Visit Puerto-Banus
Puerto-Banus is a purpose built resort designed around an old fishing village and which comprises a luxury marina and shopping centre that is now one of the largest and most luxurious entertainment centres on the Costa-del-Sol.
Puerto-Buenos is a short drive along the coast from the centre of Marbella.
Explore Puerto-Banus
In the late 1960s the architect José Banùs was asked to design a luxury marina and Andalucian village. It was the first port to be designed by a single architect and José Banùs went on to be responsible for many residential tourist complexes on the Costa del Sol.
The Puerto-Banus complex was opened with a bang in 1970 and the opening ceremony was attended by Hugh Hefner, Roman Polanski, Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco and many more of the rich and famous of the time.
Puerto-Buenos continues to be popular with rich and famous guests and attracts millions of visitors every year. The Marina has berths for nearly 1000 boats and these are used by some of the richest people in the world including Saudi Arabia.
The marina is at the centre of life in Puerto-Banus and behind the marina are streets of high-end shops, bars and restaurants. Because the buildings were designed by one architect the streets have a charming cohesion and are very pleasant to explore.
As well as the shops of the so-called 'Golden Mile' with its luxury boutiques head to the Nueva Andalucia area on a Saturday for the market which is one of the largest and most popular in the area.
At the beach end of the Avendida de Nacionales Unidas is the 'La Victoria' statue cast in copper and bronze and stood on top of a granite column. At the roundabout at the other end of the avenue is the wonderful 3 tonne 'rhinoceros dressed in lace' statue by Salvador Dali.
Dali created this statue in 1956 after his film called 'The prodigious adventure of the lacemaker and the rhinoceros'. The statue was placed in Puerto-Banus in 2004.
There are three main beaches in Puerto-Banus. The Playa Puerto-Banus, also called Playa Levante, is next to the marina to the east and is the largest. This beach is popular with families as it has a breakwater protecting the beach and the water is shallow and calm.
There is a walkway all along behind the beach and plenty of showers and facilities.
The Playa Nueva Andalucia is the global name for the beaches on the western side of the marina. This beach is very poppular with younger holiday-makers and is home to a few famous beach clubs including the La Sala Beach Club (formerly the Buddha Beach Club).
The Playa Rio Verde in next to the Rio Verde river east of the Playa Puerto-Banus beach.This beach is also popular with a younger crowd and is home to the trendy Playa Fantastica Las Cuchis.
It is possible to walk from Puerto-Banus on a coastal path to Marbella on the San-Pedro and Marbella Seafront Promenade. This goes from Marbella to El-Ancon to Rio-Verde to Puerto-Banus to San Pedro to the west of Puerto-Banus.
This path is part of the Malaga Coastal Path, the Senda Litoral de Malaga which will ultiamately be 160 kilometers from Manilva to Nerva and thus the entire coast of the Malaga department.
Attractions nearby
Neighbouring Marbella is another chic location on the Costa del Sol and it has a very charming old town.
In the other direction Estepona is very pretty and has retained its authentic charm better than most in the south of Spain.
Inland a bit Ronda is a stunning 'white village' with a huge canyon cutting through the middle of the town.
You can find more local travel ideas in the Malaga guide and the Andalucia guide.
Photos of Puerto-Banus
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Map of Puerto-Banus and places to visit
Puerto-Banus places to visit
Marbella
Marbella is a chic resort on the Costa del Sol. It became popular in the 60s and is enjoying a resurgence.
Marbella guide
Casares
Casares, in the Malaga province, is one of the most beautiful villages of Spain.
Casares guide
Ronda
Ronda and the "White Towns". Ronda is a spectacular town which sits on top of a rocky outcrop and straddles a huge gorge.
Ronda guide
Malaga
Birthplace of Picasso and third biggest city in Andalusia. The old town has a number of attractions worth visiting.
Malaga guide...or see all our recommended places to visit in Andalucia