For decades, Marbella has been one of the Mediterranean's leading tourist destinations, thanks to its beaches, its climate and its range of hotels. But over the past fifteen years, a new attraction has begun to draw visitors from all over the world: music.
It is not just about going to a concert. Those who travel each summer to Starlite Occident Marbella are looking for a complete experience that begins long before the stage lights go down and continues well into the early hours.
It is a new way of thinking about tourism, where the trip revolves around an experience rather than just a destination. Every summer it is held in the Cantera de Nagüeles, a spectacular natural amphitheatre carved into the rock just a few minutes from the centre of Marbella.
Starlite has become one of the most distinctive entertainment events in Europe. Unlike the big music festivals, which pack dozens of artists into a single weekend, here each night is devoted to a single concert.
This programme, which runs for almost three months, allows thousands of visitors to plan their holidays around the artist they want to see. "We are much more than a festival", its founder and CEO, Sandra García-Sanjuán, tells 'Euronews'. "Music is the common thread, but the experience begins long before the concert."
