Why go
Think of the municipality as a string of coastal areas rather than a single compact town. San Pedro de Alcántara, Nueva Andalucía, Puerto Banús and Las Chapas give useful reference points beyond the centre. Residential developments and golf courses occupy much of the land between these areas.
The full story
The municipality extends along roughly 44 kilometres of Mediterranean coastline, with the sea forming its southern boundary. To the north are Istán and Ojén; Benahavís lies to the northwest, Estepona to the west and Mijas to the northeast. These boundaries help place Marbella within the western Costa del Sol rather than treating the resort name as one small settlement. The coastal ranges stand close behind the shore, creating a pronounced change in elevation between the northern and southern parts of the municipality. Sea and mountain views therefore belong to the same landscape. Inland ground rises quickly, while development follows the coastal corridor. The relationship between this long, built-up edge and its steep backdrop explains why a map of Marbella looks stretched along the water rather than spreading evenly around the old centre.