Marbella offers diverse types of tourism, therefore multiple types of tourists who make the most of their free time in many ways; from gastronomy lovers who try Andalusian food for the first time, to athletes who seek the Costa del Sols warm climate for water sports… all having one thing in common: photography. Capturing their special moments, their joy and happiness whilst producing lifelong memories of their holidays. In recent years passion and curiosity for photography has boomed thanks to social networks and smartphones, many people have decided to venture into this world and have purchased their first cameras. Marbella is a great place to come and photograph, in addition to offering wonderful natural vistas with the mountains and the sea, Marbella is also conveniently located for day trips to many great points of interest in Andalusia ideal for photography.
Starting from Marbella and its city centre, we find an abundance of places and interesting areas to photograph. Perhaps one of the most common at the beginning of a Marbella holiday is the iconic Marbella arch, at the cities entrance, next to Playa del Cable. This original structure welcomes all visitors who enter the city by car, and offers fantastic possibilities to take a photo with the Mediterranean Sea in the background. Continuing through the centre of the city with its network of narrow and winding white washed streets typical of Andalusia, with shops, art, typical architecture and squares are full of terraces of with bars and restaurants, giving this part of the city a unique atmosphere and charm, both day and night, perfect for taking snapshots of the most Andalusian part of the city. The walls of the castle, the Pirulí, the Avenida del Mar (outdoor museum with 10 sculptures by Salvador Dalí) leading to the sea or the Parque de la Alameda are other places where more than one photo real has been taken.
If we go down the Golden Mile via the beach front promenade or by the main avenue full of trees, we arrive at Puerto Banús. Here we usually find photographers who love the most exclusive of cars, who wait next to the facade of certain developments such as Gray d’Albion (also very photographed for its distinctive style) and Playas del Duque, or head to the marina of Puerto Banús itself for that rate unique photo opportunity. In the marina beautiful photos can be taken of the most luxurious boats and yachts, alongside the hustle and bustle of people who walk through the different shops and restaurants of the port. Many photos are taken from the breakwater, as it offers a wonderful panoramic view of the mountains behind the white walls of Puerto Banús up to the clear blue skies. Next to Banús is Nueva Andalucía, amazing high viewpoints and even some villas offer fantastic views of the golf valley, unique photographs that can be taken from an immaculate green lawn.
Marbella also offers natural settings. Among the vast beaches with kilometres of sand, the area of Cabopino stands out in particular. In addition to another marina, it is a wonderful place for photography as it is surrounded by stunning sand dunes with a long beach of fine golden sand. If we are looking for photos from a height, we can choose to go hiking on the mountain of La Concha and visit for example the Cruz de Juanar.
As previously mentioned, Marbella allows us to easily move around reaching other places in Andalusia in a short space of time thanks to its great location and infrastructure. One of the favourite places to visit, with an abundance of charm, and not so well known is Ronda. A city on the edge of the abyss. Its bridge 100 meters in height connects the two parts of this Arab founded town, one of the places Hemingway wrote about and visited and that was even used as a prison. Sunsets from the bridge create a beautiful infinity photograph, as well as the unique fountain that continually spouts wine. Near to Ronda is the town of Antequera, ‘El Torcal’ is considered one of the wonders of Andalusia, a park and natural monument with large boulders and stone disks that seem to be held up by magic make El Torcal different, a magical place truly rare. In addition to these secret locations Andalusia has to offer, Marbella is also located in a key area making visits to emblematic cities of the area such as Malaga, Granada, Seville or Cádiz only a short trip away.
Marbella is not only photographed by the tourist, up to now in 2018 over 25 recordings or audio-visual productions have used our city as a backdrop and stage. Certain TV channels and series such as: Mediasete, ‘The Spose House’ of Polish origin, several video clips and TV series such as ‘Snatch’ or ‘Living the dream’ for the English ‘Sky 1’ channel have taken place in the Marbella sun. So do not hesitate to grab your camera and head to Marbella, to the centre of La Costa del Sol and have a fantastic holiday taking snapshots. Who knows if maybe taking those photos will convince you to sign for a property and begin a new one life in Marbella.