Shopping heaven in Puerto Banus
If you enjoy splashing the cash during your holiday on the Costa del Sol, Puerto Banus is pure shopping heaven. Home to the jet-set and a host of celebrities, Puerto Banus boasts some of the most elegant shops in Spain including unique boutiques and designer stores aplenty.

Puerto Banus in the early days
José Banus, a businessman, dreamed of providing Marbella's international elite with a glamorous marina in the early 1970´s, a relaxing haven far from the usual journalistic hounding they had to put up with on other parts of the Mediterranean coast. His dream became reality, and the internationally renowned marina that carries his name - Puerto Banus - was built. At the time, a flourishing construction drive all along the coast was leaving the deeply-rooted Andalucian architectural style behind, replacing it with more modern and stylish buildings, and some fabulous shops.

Puerto Banus shops
Take a stroll around any part of Puerto Banus and you will find designer shops galore, along with high class shopping malls and the luxurious El Corté Inglés Department store in the Plaza de Antonio Banderas. Here the super shops meet the super yachts, and you can marvel at the stunning background while pushing your credit cards up to the max. With over 320 days of sunshine a year, it is no surprise that Banus is also home to many excellent beach bars and seafood restaurants overlooking the Mediterranean. From the cheaper sardinas al espeto - delicious fresh sardines cooked on an open air fire- to the most sumptuous fresh lobster and caviar, all tastes and budgets are catered for, so combine your shopping trip in Puerto Banus with a spot of lunch or dinner. Oh and if you are looking for something a little more erotic from the norm, have a look around Boudouir in C/Las Violetas, Nueva Andalucia for sexy lingerie, adult toys and much more to help your holiday go with a swing.

Designers on the front line
The majority of the designer clothes shops are located on the front line of the Marina, including Fendi and Versace. Loewe, Hermes and are also situated on the front line of Puerto Banus, and Lacoste, Emporio Armani, Moschino, Trend and Louis Vuitton are situated around the port.

The shopping malls include Cristamar, which is situated just at the east end of Puerto Banus Marina and Marina Banus Shopping Centre, close to Antonio Banderas Square. In the latter you will find Pull and Bear and Bershka, and Mango and Zara are also situated close by.

 Such is the popularity of Puerto Banus, not only does it offer one of the best leisure marinas in Europe, but it also boasts fantastic shops, bars and live entertainment.

If you want to pump up the volume at home, take the time to look around Bang & Olufsen, which is situated just to the left of the western entrance to Puerto Banus. If you are looking for new gear for the house, Amani Home and Zara Home are situated close to El Corte Ingles.

Celebrity Puerto Banus
From its more humble beginnings in the 1950´s, Puerto Banus was transformed into a luxury resort which attracted royalty and aristocracy from around Europe. Soon afterwards, the swinging 60´s and 70´s bought a whole new crowd to Puerto Banus, and legends from the world of film and cinema could be seen mingling with the crowds. Diana Dors, Sean Connery and Rod Stewart all owned villas in Marbella, and some of the world´s highest-profile businessmen moored their yachts in the marina. Along with the celebrities came the designer shops, the quirky boutiques and the high-class jewellers which are still situated in the Port today.

Puerto Banus jewellery
If you are looking to splash the cash on jewellery,  you will be spoilt for choice in Puerto Banus. Visit the incredible Bvlgari store next to the famous Sinatra´s Bar at the western entrance to the Marina or Cartier, which is situated along the right side of the Marina where the big boats are moored. Stephen Webster and Chophard are also situated within the port if you want to really go to town on some exquisite jewellery.Nueva Andalucia  shopping
Within walking distance of Puerto Banus is Nueva Andalucia, where you can also shop until you drop. The bullring on the right marks the entrance to this upmarket residential area, while the road climbs towards the mountains and offers stunning views of the coast. On a clear day, you can even see Gibraltar and North Africa in the distance.

Centro Plaza is the main shopping complex, and you can also find some great bars, cafés and restaurants here. Here you can find fashion outlets, golf stores and clothes shops as well as local supermarkets. If you are looking to bag a bargain, venture up to Nueva Andalucia on a Saturday and enjoy a stroll around the market. Stretching from Centro Plaza to Puerto Banus, and selling everything from leather goods, bedding, antiques, carpets, rugs and electrical items, Puerto Banus and Nueva Andalucia has shopping outlets to suit all tastes and budgets.

Golf in Puerto Banus
If you are here on holiday, and want to combine some shopping with a few rounds of golf, you have come to the right place. There are several magnificent courses within virtual putting distance of each other next to Puerto Banus, and the famous golf valley includes Las Brisas, Los Naranjos, Aloha Golf and La Dama de Noche, which is floodlit for night time play. All the Nueva Andalucia golf courses are surrounded by stunning scenery with a backdrop of mountains, and are situated 5 minutes from Puerto Banus.

The good news is that most of the shops in Puerto Banus open all day, although some close between 2 and 5pm for siesta, but they don´t close for the evening until around 10pm in summer (or later).

Directions to Puerto Banus
Puerto Banus and Marbella are now much more accessible to holidaymakers from all over Europe, since the introduction of budget airlines. A wider choice of shops also ensures a great range of inexpensive There is much more to Puerto Banus than the designer boutiques which can be expensive, but well worth it. You will also find a range of great stores which are slightly cheaper but still offer great quality and originality. Situated just 40 minutes from Malaga Airport, you can arrive in style by hiring a limo from the airport before you travel.