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Marbella stands in contrast, after another sequence of apartment-villa communities, to most of what's come before. It is un-doubt ably the "quality resort" of the Costa del Sol. Restaurants and bars are more stylish and everything can cost more. It has the highest per capita earnings in Europe and more Rolls Royce’s than any European city apart from London (although many of the classy cars here are rumoured to have been stolen elsewhere and re-registered in Spain).
Marbella also retains the greater part of its old town, set back a little from the sea and the new development. Centred on the Plaza de los Naranjos and still partially walled, the old town is hidden from the main road and easy to miss. Slowly, this original quarter is being bought up and turned into "quaint" clothes boutiques and restaurants. However you can still sit in a bar in a small old square and look up beyond the whitewashed alleyways to the mountains of Ronda.
The truly rich don't stay in Marbella itself. They secrete themselves away in villas in the surrounding hills or lie around on phenomenally large and luxurious yachts at the marina and casino complex of Puerto Banús , 6km out of town towards San Pedro. As you'd assume, Puerto Banús has more than its complement of cocktail bars and seafood restaurants, which can be pricey.
Food is available everywhere although it's worth avoiding the overpriced restaurants on the Plaza de los Naranjos, which turn the whole square into their dining terrace after dark. You're better off seeking out some of Marbella's excellent tapas bars that give you the chance to experience a lot different Spanish food, these can be found around the old town.
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