Casa Guapa is one of the houses in La Virginia, a small Andalusian village tucked away on the Golden Mile. Just a five-minute stroll along its cobbled streets takes you to the seafront, amongst the legendary hotels and a stone’s throw from Marbella’s old town and Puerto Banús.
Conceived by Juan Manuel Figueras and designed by architect Donald Gray, La Virginia recreates an Andalusian village against the backdrop of Sierra Blanca: around seventy houses, each different, set among cobbled lanes, squares, fountains, flowers and the sound of water.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Marbella became a retreat for the international jet set. Hollywood stars and European aristocrats spent their summers at Marbella Club, and many eventually stayed. La Virginia was born of that spirit: a village in which to enjoy that Marbella at a gentler pace.
The chapel of Santa Clara was championed by Juan Manuel Figueras and the celebrated Chanel model Mimi de Ouro Preto, Marquise d’Arcangues. Its interior frescoes are the work of painter Martín Zerolo, who imbued its walls and details with a sacred, wistful and lyrical atmosphere. A private chapel with no regular worship, it hosts intimate, non-sacramental blessing ceremonies for small groups.
The chapel of Santa Clara was championed by Juan Manuel Figueras and the celebrated Chanel model Mimi de Ouro Preto, Marquise d’Arcangues. Its interior frescoes are the work of painter Martín Zerolo, who imbued its walls and details with a sacred, wistful and lyrical atmosphere. A private chapel with no regular worship, it hosts intimate, non-sacramental blessing ceremonies for small groups.
In the heart of La Virginia, the restaurant opens for dinner only during the high season. Outdoor tables among bougainvillea and whitewashed façades, a few steps from the house, for evenings when you feel like staying in the village.
At one end, the Old Town and its enduring rhythms; in the middle, the Golden Mile and the hotels that became legends; at the other, the Costa del Sol’s best-known marina. Together, they span more than 27 kilometres of coastline.
Whitewashed streets, flowerpots on balconies and Plaza de los Naranjos. Wander at leisure, stop for tapas and return home as evening falls.
A five-minute drive or a 900-metre walk brings you to its beaches; Marbella Club, where Marbella’s legend began; Puente Romano, with its seaside gardens; and Gran Meliá Don Pepe, overlooking the promenade.
Boats, boutiques and waterfront terraces. The starting point for boat trips and the livelier side of Marbella after dark.
