| Marbella is a pretty special place. It is | | | | the coast. |
| 'smart' like few other places. The impeccably | | | | |
| dressed Spanish policemen ride not just | | | | The surprising thing is that amongst the |
| motorbikes but serious Harley-Davidson | | | | wealth, style, sunshine and fabulous beaches |
| machines, whilst their colleagues sit | | | | it is very possible to buy property in |
| perfectly on their beautiful Andalusian | | | | Marbellaat all, let alone have a large choice |
| horses. | | | | of properties for rent or sale. Not |
| | | | surprisingly prices vary enormously, |
| It's not just the police who have style here. | | | | depending upon what you want. You can still |
| Everyone and everything in Marbella caters | | | | buy a Spanish townhouse in 'Old Town' to live |
| for the very rich and famous, as well as we | | | | amongst the cobbled streets and passageways, |
| ordinary mortals. Houses, shops and streets | | | | full of cafes and local restaurants, with a |
| are kept in beautiful condition and the | | | | very short stroll to the beach, or find |
| jewellery shops contain exquisite pieces seen | | | | apartments to suite all tastes overlooking |
| usually only in the very top jewellers in | | | | the Mediterranean. |
| major capital cities worldwide. | | | | |
| | | | Further along the coast in either direction |
| One major reason, often forgotten, for | | | | are villas and properties for the rich or the |
| Marbella's popularity is its geographical | | | | not-so-rich, most with pools and some with |
| location enjoying its own 'microclimate'. | | | | extraordinary architecture. Inland the |
| This means that it actually has a different | | | | property prices are a lot cheaper the further |
| climate from places only a few miles away. | | | | you go, mainly due to the different climate |
| Despite being on the East coast of southern | | | | and the proximity to the Marbella |
| Spain, Marbella actually faces South. This | | | | microclimate, which only reaches a couple of |
| means that the midday sun shines directly | | | | kilometres inland before the elevation of the |
| onto the beaches, whilst allowing the | | | | mountains takes over. |
| fabulous Mediterranean sunrises and sunsets | | | | |
| to be visible. The land rises from the | | | | Serious construction is underway all along |
| beaches towards the mountains just behind the | | | | the Costa del Sol (sunshine coast) both on |
| town, preventing any cold inland winds, and | | | | the Mediterranean coast itself but also |
| meaning that many Marbella propertieshave | | | | inland from the A7, which is the only major |
| wonderful views. | | | | road serving the whole Costa, running from |
| | | | Malaga in the north to Gibraltar in the |
| Marbella receives less rainfall than | | | | south. Effectively this cuts off the coastal |
| surrounding towns and villages, depending | | | | area (including Marbella) from the inland |
| upon location, and can be 5 to7 degrees | | | | regions, the mountains following the coast 5 |
| warmer in winter. You can stand in the rain | | | | or so kilometres inland from the sea. |
| in winter in Malaga, only 20 odd miles away | | | | However, as you can imagine this is a very |
| and see sunshine over | | | | busy road, and despite continual widening has |
| Marbella…….but not the rest of | | | | to take very large amounts of traffic. |