Art in the Sunshine: Discover Marbella's Beautiful Outdoor Artworks
It can be hard in the warm sunshine of Marbella to gather much enthusiasm for visiting dark, gloomy museums, but luckily the city has a rich variety of al fresco art across its parks, plazas and along its promenade, ready for art lovers to explore.
A walk through the pretty plazas of the old town will bring you face to face with historic statues dating back as far as the 15th century, while a trip along the city’s more contemporary walkways could see you discovering sculptures by a range of contemporary Spanish artists.
There is so much to see on the streets of Marbella it’s difficult to know where to start, but here is a selection of my favourite outdoor works of art to get you started.
Dalí on the Streets
It’s not many cities that can boast 11 Salvador Dalí sculptures on display in its public spaces, but Marbella can.
Ten of the famous Spanish Surrealist’s sculptures can be found along the Avenida del Mar, a pedestrian walkway that connects the city’s old town to the beach. With fountains and park benches, the Avenida del Mar is a great place to stroll or just sit and people-watch. And there’s more to see here than just the Dalí sculptures. There are also two beautiful works by local artist Eduardo Soriano to look out for at either end of the Avenida.
The final Dalí artwork is the Rinoceronte Vestido con Puntillas, a beautifully detailed bronze rhinoceros, which can be found along the coast in Puerto Banús.
The Pirulí of Marbella
Known as the ‘lantern of Marbella’, this striking copper tower was created by architects Cepedano and Barrios. The dramatic landmark, coated in copper sheeting, marks the beginning of the city’s Golden Mile.
Fuente La Venus de Marbella
Created by Francisco López Burgos Granada, this statue of Venus waterskiing outside the tourist information office on the Paseo Maritimo often garners mixed reactions. But love it or hate it, the marble surroundings are a great place to sit and take in the beautiful views of the sea.
La Sirena de Puerto Banús
The beautiful white marble figure of a mermaid curled up with her face hidden by her hair welcomes visitors to the marina at Puerto Banús. It was created for the resort by Barcelona sculptor Antonio Cañete.
La Victoria
The other great symbol of Puerto Banús is the 85ft column with the bronze and copper statue of a man holding his arms open in a gesture of welcome. The landmark was created by the Georgian-Russian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli and was gifted to the resort in 1994 by the Mayor of Moscow.
How to get there
Regular flights to Málaga fly from most UK airports, especially during peak holiday seasons. Make sure you book a direct transfer to drive you the 40-minute journey to Marbella though, as queues for taxis from Málaga airport can be extremely long.
Lukas Johannes is a driver for Shuttle Direct, the number one provider of shared and private airport transfers all over Europe and northern Africa. If you’re looking for affordable taxis from Malaga airport, Lukas and his colleagues can make sure that you and your luggage get to and from the airport swiftly and safely.