Marbella Holidays: Package Deals, Beaches and When to Go

Marbella suits travellers who want a proper town as well as a beach. The beaches line up along the seafront, from Playa del Faro and Playa de Venus by the lighthouse to Playa de la Fontanilla and Playa del Cable a little further along, so couples and families can walk to the sea rather than rely on a car.

If you like a bit of culture between swims, the old town holds the Castillo de Marbella, the Casa del Corregidor, Hospital Bazán and the Museo del Grabado Español Contemporáneo, all within about half a mile of the centre. Walkers can look up to the Sierra Blanca, around 4 miles away, and those after something quieter can base themselves inland in Ojén or Istán.

Marbella itself is the obvious base: a coastal town of more than 150,000 people with the widest choice of beaches, museums and sights, including the Marbella Lighthouse and the bullring. Most holidays in Marbella, Spain, centre on this stretch of seafront, and many British travellers also search for holidays to Marbella and Puerto Banús together when choosing where to stay along this part of the coast.

Ojén, about 4 miles inland, is a small hill village of a little over 2,000 people with its own castle and easy access to the Sierra Blanca. Istán, around 6 miles away, is smaller still. Both suit couples or anyone who wants quiet evenings, though you will want car hire to reach the beach, and Playa de Cabopino, about 8 miles east, makes a good excursion.

The warmest, driest stretch runs from June to September. July averages 31°C with no rain days on record, and August reaches 32°C with a single rain day, so these suit pure beach holidays. June and September both sit around 27°C, a little kinder for sightseeing in the old town.

April and May are excellent for Marbella spain holidays with fewer hot afternoons: 22 to 24°C and only a handful of rain days. November is surprisingly reliable at around 21°C with two rain days, which makes it a good choice for short breaks to Marbella. October and March are the wettest months, each bringing over 100mm of rain, and winter highs settle around 17 to 18°C. As with any package, school-holiday weeks tend to cost more, so it pays to compare dates either side.

Málaga is the main gateway, with direct flights from the UK. The drive to Marbella takes around 34 minutes, to Ojén about 30 minutes and to Istán about 37 minutes, so transfers included in a package are short.

Gibraltar also has direct flights from the UK and sits about 51 minutes from Marbella by road, a useful alternative if the flight times suit you better. If you prefer to drive yourself, you can compare car hire on this page, which makes day trips to Playa de Cabopino or up to the Sierra Blanca straightforward.

A package holiday to Marbella, Spain, bundles your flight, hotel and airport transfer into one booking, and when it is sold as a package it is ATOL-protected. You choose your board basis, from room only to all inclusive, depending on how much you plan to eat out in the old town.

On this page you can compare Marbella package holidays from Jet2holidays, TUI, loveholidays and On the Beach side by side, so whether you were searching for Jet2 holidays in Marbella or love holidays Marbella deals, they sit in one place. You can also check hotel prices, browse tours and tickets, and compare car hire. Marbella weekend breaks work well too, given the short transfer from Málaga.