A sunny place for shady people? Upmarket and elegant, or all bling and grit? Marbella, to the uninitiated, can be an enigma. Those who make it a regular destination know otherwise, and as the Andalusian town is just a three-hour flight from Dublin, there are many who have already fallen in love with its charms. With the miles of golden beaches in which this part of the Mediterranean abounds, Marbella has a reputation for yachting, golf, fancy restaurants and sun seeking. It is also blessed with an incredibly picturesque Casco Antiguo (Old Town), where the winding lanes are peppered with unique boutiques, bars, cafes and restaurants. For decades, Marbella has been a favourite destination for the Irish. Before that, in the days when foreign holidays were still just an exotic dream in these parts, film stars and minor European royalty were lunching, lounging and being generally louche along Marbella’s sandy shores. Kicking off in the 1950s, the fishing village was transformed – first by a vanguard of the indolent wealthy and their friends, and then by pioneering hoteliers, including the fabulously named Alfonso Maximiliano Victorio Eugenio Alejandro María Pablo de la Santísima Trinidad y Todos los Santos, Prinz zu Hohenlohe-Langenburg – or Prince Alfonso for short. Discovering the delights of Marbella, he bought land and sold plots to the likes of the Rothschilds and Thyssens and, in 1954, opened the Marbella Club, the first luxury hotel on the Costa del Sol. Before long, Cary Grant, Gary Cooper, Elizabeth Taylor, Ava Gardner and their mates were turning Marbella into a playground. Sean Connery had a house here; Antonio Banderas does today. Prince Alfonso’s own life was lurid. He got a special papal dispensation to marry a 15-year-old heiress. A few years later, they were divorced, and another papal dispensation followed for the annulment. But alongside the suave, and at times sordid, stars, Marbella has also enjoyed, or perhaps more truthfully endured, a parallel reputation as a favoured hideaway for a certain kind of criminal. The “costa del crime” tag, which wasn’t unique to Marbella, had its origins in a legal loophole. Back in 1978, a 100-year-old extradition treaty between Spain and the UK expired. It wasn’t replaced until 1985. By that time many of said shady people had made new lives in the Spanish sunshine, and were unsurprisingly reluctant to move on. So what will you find if you go today? First up, there is that beautiful stretch of beach. Marbella claims a shoreline of 27km. Get up early, and you’ll see teams out there, raking the sands to perfection. In season, chiringuitos (beach bars) pop up with wood fires and the wafting aromas of barbecued fish and gambas pil pil to whet the appetite. The Paseo Marítimo runs along the seafront, linking Marbella with Puerto Banús, just over 7km west. Walk the route and you’ll pass gated (and most likely gilded) villas, and discover the vibe gets flashier and, depending on your tastes, trashier as you go.If Marbella is all wafty white ensembles and opportunities for Instagram selfies in floppy straw hats under cascades of bougainvillea, then Puerto Banús is muscle cars, men wearing heavy gold jewellery, and both genders top-to-toe in logos. On the plus side, there’s a buzzy marina and designer shops, if that’s what floats your boat. Speaking of boats, a ferry service runs between Marbella and Puerto Banús, so you can walk there and pick up a ferry back – or take the boat in both directions for some gentle on-sea action. It takes about half an hour on a catamaran, and it’s a great way to get a good sense of the sweep of the shore, with the Sierra Blanca mountains defining the distant horizon, and golf courses aplenty in between. One of the suites in El Fuerte Hotel Marbella Right on the shore lies El Fuerte, one of the original golden age hotels dating back to the 1950s. There’s still a tinge of that nostalgic decadent vibe in its poolside pink and white umbrellas. It reopened in 2023 following a full makeover by Barcelona-based designer Jaime Beriestain. Think plenty of green tiles, green and pink marble, soft tones of ochre, blush and peach, pale wood and warm brick, and you’ve got the picture. Throw in a bath in your bedroom (or a hot tub on your balcony) and you’re even more in the frame.[ Hillwalking in Andalucía: ‘It feels like we are participants in Squid Game’Opens in new window ]El Fuerte is the only five-star hotel in Marbella’s designated Old Town, and there is a timeless vibe, added to by the photographs of illustrious former guests, including Lola Flores, Diana Dors, Penélope Cruz and Walt Disney. Gemma Tipton in Marbella's Old Town The location also means it’s the shortest of walks up the road to explore the narrow lanes and squares of Marbella’s historic quarter. The main areas are all pedestrianised, so there is a peaceful and serene vibe as you wander up to Plaza de los Naranjos, the central square, which lives up to its name as orange trees shade the restaurant tables and the sound of a fountain splashes away.[ Savouring Seville: two delicious, tapas-filled days in the city of romanceOpens in new window ]One of the nicest things about the Old Town is the lack of international fashion chains. Instead, the shops all have their own distinct personality, and while there is some imported tat, there are still great places to find one-off buys. The local market at the edge of the car-free area is practical rather than picturesque, but any foodies with a self catering set-up will be beguiled by the olive oils, herbs, spices, vegetables and fish.Cristobál ready to grill fish at Soleo Restaurant in El Fuerte Hotel. Photograph: Gemma Tipton Fish is the star of the show at Soleo, El Fuerte’s beach restaurant, where head waiter Cristobál dispenses with the menu to proudly display a huge fish, which (as far as my Spanish allows) he promises to grill there and then. And so he does, serving it alongside oven-fresh crusty bread, the hotel’s own olive oil, ripe tomatoes and salty clams, direct from the sea, washed down with a delicious Albariño. That night, the sound of surf through my open window sends me to sleep, and I awake, brilliantly rested to the rustlings of palm trees, and the waves breaking the shore below. Morning brings a surprise, with El Fuerte’s signature Art of Breakfast. The Art of Breakfast puts playing with your food at the top of the agenda, as juices and smoothies, yoghurts and pastries arrive on colourful miniature hand carts – like a toy town ice cream service. It’s all available in the general and generous buffet, but there’s something about seeing your tiny cakes revolving on your own personal carousel that just might delight the most jaded of travellers. Tip: you can switch the carousel off when it all gets too much.Breakfast at El Fuerte Hotel After a hectic agenda of walking the waterfront, exploring Puerto Banús, taking a boat ride and successfully combing the old town for souvenirs and gifts, we spend a satisfying final day in what must be one of travel’s signature guilty pleasures: doing absolutely nothing. That is, if absolutely nothing includes having a massage in the Clarins spa, splashing in the thermal suite, having lunch on the terrace – where I amuse myself inventing back stories for the other guests (glamorous professions, one and all) – before sipping cava poolside. There’s even a handy button to call the waiter over, bringing new meaning to the idea of barely having to lift a finger. Sun or shade, a person could get used to this. Gemma Tipton was a guest of El Fuerte MarbellaGetting there and getting aroundMijas village in Costa del Sol. Photograph: Getty Images/iStockphoto Aer Lingus and Ryanair have daily flights to Málaga in season. The airport is approximately 50 minutes by car from Marbella, and there is a regular bus shuttle service. Prices at El Fuerte start from €390 B&B for two. Selected rooms with sea views start from €520 B&B for two, elfuertemarbella.com. Marbella is very walkable, and the Paseo Marítimo is ideal for both walking and cycling. Bicycle hire at El Fuerte is available for guests at €24 per day, and the Fly Blue catamaran runs between Marbella and Puerto Banús daily in season from 11.30am to 7.30pm, €11 one way, fly-blue.com.