Marbella has an amazingly long waterfront promenade that leads in one direction to Puerto Banús. Here the port with the huge yachts is the focal point for visitors.
We started our hike to Puerto Banús on a very rainy day. It had rained heavily all night, the puddles were still on the paths and there should be individual showers throughout the day. We did not stay completely dry during our excursion along the beautiful coast. In addition, the wind blew sand from the Sahara over the coastal section, which remained as a fine yellowish-orange layer everywhere and often gave the sky a very unnatural coloring.
The course of the tour can be easily followed on the map.
The first meters of the route led along the paved waterfront. Along the entire route, there are benches everywhere, inviting you to take a break. I found some of the benches to be beautiful. They are decorated with different ceramic tiles and each bench had its own pattern or picture. For those who like to take a culinary break, there are also several cafes and restaurants along the way, which after a while becomes an unpaved sandy path.
Torre Ancón
After a while you reach a tower that stands among eucalyptus trees just a few meters from the beach.
The Torre Ancón is an old watchtower from the 16th century. The tower, which is about 12 meters high, is built of stone. If you look more closely, you will see that the structure tapers somewhat towards the top.
Unfortunately, one could not visit the tower from the inside. However, I read that the entrance located at a height of just under 7 meters should lead into a small chamber and from there a staircase leads to the roof of the tower.
Below the Torre Ancón there is a restaurant from which you have a great view of the sea.
Puente de Puerto Banús
Before you reach Puerto Banús, you have to cross a wooden pedestrian bridge. This leads over the Río Verde, which flows into the sea here.
From the Puente de Puerto Banús you can look into the small river delta, where numerous water birds were cavorting. I was very surprised when I discovered a very special visitor on the beach – a beach hare.
After the bridge, continue along the Alberto Vidiella Tudors Promenade. This runs between hotel facilities and the beach. In March, and certainly because of the weather, it was very quiet here. Many of the restaurants were still closed, but you could see that they were working hard for the opening of the season.
Arrival in Puerto Banús
Before arriving at a large traffic circle, the road led us past the statue of a mermaid (Sirena). In the middle of the traffic circle stood unmistakably the statue La Victoria. I think that the figure reminds me a bit of the Marvel superheroes.
Now we had arrived in the place, which in 1946 had still been a small dreamy fishing village. Only when Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe “discovered” this place, the change began. His presence attracted more and more rich and famous people to the coast of Andalusia. When José Banús had the harbor rebuilt in 1970 so that the yachts of the jet set could anchor here, the change was almost complete.
Of course, we strolled past the berths and could discover one or the other ship that certainly could not be paid out of petty cash. Along the harbor basin are numerous posh boutiques and restaurants, which are certainly visited in the season with pleasure. At the very end of the harbor basin is the posh nightclub Pangea, where there are often lively parties.
But I have to admit, the view out to the sea was what excited me the most during our little hike to Puerto Banús.
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