Marbella, Spain

Nestled along the famously scenic shores of Spain’s Costa del Sol, the fashionable town of Marbella is a seaside resort with the stunning Sierra Blanca mountain range for a backdrop. With idyllic beaches like the perennially popular Playa de Venus and the Playa Casablanca lined with high-end restaurants, Marbella more than lives up to the meaning of its name, “beautiful sea.” In the heart of the historic quarter known as Casco Antiguo lies the Plaza de los Naranjos, a picturesque and fragrant gathering place where locals and tourists alike come to relax beneath the orange trees and dine alfresco on fresh seafood at the cafés surrounding the pretty square. Heading back toward the waterfront, the wide pedestrian walkway of Avenida del Mar features ten large bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí, and just west along the coastline, the yacht-filled marina of Puerto Banús is home to one of the world’s most luxurious designer shopping districts.