In a new initiative to promote and give boost to the already running tourist activities in the Costa del Sol town, the City Council of Marbella has launched a series of new measures in the historic centre which will take place throughout the year. The Mayoress Ángeles Muñoz last Monday (February 15) unveiled the timetable for action, stressing the need to allure more tourists to the historic quarter.

The primary aim of this battery of cultural and tourist programmes by the Government is to prop up city sightseeing, especially in the historical centre in order to revitalize tourism in Marbella. As a part of the process, various municipal offices have been instructed to work together with retailers and restaurateurs in the area to start a campaign that promotes the historic centre and promote access and consumption in traditional settlements.

Just in line with the recent campaign ‘Marbella is a gift’, the municipal authority will have a meeting with tourist operators to bring out the possibilities in cruising passengers coming through the port of Malaga to Marbella. Marbella historical centre has immense amount of travel attraction, representing rich historical and cultural legacy.

Among some of the primary actions that the City will undertake in the Historic Center include the lighting of the tower of the Church of the Incarnation, the improvement of the Plaza del Ejido by removing the existing wall and installation of albero a floor of beautification of the stairs going up to the street Carmen Castillo.

Furthermore, some additional sights will also be taken into consideration for beautification. The councillor has also ruled that a multidisciplinary team of municipal workers will be appointed to work permanently in the maintenance of such landmarks in the Historic Centre with the immediate repair of any damage.

In addition, there will be a series of permanent exhibitions in the district headquarters in Salinas Street, which will be opened with the “40 years of basketball in Marbella” and continue till March with “Women and Sport” along with panel discussions.  Then there will be Children’s Carnival, Guignol Festival, and during the months of April, May and June a host of activities will be organised with the participation of schools in Marbella.

A series of concerts with performances of jazz, soul, classical music, fashion shows, art exhibitions and photo competition will dominate the summer months of July and August.  Besides, visitors will get chance to tour the specially arranged flea market every Sunday.

For better promotion the City Council has conducted a census of all retailers in the area to maintain a permanent contact with them, inform them of all events, and provide the possibility for their suggestions.

Known as the “Pearl of the Costa del Sol” for its amazing weather and unique natural environment, the resort town Marbella is recognised worldwide for a wide range of recreation and sports activities apart from those travel attractions, luxury hotels, restaurants and the charm of Mediterranean Sea. Peculiar to the characteristic of Spain, people in Marbella are keen participants of soccer, tennis, golf and many other sports.

Because of its exotically sizzling climate, there are a number of sports in offer with excellent infrastructure to make your Marbella tour quite exciting and action-packed. Here you will discover some of your favourite sports.

Golf: Marbella has been called “golfer’s paradise” and the presence of a good number of international standard golf courses, it is indeed one of the very few places with best golfing facilities. You will find beautiful golf courses almost everywhere- right in the middle of the town, along the long coast and the mountain slopes which brings variety and options for different levels of players.

Going by the cosmopolitan nature of this small resort town of Malaga, there are great facilities for golf enthusiasts and this is why Marbella has been a favourite destination for a number of international golfing events. From amateur to professionals, there are golf courses for everyone and even you will find golf academies at various golf clubs in Marbella.

Again if you are on a vacation, you can contact your travel agent to arrange a stay at any golf club to enjoy this selective sport surrounded by nature and sea. The climate with 320 sunny days further allows golf to be popular all year round with high playable standard.

Tennis: If you visit Marbella or nearby areas of Costa del Sol, you will find a number of tennis courts and clubs for players of all ages and standards. There are championship level floodlit hard courts, clay courts and paddle courts equipped with all kinds of facilities, including fitness centre, sauna, restaurant and bars. The surrounding locations with an annual average temperature of 29 degrees C further adds to the scale of enjoyment.

The success of players like Àlex Corretja and Rafael Nadal has completely changed the world of tennis in Spain, and so in Marbella. Youngsters are now showing interest to take tennis as a career and so the authority has been ensuring excellent sports facilities. Being one of the top most tourist destinations in Europe, it also boasts tennis courts for holidaymakers and locals as well.

Soccer/Football: Football is the national game of Spain and hence an integral part of Spanish way of life. Although Marbella is a coast side place, you will still find football grounds equipped with all kinds of training facilities. The Aloha Football Academy (AFA) Marbella is one of the internationally spotted academies in Southern Europe. Open for both girls and boys of age group 6-19 years, it encourages teenager to pursue a career in professional football.

Besides, there are other academies like “The Football Academy” and MPFS professional football training camps those are exceptional places to learn soccer at basics to advance levels. You will get a chance to choose from a wide range of soccer camps, trainings sessions to maximize your ability and skills. At school level, training has been imparted at the very young age to bring that passion and enthusiasms to play at professional level.

Water & Adventure Sports: If you are more into activities like waterskiing, windsurf, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, Marbella is of course the place to go for. There are a host of water sports options to meet your interest and to give you that extreme pleasure. Luxurious beach clubs like the Nikki Beach, Puro Beach and Ocean Club offers facilities for these kinds of sports to entertain their guests.

Besides, you can experience some of the best adventure activities that Marbella has to offer including trekking, hiking, paragliding, mountain biking, rock climbing, motor biking and many more that can bring out the passion for travel in you.

With the increasing number of Britons and other expatriates, sports like rugby, cricket, lawn bowls are also becoming popular day by day. Certainly, Marbella has many sports and recreational activities in store while allowing visitors to enjoy its natural wonders in a climate of its own.

Taking the fact of Marbella as a major tourist destination and subsequently its growth of economy, Marbella Exhibition (Trade) Fair over the years has emerged as an important business platform for many enterprises in promotion of their products and services. This year (2009), the trade exposition is in its 28th edition and scheduled to be staged between 31st October and 8th November.

The nine-day long exposition at the Palacio de Ferias y Congresos de Marbella during all its previous instances attracted huge number of participants from various sectors and industries. Automobile, food, travel & tourism, handicrafts, textiles, furniture, cosmetics, telecommunication, health and entertainment dominate the list. The Marbella Trade Fair at present time serves the purpose of many business stakeholders.

During a time when the world is coping with the crisis of recent financial meltdown, trade fairs and business conferences alike the Marbella Exhibition reflect their insight on various aspects for the benefit of overall economic growth and development of the country. Apart from displaying products and promoting services, industry leaders also meet to discuss on all concerned issues.

Every year, the 3000 square metre long business podium has been crowded with producers, traders, and consumers for a range of business activities, including the endorsement, sale and purchase of products and services. Moreover, the fair has been successful in organising buyer-seller meet, B2B promotion programmes, market surveys and information dissemination.

Marbella Exhibition Fair has been a platform for businessmen, entrepreneur, technocrats and service providers to converge at a single place for the betterment of local market and the promotion of domestic products in front of the international buyers.

The festival also concurs with the De Picoteo gastronomic fair at the same venue that offers a variety of cuisines from different parts of Spain.

Further information on the fair can be accessed from the official website: www.marbella.es/congresos/

Being situated on Spain’s Costa del Sol in southern Andalucía and renowned as the most favoured tourist destination, Marbella is synonyms to luxury and beauty. Apart from those fashionable beach resorts, elegant golfing courses and sightseeing; the city is considered as shopaholic’s paradise, going by the nature of the whole Spain which was involved in opening up early trade routes across the oceans.

Shopping in Marbella is an integral part in your travel to Costa del Sol. The resort town offers several large shopping complexes, super markets, retail outlets, specialty food shops, designer boutiques and handicraft stores from where you can buy almost everything from daily needs to designer clothes of the most exclusive brands.

If you are not either in mood to spend time in those luxury beachside villas or try your hands in golfing, shopping is the best replacement option for refreshment, while experiencing the flavour of some delicious cuisines. However, a simple walk along the streets could give you the right idea of the true colour of Marbella and the beauty of Spanish lifestyle.

There is a wealth of shopping centres, restaurants and cafes in Marbella city centre as well as in regions like Puerto Banus, Golden Mile and Estepona. The Marbella Old Town is alive with small shops that are treasure trove for art and craft items. Here, probably you can make your best purchase among a diverse range of items such as handicrafts, leather goods, shoes, perfumes, jewellery and souvenirs among others.

In shops like Ceramica San Nicolas and Artesania Espanola you can buy some beautiful hand-crafted ceramics. However, it’s natural to find those products expensive but a welcome bargain can land you at a good deal; so, it is better to shop around a bit. Among other hand-made works, there are glassware, embroidery, paintings, and ironwork that may suit your pocket.

If you are more fashion conscious, and have the price to afford, marina Puerto Banus is the best place to shop for. This is the place known for its designer’s stores and fashion boutiques, especially those world famous clothing and shoe brands. Centro Commercial Benabola and El Corte Ingles are two of the crowded shopping centres. The latter is considered as the largest department store of Spain and boasts hundreds of shops in a large shopping complex.

Besides, there are quite a few shops spread along the seafront which include: Ekseption, Emporio Armani, Spirit and Superga Store with an array of shop windows to suit everyone’s taste and budget. Alongside those top fashion boutiques, there is a also flea market held every Saturday where you will find the best shopping experiences while testing your haggling skills.

Situated in the Marbella bypass, Centro Comercial La Canada is a must shopping trip in your visit to Marbella. With over 150 shops including fashion boutiques, restaurants, cinemas, and many small variety stores, it is now the biggest commercial area in town. Here you can find almost everything: home decoration, gifts, expensive clothing, etc. Else, you may spend some quality time with your family while enjoying a movie in the multiplex or check out some weekly events at its exhibition space.

A little distance from the Marbella city centre, you can also check out Laguna Village situated in Estepona – Andalucia’s fishing port. This sumptuously built shopping establishment in between Marbella and Estepona is another must visit place to find a variety of items while experiencing a rich and lavish lifestyle. Of course, those spas, health centres and the fashionable Puro Beach Club further add worth.

Shops in Marbella are open from Monday to Saturday 10am – 10pm, while the shopping hours are reduced on Saturdays. During fiestas and summer months, some shopping malls are even open on Sundays. Lastly, travellers must not miss those colourful street markets spread throughout most of Marbella, as these are mirror to the real and vibrant culture of Spain as a whole.

The 5,000 mile of coastline in Spain is graced with many beautiful beaches, and Marbella in Costa del Sol is one of those few regions known for beach resorts and clubs. Often regarded as Spain’s Miami or Monaco, Marbella too has its own way of charm with beaches like ‘Nikki’. The seafront destination is every beach lover’s dream.

Located at the Don Carlos Hotel beach, 7 km from the Marbella city centre, Nikki Beach is packed with fantastic food and raving beach parties in companionship of cocktail and champagne. Its sophistication, bathed in Mediterranean sunshine, is the reason of constant tourist herd all year round.

Situated in just about 15 minutes of the Marbella city centre, Nikki beach is the most favoured beach destination among local socialite, world celebrities and some rich businessmen. Tourists just flock to experience the natural ambiance in a relaxed sunbathing environment whilst the resident DJ spins the record with nonstop music tracks to further charge up the already set atmosphere.

The beach is well served with a range of other essential services for the ultimate pleasure which include foot baths, fresh sea food, superb wine, champagne, live concerts and facilities for private convention. Besides, there are a wide variety of water sports to try for, and if you are not into that kind of adventure then just relax in your lounge chair enjoying the view of the bay.

The most entertaining part of Nikki beach is its crowded and noisy late night bash including the Full Moon Parties. As the sun sets, the stage is set for a daily fiesta with dance, music, food and party all night. Among other festivities, there are the Mojito parties, champagne contests, and dinner and dance nights; on the whole it hosts one of the most prestigious nightlife crowds.

Nikki offers the best cuisine menu that includes fresh fish, meats, chilli and rice noodles, sandwiches, delicious salads and fantastic sushi complemented with varied ingredients. Lunch can be served as per your wish, either on the bar terrace or the beach.

The other appeal to the beach is its long event calendar. In the Amazing Sundays, Nikki welcomes the fashion and glamour world to party their weekend away in a whole entertainment night with professional dancers, musicians and DJs.

The Brazil Party brings the whole lot Brazil experience to the beach when visitors dance in tune with samba while sipping cocktail and wine all day long. Besides, there are a whole lot of entertainment activities including fashion shows, world tour champagne parties and many more to look for at the sensational Nikki Beach Marbella.

For more information about Nikki Beach
Playa Hotel Don Carlos,
Carretera De Cadiz,
km.192,
Marbella East,
29600
Tel: +34 952 836 239
Web: www.nikkibeach.com/marbella