Private Marbella, Puerto Banús and Mijas Shore Excursion from Malaga Cruise Port

A short call in Málaga does not have to mean staying in the city. In about five hours you can reach the glamorous side of the Costa del Sol, walk Marbella's lanes, with a licensed guide if you add one, see the yachts of Puerto Banús and stop in the white village of Mijas on the way back. From the cruise terminal to Marbella is about 62 km, all on motorway. The motorway does the heavy lifting, so you spend more time walking than sitting.

This excursion suits ships with a shorter stay, guests who prefer less walking and families. Everything runs on the ship's schedule, not on a coach timetable, and if your ship arrives late the day shrinks gracefully. Your driver remains yours alone for the entire call, so stops can be stretched or dropped as the mood takes you. It also leaves energy for the evening on board, which matters on a long cruise with several busy ports in a row. If you have already seen Granada or Seville on earlier cruises, it is a pleasant change of tempo.

Fitting it into your port call

Most ships tie up at about 08:00 and leave late in the afternoon. Out of the terminal by 08:30, you are back by roughly 13:40, which still leaves time to walk into Málaga before boarding. Shorter calls work too: with all aboard at 15:00, you return more than an hour ahead, never less than the 60-minute cushion we keep on every shore excursion. We monitor your ship and charge nothing if the Málaga call is called off.

Sample schedule

1. 08:30Driver waiting as you come ashore
2. 09:20Arrive in Marbella's old town
3. 09:25Two-hour walk through the old town, guide optional
4. 11:25Drive to Puerto Banús
5. 11:35Stroll the quay as the boutiques open
6. 12:05Drive up to Mijas Pueblo
7. 12:35Views from La Muralla and a short wander
8. 13:05Depart for the port
9. 13:40Return to the cruise terminal

Pickup

Ships berthing on the Muelle de Levante, at Terminal A or B, are met in the terminal's private-hire parking bay, so you walk straight from the exit to the car. Small ships tie up at the Palmeral, beside the palm-lined promenade of the city, and the driver waits there instead. Most guests are seated and on the road by about half past eight.

The drive

From the port the car takes the Málaga bypass and then the AP-7 toll motorway west, avoiding the traffic of Torremolinos and Fuengirola. You reach Marbella first, while the old town is still quiet. On the way back, the road climbs from the coast to Mijas Pueblo, then descends via Benalmádena to the port, where your ship comes into view across the bay. The views of the coast from the Mijas road are the best of the day.

What you'll see

• Walk through Marbella's old town and the Plaza de los Naranjos, official guide optional
• Spot the remains of the Moorish castle walls hidden among houses
• Stroll Avenida del Mar with its bronze sculptures by Salvador Dalí
• Admire the view over Fuengirola from the gardens of La Muralla in Mijas
• Visit the tiny chapel of the Virgen de la Peña carved into the rock
• Browse the marina of Puerto Banús lined with yachts and boutiques

Full itinerary and what is included: Marbella, Puerto Banús & Mijas →

Price per vehicle

Fixed price for the whole vehicle and the whole day, the same from anywhere between Málaga and Marbella. Includes driver, fuel, tolls, parking and all the waiting time; an official licensed guide can be added on request, quoted separately and confirmed with your booking. Entry tickets not included.

Same tour from

All private day trips from Málaga cruise port →