Marbella

Situated 25 miles (40km) southwest of Malaga, the few miles of coast between Marbella and Puerto Banus is Spain's answer to Monte Carlo. Spain's elite, and Britain's more successful, have flashy holiday homes in the surrounding hills, and swanky yachts in the marina. Marbella is the Costa del Sol's best quality holiday resort - the restaurants and bars are more stylish (and expensive) and the town has been spared the worst excesses of concrete development that have blighted neighbours such as Torremolinos. The old town of Marbella is hidden away and retains some of its medieval charm, and has some good clothes shops and restaurants. The more exclusive Puerto Banus, six miles (10km) to the west, is where you will find the casino and the seriously large yachts. Those holiday visitors who drive just a few miles inland, to the villages in the hills around Ronda, will discover a Spain seemingly untouched by tourism, with village markets and authentic tapas bars to be explored.