Ask anyone to name the most glamourous towns in the world, and the chances are Marbella will be on their list. The name has become synonymous with glamour and the jet set lifestyle. It is the destination of choice for thousands of visitors every year seeking the relaxed lifestyle the town enjoys.

Since the 1950’s Marbella has been attracting visitors from around the world with its exceptional climate and its welcoming attitude. Today, more than ever, the town is the perfect place for either a holiday home or a permanent residence with an ever growing number of northern Europeans being captivated and making Marbella their home.

Property in Marbella varies as much as its cosmopolitan population with luxury villas in the foothills of the sierra Blanca Mountains, studio apartments in the old town and just about everything in between. You want a front line golf property – it’s here in Marbella; a beachfront townhouse, that too.

And Marbella property holds its value well – the name alone adds a certain prestige to any address. Despite the recent upheavals in the Town Hall and the bad press Marbella has had to suffer over the past couple of years the new administration is realigning the town with the regional and national authorities and the future is extremely positive. All the scaremongering which has been so rampant in the international press is finally being shown for what it is – scaremongering, and Marbella is recovering its radiance and reputation quickly.

One of the enduring features of Marbella is how it manages, effortlessly, to combine the past and the present. The Old Town, which winds through cobbled streets around the beautiful Orange Square, is a reminder of the past. Narrow streets housing charming interior patios which now feature bars and restaurants transport the visitor back in time to a place where the rhythm of life was somehow slower and gentler. At the same time the busy seafront promenade is all about today and making the most of the sunshine and fresh air.

Around Marbella, and over the years, leisure facilities have developed which perfectly complement the town. Numerous golf courses are within easy reach and the area boasts a number of classy beach bars and excellent restaurants.

The impressive La Cañada shopping centre houses a fantastic range of modern shops as well as a cinema complex showing films in English and bars and restaurants for the hungry shopper. Puerto Banus is a mere 6km from Marbella with its own glittering display of designer goods.

As the sun goes down Marbella puts on its make up and goes out for the evening. There is so much to do – restaurants to choose from, bars in which to chill out and enjoy cocktails or discotheques in which to dance the night away – literally!

And, as one would expect from an established international destination the range of services is exceptional. International schools and hospitals cater for the international community. Legal and banking services in English and other foreign languages are readily at hand – in fact, all the comforts of home are here in Marbella, the only difference is – the sun shines almost all the time.

But perhaps the most important feature Marbella offers is the lifestyle. In Marbella the whole truly is greater than the sum of its parts and this is why so many visitors decide to stay and make Marbella their home.