San Pedro de Alcántara and Puerto Banús

San Pedro de Alcántara, referred to locally as San Pedro, is a town of 2 personalities. It's a traditional Spanish town, with a very a long beach. The town and beach are separated from each other by a main road - and a 10 minute walk. Just 10km from Marbella and even closer to the ritzy Puerto Banus, this long sandy stretch of beach and promenade stretches all the way to Marbella…..a great challenge for anyone who wants to walk, scooter or cycle it …and no, we didn't walk it….well - not all of it! We did however walk the San Pedro promenade from end to end - both ways. On another occasion we walked the longer stretch - over 3km - from Puerto Banus to San Pedro….so this blog is actually about 2 of our day trips…..first - San Pedro.
This town of around 27,000 people, which was once known for farming sugar cane, is one that seems to have grown more slowly than others along the Costa del Sol. It has the appearance of a regular working town, with a couple of pedestrianized streets in the older section. These old town streets have a few cafés and shops that are aimed at tourists, but they still have a definite Spanish vibe. There's also a nice square with a church, plus the town is a bit of a hub for various bus bus routes.
The road dividing the "real" town from the newer beach area happens to be the main road into - and out of - Marbella, so traffic can be very heavy at times. The underground tunnel for vehicles passing through town took 5 years to build, was finished in 2012, and has helped the flow of traffic. Atop the tunnel and at ground level there's an expanse of green-space, with play areas for children….a few cafés are conveniently placed alongside these areas. A side street runs parallel to this main artery in order to accommodate local traffic and place for buses to load and unload passengers. Delivery vans also use it to drop off and pick up cargo. A number of streets branch off this "service" corridor and head south to the beach. San Pedro's beach area has a natural, less manicured look, but is well serviced with public toilets, showers, Red Cross medical stations and beach-chair rentals. Along the way a few areas which resemble an oasis have been created, with some patches of grass, greenery, plus shrubs and palm trees for shade. Like many beaches in this part of the world, play areas for children and exercise equipment for adults are also common sights. Restaurants and cafes can also be found on this stretch of promenade, along with small kiosks for water, soft drinks and snacks such as potato chips, ice cream bars, etc.

On another day our bus journey took us just a few kilometres east of San Pedro to Puerto Banús - the world renowned port and Marina area, which is just 7 km from the town of Marbella itself. Considered a suburb, it resembles an old fishing village but was actually built in 1970 by a local developer - José Banús. It was designed for tourists as a marina and shopping complex. To say it was a success is an understatement! This playground is for the rich and famous, who for over 50 years have enjoyed the beaches, restaurants and shopping - in addition to the day and night clubs. It's also a perfect spot to park their luxury boats. Some past and present famous personalities have been known to enjoy time here include Grace Kelly, Marlon Brando, Antonio Banderas - plus a few members of the Kennedy family. For those of us who are less affluent, it's a great place to stroll and admire the stars and personalities who come to be seen. We didn't see anyone we recognized - but we did see plenty of huge yachts, designer clothing, plus Ferraris and other luxury cars.
All of this glitter however, should not distract - or detract - from the 3 gorgeous beaches which have a backdrop of Cordillera Penibética - a stunning mountain range. Puerto Banús beach is, as the name suggests, next to the port. If you enjoy day clubs with all the services, this one would be at the top of your list….but there's also plenty of space for enjoying some "independent" beach time on this beautiful golden crescent. The water is calm and given its northern protection from the mountain range it enjoys a microclimate with an average annual temperature of 18C. Summers are hot and dry.
Rio Verde beach is east of Puerto Banús and is Marbella's "town" beach. It stretches in a westerly direction for 1.6 km towards the port, is 40 meters wide, well serviced and is one of the most popular on this coast. After walking the marina, restaurants and shops of Puerto Banus, we made a quick detour into El Corte Inglés. The branch of Spain's leading department store is, in this town, loaded with the most exclusive brands in fashion, jewellery and luxury items. My particular interest was on the 2nd floor, where I could ogle the food and wines, which although are mostly out of our price bracket, can be seen in the on-site upscale restaurants and the inventory that's for sale. Trevor, making allowances for my fantasies, patiently trailed alongside me!
Along this part of the coast is a collection of small, connected beaches which stretch westwards from Puerto Banús towards San Pedro and the Guadaiza river….it's Marbella's third - and our favourite beach, Playa Neuva Andalucia. After walking back through the Marina we headed there and walked the 3kms along the boardwalk to San Pedro. These small coves are less groomed but have an old world feel to them. Along the way we stopped at a Chiringuito for a beer. Sitting at a table on the sand, nestled in a lovely little cove - and with a just a few other customers plus some old fishing boats for company - we thought it was just about perfect!