Recommended Urban Routes: The Walk from Marbella to Puerto Banus

It’s time for the holidays, so why not to take a walk every day as a part of a exercise routine? Marbella is a great place to do this – an interesting town that has managed to retain its traditional charm while entering the 21^st century with energy and enthusiasm.

Before you start your daily walk, it’s very important that you stock up on the right “fuel” to keep going strong. A good breakfast is a must, so why not try a typical Spanish breakfast with a freshly-squeezed orange juice followed by toast or a muffin topped with purred tomato and a few drops of olive oil? Its advised not to take on a heavy meal like an English breakfast because it contains too much animal fat and cholesterol.

 Coffee, Good for Fitness

Recently published studies show that coffee is very good to have before exercising, but as always you have to be cautious and not use too much sugar or whole milk.

Now is the time to review the list of things to consider: dress accordingly for the weather, wear good shoes, sunscreen and a hat when appropriate.

The Most Popular Promenade Of Marbella

The most popular walking route in Marbella runs between the Fuerte Sports Club (attached to the Hotel Fuerte Marbella) and Puerto Banus, requiring about 75 minutes to complete. From the gym, you’ll begin the trail by turning west on the boardwalk. This proves to be a pretty interesting part of the trail, offering a glimpse of all the town’s restaurants and shops until the end of the pedestrian area.  Weather permitting, you may be able to see the distance to Puerto Banus.

From there, the trail becomes more open and on your right, you’ll be able to see a number of luxury villas and green areas overhead. Soon, you’ll come to one of the most emblematic hotels in Marbella – the Marbella Club Hotel. It is very easy to recognise as it has its own pier for luxury yachts. A few metres on, you’ll find another luxury establishment, the Hotel Puente Romano, named after the ancient Roman bridge that is found within its hotel grounds. Following the trail, you will see a seaside bar on your left called Victor’s Beach and may even catch a glimpse of someone famous resting there. If you continue on, you’ll see a few more villas along the way that are not nearly as luxurious as before, but certainly impressive.

Once you pass a cafe and fancy restaurant named Café del Mar, you will see signs directing you to some ruins of an ancient Roman villa, offering what could be an interesting break. Returning to the boardwalk you can see Puerto Banus clearly and after a few steps you will cross a new wood bridge and finally arrive in Puerto Banus. At first you’ll find a row of bars and to your right a huge statue, a gift dedicated to the people of Marbella and donated by the mayor of Moscow.

Now, all you have to do is decide exactly what you will do next, according to your interests:

1. Turn around and walk to Marbella along the same route.
2. Stick around to drink or eat in Puerto Banus. Turn left at the entrance of the port and then take your first right. From there you will find a collection of luxury yachts on your left and bars, shops and restaurants to your right.
3. Go shopping. Head straight until you get to Burger King and then cross the street where you’ll see two malls (Marina Banus and El Corte Ingles). There are also many boutiques to choose from.
4. Head back to the hotel by bus, taxi or boat. There is a terrific bus service to Marbella and Puerto Banus as well as many taxis.  Besides this, you can return on a ship that is caught in the western part of the port.
5. You can follow the walk along the promenade to San Pedro de Alcantara, which is about 3 or 4 km more.

The Old Town of Marbella

Another interesting hike is to walk around Marbella’s old town. This is an exercise and not just a stroll through town for some window-shopping. There are some advantages to this route, including more sun protection than walking along the boardwalk, but there will be more hills to climb requiring a little more from your heart and muscles. There are a number of different slopes, so you can choose a less steep angle as you walk the suspension Malaga Bridge, past the Bonsai Museum or if you want a challenge you can try the more difficult Calvary Street.

To get the most out of these hikes, its advisable to walk at a strong pace for at least 20 minutes, but its best to do it for about an hour or ninety minutes, at least three times a week.