Everywhere has sun, sea, sand on the Costa del Sol, few have glitz, glamour, history, and wealth quite like Puerto Banus. Puerto Banus dates back to 1970, it was in fact inaugurated in May of that year. Amongst the guests attending the inauguration of Puerto Banus, were Prince Rainier & Princess Grace of Monaco, the Aga Khan IV, Roman Polanski, Hugh Hefner and the pioneer of heart transplant, Dr Christian Barnard. It was a lavish event, 22 kilos of Beluga caviar were consumed to the dulcet tones of a young Julio Inglesias, the main entertainer for the evening.
Since the beginning, Puerto Banus has been one of the places to visit or be seen in, and is known as a millionaires playground. As a result , no matter what the economic climate, it is always a top property investment destination. Today, it is still a regular haunt of the wealthy and famous, most of whom are attracted by the marina, the climate, which offers nearly all year round sunshine, and the luxury boutiques, restaurants and bars, that attract around five million visitors each year.
José Banus – Puerto Banus
José Banus – Puerto BanusThe man behind Puerto Banus, was Jose Banus, an exceptionally foresighted business man and property developer. The architect Noldi Schreck (who helped to design Beverly Hills) and Marcos Sainz, both involved in the design of Marbella Club, were introduced to Banus, by Prince Alfonso of Hohenlohe (main founder of Marbella Club and promoter of Marbella) in 1966. They eventually managed to convince Banus that the project should be one of elegance, and recommended an Andalusian style village and marina. Banus had originally favoured magnificent skyscrapers, but having been influenced by Schreck and Sainz, the design turned to one of a more traditional style Andalusian/Mediterranean architecture.
The port was named after Jose Banus and is actually called ‘Puerto Jose Banus’, but never referred to as anything but ‘Puerto Banus’. The finished project offered a glamorous marina, which still managed to give the quaint feeling of an Andalucian fishing village, even though it is has a capacity to accommodate 915 boats.
Puerto Banus Weather
Protected by the Cordillera Penibetica (coastal mountain range), Puerto Banus, Marbella and the areas adjacent, benefit from an all year round temperate climate, averaging 18°C as an annual temperature.
Puerto Banus Amenities
Puerto Banus is 6km, south west of Marbella, and a 45 minute drive from Malaga Airport (57.7kms) via the toll road AP7, or approximately 55 minutes on the A7. There is a decent network of roads, and good transport services, which connect Puerto Banus to surrounding towns, and suburbs.
If you wish to take a taxi, to or from, Malaga Airport to the Puerto Banus marina, it will cost anything from around 65 to 75 euros. Marbella centre to Puerto Banus, costs on average about 12 euros.
In and around the harbour are many restaurants, bars, and nightclubs, as well as some very exclusive shops and boutiques, including Bvlgari, Dior, Versace, Gucci, and Luis Vuitton to name but a few brands on sale. There is also El Corte Ingles, a luxury department store, which is the largest of its kind in Spain, attached is the upmarket hypermarket, selling luxury foods.
There is a ferry that runs hourly between Puerto Banus and Marbella, a return ticket €15 for adults, €8.50 children, or one way €8.50 adult, and €5 for children. The journey takes roughly half an hour, and departs from opposite ‘Sinatra’s’ bar.
Of course there is also the Marina, which has pontoons hosting up to 915 sailing and motor boats, it can accommodate boats from 8 – 50 metres. There are beaches on both side of the marina, where boats etc. can be hired.
There are a number of private hospitals in Puerto Banus and Marbella, most notable Helicopter Hospital Health, Hospital Quiron Salud, and Marbella International Hospital. There are numerous clinics that offer a wide number of services. There is also the Hospital Costa del Sol, which is a state run hospital.
Puerto Banus and Marbella are home to a wide selection of good schools, starting with Nursery and going up to 18 years of age. There is the German School in Elviria, The British International School, Entoga the International Infant School, Marbella Montessori School, Colegio Saint George’s School, to name but a few.
Puerto Banus Activities
People watching and car spotting seems to be a popular activity, seriously though, there is so much to do, boredom is not an option.
As mentioned previously, boats can be hired from the marina, and from the beaches on either side of Puerto Banus prices range according to type of boat and size, all companies insist that you have their own captain. There are many water activities, most of them found in Marbella, including paddle boarding, fly boarding, jet skiing, wind surfing and para-sailing. There are also trips to see Dolphins, and tours along the coast.
The best beaches to visit are Playa Puerto Banus (also known as Playa de Levante), Playa Nueva Andalucia and Playa del Rio Verde. Just 6 minutes from Puerto Banus, towards Marbella, you can find the world famous Ocean Club, and 8 minutes in the opposite direction there is La Sala Beach Club, and close by there is Mistral Beach.
Puerto Banus Nearby Amenities
Away from the water there is Selwo Adventura Safari Park, 18 minutes from Puerto Banus on the A7 in the direction of Estepona. There are any number trips that can be organised locally, visiting vine yards, the lakes and Ojen Eco Park, amongst the many.
Of course, there are plenty of golf courses with the excellent Los Naranjos Golf Club just 10 minutes away inland.
Every Saturday, between 9am and 3pm there is a street market in Puerto Banus. It is one of the largest markets on the Costa del Sol. There is a wide selection of produce to buy, everything from paintings, antiques, crafts, furniture and cloths, to flowers and fruit and vegetables. There are good bargains to be had at the market, and an opportunity to hone your bartering skills.
There are also Gala Nights held at Puerto Romano, in Marbella, and often they have concerts. Starlite Marbella Festival is an annual event. This year Texas, James Blunt, and Il Divo will be performing, along with a host of well known Spanish and international stars.
Puert Banus Golf
The nearest golf courses to Puerto Banus are Aloha Golf (7 mins/3.2km), Magna Golf (9 mins/ 4.6km), Real Club de Golf Las Brisas (9 mins/4.5km), Los Naranjos (10 mins/5.2km) and La Quinta (14 mins/6.8km). The Costa del Sol is known for its golf courses, and Puerto Banus has some excellent courses reachable within just a few minutes.
Puerto Banus Additional Tourist Attractions
Puerto Banus Additional Tourist AttractionsThere are three very different statues all in the vicinity of the marina, and all very beautiful and striking.
Salvador Dali designed the enormous 3 ton Rinoceronte Vestido con Puntillas or in English, the Rhinoceros dressed in lace. It was installed in Puerto Banus in 2004, having been originally created in 1956, you will find it at one of the entrances to the marina in Avenida de las Naciones Unidas. It is huge, stunning and mesmerising, a wonderful work of art.
The second statue, ‘La Victoria’, is also on Avenida de Nacionales Unidas, at the costal end. It is made of bronze and copper, designed by the famous Georgian sculptor, Zurab Tsereteli. The statue stands on a granite plinth, which in itself is 26m hight. ‘La Victoria’ was gifted to Puerto Banus by the Mayor of Moscow in 1994. Arms raised to the sky, this muscular figure demands your attention, and you can feel the sheer power of the statue.
Finally, the delightful Mermaid Statue ‘La Sirena de Puerto Banus’. The statue is made of white granit and marble, and is on the waterfront at Puerto Banus. It was created by the Catalan sculptor Antonio Cañete.
Conclusion about the glamorous Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus is one of THE destinations on the Costa del Sol, that almost everyone aspires to having a property. It offers a range of properties to suit all requirements, but not all budgets, it is one of the most expensive areas, as a result, an excellent place for investment . There are fabulous new developments, providing the market with, apartments, town-houses and villas, alternatively there are the older esta urbanisations. Puerto Banus has both year round permanent residents (native and ex-pat), as well as being, an all year round holiday destination.
