Rocío de Nagüeles Area Guide

Callum Swan, July 2022

One of the earliest villa suburbs in Marbella, Rocío de Nagüeles was founded in the 1960s but gathered momentum in the 1970s, when spacious homes on large plots were built in this inward extension of the Golden Mile by Manuel González, a bullfighter turned businessman. Among the distinguished residents who owned property here were Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, founder of the legendary Marbella Club Hotel, and Princess Gunilla von Bismarck.

In those days Nagüeles formed the outer edge of Marbella, but today it finds itself roughly between the beachside part of the Golden Mile and Sierra Blanca, a luxury villa suburb that is now the northern extension of the Golden Mile residential area. The new highway passing around Marbella that effectively cut Nagüeles into two parts caused a stir among residents when it was first opened in the early 1990s, but today it is known as a central yet peaceful suburb.

With the exception of a few main roads, this is a quiet, leafy area within minutes of the main amenities, including Marbella centre, beaches, Puerto Banús, the golf courses of Nueva Andalucía, international schools and also the La Cañada shopping mall. All are located within five minutes. Quite part from being an attractive residential zone, Nagüeles is also home to other features, including the Swans International School and one of the largest public parks on the Costa del Sol.

Nature near town

Situated within the upper part of Rocío de Nagüeles is the Parque Nagüeles, an expanse of wooded grassland that extends over an area of ten hectares, making up almost one-fifth of this large suburb. Apart from a natural green zone, the Parque Nagüeles also is the site of the small Hermita de San Bernabé, a chapel named for the patron saint of Marbella. Each year, it forms the culminating point of the Rocío de San Bernabé pilgrimage, which in true Andalusian fashion is a colourful affair.

The park is popular with families keen for a day out in nature on their doorstep, and for them there are facilities such as tables and benches, bins, barbecues and also a little kiosk for refreshments. The entrance to this large natural area within Nagüeles is situated close to one of Marbella’s finest international schools, Swans College, which caters for children of a wide variety of nationalities from small to university entrance.

Living in Rocío de Nagüeles

The villas in Nagüeles have always been known for their spacious proportions and large plots, and by now represent charming but ageing properties set within beautiful, mature gardens. Many properties here have outstanding south, south-westerly and south-easterly views across the coastal region from the Don Carlos Hotel all the way to Gibraltar – a span of almost 100 kilometres – as well as imposing views back to nearby La Concha Mountain.

Two of the most prominent residential urbanisations within Nagüeles are the Marbella Hill Club, a private gated community of charming villas founded in the 1970s and set within lush gardens near the mountain, and the luxury apartments of Jardines Colgantes, on the western edge of Nagüeles near Nueva Andalucía. It dates to the early 1980s but like the Marbella Hill Club has retained a timeless charm amid modernising of many of the properties themselves.

In recent years homeowners and investors have been refurbishing or rebuilding a growing number of villas in Nagüeles, creating an exciting supply of stylish new homes within an established suburb in a prime location. Because the original plots are so large, it has in many cases been possible to divide them up and create two or three more compact modern villas in Nagüeles, and they have found a ready market among keen buyers who consider this to be one of the most attractive places to live in Marbella.

Distances from Rocío de Nagüeles

  • Marbella centre – 2km from furthest point
  • Golden Mile beaches and Marbella Club Hotel – 1,5km from furthest point
  • Puerto Banús – 3km
  • Golf courses of Nueva Andalucía – 3km
  • La Cañada shopping mall – 3km
  • Málaga international airport – 35 minutes

Latest properties for sale in Rocío de Nagüeles

8 Beds 8 Baths 1490 m² Built 6043 m² Plot

Located within the exclusive community of Rocío de Nagüeles, this luxurious villa offers a serene escape in one of Marbella's most prestigious neighbourhoods. Set against the backdrop of the ...

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Callum

Callum Swan, Marbella luxury estate agent +34 952 81 06 08