Puerto Banus

Puerto Jose Banus is a luxury marina located in the areaknown as New Spain, west of Marbella, Spain, nearanother village called Marbella San Pedro de Alcantara.

History

Since it was inaugurated in May 1970, this tourist spot hasbecome one of the largest entertainment centers in the Costa del Sol, achieving international fame. Furthermore, Puerto Banusshares similarities with the lifestyle of cities like Miamior Monte Carlo.This latter city also hosts a similar landscape due to the proximity of themountain to the sea.

Schreck Noldi, an architect who participated in the designand construction of Beverly Hills,was visited in 1966 by Prince Alfonso de Hohenlohe, asking him to do the BeachClub hotel Marbella Club.

His first job was to meet Jose Banus (close friend ofFrancisco Franco, who was called “The System”) and convince him Puerto Banuswas not a suitable place to build huge skyscrapers that would house thousandsof wealthy families.

Noldi suggested they build an Andalusian village with a marina,the first port made by a single architect. Together they managed to give atouch of sophistication to Puerto Banus. Jose Banus became the largestdeveloper of residential tourism complexes on the Costa del Sol, and the port was named after him.

Its streets have luxurious boutiques, such as Dior, Gucci,Versace, Bvlgari, Dolce & Gabbana, etc., where you can shop at any time ofday. You will also see the most luxurious cars, such as Rolls Royce, Ferrari, Maybach,Aston Martin, etc.,

The port does not change anything because some of the yachtsmoored there are of the most modern and expensive in the world. Visitors canfind food everywhere; there are Chinese, Japanese, Persian, and Italianrestaurants, as well as many major fast-food companies.

Opening in 1970

The magnificent complex was opened in May 1970. Those inattendance, among others, were the Aga Khan, film director Roman Polanski,Playboy founder Hugh Hefner, Dr. Christiaan Barnard (pioneer in hearttransplants), Prince Rainier III, and Princess Grace Kelly of Monaco.

A young Julio Iglesias was contracted to sing for the guestsfor the enormous sum of 125,000 pesetas. An army of 300 waiters from Seville used 22 kilos ofbeluga caviar for the 1700 guests

Climate

The spectacular weather of the area contributed to itsundisputed ascent among the most exclusive places in the world, which isprotected by the northern coastal mountains of the Cordillera Penibetica, andthis makes a microclimate with an enjoyable annual average temperature of 18° C.

Tourism

Its geographical location and visits by many celebritiesmake it an attractive summer destination, especially at night, by emphasizingits discos, pubs, and bars. According to theMunicipality ofMarbella,Puerto Banus is visited annually by nearly five million people.

The majority of hotels are classified as some of the best inthe world. Hotel Puente Romano and Marbella Club Hotel are at the heights whenit comes to gourmet. In its moorings there are yachts anchored by the King ofSaudi Arabia and some of the world’s most powerful tycoons.

Visitors to the port tend to be tourists, mostly fromnorthern Europe (especially UK)Arab countries (especially Saudi Arabiaand Kuwait),and some Spanish tourists.

A three-ton statue of a rhinoceros by Salvador Dali wasplaced in Puerto Banus in 2004. The statue is officially known as Rhino Dotted Dress and was created byDali in 1956 after completion of his 1954 surrealist film The Prodigious Adventure of the Lacemaker and the Rhinoceros.

Facilities

Its facilities were set up following the “Marine,” imitatingthe best models of the French Riviera. Among its characteristics are 915 berthsfor boats up to 50 m, with a maximum depth of 6 meters; almost a thousand boats can dock at its more than 10 acres protected by dikes.

The boats do not temporarily suffer the effects of PuertoBanus. Its waters are stable and it’s been the case, even with the portbreakwater during the departure of two yachts; the yachts did not suffer any damage.