Nueva Andalucia
Nueva Andalucia is an area that I know quite well. We have an apartment we rent out in Nueva Andalucia and live about 10 minutes away. Nueva Andalucia is an area just West of Marbella and in some areas is within a 10 minute walk of Puerto Banus. Nueva Andalucia is made up of white washed Andalucia styled apartments and villas and is a very popular place to live for ex pats as Nueva Andalucia is within close proximity to many good International Schools such as Swans, Aloha and the English International College, all in the Marbella area.
Nueva Andalucia has a bull ring which is used for concerts in the summer and every Saturday throughout the year it holds a popular Saturday morning market. Open from 10am-2pm, go there for fake designer handbags, leather belts, sunglasses, watches, silver jewellery, paintings and so much more. Nueva Andalucia has a Centro Plaza, a large square with a good sized car park ( pay upon departure) that has plenty of outdoor cafes and restaurants. This is a lovely place to go in-between shopping at the market for a coffee break, croissant or an early lunch.
Nueva Andalucia has a number of tennis courts and on the bottom level of the Centro Plaza is a gym that caters for adults and children.
Nueva Andalucia is also home of Casino Marbella. You can spend the evening gambling at the black jack table and also have a superb evening meal there too. From many of the apartments in Nueva Andalucia you would be able to walk to the Casino with ease. There is also an underpass that will take you into Puerto Banus so you do not have to cross the busy coastal road, formely known as the N340.
If you are thinking of a holiday in the Costa del Sol and like shopping and golf then Nueva Andalucia is a great choice. The apartment for rental would be cheaper than those in Puerto Banus but you still have amenities close at hand.
The supermarkets in Nueva Andalucia include the great value Mercadona, Supersol which stocks a tremendous amount of English food and this is found in Centro Plaza and lastly there is Open Cor which is open 24/7, small, pricy but very handy if you arrive on a Sunday as everything else will be closed.