Should I spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Marbella?

Should you spend 1, 2, or 3 days in Marbella?

Most people spend two to five days in Marbella during their visit. The fun-filled resort town offers amazing highlights such as scuba diving and snorkeling, the beaches, the nightlife scene, and the shops and boutiques.

Marbella is a popular resort destination on the Costa del Sol in south Spain. It's filled with Mediterranean beaches and luxury hotels. There are also golf courses and beautiful countryside. The city is filled with luxury, but you'll also find simple and fresh restaurants and a relaxing setting.

Do you have one or two days to visit Marbella? Here's our comprehensive breakdown of how much time you might need for your trip along with some suggestions for things to do.

Is one day enough time in Marbella?

Marbella is a small resort town that is quite popular with tourists. Given only one day, you will likely be rushed to snorkel or scuba dive, swim at the beach, grab some drinks at a bar, and go shopping. To truly savor all that the resort town offers along with the beach, a more generous amount of time is usually needed. Many travelers opt for two to five days to relax and explore here. However, if your schedule is tight, we have a handful of recommendations for making the most of your visit.

How to spend a day in Marbella

Scuba diving and snorkeling around Marbella is world-class, and is one of the main reasons why so many visitors come here. Spend a day exploring the beauty of the surrounding underwater world. There are more than 100 dive sights and endless snorkeling opportunities in the area. There are deep offshore reefs that you can explore as well as shallower wrecks and caves.

The nightlife scene is very popular here. After dark, head out to one of the many venues around town. European tourists flock to the town for its beaches and resorts. The town has a glamorous nightlife scene with exclusive clubs and ritzy cocktail bars, particularly in Puerto Banus and along the Golden Mile.

Marbella is a walkable city and easy to explore on foot. With only a day in the resort town, you'll have no trouble seeing the local sights. The old town is particularly walkable and there are a number of hotels and nice resorts within a short walk of the town along a nice promenade.

Is a weekend (two to three days) enough time in Marbella?

With only a weekend, you might feel a bit pressed for time to enjoy the beach and the other activities in this resort town. After all, Marbella, renowned for its numerous sights and attractions, is a major draw for tourists. To fully embrace Marbella, a longer visit is better. Most travelers tend to allocate two to five days to snorkel or scuba dive, swim at the beach, grab some drinks at a bar, and go shopping. Nevertheless, if your schedule is limited, we can provide some suggestions to maximize your visit.

Marbella, Spain

How to spend 2 days in Marbella

Having a weekend (two to three days) in Marbella will provide you with more time to take in the best activities in the resort town.

The beautiful beaches await you in Marbella, so spend the day (or several, if you can) relaxing on the sand or swimming in the water. The area boasts some of the best beaches in Europe. They are hubs of activity with lots of energy, and there are more than 18 miles of sandy beach in the area. Popular options include Guadalmina Beach, San Pedro de Alcántara Beach, and Nueva Andalucía Beach.

A few tour suggestions include:

Boat Trip in Fuengirola, Dolphin Watching and Drinks ($38)
Jet ski rental in ESTEPONA (photo report) ($93)
Jet Ski Rental ($129)

Marbella is known to be such a beautiful destination, so just exploring and taking it all in should be one of the top things to do on your list. With its seemingly endless sunshine, miles of sandy beaches, and surrounding mountain landscape, this is a beautiful destination.