“A slice of MONTE CARLO” in the South of Espana – the celebrated beaches of MARBELLA and PUERTO BANUS in the COSTA DEL SOL, ANDALUCIA, SPAIN!
MONTE CARLO, the most glamorous city in the French Riviera, officially refers to an administrative area of the Principality of Monaco, specifically the ward of Monte Carlo/Spélugues, where the Monte Carlo Casino is located. Monte Carlo (literally “Mount Charles”) is situated on a prominent escarpment at the base of the Maritime Alps along the French Riviera.
Near the quarter’s western end is the world-famous Place du Casino, the gambling center which has made Monte Carlo “an international byword for the extravagant display and reckless dispersal of wealth”. It is also the location of the Hôtel de Paris, the Café de Paris, and the Salle Garnier (the casino theatre which is the home of the Opéra de Monte-Carlo).
MARBELLA and PUERTO BANUS in Spain evoke montages of Monte Carlo, and is today the home to the rich and famous in Europe, including heads of state like Vladimir Putin, his buddies and Russian Oligarchs (aka “The Russian Mafia”) like Oleg Deripaska, as well as the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. According to the locals, prime real estate on the hills of Marbella is so much in demand that local celebrities like living legend JULIO IGLESIAS, was apparently coerced to sell his villa to the Russians and move elsewhere!
Marbella is one of Spain’s most popular destinations, and being the Tropical Paradise that it is, its appeal is easy to understand. It’s also a beach lover’s paradise. There are a staggering 23 beaches along its 27 kms of coastline.
While Marbella assumes global infamy and notoriety in Summer (our cab driver blurted out “Senor, there is no difference between the hombres (men) and mujers (women); you will find passed out women on the gardens next to the streets completely hung over”!:-)
While the beach was relatively empty except for the joggers and the fitness freaks, the center of town was alive and festooned with the charm and the buntings of the Christmas season, enveloping you with a sense of the joy and euphoria from the festive spirit, which is precisely why we love to be in Europe over Christmas, as will be evident from the vignettes below.
In close proximity to MARBELLA (literally the next town) is PUERTO BANUS, also the playground of the rich and famous, is home to three beaches: Playa Nueva Andalucia, Playa Puerto Banus (also known as Playa de Levante) and Playa del Rio Verde. PUERTO BANUS is more MONTE CARLO relative to MARBELLA, with it’s 5 star restaurants, boutiques, and the opulent boats and yachts of its celebrity residents and visitors, many of whom have to be escorted around town by their security, for obvious reasons!:-)
On a beautiful, warm and sunny day in Christmas, with a friendly and garrulous cab driver who acted as our tour guide, MARBELLA and PUERTO BANUS, truly reminded us of what the ‘LA DOLCE VITA’ experience with a ‘slice of MONTE CARLO’ in the SPANISH RIVIERA is like!
The Lighthouse in the midst of the high rise and expensive apartments overlooking the beaches in MARBELLA, was cool and happening!
Loved this promenade overlooking the beach in the early hours of a post-Christmas day in MIRABELLA!
Dig that ‘BOAT BAR TABLE’ right on the beach in MARBELLA!
A scene straight out of BAY WATCH in MARBELLA on the SPANISH RIVIERA in ANDALUCIA, SPAIN!
Bronze sculpture embellishing a well-appointed children’s park off the main beach in MARBELLA!
One of the most popular “watering holes’ on the most happening beach in MARBELLA!
A relatively quite post Christmas festive morning with visitors, tourists and joggers in harmony on the promenade astride the beaches of MARBELLA!
A relatively quite post Christmas festive morning with visitors, tourists and joggers in harmony on the promenade astride the beaches of MARBELLA!
A leisurely walk down the center of town festooned for the Holiday Season, where you cannot but help chill and enjoy the festive spirit and the euphoria!
A popular cafe serving Tapas, Coffee, and adult beverages, whose appeal is accentuated by the lovely Orange trees on the porch!
Ornate Gargoyle that is probably over a 100 years old adding to the character of the Cafe, and a conversation piece for visitors!
Bust of the MOSES with the 10 Commandments on a building housing a cafe at the city center of MARBELLA!
The festive spirit incarnated in the city center of MARBELLA!
A modest little alabaster Church to the Madonna at the center of town, lends to its gravitas and character!
This family run Cafe popular with the locals, which also boasts of its own local band, gearing up for the big New Year’s Eve Party the day after!
What joy, happiness and peace walking down the promenade at the center of the town, utterly invoking the festive spirit of an European Christmas!
The Center of the neighboring town of PUERTO BANUS, the playground of the rich and famous, not only across Europe, but includes the Russians, and the Emirati and Sheikhs from the Middle-East as well!
An amazing array of expensive boats and yachts line up the Bay of PUERTO BANUS, and make for some compelling shots!
An amazing array of expensive boats and yachts line up the Bay of PUERTO BANUS, and make for some compelling shots!
The opulent, alabaster Haciendas (Villas) reminiscent of the ‘BLANCO PUEBLOS’ (“White Villages”), the expensive boats, with the blue mountains as exotic backdrop, make for a scene straight from a James Bond film – this is your slice of MONTE CARLO in the Spanish riviera!
An amazing array of expensive boats and yachts line up the Bay of PUERTO BANUS, and make for some compelling shots!
The city center comes alive with tourists, visitors and locals basking in the warmth of the Winter Sun, taking in the post Christmas festive spirit in PUERTO BANUS!
The opulent, alabaster Haciendas (Villas) reminiscent of the ‘BLANCO PUEBLOS’ (“White Villages”), the expensive boats, with the blue mountains as exotic backdrop, make for a scene straight from a James Bond film – this is your slice of MONTE CARLO in the Spanish riviera!
This fancy, well appointed, high-tech Watercraft, probably owned by some European celebrity or Russian Oligarch, stood out from the rest!
The opulent, alabaster Haciendas (Villas) reminiscent of the ‘BLANCO PUEBLOS’ (“White Villages”), the expensive boats, with the blue mountains as exotic backdrop, make for a scene straight from a James Bond film – this is your slice of MONTE CARLO in the Spanish riviera!