GETTING TO MARBELLA BY PLANE
The best way to get to Marbella from Italy and visit the entire Costa del Sol is undoubtedly by plane. The closest airport to Marbella is Malaga Airport, called Malaga Costa del Sol Airport. Alternatively, you can also fly to Seville Airport, which is about a three-hour drive from Marbella. Granada has an airport, but it does not have convenient connections with Italy
The airlines offering direct connections from Italy to Malaga Airport are:
- Ryanair, with departures from Bergamo Orio al Serio, Bologna, Venice-Treviso, and Rome Fiumicino
- Easyjet, with departures from Milan Malpensa
- Vueling, with departures from Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa
- Ita Airways, with departures from Rome Fiumicino
- Volotea, with departures from Venice
You can also search for inexpensive flights to Malaga with connections in Madrid and Barcelona operated, among other airlines, by Iberia, Air Europa, or Vueling
The best deals for purchasing a flight to Malaga can often be found on major online travel websites, such as:
- Expedia.it (or you can use the Spanish version, Expedia.es), where you can find flights as well as vacation packages and hotels.
- eDreams.it, where you can find flights, hotels, flight+hotel packages, and many other deals.
- Atrapalo.com, a Spanish-language website for finding flights, hotels, trains, car rentals, and restaurants.
- Volagratis.com, for comparing fares on low-cost and traditional airline flights.
- Logitravel.it, offering both traditional and low-cost flights, as well as hotels, cruises, and vacation packages.
There is also an excellent online price comparison website for affordable air travel: Skyscanner.it finds flights at lower prices than other websites.
Once you have landed in Malaga, you can reach Marbella:
- by taxi, which can be found directly outside the airport exit. Fares vary depending on the day (holiday or regular day) and the time (night or daytime). Ask what the fare is before getting into the taxi; it generally ranges from approximately €80 to €100;
- by bus. Avanzabus provides a direct connection between Malaga Airport and the Marbella bus station without any intermediate stops. Check prices and schedules on www.avanzabus.com. Tickets can also be purchased online, and the price ranges from approximately €7 to €9 per person each way;
- by renting a car. Renting a car is the best way, and sometimes also a very affordable way, to reach Marbella. Rates are very low, and in winter you can rent a small car for as little as three euros a day! However, in summer it can become very expensive and, due to extremely high demand, vehicles are not always available. Therefore, to get a better price, it is advisable to book online and pick up the car after landing at Malaga Airport.
List of websites and price comparison services for renting a car online in Malaga
- Autonoleggio-online.it. Compare prices from more than 100 car rental providers in Spain! No cancellation fees up to 48 hours in advance and no payment fees.
- Rentalcars.com. Search, compare, and save. Rentalcars.com states that it offers a best-price guarantee and compares 783 companies in more than 45000 locations.
- Sixt.es: An excellent car rental company, with insurance included, unlimited mileage, and an office in Marbella as well.
- Hertz.it: A global leader in car rentals, with a modern fleet and a wide range of vehicles available.
GETTING TO MARBELLA BY CAR
Driving from Italy to Marbella in your own car can be an option if you have a very comfortable and spacious vehicle, if you are moving, or if you have a dog or cat that cannot travel by plane. It is better to split the trip into two or three days (if you are leaving from southern Italy). You can also consider taking a ferry from Italy to Barcelona and continuing the journey by car from there.
Marbella is well connected by two highways: the A7, which runs along the coast, is free, while the AP7, which runs slightly farther inland, has tolls on some sections (the P stands for peaje, meaning toll).
If you are moving to Marbella for work or to start a business, keep in mind that you will need to re-register your car in Spain and therefore change the license plate, which is a fairly expensive process.
GETTING TO MARBELLA BY TRAIN
Marbella does not have a train station, so if you want to travel by train, you will need to consider Malaga or Fuengirola as your final train destination and then take a taxi or rental car from there. We do not know anyone who has made the entire trip by train to get to Marbella, but you can visit the Trenitalia or Renfe websites for more information.