Marbella's old quarter is located at the foot of the Sierra Blanca mountains overlooking a beautiful bay. Its beautiful layout shows its traditional Andalusian character, with neat whitewashed facades decorated with bars and geraniums and orange trees growing on every corner.

The heart of the city is the Plaza de Los Naranjos, a Renaissance-era square lined with elegant buildings such as the town hall (16th century) and the Casa del Corregidor (17th century).
The 16th-century Iglesia Mayor de la Encarnación is located in the Plazuela de la Iglesia. There is also one of the towers that were part of the city's old Arab fortress, built in the 9th century.