Glamorous and stylish with a sociable, laid-back way of life, Marbella can certainly be described as ‘cool’, but in this case we’re thinking about ways of staying cool during the long balmy summer season.
Of course you could hide indoors with the air conditioning on, but that wouldn’t be a very ‘Marbella’ way of doing things; much better to relax by the pool or take a dip in the sea, but here we have some other fun, alternative ways of keeping cool in Marbella during the summer.
- Go inland
Marbella may be known for its luxurious beach resorts, golf country clubs and residential areas but just where the famous La Concha Mountain lays there begins a wonderful inland region just waiting to be explored. A region of breath-taking natural beauty, it contains forested mountains with cooling creeks, cascades and natural pools just made for active water canyoning or a gentle hike. Up here, amid the shade of trees, the air is thinner, drier and cooler – and the views back across to the coast simply stunning.
But there is more to discover inland, including pretty white mountain villages where it is a pleasure to drink the fresh spring water or have a beer in the cool shade. Venture a little further inland and you come to an area Marbella residents call their very own ‘Lake District’. The system of lakes in Alora offers a wonderful setting in which to camp, fish, picnic, swim or simply relax on small boats – surrounded by wooded hills, waterfalls and traditional Spanish cafés and venta restaurants.
- Go out to sea
The interior tends to offer cooler, drier air, but when you’re out at sea there are breezes that pick up cooler currents off the water. What’s more, it’s just great fun to relax or lunch aboard a yacht, sailing boat or power boat, stopping off at a pretty cove and diving into the refreshing clear water. You will again be accompanied by beautiful coastal and Mediterranean scenery, and if you’re lucky you might even spot dolphins or whales.
A more up-close and active way of cooling off at sea involves jet skiing, water skiing, parasailing and snorkelling, but if you’re more into languid relaxation with waiter service you might prefer to simply lounge at a trendy beach club and enjoy the chill-out vibe under tall white sails.
- Go indoors
No, do not go indoors to watch the television or play on your phone! Marbella is too pretty, lively, fun and sunny for that! But if you’ve had a lot of sun and excitement already there are some proactive ways of staying cool. Shopping has a calming effect on some and an exciting one on others, but if you visit one of the large shopping malls or department stores in the area you will be able to wander around in comfortable air conditioned surroundings as you hunt for little treasures that will help you look as cool as you feel. Add a little light lunch or a visit to the cool, dark cinema, and you won’t have to feel too guilty about occasionally escaping the sun indoors.
- Enjoy the musical nights!
Our personal favourite way of staying cool, attending a cool concert! We already been to Seal at Puente Romano and Armin van Buuren played in San Pedro. Further along the coast in Torremolinos indie rock band Kaiser Chiefs are set to make the town rock with their own brand of music inspired by 1970s/80s new wave and punk on the 6th of August, Mick Hucknall paints Fuengirola town red on the 18th. Meanwhile, from July 14th to August 20th, Marbella will be the centre of the local music scene’s attention as this year’s edition of the Starlite Festival brings a host of world-renowned artists to the stage. The list of participants seems endless, but some highlights include Sir Tom Jones, Robert Plant, Carlos Santana, Julio Iglesias, Il Divo, The Corrs and Alejandro Sanz. For full details visit the Starlite Marbella website here.