Practical Information

Local Time

Marbella is an hour ahead of Greenwich meantime

Business Hours

Most businesses will be open from 10am until early evening but quite a few will be closed in the afternoon from 2pm until 4-5pm

Tipping

It is customary to give 10% tip in restaurants

Post Offices

You can find post offices (Correos) in every town, they are usually open from 8.30am to 2pm

Water

The water in Marbella is drinkable in most areas but it can taste bitter so it's best to buy bottled water and drink that instead, especially for babies and children.

Electricity Socket

The sockets used in Spain are type c or f which are also used in many other European countries

Bargains when buying

You generally cannot barter in the shops around Marbella, but feel free to haggle a little when buying something in one of the markets

Dress code

The customary dress code for Marbella in the summer is flip flops, bikinis and shorts by the beach but you can glam it up of an evening especially if you're heading to Puerto Banus or one of Marbella's top restaurants! In the winter it can get chilly so a light coat is a good idea.