Welcome to Puerto Banus

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

Welcome one. Welcome all. This is Puerto Banus. It's all the way down at the very bottom of Spain, nearer Africa than the rest of Europe really and so the weather is sunny day after day, month after month, year after year.

I expected this modern seaside marina to have a longer more interesting history, but the truth is the history is very short and it is a manmade creation of a local property developer José Banús who had a vision for a new marina in the area in the 1960s. He spent a few years thinking it through and getting the necessary finances arranged and in 1970 he built the luxury marina and shopping complex.

He named it Puerto José Banús and it has since been shortened to Puerto Banús by locals and visitors alike. It attracts the world's rich and famous. Here are just a few of the nice cars we saw yesterday when we visited, so safe to say there is wealth here.

It quickly became one of the largest entertainment centres and tourist attractions on the Costa del Sol, with celebrities and others flocking year after year. We always visit at least once when we are here, as our boys love the Lamborghinis, Ferraris, Bentleys, Rolls Royces and Porsches that they always see.

The town itself was developed around a coastal village in the Mediterranean architectural style and architect Noldi Schreck was central to the design. He too worked on Beverly Hills in Los Angeles, so knows how to design to the taste of the rich and famous.

From what I've read and learned, it's a good job Schreck was involved, or we'd have likely ended up with another high rise abomination like Benidorm. Schreck, a close friend to Franco helped convince Banùs to lean towards a more nuanced and sophisticated Andalusian village and marina and so Puerto Banùs became what it is today, more tastefully finished.

Apparently the grand opening by Banùs and company back in May 1970 attracted many world icons from that time. Aga Khan, Roman Polanski, Hugh Hefner, Dr. Christiaan Barnard, Prince Rainier and Grace Kelly were just a few of the A listers that attended and every celebrity you can shake a hat at from the Kardasian sisters to the Comer brothers have been to the picturesque little enclave by the turquoise sea. It is said that three hundred waiters served 22 kilos of beluga caviar to 1700 guests. That's around €800K on caviar alone!

Alas, we do not come for the caviar ourselves, as our palates are perhaps less cultured than that. I've had it a few times and it was fine, nothing to write home about in my opinion. We were more interested in visiting one of our regular haunts along the marina.

My wife and I could have a nice meal and a drink, while the kids watch the super cars go by. Everyone happy.

Here's a peak at the menu for anyone who may be interested to see what's on the menu.

We had a lovely meal here and no prizes for guessing what the boys wanted to do next? Yep more cars...

Holiday to Spain

My wife and I met in Spain and we also got married in Spain, so it's safe to say that we love this country and so we come back here year after year after year for our Summer holidays.

Counting Crows, a band that I listened to a lot in my younger days even have a song about a holiday in Spain, so maybe I was subtlety influenced? Who knows... Something I do know though is that their album, "August and everything after" is worth checking out if you've not heard them before and enjoy Holiday in Spain below.

There's much more to Puerto Banùs than the marina, fancy cars and caviar though. It boasts a lovely beach too and if designer clothes are your thing, then you'll be in heaven with Gucci, Armani, Coco Channel shop fronts to beat the band and beat the bank. I was admiring a pair of shorts yesterday, a French brand from St. Tropez that I'd never heard of. They were giving them away.... Two hundred and eighty of your shiniest finest euro Spondulix!

Sacré bleu mon Frère!!!

The beach is lovely here, and of course there are no shortage of beaches in Spain, they are truly spoilt for choice. This one is down by the tennis club where we normally park our car, a short distance from the hustle and bustle of the main drag.

So, should you make it to southern Spain, get yourself down to Puerto Banùs. Tell them Ablaze sent you!

The images used throughout are all my own captured on my Samsung Smartphone

Thanks as always for stopping by everyone.

Peace Out