Best place to live with kids in Marbella?

by Thomas Nicolaisen
(Oslo, Norway)

Best places to live with kids in Marbella

Hello, I am a single dad with 4 and 7 years old kids locating to Marbella this summer. I have visited the area and looked at properties to rent, but no one seems to be able to tell me much about where other kids live. For the kids to settle down well, it is important that I find a location where kids can go visit friends, preferably by themselves after a while.

I have looked at schools and found Swans school to be promising. Is my gut feeling correct in this?

So, where do families with children live mostly in and around Marbella?

I am very happy to get any kind of help on this as it is vey important for my children and me to find a place where the kids can find good friends to play with.

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Aug 25, 2020
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Best place to live in Marbella
by: Mira

I would recommend Aloha, Nueva Andalucia. Aloha College is excellent school, Puerto Banus, El Corte Ingles and the beaches are less then half an hour away on foot. Nice kids playground by the beach. By car it takes less then 15 mins to Marbella center. Urbanisations are prettier and less crowded and in other parts of Marbella, there are plenty of tennis and golf clubs. Lots of good restaurants, gyms, supermarkets and cafes. It is our 7th year here and we enjoy it.

Aug 22, 2020
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Looking to move to marbella with my 4 Yr old daughter
by: Anonymous

Hey, just looking for the best place to live with a 4yr old? I'm scared to move as I'm worried I won't have any one over there as I have a big friendship group over in the UK, swans school my daughter will be attending but I just want to know the best place to live with her as in what places have parks etc for to keep her entrained when she's not in school 😊

Apr 02, 2020
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Areas with other children
by: Lindsay

I’ve been told it’s not like the uk where you can find a school and live in the same village as other kids. Everyone is spread out in Marbella. Let me know how you like Swans we are going to look at schools when everything back to normal and have heard good things about Laude. Think this post was a while ago so you’re probs all sorted now. Let me know any tips now.. ha ha

Jan 16, 2017
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living in Marbella
by: jackie

Hi

I was also wondering what area is best to live in Marbella and which International schools people would recommend for Primary, I'm a single parent and we are now preparing for our move in April.

Would appreciate any comment from families that live in Marbella.

Thank you

Jackie

Jan 15, 2016
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Where to live
by: Peter

Hi Thomas
One other place to consider is the village of Benahávis. It is about 7 km inland from San Pedro one of the best run(and cheapest) ayuntamientos on the coast. There are excellent and free facilities in the village for all residents including, I believe, the nursery school. Swimming pool, gym, soccer pitches, golf driving range (with free weekly group lessons for kids), tennis courts (again with lessons for kids), paddle courts, skateboard area etc etc, not to mention a plethora of good restaurants.
Re schools, I know Swans has an excellent reputation whilst there is a new college (just over a year old) on the road between San Pedro and Benahávis.
Take a look at the www.benahavis.es website for more info!
Good luck!
Peter

Apr 15, 2015
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Milla de Oro Marbella
by: Tara

Hi Thomas, I am also a single mother. And I've lived here for 3 years now. This is just my opinion. I do not find San Pedro very attractive. We lived in Puerto Banus, centro de Marbella, and finally we moved to Milla de Oro. Its nice and quite here. I would not live anywhere else! If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at nonigood4u@gmail.com

Feb 25, 2015
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Thank you everyone
by: Thomas

Thank you everyone for your comments. It seems like I we will have a small network of contacts as soon as we get settled. I am really looking forward to taking part in the expat community here and look forward to learning to know more of you here through school and different activities.

I wonder how many of you reading this have kids at the same age as mine (4 and 7)?

All the best,
Thomas

Feb 25, 2015
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Family Move
by: Anonymous

Hi Thomas,

I hope we will be welcoming you and your family to the Marbella area soon. My partner and I relocated to Marbella from UK last year and haven't regretted the move for a second. Even through the winter months its been fantastic!

I realise your children are older, and I am not yet an expert on schools, but there are fantastic facilities available for kids around here and nothing is too far away. I have listed my favourite so far below. These aren't specific to baby's and in fact are better for slightly older children...
Bouncers - in Nueva Andalucia
Galaxia - San Pedro/Guadalimina
Funky Forest - Guadalimina
SwimbebeSwim - Marbella

Something we struggled with when we moved here was finding a hospital we liked for our little one. He hadn't had a regular paediatrician before me moved and it was something we wanted to get sorted straight away.

I was recommended Hospital Ceram by a friend and didn't bother visiting any others in the end. The team at the hospital have been fantastic, very supportive, easy to understand and great with the kids. The facilities are fantastic and the hospital incredibly clean and well kept. If it helps I have pasted their contact email below. It might just be one more thing ticked off the list that you don't have to think about before the big move.

patientcare@hospitalceram.com

Hope to see you out in the Costa del Sol soon enough.

Best wishes to you and the family.

Sarah

Feb 25, 2015
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Feb 12, 2015
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Another vote for San Pedro
by: Maud

Hi Thomas, and good luck making Marbella the place to call home :-) Keep in mind that kids rarely play in the streets here as we do or did in Norway. Wherever you decide to live, you are most likely to take the kids somewhere else to meet friends (to a kids club, playground, beach…), by car. The same goes for school - you either send them on the school bus, or take them by car.

Swans has a good reputation, but is expensive, and International (less Spanish). Your choice of school should depend on whether you are planning to stay here long-term, if you are moving somewhere else with international school, or if you are going back to Norway. The Norwegian school is in Benalmadena, a 40 mins drive from Marbella. If your kids are moving back to Norway you should consider to move somewhere close to there.

I have lived here for 13 years and now have little children. My recommendation would also be to live in or near San Pedro, and for International School, Calpe. If you are here for long term, I would highly recommend Colegio Atalaya (www.colegioatalaya.es), where they combine English and Spanish in a unique way for us immigrants. They start up with English (for 3 year olds), and learn more and more subjects in Spanish, up to completion at 18 years.

Good luck!

Feb 10, 2015
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Nanny
by: Anonymous

Hi Thomas,
Please don't hesitate to contact me if you will be looking for a nanny. I have many years of childcare experience and I can provide excellent references. My e.mail is nannyinspain@hotmail.com Thank you!:)

Feb 07, 2015
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San Pedro is a perfect place for children
by: Anonymous

We moved to San Pedro beach with 7 and 3-years-old. Children didn't know any spanish or english and they went to little and cosy english school (Calpe School) here. School, beach and boulevard (with a lot of playgrounds) are on walking distance. We are all very happy for the choices we have made!

Except the apartment - be prepared they ALL are cold here on winter time. If possible, choose south-facing apartment, although it might not look a good idea in summer.

Sorry for my not-so-perfect english and welcome to the area! :)

Feb 06, 2015
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Long term rentals in Marbella
by: Marbella Family

Thomas,

Another source for identifying a great long-term rental in Marbella is LOCATION MOVES.

They know the area well and can provide solid advice on good long-term solutions on the market.

MarbellaFamilyFun.com

Feb 05, 2015
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San Pedro de Alcantara
by: Marbella Family

We agree with the comment regarding San Pedro 100%. This part of Marbella has undergone a major facelift with the new SAN PEDRO BOULEVARD and is close to several well regarded schools, a charming cafe district and town as well as the beach.

If you're looking for rentals in San Pedro, one contact you may consider reaching out to is MS SERVICIOS, which specialises in rentals for the San Pedro area. The contact person there is Susana, speaks English well and is also extremely knowledgable about the rental property market in the San Pedro.

Tel: 952 78 51 66 - M. 669 807 432
E-mail: susana@msservicios.com
Website: msservicios.com

There are some comments regarding this agency as well as others at SAN PEDRO RENTALS.

Good luck!

MarbellaFamiyFun.com

Feb 05, 2015
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San Pedro?
by: Anonymous

San Pedro I think is great for kids. There is the big promenade and the new boulevard. Kidz kingdom and galaxia 2 play centers are a short drive away.
Estepona is also lovely and more "Spanish" if you are looking for a Spanish way of life.
I don't know much about swans as my children go to Spanish school but your children would struggle as their age so a better option would be an English school.
Further up the cost Mijas, fuengirola etc have lots of things for kids too but are more "English". Do you and your children plan to learn Spanish? These might be too far from swans but some schools offer a bus service. As the other poster said it depends what you are looking for. There is a strong family vibe all over the coast and there are children living everywhere!

Feb 04, 2015
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Moving to Marbella
by: Thomas Nicolaisen

Hi and thank you for your input. I am looking for something where I can easily get to school and walk to the beach and playgrounds. Any suggestions?

Br, Thomas

Feb 04, 2015
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How to find the best place to live in Marbella
by: Marbella Family

Hello Thomas,

There are a lot of answers to your question and all of them are correct! The right answer for your family may start with what kind of lifestyle you are looking for?

Marbella has a tremendous variety of lifestyles to offer. Some choose the hills for the views of the sea and the seclusion. Others prefer to be beachside so they can take walks after dinner on the boardwalk.

If you plan to make a long-term commitment to Marbella, you may want to try a few areas to get a better feel for the environment.

You may also want to read what others have said in our blog about Moving to Marbella.

Our family has younger children so we choose to be walking distance from school, a pedestrian/cafe district and the beach.

If you are looking for independent advice on finding a property without having to commit to a specific agent, you can also use a Property Finder Service to discuss your options.

Best of luck to finding your dream location in Marbella. If we can be of any assistance, please us know.

Best,
MarbellaFamilyFun.com

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