Marbella

It’s only an hour’s drive from Málaga to Ronda. Leave Málaga on A7-E15 along the coast (following signs for Cadiz, among various other destinations) past touristy Torremolinos (which Michener’s characters from The Drifters would no longer recognize) and Fuengirola before reaching Marbella, the most aristocratic of the Costa del Sol resorts, with its hidden villas, lavish hotels, long, pebbly beach, and the inevitable remains of a Moorish castle. If you like shopping, you will enjoy the many elegant international shops in the city, where strolling along the main street and side streets is a pleasure. Numerous restaurants of all types and categories are available here, including La Fonda, with a Michelin star, on the Plaza de Santo Cristo. From Marbella, take the N340 and continue west for a few kilometers to Puerto Banus, where the marina is home to enough yachts to rival Monaco or the French Riviera. Unless your yacht is moored there, you will have to park in the lot just outside the harbor area proper and walk in. Inside are numerous chic shops, bars, and restaurants. This is the center of Spain’s jet-set scene.