We are positively blessed in this area for recreational and fishing ports; Banus. Duquesa Sotogrande………So which ones good for what? Which ones have the best night life? Read on, for my versions of the answers (but bear in mind that I am a party pooper who gets sea sick on boats so my interpretations might not be the same as yours!)
Starting of with Sotogrande in the west, in Cadiz province, we have the crème d la crème of ports with some of the most beautiful yachts in the world on display. Famous faces from the society magazines regularly appear at the tables of the surrounding restaurants during the Easter and summer holidays!
The port is still expanding into the adjacent area, forming mini-marinas, so expect to see cranes and construction lorries around rather detracting from the luxury image! The actual port area itself has no real night club or disco so is not particularly popular with the younger crowd who tend to congregate a bit further east in Puerto Duquesa.
The Duquesa port, although not so upmarket as Sotogrande, is definitely livelier. There is a positive glut of restaurants around the waterfront some of which have excellent reputations. Try the Italian ice creams or visit the excellent Chinese restaurant and you’ll see what I mean! Things are very lively here during the summer months but rather dead during the rest of the year! All ages visit the port but there are no real play areas for little ones so be prepared for some whinging if you are on a family outing!
Estepona port, on the other hand is very child friendly, as is in fact the whole of the Estepona seafront with long stretches of children’s play areas. This port with its discos is very popular with the young people of the area and bustles with life all year-the restaurants always seem to be buzzing and the weekly market adds to the atmosphere..
Without doubt the most glamorous and glitzy port in our area is Puerto Banus just west of Marbella. With its wealth of restaurants, designer clothes shops, exclusive boutiques (some by appointment only no less!) and fashionable bars it is definitely the place to be seen in. Food from around the world is available – Sushi, Italian, Spanish, American, Arabic, French to name a few! Of course the main point of a port is not forgotten in Puerto Banus there are many excellent seafood restaurants and the boats and yachts moored in their gleaming white lines definitely rival those of Sotogrande for sheer opulence and beauty.
Moorings here are difficult to obtain and very expensive! Puerto Banus offers lots of other facilities for the visitor, there is a multi cinema with English original version films shown every night and the adjacent Corte Ingles department store can really ensure that you leave the port at the end of the day with your pockets empty! The beach is directly adjacent to the port so the exclusive atmosphere extends to the nearby beach bars and restaurants where renting a sun lounger can cost almost as much as the meal itself!
Malaga province has 11 ports which offer nearly 5000 berths and nearly 2000 of these moorings are in Marbella-mainly in Puerto Banus but also in Marbella’s two other ports-the Marbella Leisure Port and the Cabopino Leisure port. Boats and yachts are a big part of tourist life in Marbella!
Further east along the coast the next 2 main leisure ports are Benalmadena and Fuengirola. Both of these are very busy and active all year but the atmosphere is slightly less upmarket than in Banus. Expect fish and chips as a staple rather than Sushi! However the night life is excellent. Finally in Malaga itself the port is right in the heart of the historical area, so to speak, just step of the yacht right into the castle!
Gibraltar of course, is another story! With the rapid developments of new marinas and luxury apartments on the waters edge it might well beat Puerto Banus yet!
