In many ways, for us locals, the autumn and winter is our favourite time of the year

Marbella is a true paradise with an amazing micro-climate offering us sunshine approximately 320 days out of the year making it a great place to be during the European Autumn and Winter season including over Christmas and New Year.  In many ways, for us locals, this is our favourite time of the year; things start to calm down as the real crowd of tourists makes their way home and there is a special feeling of tranquillity.  Traffic moves nice and smoothly, the beaches are not overcrowded hosting just enough people to keep it interesting, there's still plenty of events going on, reservations around town for Restaurants, Beach clubs, Nightclubs, and Activities are made more easily and the airport doesn't feel like a cattle shed!  There are, of course, many places that close down for a few months such as the larger Beach Clubs and Nightclubs in Puerto Banus, but there are many great places that stay alive so we've written this article to let you into a few local secrets!  

Being that Andalucia has over 1000 km of coastline, most of which offer amazing sandy beaches, it makes it easy to understand that going to the beach is by far one of the most popular things to do not only for the tourists but for us locals alike at any time of the year. We all truly enjoy spending some quality time with our friends and family relaxing on the beach or in the many beach clubs, and the chiringuitos (beach bars). In contrast to the summer season when you head to the beach in the winter you don't have to worry about finding a place to park, you can almost always find a nice and quiet spot on the beach, you'll enjoy fast and friendly service, and not to mention you will still enjoy warm enough weather to sunbathe without the extreme temperatures that arise during the summer. 

For those of you new to the concept of what is a typical Beach Club or Beach Bar (Chiringuito) here in Marbella, it is good to know a few things.  What we term as a Beach Club is usually the more luxurious establishment with a swimming pool, a classy restaurant and often part of a hotel, giving you the choice to relax on the beach or by the pool.  They offer plenty of comfortable sunbeds, from your typical sun bed to VIP beds and great personal service.  Some Beach Clubs charge an entrance fee or may require you to reserve a sunbed and with this rental, most Beach Clubs might offer you towels and water, and with the VIP beds you will more likely be offered a nice bottle of champagne and fresh fruit.   Most of the Marbella Beach Clubs will normally only open during the summer season until late September however some do remain open all year.  

Some of our favourite Beach Clubs still open in winter months include:

• The Beach House
• El Ancla
• Dune
• Luuma Beach
• Siroko Beach
• Besaya Beach

​
In contrast to the Beach Clubs what we call a Beach bar (chiringuito) is a more relaxed affair and a great place for delicious food, relaxation and entertainment.  These kinds of establishments do not offer a pool and are not super glam, they are restaurants/bars with access to the beach or close to the beach.  Their kind of food ranges from freshly grilled seafood, and typical Spanish tapas to all-around international menus.  They are also well known for offering a bit of live entertainment.  

Some of our favourite Beach Bars open in winter include:

• Victor's Beach
• Chiringuito La Red
• Aqui te quiero ver
• Chiringuito Las Flores

When it comes to Nightlife there are changes to the scene in Puerto Banus but some of the bars and clubs that locals frequent remain very much open.  If you come into Puerto Banus or Nueva Andalucia then clubs such as Pangea and Tibu will be closed but you can still enjoy late-night drinks and venues such as:

• La Sala
• Motel
• La Plaza at Puente Romano
• Sinatra's
• Occo
• Joy's Live
• Babilonia
• Mosh

If you want to head to a club then Joy's will be your best option in the centre of the port or if you want to venture further out then La Suite, Momento or Motel is where the social elite will be hanging out or, if you head into the Puerto Deportivo in Marbella it's where you will find more of the Spanish locals!

Activities are generally a 365 day a year thing here in Marbella as very little is weather permitting! The only activities that are not open in the winter months are the water parks however

• Yacht Charter
• Buggy Safari
• Golf
• Private tours

...and most of the other fun and games that we enjoy in Summer can still be planned in the winter! Just go to our Things to do section on the site to discover more.

If you want some help planning your itinerary and coordinating your trip then feel free to reach out to our concierge team who will help you to put everything together and also take care of the reservations for you. Contact them here