One of the best things we love about living in Marbella is we can wake up early every day to catch the breath-taking sunrise whilst taking a walk along the Paseo Marítimo de San Pedro de Alcántara – and do we take advantage of this!
San Pedro is simply a gem of a location and as the years go by, it is at the forefront of development – visit there now and it feels a world away from the place that was decimated by the 2008 economic crash where work on the AP-7 underpass had ground to a halt, killing so many businesses and allowing the wilderness to grow through it’s centre.
Now, the boulevard is bustling with families enjoying the children’s play areas, people dining in its many restaurants and cafes, and with people just enjoying walking around it’s beautiful pedestrianized landscape decorated with flowing water features and colorful flower arrangements.
The paseo is perhaps San Pedro’s greatest attraction. It stretches from the famous La Pesquera fish restaurant through to Puerto Banus, where you can continue to walk right along Marbella’s famous Golden Mile, all the way up to Marbella’s Puerto Deportivo. In all, from the beginning of San Pedro’s paseo, you can walk a full stretch of nearly 12 kilometers.
The paseo is used by nearly everyone. You will see couples holding hands and enjoying the scenery; you will see runners and walkers of all ages, from elderly people to young fitness fanatics and of course – just ordinary people like myself and my partner who just love to take a healthy stroll in a setting that we call paradise.
The perfect, smooth flat surface with a wide and ample space makes it perfect for people in wheelchairs, rollerbladers and cyclists, all of which who can enjoy this space whilst affording other users with respect and courtesy, providing an all-round relaxed and enjoyable space for us all to share.
Along the paseo you will find a host chiringuitos, restaurants, cafes, beach bars and even an enclosed and relaxed oasis consisting of a restaurant, bar and a swimming pool that is surrounded by beautiful soft golden sand. There are also a series of kiosks along the paseo where people can buy cheap drings, ice creams and other simple confectionary.
Such is the spirit of this beautiful paseo, as you walk along you will see a number of fitness classes taking place on either side on the grass of the tropical-like gardens on one side, and on the decking areas along the beach-side of the other. There are volleyball courts and netted goals for beach football.
You will see group sessions with people of all ages and abilities taking place, you will see numerous yoga classes as well a individuals who are deep in meditation, and people who are just sitting, looking out to the sea and admiring the views. As you walk along this paseo, whether it is the early morning break of dawn to watch the sunrise or it is at the end of the day as the sun sets into dusk, the palm-line silhouettes, the lit-up paseo and the reflections on the sea are a joy to behold.
Whatever your purpose and whatever activities you choose to indulge in – what we love the most is simply living in the moment and to enjoy making the most of this peaceful and inspiring place that we are lucky enough to call home.
Can it get any better? Well, it can – to top it off, there is ample parking space that spans the entire stretch and guess what – it is FREE! Yes, you heard that right – parking anywhere along San Pedro’s paseo is totally free, allowing visitors to simply park up and step out onto this wonderful paseo to enjoy whatever it is they have come to enjoy.
