Guide to living and working from Spain

Array ( [category] => 336 [latestCategoryPosts] => Array ( [0] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 407996 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2023-03-07 10:25:56 [post_date_gmt] => 2023-03-07 09:25:56 [post_content] => Padel tennis is one of the most popular sports in Spain. It’s an exciting cross between squash and tennis, played doubles-style in a glass-sided court. It’s a fast-paced game, and pretty easy to pick up, plus it’s very sociable. Joining a padel club in Marbella is a great way to keep fit and meet new people. Today we’re giving you a low-down of the best padel clubs in Marbella, as well as its history and evolution.

Enjoy Padel in Marbella

Although Padel was originally invented in Mexico, Marbella remains the birthplace of the modern style of Padel we know today. Not surprisingly there are loads of fantastic clubs to play in and they are great communities to be a part of. Where better to play padel than where it was developed and became one of the fastest growing sports in the world? In this article, we will share our favorite padel clubs in Marbella, where you can enjoy this wonderful, fast-paced sport. However, this really is just the tip of the iceberg!

The Royal Padel Club Marbella

Real Club Pádel Marbella is a fantastic place to play padel in Marbella, work out at the gym and hang out with family and friends. With six panoramic glass paddle tennis courts, with WPT approved grass, and latest technology LED lighting. They also boast a dedicated Padel school where you can learn one of the most popular growing sports in Spain and improve your skills with some of the best coaches and trainers. And that’s not all…. This is a sports center with indoor and outdoor gym facilities, a kindergarten, boxing and martial arts classes for kids, a restaurant, salon, barber shop and restaurant. Highly recommended for all the family.

Manolo Santana Racquets Club Tennis, Padel & Fitness

Founded in 1997 by the famous tennis player, Manolo Santana, this legendary Racquets Club is steeped in the history of the sport and remains one of the Marbella’s most renowned tennis clubs. Manolo Santana Racquets Club also has four Padel courts and a gym and fitness center. They offer private lessons, there’s a padel tennis school, you can hire a court for matches, or join their mix-in sessions where you can play and make new friends too. Is there a better place to enjoy Padel than one of Marbella’s historic clubs? Sadly, Manolo is no longer with us, but his legacy remains strong in this fantastic club.

Puente Romano Tennis Club

Puente Romano is one of Marbella’s most glamorous hotels, famous for its wonderful restaurants and bars. But you may not know that it also offers one of the most important tennis and padel clubs in Europe. The Puente Romano Tennis Club includes 10 tennis courts, a gym, sauna and Turkish bath and a restaurant. It also has four padel courts and boasts an academy where kids and adults can learn to play Padel. All their coaches are licensed and highly experienced and they have coaches to suit all levels and types of players. This club has held many prestigious tournaments, including the World Padel Tour, ATP, WTA, Fed Cup and Davis Cup tournaments. You can play there too and enjoy the luxurious facilities.

Royal Tennis Club Marbella

The Royal Tennis Club Marbella offers expert training and the opportunity to play on two premium visitor’s Padel courts with excellent lighting, so even if you want to play at night or after work, you can enjoy a match at the club. You can also enroll in group and private training sessions with experienced coaches for either adults or children to develop your padel skills. There are also tennis courts, a gym, swimming pool, table tennis tables and you can even play billiards – something for everyone!

Nueva Alcantara Club

This is a fantastic padel club very close to Marbella, in San Pedro de Alcantara. It offers 16 courts, a fine dining restaurant, two snack bars, luxury changing rooms, a hair salon and more. They recently held the Andalucia Championship and offer lessons for kids and adults, plus padel tennis camps during school holidays. We’d definitely say the Nueva Alcántara Club is worth a short trip out of Marbella for! So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to pick up your racquet and discover one of Spain’s most popular and accessible sports at one of these top picks to begin your padel journey.

Find people to play padel with in Marbella

On holiday in Marbella and want to play padel, but don’t have anyone to play with? No problem! Most of the padel clubs in Marbella run regular mix-in events. These events are usually open to all and allow anyone to come along and play with others, plus share a few drinks after the matches. Manolo Santana Club arranges several mix-ins a week, with something for all abilities. There’s a beginners mix-in on Wednesday at 11am, for higher levels there are events in the evenings on Thursdays and Fridays with food afterwards and there’s one for all abilities with a BBQ on Sundays at 12. Manolo Santana Club has Mix-In Paddle Tennis Matches. The Royal Tennis Club also holds mix-ins every Sunday, with two hours of tennis with a coach and a free drink, for 15€. We’d recommend that once you’ve settled in to your holiday rental in Marbella, you pop down to your nearest padel club and ask about their mix-in options as soon as you arrive. It’s a great way to meet people and get active during your holiday.

Learn padel in Marbella

As you’ve seen in our list of padel clubs in Marbella, they all offer private lessons and also padel tennis schools for kids and adults which run throughout the year. So if you’re within easy reach of a padel club, you can get lessons during your visit. There's also Beyond Padel Academy, based at the Villa Padierna Raquet Club. Experienced and passionate coaches David Cano and Guillermo Vizcay promise to supercharge your padel skills, no matter your level. There are also private padel teachers that can come to the padel courts in your development, or villa, to give you and the family private lessons, without having to travel.

Padel championships in Marbella and beyond

The International Padel Federation organizes World Padel Championships around the world. There are tournaments in Italy, Hungary and Qatar scheduled this year and you can check out their tournament calendar to find out what’s going on near to you! If you’re on holiday in Marbella in July, you should head to Malaga for one of the best padel tournaments of the year, the Málaga Premier Padel tournament. Taking place from the 6th to the 14th of July, it will feature some of the best players in the world competing to improve their FIP ranking and for glory! Tickets are €16 for the main matches and just 7.50€ for the qualifiers. You’ll also find regular tournaments and matches at all of the padel clubs in Marbella, so pop in and ask whether there’s anything happening during your stay.

History of Padel

Padel tennis originated in Mexico and was started by Enrique Corcuera in 1969, when he decided to adapt his personal squash court in Acapulco, creating a new sport called Platform Tennis which involves two players on a smaller court, for a fast-paced, dynamic game. One of Enrique’s Spanish friends, Alfonso Hohenlohe-Langenburg (the founder of the Marbella Club Hotel) fell in love with the sport and decided to bring it back to his home country, establishing the first two Padel courts in Spain at the Marbella Tennis Club in 1974. He adapted Enrique’s original concept to create a more competitive sport, and over the following 25 years, began to spread this new sport across the country, until over 500 Padel clubs had opened across the Spanish territory in the early 2000s.

The evolution of Padel in Spain… and in the world

Spain has continued to be enamored with the sport, and it is one of the country’s fastest-growing sports activities. By 2005, there were over 1000 Padel Clubs across the country, and the largest Padel Associations decided to establish an international championship that launched the Padel Pro Tour, a championship that lasted until 2012. The World Padel Series was founded in 2013 to firmly establish padel on the map, and professional worldwide championships replaced the Padel Pro Tour to join elite players around the world, to create an unstoppable momentum. Nowadays, the World Padel Series hosts around 15 to 20 tournaments a year and a Master Series at the end of the season, and the sport is starting to take off in other countries as well. In 2022, according to padel.fyi there were more than 25 million active padel players in 110 countries and 40,000 padel courts globally. It is continuing to grow in popularity because it’s easy to learn, fun to play and really social.

Join the fun on your next holiday in Marbella

If you’d like to make padel part of your next holiday to Marbella, contact us today. Give us your requirements and your dates and we’ll come up with a shortlist of holiday rental properties in Marbella, which are close to a padel club, or have padel courts within the community. Some of our villas even boast their very own padel tennis courts for you and the family to enjoy! It’s a great thing to incorporate into your holiday plans! When you book your holiday rental in Marbella, feel free to reach out to us for recommendations of the nearest clubs to where you’re staying. Many developments also have padel courts which are free to use for guests, so let us know if that’s a priority for you, and we can share a shortlist of holiday rentals in Marbella with padel courts for you. [post_title] => The best places to play Padel in Marbella [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => padel-marbella [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-07-01 11:27:08 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-07-01 09:27:08 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://vacationmarbella.com/?p=407996 [menu_order] => 1 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [1] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 419758 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2024-07-01 10:04:07 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-07-01 08:04:07 [post_content] => Are you someone who loves to shop ‘til you drop? You’ll be in heaven in Marbella! There are so many retail therapy options, from large shopping malls with all the high street favorites, to designer boutiques, independent stores and busy high streets full of excellent value clothes, homeware, toys, souvenirs and more. Shopping in Marbella is a lot of fun! But… with so much choice, it can be hard to know where to begin and that’s where a personal shopper comes in. We’re lucky to have a great selection of personal shoppers in Marbella to make the experience even more fun, and in this article, we’ll be introducing you to the world of personal shopping and giving you some recommendations on the best people to accompany you on your next shopping spree.

Why hire a personal shopper in Marbella?

Hitting the shops is the perfect plan for your next holiday in Marbella. But with many options to choose from, limited time and the language barrier to deal with, you may need a little help to find the perfect pieces and enjoy the experience to the full. There are different shopping areas in Marbella, which are quite spread out and which cater to different needs. For example, you have the La Cañada shopping mall, which is a great place if you want a wide selection of clothes, makeup and perfume, homes and furnishings and things for kids. There are a few higher-end options there too and even a hypermarket to stock up on some gourmet items to remind you of Spain. However, if you are really designer orientated then the shops in Puerto Banus are for you. There are stores along the marina, plus others back from the water around Antonio Banderas Square, including the iconic El Corte Ingles department store and a small mall called Marina Banus. Alternatively, Marbella’s high street, Avenida Ricardo Soriano can be a great place to stroll along, pop into some shops and grab a drink or a bite to eat. If you’ve put aside a day to shop til you drop, all these options can be a bit daunting, and you might come home empty handed through lack of knowledge. But not with a personal shopper by your side! They can take you in hand and guide you through the best shops and areas depending on your needs, tastes and budget. It removes the stress from shopping in Marbella and increases the fun and success rate!

What services does a personal shopper provide?

There are personal shoppers within large department stores such as El Corte Ingles who will help you find what you need and what suits you among the many options. There are also private personal shoppers, who aren’t tied to a particular retail outlet, and can take you to where best suits your needs. Generally, these personal shoppers will –

Act as your style advisor, picking up items which suit your style, figure and needs
Know how to combine different items and add accessories to create the perfect look
Choose the right color palette to suit your coloring and your tastes
Show you the latest trends and advise on which ones best suit you
Guide you around large stores or shopping areas
Bring the best items to you, while you sit in the comfort of the changing rooms
Help you find the perfect gift for that special someone

You brief them on what you’re looking for, where you’re staying, how much you’re looking to spend and any occasions or business events you may be shopping for and they take the guesswork out of it all.

Personal shopper companies in Marbella

Fancy a spot of shopping in Marbella, but don’t know where to start? Worry not, we have some fantastic personal shoppers in Marbella who can guide you through the shopping experience. Here are our top picks!

El Corte Inglés Personal Shopper

If you’re a fan of the El Corte Ingles department store, but find it hard work to navigate around and find what you need, you should book in a session with El Corte Inglés Personal Shopping Department. They take the legwork out of finding what you need in this massive store, can take you straight to the right departments and bring you what you need, along with offering a colouring and body image review to ensure they match the items perfectly to you.

Teresa Tellez

Teresa Tellez is a law graduate with a passion for fashion, who has been dreaming up the perfect outfits since she was young and following all the trends and styles. She’s left law behind and now helps her clients to find their style and clothes that make them feel amazing. She can take you on a personalised shopping tour, based on your style, needs and budget and be with you every step of the way to find clothes which suit you perfectly. She also offers image consulting, to help you choose with confidence.

SusanSu

Susan Su is an image consultant and personal shopper who offers guided and supported shopping tours in Marbella. She helps you to select the right items and accessories to make the most of your body shape and needs and has different routes depending on your taste and style. If you love designer clothes, her Puerto Banus Deluxe shopping tour could be perfect for you. There are half day and full day options and it always starts with a consultation and briefing so she can design the perfect tour for you.

My Personal Shopper Marbella

Elena Órpez Rodriguez is the fashion expert behind My Personal Shopper Marbella. She’s worked in fashion for many years, attended some of the best fashion shows and events in Spain and loves to help people to express themselves through fashion. She offers support with image overhauls, wardrobe refreshes, as well as helping you to find the perfect outfit for an upcoming event. She works with women in Marbella and online and you can make an appointment via her website.

Miguel Toledo Trujillo

Miguel is an image consultant, personal shopper and stylist who has worked at the Madrid Fashion school, as well as for magazines such as Elle. He loves fashion and through his company Trujillo Style, he helps his clients to find the perfect look, no matter their budget. He can offer a coloring and body shape analysis and will speak to you about your needs and lifestyle and can simply provide you with a report on what you should be buying and what to avoid. Alternatively, Miguel offers a shopping route, taking you to the right shops, picking out the shapes and styles that will flatter your figure and work well together and even help with makeup and hair. If you’d rather not leave your holiday rental in Marbella, you can brief Miguel and send him out for you to find that perfect outfit or holiday wardrobe and he’ll bring his selections to your door!

Where to stay if shopping is high on your priority list

A holiday rental in Puerto Banus is a great choice if shopping will be something you’ll do a lot during your holiday. There are lots of shops, to suit a range of budgets within an easy walk of the marina, plus during the summer there’s a great market in Antonio Banderas Square. A holiday rental in Marbella Old Town offers so many opportunities to potter around the winding streets and poke about the little independent shops that are waiting to be discovered. It’s also in a good area of the main high street, so you have lots of well-known brands nearby too. Another option is a holiday rental in Nueva Andalucia, as there’s a small commercial center, an amazing weekly market, and it’s within easy reach of all the shopping in Puerto Banus too! [post_title] => Personal Shoppers in Marbella [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => personal-shopper-marbella [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-07-01 10:47:41 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-07-01 08:47:41 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://vacationmarbella.com/inspiration// [menu_order] => 4 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) [2] => WP_Post Object ( [ID] => 419721 [post_author] => 1 [post_date] => 2024-06-21 10:40:16 [post_date_gmt] => 2024-06-21 08:40:16 [post_content] => We love a long and lazy brunch and it’s now one of the most popular times to get together with friends. It’s something our holiday rental clients really love and so in this article, we’re recommending the best places to go for a bottomless brunch in Marbella. But before we get to our recommendations, here’s what brunching is all about! Brunch is a late breakfast, which typically starts around 10 or 11am and extends into lunch time – hence combining the words breakfast + lunch = “brunch”. Brunch get togethers are social affairs, with big groups of friends making the most of their weekends to enjoy great food and friendship. A bottomless brunch makes the experience even more special, with unlimited drinks included. There’s often entertainment and always a great atmosphere, so it’s a very good option as part of your next holiday in Marbella. Like almost all international hotspots in the world, Marbella has jumped on the brunch trend in a big way. There are lots of great places to enjoy brunch, many that offer the bottomless brunch packages, and others that are a la carte. Whether you’re smashing avocado on toast, or going for the classic English breakfast, brunch is a great way to start the day. We’ve already shared our favorite places for breakfast in Marbella, so today we’re moving on to brunch and starting with our top tips for making the most out of a bottomless brunch package!

Tips to get the most out of a bottomless brunch

The most important thing is to get to your restaurant on time for the bottomless brunch slot, as there is only a limited time to enjoy all the delicious food and unlimited beverages. Check with your restaurant the time it opens and if there is a limit on the period to order, and plan accordingly. Eating is definitely not cheating in this case. So, we recommend you plan ahead and check the menu to see what’s available ahead of time, especially if you have any dietary requirements. Our favorites include American Pancakes if you’re in a sweet mood and anything with eggs otherwise. Think about the food and drink pairing. You want to be enjoying the delicious food and pairing your food choices with wonderful cocktails. Classic brunch cocktails include Bloody Marys for more savory menu options and Mimosas for something sweeter, but there are lots of interesting options to choose from. Last but not least, pack in the calories so those drinks don’t go to your head and take it slow! A bottomless brunch is a marathon, not a sprint.

Best places to enjoy Bottomless Brunch in Marbella

Here are our top 3 places to enjoy a bottomless brunch in Marbella.

Bottomless brunch in La Sala

La Sala Puerto Banus is an absolute institution, with fantastic food, entertainment and a great vibe. The Bottomless Brunch there is legendary and includes two hours of free-flowing Bucks Fizz or Orange Juice, plus a delicious menu. It starts with a croissant with butter and jam and a seasonal fruit platter to share and then a choice of a Full English Breakfast, Full Vegan Breakfast, Smoked Salmon & Scrambled Eggs, Three Egg Omelette or American Pancakes. It’s €35 per person for the Bucks Fizz or orange juice, or you can upgrade to unlimited cocktails, or champagne. The choice is yours!

Bottomless brunch in Leone Brasserie

Leone Brasserie is a newcomer to Puerto Banus, but somewhere that has become a real hit in a relatively short time. It’s located on the front line of the port itself for fabulous people watching and is certainly somewhere to see and be seen. It’s trendy yet casual and serves food throughout the day, from 10am to midnight. Their Bottomless Brunch is served from 10am to noon and includes 90 minutes of drinks alongside a delicious menu of brunch favorites. It all starts with a welcome fruit platter and then you can choose from English Breakfast, Avocado Toast with a poached egg, Pancakes, Parma Ham Panini or Shakshuka. It’s rounded out with a dessert board. There are two options, depending on what you’re drinking. It’s €40 per head for unlimited Cava, Mimosa, Bloody Mary and Expresso Martini, with an option to upgrade to champagne alongside the other cocktails.

Bottomless brunch in Tibu

Now for something a little different, there’s the night brunch at Tibu nightclub in Puerto Banus. This is really just a 3-course set menu with 2 hours free wine, beer or cava, but making it a “Bottomless Night Brunch” makes for good marketing and a fun and reasonably priced way to line your stomach and start your night. 3 courses plus 2 hours of free drinks will set you back €65 per head.

Brunch at your villa or apartment

If you’re staying in a holiday home in Marbella, then you have another fantastic option, which is to have brunch brought to you! We can arrange for a private chef to prepare a wonderful brunch party for your group in the comfort of your villa. This bespoke breakfast experience is tailored to your taste and schedule and is a fantastic treat. There’s no need to brunch and drive and you can name your favorite brunch dishes to create the perfect occasion for your next holiday in Marbella. Alternatively, we can stock the cupboards with the essential brunch ingredients and more, before you arrive. Breakfast on the terrace of your holiday rental or by the pool is heavenly. Our grocery shopping service is a great way to remove the hassle and stress from arriving at a holiday rental and having to navigate unfamiliar shops. [post_title] => Bottomless Brunch In Marbella: The Best Places To Go [post_excerpt] => [post_status] => publish [comment_status] => open [ping_status] => open [post_password] => [post_name] => bottomless-brunch-marbella [to_ping] => [pinged] => [post_modified] => 2024-06-24 09:57:11 [post_modified_gmt] => 2024-06-24 07:57:11 [post_content_filtered] => [post_parent] => 0 [guid] => https://vacationmarbella.com/inspiration// [menu_order] => 7 [post_type] => post [post_mime_type] => [comment_count] => 0 [filter] => raw ) ) )

Always wanted to live and work in Spain? As the Spanish government announces the Startup Act, you can make your dream of living and working in Spain as a digital nomad come true.

You may be wondering if it is still possible to move to Spain after Brexit if you are a UK passport holder, and we are here to say, yes!

Anyone can enjoy the Spanish lifestyle and discover a country with everything to offer: culture, excellent quality of life, sunshine, beaches and so much more.

Spain: a place to live in… and work

Spain is one of the top countries for digital nomads where countless remote workers have flocked in recent years due to the many benefits: excellent healthcare, affordable living costs and high quality of life.

There are many reasons why so many nomads are drawn to the country. Now, with the Government’s announcement of a new digital nomad visa to “attract and retain international and national talents by helping remote workers and digital nomads set up in Spain,” according to Economic Affairs Minister Nadia Calviño, this will make working in Spain cheaper and more accessible, and the endless possibilities will attract even more remote workers, drawn to its fantastic location in Europe.

Why live in Spain? Main attractions

Excellent Climate

Spain boasts over 320 days of sunshine a year, making it the sunniest country in Europe. According to the HSBC Expat Explorer survey, good weather was listed as a major factor for people to move to Spain, with 39% of respondents saying that this was a determining factor for their decision.

The climate enables a vibrant social life and more opportunities to enjoy the wonderful beaches and the outdoors. The warm weather even into the winter months makes it the ideal location to work if you’re looking to cut down on ever-increasing energy costs and escape the cold winter.

High quality of life

Spain is ranked as the 14th best country in Europe for ex-pats by the HSBC Expat Explorer Survey due to the quality of life.

Rated as a great country for work-life balance, you can enjoy your leisure time exploring the country, making the most of the good weather, socialising or just enjoying some time at the beach or in the outdoors. Spanish workers enjoy around 36 days off a year, allowing time for disconnection from work and lower stress levels.

The Spanish Culture

Living in Spain means that you can learn more about this fascinating country which has been shaped by its diverse culture.

The country is steeped in history. From the Tartessus, Romans, and Moors to the modern-day influx of people from different origins and backgrounds, Spain is an ideal country to explore and experience the wonders it has to offer.

Why work in Spain? Benefits of working in Spain

The best internet speeds in the European Union

Spain is an attractive option for remote workers as it has some of the best internet speeds in Europe, coming in just behind Monaco and Denmark.

This means that you don’t have to worry about unreliable internet connections and can work efficiently from wherever you are.

Cost of Living

The cost of living is one of the major factors when deciding where you want to live and work.

The average cost of living in Spain is cheaper than many other EU countries in terms of groceries, socializing and property rentals etc.

Healthcare

Living and working from Spain will entitle you to free access to an excellent healthcare system once you’re registered with a social security number and a NIE identification card.

Healthcare provision in Spain received an 8.4 out of 10 rating for OECD satisfaction levels and with an average lifespan in Spain is 83.2 years, the Spanish lifestyle has been shown to contribute to good health.

A combination of the Mediterranean diet, sunshine, and a relaxed lifestyle are also contributing factors to a healthy lifestyle. If you’re looking for private healthcare as well, there are plenty of affordable health insurance providers.

Things you should consider if you plan to live in Spain

Deciding where you want to live –the cost of living varies from city to city
Preparing a budget in line with the cost of living
Applying for residency (NIE) and health insurance
Opening a bank account in Spain
Learning some Spanish – though many ex-pats move to the city, you may find that many Spaniards do not speak English and learning the language will help you

Things you should consider if you plan to work from Spain

If you plan to work for more than a year from our country, you must get your digital nomad visa.
Tax conditions for working in Spain (for self-employed or international workers)

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