FOOD,DRINK & TRAVEL

STUNNING: The Puente Romano Hotel’s ancient bridge

Built By Romans

MARBELLA began its life as a town in the seventh century BC, when it was a Roman settlement called ‘Salduba’. This is also the name of a well known bar at the entrance to Puerto Banus that has been there for centuries too.

SPECTACULAR: Mosaic at Rio Verde

came a close second to Ronda in terms of size and fell to the Christian Crusaders in the same year, 1485, just seven years before the Catholic Reconquest was complete. Marbella, to conclude, is a destination that has been a lot of different things to a lot of different people over the years, but the cosmopolitan atmosphere, world-class restaurants and perfect climate look set to entice the world’s elite for decades – if not millennia – to come.

Ralli Museum

WE start our art tour at Marbella’s best known museum. Home to one of Europe’s most important Latin American collections, the Museo Ralli focuses on modern movements, particularly surrealism, with works from a wide range of contemporary artists. Its current temporary show is on show until April 2024.

WHERE?

Urb. Coral Beach, Rio Verde, N-340, km. 176, 29602 Marbella, Málaga

?

WHEN?

Tuesday to Friday 10:00 to 17:00

Saturday 10:00 to 16:00

Meanwhile an original Roman bridge still stands surreally in the middle of the Puente Romano Hotel and a few kilometres away is the restored Roman villa at Rio Verde with its beauti- ful mosaics.