Things to do

Sleep in, make coffee in the big kitchen, stroll down to the beach before breakfast, and spend the afternoon on the terrace. There are board games and an Xbox inside for lazy evenings, and the Weber grill plus a kitchen made for proper cooking if you feel like hosting your own dinner under the stars.

The Weber on the terrace is yours to use. Pick up a Rubia Gallega steak and a bottle of wine from one of the excellent local butchers. My recommendation is this one. Or try Iberian pork cuts such as secreto or pluma, or grab some fresh fish from the supermarket. You can even make your own paella out on the terrace, pour a tinto de verano, and settle in for the evening.

The urbanization has a lovely lagoon-shaped pool surrounded by palms, with plenty of sunbeds and very few visitors. Even in summer it mostly sits empty, with one or two people at most. There is a second pool, a jacuzzi and a small gym too. Open until sunset.

The sea is at the end of the street, 3 minutes away. Honestly: the closest stretch is a little rocky in places, but it makes for great views and quiet swims. For sand, walk a few minutes along the shore to Playa El Rodeito or the La Bahia de Banus beach, or about 15 minutes towards Puerto Banus for Mistral Beach and its sunbeds.

A beautiful flat boardwalk runs along the beach in both directions, starting 2 to 3 minutes from the door. Head west and it takes you towards San Pedro through a string of chiringuitos, the beach restaurants where lunch means grilled sardines and cold wine; the first ones are a 10 to 15 minute walk. Nuevo Reino and Kala Kalua Playa are two of my favourites.

Cycle along the coast, head through San Pedro towards the mountains, or simply follow the promenade with the sea beside you. Bikes and e-bikes are available to rent in Puerto Banus and San Pedro, with delivery available from many local companies.

Marbella's famous marina: superyachts, sports cars, designer boutiques, beach clubs and the best people-watching on the coast. By night it turns into the nightlife capital of the area. Walk there along the sea in about 20 minutes, and get a taxi home. And for a lovely way to see the coastline, hop on the Fly Blue ferry from the marina to Marbella centre and back.

The neighbourhood everyone is talking about: a fast-growing little town with hip coffee shops, brunch spots and independent boutiques, and a lively boulevard built over the old road. Less flashy than Banus, much more affordable and authentic, with great tapas places all over: Bodeguita Nono and Llerena Iberico Tapas Bar are the ones I send everyone to.

The proper Spanish postcard: whitewashed lanes so narrow that balconies almost touch, traditionally nicknamed "kissing streets", flowerpots on every wall, orange trees in the Plaza de los Naranjos, and craft shops and little local boutiques tucked into the alleys. Walk down to the seafront to see the Dali statues on Avenida del Mar, then follow the promenade past its restaurants and cocktail bars.

Go in the late afternoon and stay for dinner. Taberna Gaspar is the most authentic Spanish food in town and probably my favourite place anywhere. Make sure to book in advance because they get very busy. El Cortijo does the best arroz negro in town, and Ta-Kumi is pricey but next-level Japanese.

For drinks, Punto Faro and the sunset bars by the beach pour well-priced, very strong cocktails. For a proper Spanish evening, book the flamenco show at Flamenco Ana Maria, small, loud and the real thing. And in the morning, Churreria Generalife does churros worth the trip on their own, next to the municipal food market.

My pick is Astral Bar, a proper cocktail bar tucked behind the front line of the port. Around it, the marina's second line is wall-to-wall bars and terraces: wander until one looks like yours.

Pangea is the classic: rooftop views over the marina and a dressed-up crowd. TIBU is the one for proper dance music, and Olivia Valere is the legend of Marbella nightlife, an Arabian palace of a club with its own dinner show. Dress well and expect doors to be choosy in high summer.

Ocean Club is the famous one, freshly renovated, sunbeds around a giant pool and champagne parties on summer weekends. Paradise Beach and Aurora Beach next door are the laid-back versions: sunbeds, cocktails and music without the circus.

Summer concerts inside a rock quarry in the hills above Marbella: world-class acts in a venue like nowhere else, with restaurants and an afterparty on site. Check the line-up for your dates; tickets sell out for the big names.

Often called the best waterfall near Marbella, and the hike is as long as you want to make it. My tip: drive up the Rio Verde valley to the shaded parking spot at the start of the trail proper, and from there it is only 30 minutes to an hour, in the shade of trees and mountains. At the end you find a natural pool under the waterfall, beautiful and always cool even in August. If you fancy an extra challenge, walk the last stretch along the river itself, wading through the shallow water. Bring shoes you can get wet, and read this guide before you go.

Once called the most dangerous walkway in the world, now a spectacular and safe boardwalk pinned to the walls of a gorge a hundred metres above the river. It is one-way, about 3 hours end to end, and tickets are limited: book well ahead. Genuinely unforgettable, and fine for anyone with a normal head for heights.

A local secret behind San Pedro: a flat path along a centuries old irrigation channel, hugging the wall of the Guadalmina gorge with the river below. Shady, gently thrilling in places, and easy enough for almost anyone. Combine it with lunch in Benahavis village just up the road, where Los Abanicos does the proper mountain-town Sunday lunch.

The mountain that watches over Marbella. Climbing it is a serious full-day hike with some scrambling, but the summit views run from Gibraltar to Africa on a clear day. For experienced hikers; ask me about the route and I'll point you right.

Picasso's home town and the culture capital of the coast: the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba fortress with a Roman theatre at its feet, the Pompidou centre by the port, and a buzzing old town for tapas in between. Direct buses run from Marbella all day, so you do not even need the car.

One of the most dramatic towns in Spain, split in two by the El Tajo gorge and stitched back together by the Puente Nuevo bridge. Walk the clifftop paths, see Spain's oldest bullring, and have lunch hanging over the edge of the world. The mountain drive up is a joy in itself. Twenty minutes further on, Cueva de la Pileta hides prehistoric cave paintings you visit by lamplight, on small guided tours worth booking ahead.

The white village of postcards, halfway up the mountain above Fuengirola: whitewashed lanes hung with flowerpots, viewpoints over the whole coast, little galleries and chocolaterias. Easier than Ronda when you want the white-village magic in half a day, and lovely paired with a long lunch on a terrace.

Yes, that really is Britain at the end of the coast: red phone boxes, fish and chips, and one giant Rock. Take the cable car up to meet the famous Barbary macaques (hold onto your sunglasses), look across the strait to Africa, and go out on a dolphin-watching boat in the bay. Bring your passport.

The Costa de la Luz surfing legend, just outside the white hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera: a long, wild stretch of Atlantic sand with surf schools for every level and laid-back beach bars serving freshly caught fish. And even if you never touch a board, the swimming alone is worth it: green oceanic Atlantic water instead of the Mediterranean, and on the drive down past Tarifa you can watch the two seas run into each other. The vibe is barefoot and slow. Worth the full day, and stay for the sunset.

Doable as a day trip if you leave early: the world's largest Gothic cathedral and the Giralda tower, the Real Alcazar palace, Plaza de Espana, and tapas until you roll home. In high summer it gets seriously hot; in spring and autumn it is perfect.