48 Hours in Puerto Banus

If you're looking for perfect weather combined with luxury and seaside beach clubs in Europe, then Puerto Banus is a must-visit on your list. Everyone dreams of Paris, Ibiza, and Dubai, but Puerto Banus offers an excellent alternative for those who want luxury paired with an oceanside experience.

Puerto Banus is a prestigious yacht marina, a bustling port, and a world-famous harbor for luxury yachts and boats. This lively little town is filled with whitewashed architecture, luxury hotels, restaurants, and boutique shops facing the Mediterranean Sea. And what lies right between these adorable shops and the water? The most luxurious yachts and boats docked right out front, with the ocean air and breeze.

So where exactly is this tourist hotspot? It is located in Marbella, Spain, which is in the southern Spain region of Costa del Sol. How did I get there? It was actually pretty simple. I booked a round trip from Madrid to Malaga. I was staying in Madrid for one week at my friend's house as a base. I was in Madrid from Friday to Saturday, and on early Monday morning, I left Madrid and arrived in Malaga by 9 AM. From Malaga, I took a 45-minute Uber ride from the Malaga airport to my hotel in Puerto Banus. I arrived a little early at my hotel, so I asked the front desk to keep my bag safe, and I walked to have breakfast.

From my hotel, Occidental Puerto Banús, it took about 5 minutes to walk to the marina, where the majority of restaurants and stores were located. I enjoyed a meal at Leone, had a coffee, and took a stroll through the marina. I was met with nothing short of the epitome of luxury as mega yachts, luxury sailing boats, and cars filled the harbor. The shops on the streets had every designer brand you could think of, from LV, Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Montclair, and so much more. The restaurants offered upscale fine dining with views of the ocean, the sea breeze, and food bursting with flavor infused with spices from its neighboring country, Morocco, just a ferry ride away!

I went back to my hotel, checked in, and took a shower. After freshening up, I decided to go out and explore fully. I went back to the main street, Calle Ribera. There was a stand selling charters on a yacht to Old Town Marbella. It was just a quick 30-minute trip, so I decided to hop on! For 30 euros and drinks on board, why not? Once we docked, we were told to keep our tickets to head back to Puerto Banus. When I got off, I walked quickly towards Plaza de los Naranjos. In the center of the old town, this courtyard and plaza, filled with families enjoying lunch outdoors on the patio, was bursting with the scent of orange blossoms and trees everywhere.

Old Town was incredible, and you can read more about it in my "7 Days in Spain" blog, but for now, let's continue the journey. After my visit to Old Town Marbella, I got back on the boat and headed to my hotel for the night in Puerto Banus. I enjoyed a delicious dinner at the hotel restaurant and retired to my beautiful room.

In the morning, I went downstairs for breakfast and was met with the most glorious spread I had ever laid eyes on. There were varieties of cheese, fruit, fruit juices, yogurts, bacon, breads, cereals, smoothies, teas, and hot and cold coffee drinks. If you could think of it, it was there. After indulging in a luxurious breakfast fit for a goddess, I changed and headed back out. This time, I decided to walk south down the boardwalk to Mistral Beach. During my walk, I saw several beautiful restaurants and beach clubs, including the iconic Ocean Club Marbella. I stopped and had lunch beachfront and then decided to lay out in the sun and enjoy Mistral Beach. I walked back to my hotel to get ready for my last night in Puerto Banus. For my last night, I enjoyed the most delicious sunset dinner in front of the ocean at Baalbak. After watching the sunset and enjoying a Mediterranean feast, I decided to end my night at Joys, a bar bursting with karaoke, live music, and energetic people dancing the night away.

I returned to my hotel that night, caught my flight in the morning from Malaga, and was back home by 5 PM. It was a luxurious place full of beauty and magic, and a perfect place to wine and dine and treat and love yourself. I felt completely safe and relaxed the entire time, and my 48 hours seemed to have felt like a timeless amount of relaxation and reflection.