Where are the sun-kissed, beautiful bodies hanging out this year? Here’s our top 5 beaches with the best vibes, best music and food in Marbella.
Article by Victoria Wood
Marbella and the surrounding area has so much to offer, but top of the list has to be the golden sandy stretches of beach that make the Costa del Sol one Europe’s top destinations. The beach bars that you’ll find peppering the shore are vast and varied, ranging from pure opulence to boho-chic. Here are the BRIGHT top 5 beachside hotspots for the best food, vibes and music.
EL CHIRINGUITO at Puente Romano
Puente Romano is an iconic landmark on the Golden Mile in the heart of Marbella. It has been host to some of the most exclusive tennis tournaments, concerts and continues to be a worldwide top destination luxury hotel. As well as the countless amenities and top class facilities within the hotel’s grounds, they have also managed to capture the luxe life within their beachside dining. Quaintly named ‘El Chiringuito’, this is quite a few steps higher than your average similarly titled establishments.
Offering “seafood, paella, cocktails and sunsets” and a lively Mediterranean vibe, El Chiringuito is a top destination for food lovers as well as beach lovers. You can enjoy relaxed ocean view dining or kick back on a sun lounger and be served cocktails at your leisure on the sand. As the evening moves in there’s always time for a dance at sunset to the tunes the in-house DJ delivers. And just to confirm that this really is a place to be, El Chiringuito won ‘best beach club 2018’ on the Conde Nast traveller hot list!
Location: Bulevar Principe Alfonso von Hohenlohe, 29602 Marbella.
Summer Opening Hours: Daily 1pm-12am (sun beds on the beach available from 11am)
SONORA BEACH
Sonora Beach has been running since 2001, opened by the lovely Laura and Javi, now completely renovated and finely tuned into an upscale yet humble and relaxed style beach side restaurant and hangout. This is the preferred beach choice for many Marbella residents. You can lounge on the sun beds and enjoy the lapping seas with a cocktail, or choose from the many areas of their extensive indoor/outdoor dining niches.
Sonora are famous for their live music with local, regional and international DJs and bands frequenting the stage, adding that heady summer ambience to the occasion. Think Bohemian-Chic with great food, great cocktails, a happy tribe and excellent tunes.
Location: Urb. Los Granados Playa, 6, Estepona 29680.
Summer Opening Hours:
Daily: 11am – 11:45pm – Kitchen: 13:00pm – 11:00pm
Mondays: 11am – 8:00pm – Kitchen: 1:00pm – 6:00pm
NIKKI BEACH
Nikki Beach, is another global institution which graced Marbella with its presence back in 2003 and has invited the fabulous to spend their summers there ever since. It has gone from strength to strength as one of the top places to ‘be seen’ in the area for beach lounging on their iconic Ibiza-style white beds on the raised deck, daytime partying by the central, octagonal bar, and opulent dining at the open-air beachfront restaurant.
They throw world class parties, such as their ‘white’ opening or ‘red’ closing events and offer gourmet dining from top chefs, plus plenty of the best champagne for everyone – a great deal of which may end up being showered over the scantily -clad glamorous crowds as they dance to the DJ’s summer soundtrack. The perfect place to relax or party, the choice is yours. As they claim themselves, Nikki Beach “oozes luxury, exclusivity, fun, music and party vibes”. Be sure to make a reservation!
Location: Playa Hotel Don Carlos, Carretera de Cádiz Km 192, 29604 Marbella.
Summer Opening Hours:
Beach Club & Bar Daily: 11:00am – 8:00pm
Restaurant Daily: 12:00pm – 7:00pm
TROCADERO PLAYA
The Trocadero Group boasts four incredible beachfront locations along the Costa Del Sol, as well as hosting the Marbella Rugby Clubhouse. From Benalmadena to Sotogrande, the Trocadero locations are exemplary in their impeccable design and world-inspired decor; truly sumptuous and something to behold. You’ll find African-style designs and animal statues, extensive lagoon-like swimming pools, day beds, sun loungers, sweeping palm parasols, heavy wooden beam shaded structures, and shady palm trees lining the plentiful seating and dining areas.
Trocadero Playa, Marbella, the flagship location of their three locations on the coast is on the sands of Santa Petronila in the heart of Marbella’s illustrious Golden Mile. Always a popular spot for lunch or dinner, or simply enjoying the sounds and sights of summer on the Costa del Sol. Their traditional menu boasts local and Mediterranean delicacies, specialising in rice dishes, seafood as well as meat. Trocadero Palya always attracts the crowds, so booking in advance is advisable. A beautifully built wooden structure houses the extensive dining indoor/outdoor area with tropical plants and carvings scattered throughout. This takes beachside dining to a new level of comfort and class. The perfect place to meet friends for a long, luxurious, relaxing lunch by the sea.
Location: Playa Santa Petronila, Trocadero Playa, Marbella.
Summer Opening Hours:
Kitchen Hours: from 13:00 to 00:00.
Restaurant Hours: from 11:00 to 01:00
Winter Opening Hours – Lunch only.
PLAYA PADRE
Playa Padre, this relatively new establishment has fast become one of Marbella’s hottest daytime party locations, committed to being “a destination for mind, body and soul”. People flock here for the gourmet food and drinks as well as the rocking Dj and live music sets. You can dress to be seen and join the funky, beautiful people in this Ibiza-style beach bar and fine-dining indoor/outdoor restaurant.
Spend a few hours lounging and sipping champagne or top-class cocktails, book an outdoor table to experience the delights of the gourmet Asian-Mediterranean fusion menu (their sushi is excellent, as are their poké bowls) and get ready to start dancing as the afternoon slows into evening.
“Fresh, regional ingredients drive our simple, modern approach in the kitchen where the focus is on purity, authenticity, and the reinterpretation of iconic recipes. Organic, local, gourmet, predominantly vegetarian, it’s also a lifestyle – the kind that resonates deeply with the notion of Playa Padre as a communal domain.” Thus says the team at Playa Padre! They are often hosting themed events with regional and international guest DJs, but always have their in-house residents to fill that dance floor on a daily basis. Be sure to book a table and dress to impress.
Location: Calle Playa del Cable, 29603 Marbella
Summer Opening Hours:
Everyday 11:00-21:00
Thursdays & Sundays 11:00-00:00
*Please check with the establishments as to their COVID-19 restrictions, limitations or changes in opening times.
