traveller — this traveller can enjoy what's left of the afternoon strolling around Marbella Old Town, where they'll find thousands of shops and a great atmosphere –. And Type C, the walking traveller — this traveller will head towards the Senda Litoral – . The Senda Litoral is a path that in its entirety reaches 200km and runs from Nerja to Manilva. So if you search on Google Maps "Senda Litoral", it will place you in Marbella where the path is and from there you can walk in whichever direction you want. This path is perfect if you're looking for tranquillity and want to get to know the surroundings of Marbella a little better.

At this time we make a pit-stop at the apartment to have a refreshing shower and put on outfits to match our tan (or sunburn, depending on how you've approached your day in the sun). And we give you two options again depending on how you feel tonight to enjoy your dinner, both are great choices.

If you want pure luxury and exclusivity, we're going to Puente Romano. El complejo de Puente Romano is Marbella's most accomplished address. There you have options to choose from depending on what you're craving, and there's Nobu (Japanese-Peruvian, reliably excellent), LEÑA by Dani García (the beef deserves its reputation), SeaGrill (the sea view at dinner is one of the better things the city offers), and COYA (Peruvian, theatrical, the most talked-about table of the season). After dinner, the central square of Puente Romano awaits you with live music, great drinks and an unforgettable way to close the night.

For something closer to the grain of local life, the Old Town rewards the return visit. Taberna el Bordón — our top recommendation — lets you fully enjoy that Spanish essence and on top of that, its owner sometimes gets in the mood and comes out to sing with his guitar. It's true that it's hard to get a table without a reservation, but if you have to wait, it's worth the wait. La Niña del Pisto is another very good option near Taberna el Bordón. And without a doubt... Grupo Casa Curro. On the same street you'll find Taberna Casa Curro — pure tapas and traditional food —, the seafood restaurant Casa Curro — incredible oysters on top of eating the sea, literally — and their best open secret, La Tienda de Casa Curro, a Japanese-Spanish fusion that will leave you speechless.

If you want to enjoy the day a little longer, we'll leave you here. We hope these recommendations have made your day something better and special. And you know... if you've enjoyed this recommendation, we have much more throughout our blog. Keep reading.