Old School Glamour of the Spanish Riviera
Brigitte Bardot, Gunter Sachs, and Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe.
Nestled at the foot of the majestic Sierra Blanca mountain range, where the land meets the Mediterranean sea, lies the crown jewel of Andalucia that is Marbella.
Now synonymous with the likes of Monaco, Portofino and St Tropez, Marbella has been a melting pot of royalty, opulence and showbiz for over 50 years. But how did a once sleepy fishing village become one of the most exclusive playgrounds for the jet set and famous?
A Sleepy Fishing Village - Marbella in the 1950s
As the story goes, Marbella remained a small seaside village throughout the 19th century until Prince Maximilian von Hohenloe’s Rolls Royce broke down here in the 1940s, when visiting his cousin Ricardo Soriano. Enchanted by the mountainous scenery and unique micro-climate of this then undisturbed corner of Spain, he sent his son Prince Alfonso to seek out land to build a property along the coast.
The man with a plan: Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe-Langenburg
With friends in only the highest of places, he began to allure the best names in European aristocracy, fashion and Hollywood. Soon, he developed his own residence into the Marbella Club Hotel, a now iconic institution along the Golden Mile, marking the beginning of Marbella’s golden era. With champagne flowing and seafood in abundance, the period saw the likes of Grace Kelly, the Rothschilds and Audrey Hepburn abandon the Cote D’Azur for the more exotic Spanish Rivieria.
Marbella Club Hotel, 1970s
In 1974, Hohenloe expanded his offering to open the Puente Romano resort, named after the 1st century Roman Bridge that still stands on the spot as part of the Via Augusta, which once connected Rome with Cadiz. A sprawling complex of gastronomy, exclusive apartments and fitness, it has played host to the Kennedys, Elizabeth Taylor and the wedding of tennis legend Bjorn Borg. During this time, famed photographer Slim Aarons, renowned for taking photos of “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places” regularly captured the essence of Marbella’s luxury scene.
El Vereno, Marbella by Slim Aarons
In 2020, NOBU Marbella, part-owned by Hollywood legend Robert De Niro, opened its doors at the location, joining the Michelin-starred chef Dani Garcia’s two restaurants and making it one of the best culinary destinations on the Costa del Sol.
Yet, no doubt the centre-point of Marbella’s glamour, is the yacht harbour Puerto Jose Banus, as it is officially called after its creator. Located 7km from the more humble port of Marbella, it quickly rose to international prominence after it opened in May 1970. The opening ceremony was a lavish affair attended by A-listers including Princess Grace of Monaco, Brigitte Bardot, Liza Minneli, Aga Khan, Hugh Hefner and Julio Iglesias.
The architecture is characterised by low-rise village housing with white plastering and roof tiles in traditional Andalusian style. Today, the harbour plays host to the finest yachts, supercars and designer fashion, visible at every corner.
Luxury Cars parked in Puerto Banus.
To experience the jet set life yourself and fly to or from Marbella by private jet, helicopter or commercial, contact us at Jet Marbella or drop in for a coffee! +34 951 12 71 31
Whiter than white: Julio Iglesias on the tarmac with his private jet