Spain’s south coast is a wonderful place to drive. It seemingly faces the sun all year round, a sun-blessed strip of sea, beaches and resorts with sensational vistas. Gibraltar sits to the west, Malaga to the east, vast natural parks and quiet villages and towns to the north. Set out in any direction and you’ll find Iberian delights.

The main road stretching across this expanse of coastline is the AP-7, which links all the main resorts. However, it is a toll road. For a free alternative, the A-7 runs closer to the coast. Drive east and you’ll pass through La Cala de Mijas, Fuengirola and Torremolinos on the way to Malaga. For those planning a real road trip, it runs on all the way to Valencia. It will also take you to the west, through Estepona and Algeciras, passing Gibraltar along the way.

Quieter rural roads lead inland, with the A355 taking you north-east, while the A397 goes north-west and skirts the Sierra de las Nieves natural park with its dramatically towering peaks and deep gorges before arriving in Ronda. Marbella is relatively simple to navigate, with the N340 running east to west through the town, along the coast and the AP-7 marking the northern boundary. They’re linked by Calle Serenata that runs south to north, bisecting the heart of the city. When parking, streets marked with white lines are free, while green and blue lines are pay and display areas.

In Spain you must drive on the right-hand side of the road and overtake on the left, but most other driving rules are common-sense and similar to the UK. Speed limits are in km/h and vary from 50km/h (31mph) in urban areas up to 120 km/h (74mph) on Spanish motorways, known as autovias. If you have any particular questions about driving in Marbella or Spain, our pick-up branch team will be more than happy to help you.

Marbella’s appeal lies in how it balances its glamorous side with its more contemplative one. You can promenade on the beach or dress to the nines for a night out if you like. You can also take a more relaxed approach, wander the flower-strewn old town and find the tapas bars the locals love. Best of all, you can do both.

A peach of a beach (or two)

There’s no shortage of beautiful beaches in Marbella, ranging from the large to the smaller and more intimate. You can take your own towels and lie on the soft sand on the Playa de la Fontanilla or hire one of the loungers and umbrellas you’ll find here. It’s a well-provisioned beach, with plenty of restaurants and cafes, showers and companies offering watersports. Playa de la Bajadilla, near the old fishing harbour, gets busy, but that’s because the water here is warm, shallow and safe.

A gentler pace

Seemingly a world away from the clubs and cooler beaches is Marbella’s old town – casco antiguo. Park up and wander on foot here, the streets are narrow and winding, filled with handsome houses, many of which have flowerboxes with a riot of blooms. Its heart is Plaza de los Naranjos, lined with orange trees, while there are numerous tapas bars and café perfect for whiling away an afternoon watching the people come and go. It’s a great place to shop to, with local handicrafts and food shops. Try to get a table at Paco Jimenez in the square here, an award-winning restaurant where you sample Spanish specialties as well as international classics such as duck confit or saffron-scented bream.

The upper crust

The place that really encapsulates many people’s idea of Marbella is the nearby port of Puerto Banus. It’s some five miles from Marbella itself, but worth the trip to see how a once sleepy fishing village has become a port full of superyachts. On shore, the cars are no less flashy – this has long been the rich and famous’ playground on the Costa del Sol. You’ll spot stars, oligarchs, Ferraris and yachts that could house an entire city.

Back in Marbella, blag your way into one of the area’s glitzy clubs. Bars and nightspots line the Golden Mile, with people dressing up to party.

Whether it’s the quiet life of pretty plazas and out-of-the way restaurants that appeals, or you can’t resist the lure of the super-clubs and beautiful beaches full of the bronzed, you’ll find it here. And with car hire in Marbella, you can have the best of both worlds.