San Pedro Alcántara
San Pedro Alcántara, also called San Pedro, is a small town part of the greater Marbella municipality. It is a traditional, family-friendly place with extensive services and even a Town Hall in its main square. Full of truly Spanish culture, it offers an authentic Andalusian town experience, right on the doorstep of Marbella and Puerto Banús.
CONTENTS
Location
History and iconic sites
Type of properties
Family living
Schools
Amenities
Unique about the area
Neighbourhoods
Location
San Pedro Alcántara is situated 7.5 miles to the west of Marbella Centre, between Puerto Banús and the New Golden Mile in Estepona. Surrounded by gorgeous landscapes, it overlooks the Mediterranean Sea, with stunning views towards Gibraltar and North Africa.
History and iconic sites
San Pedro Alcántara’s history is recent compared to other areas in Marbella, dating back to the 1800s. However, there is still evidence that people have lived here for thousands of years, with examples such as Las Bóvedas (the domes), the remains of Roman baths which are believed to be part of a Roman settlement known as Silniana; or the Basílica de Vega del Mar, remains of an early Christian church and burial site. After the reconquest of Andalucía from the Moors in the Middle Ages, the coastal region gradually became depopulated due to the centuries-long slaving raids by Barbary pirates from North Africa. This made the settlement of today's Costa del Sol impossible until the French conquest of Algiers in 1830. Not long after, the Marqués del Duero, in an ambitious project to recover and repopulate an agricultural area, established a planned rural colony, where the main crop was sugar cane, that attracted farmers from across the region and all of Spain. During the second half of the 20th century, San Pedro Alcántara grew as a town, close to the most important tourist destinations of Marbella and Puerto Banús. Construction of larger residential homes began in the 1970s, from which San Pedro as we now know it was born.
Type of properties
San Pedro Alcántara holds a large variety of properties to choose from. The old quarter retains a laidback, village-style and tranquil atmosphere yet is still a lively place to live. Here one can find the most affordable apartments, usually without a garage or communal gardens, as well as traditional Andalusian-style homes, with soft colours and many tile-style facades. On the seafront, modern-style villas with high-quality construction offer contemporary and luxury living spaces. The area between the Boulevard of San Pedro (the main road that divides San Pedro Alcántara into two main zones, North and South) and the beach, is called Nueva Alcántara; this is an area of leafy streets with a great offering of apartment developments, some with extensive and manicured gardens, in both Andalusian and contemporary styles.
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Family living
This is an ideal destination for family living. The outdoors is great with plenty of playgrounds, sports facilities, natural and urban parks, and many kids-friendly tapas bars and restaurants. There is also a wide choice of schools and all year round there are special events for children such as free theatre performances, small fairgrounds and extracurricular outdoor activities. And of course, the nearby beach and promenade provide endless family fun. Furthermore, many urbanizations here have communal pools, gardens and children's playgrounds within their premises.
Schools
Laude San Pedro International College
An international and private school for children aged 3 to 18 years old, following the British curriculum with an option to study within the Spanish system from 12 years old.
Saint George’s School
An international and private school for children aged 3 to 8 years old, which follows the British curriculum. It was founded in 1996 and offers a "home away from home" style of education.
Calpe School
An international and private school for children aged 2 to 11 years old, following the British curriculum. The school's philosophy is to provide children with the best all-round education in a safe and caring environment.
International Montessori Casa del Mar
A private school for children from 15 months to 12 years old. They offer an interdisciplinary curriculum that adheres to the Montessori standards and is designed to fit the specific needs of each child’s stage of development.
Colegio San José
A private, Spanish-English bilingual school for children aged 3-18 with two campuses, in Marbella and Estepona. With two centuries of history, the school offers all stages of the Spanish educational system as well as International Baccalaureate and Dual Baccalaureate Programmes.
Public schools
Colegio María Teresa León, Colegio Miguel Hernández, Instituto Salduba and Instituto Guadaiza. Education is exclusively in Spanish but international families are welcome.
Amenities
San Pedro Alcántara offers a great social and recreational life with a wide range of lively public spaces, all the services one may need and plenty of cultural and leisure activities.
Beaches
There are four main beaches in San Pedro Alcántara: Playa de Cortijo Blanco, a short and tranquil gravel beach; Playa de San Pedro Alcántara, located in the heart of the city's promenade with many services, plenty of parking space and an area of parks and gardens perfect for the little ones; Playa Linda Vista, a sand and gravel beach with small boats docked in the sand; and Playa de Guadalmina, a sandy beach with ancient Roman ruins. For an authentic tradition, one cannot miss the sardine “moraga”, the night-time barbecue party on the sandy shore of San Pedro where families and friends hire a beached wooden fishing boat to barbecue fish or meat on skewers.
Outdoors
The outdoors here offers a great selection of parks, recreational areas and culture. The hub of life is the town centre, with its central square, church, town hall and plenty of restaurants and tapas bars around. Boulevard Park, right in the centre of San Pedro, offers a modern recreational area with playgrounds, green areas, bicycle lanes, a skating rink, an open-air theatre, restaurants and a stunning footbridge with views of the centre and the sea. Just a mile from the town centre is the beautiful promenade, perfect for a walk or cycle to Puerto Banús and Marbella. On the northern side of San Pedro, Los Tres Jardines urban park is a green space of over 95,000 square metres with children's playgrounds, picnic areas and barbecue facilities. For culture lovers, here there are the remains of the 4th century paleochristian church Basílica Vega del Mar; Las Bóvedas, the remains of a Roman thermal building from the 2nd century; and the Ruta de la Colonia, a walking route following all the remarkable sites and anecdotes of San Pedro’s history.
Sports
There are many sporting opportunities within San Pedro. For golfers, there is Guadalmina Golf Course with two 18-hole courses – South and North – the south being the Costa del Sol’s second oldest golf course; and San Pedro Golf Club, on the outskirts of the town, with a small, friendly driving ranges. The Polideportivo (the public sports centre) offers the possibility to practise various sports, such as basketball, football or swimming. A 56-feet-high climbing wall is also nearby with areas for competitions and beginners. For tennis lovers, there is Padel and Tennis Club Nueva Alcántara, a sports and social club for all the family. And around Lake Medranas Natural Park, one can find The Cable Ski & Wakeboard Centre with sports facilities, a waterside chill-out area and a restaurant.
Hotels
Right in the centre, there is the hotel NH San Pedro de Alcántara, with a great roof-top terrace and enjoyable views of the surrounding area. For golfers, the 4-star Barceló Marbella Hotel with spa and restaurant is located just 200 metres from the Guadalmina Golf Club. Closer to the beachfront, there is the Paloma Blanca Boutique Hotel, a three-star hotel for adults only; and Globales Pueblo Andaluz, a three-star hotel, just 3 km from Puerto Banús. Also, next to the Guadalmina Golf Course, there is Hotel Guadalmina, a 4-star beachfront hotel with all-inclusive service to become a five-star hotel following extension and refurbishment.
Restaurants
There are lots of restaurants to choose from in San Pedro Alcántara with many different types of cuisines available. For traditional and modern Spanish flavours, one can find El Comercio, Restaurante Alfredo, El Cortijo de Ramiro or the Asador de Guadalmina. In the zone of Nueva Alcántara (the area to the south of the Boulevard running down to the seafront promenade), there are a variety of international cuisine, local restaurants, and tapas bars including Tabrasa Asador, G-Wine, Da Bruno or Albert & Simon. On the beachfront, are the fresh fish and seafood restaurants such as Restaurante Marbierta, El Alabardero, La Pesquera de San Pedro or Marisquería El Ancla.
Essentials
The town centre features a wide range of food shops, supermarkets, and services, from boutiques, pharmacies and beauty salons to opticians or banks. The indoor market opens daily for fresh and seasonal produce and there is also a weekly outdoor market, the “Mercadillo”, selling a variety of items from fruit and vegetables to handbags and shoes. There are various shopping centres such as La Colonia or Centro Comercial Guadalmina with delicatessen and organic eateries, coffee shops, bakery, gourmet shops and many other services. For healthcare, there is the public health centre in San Pedro Alcántara and various private clinics such as Clínica del Río, with the public Hospital Costa del Sol located only 20 minutes away.
Unique about the area
San Pedro is a laid-back but lively, traditional part of Marbella that easily accommodates any need and lifestyle only 5 minutes away from the luxurious Puerto Banus . The charm and truly Andalusian feel make it a popular place for foreign residents who enjoy a stroll down its streets and squares or join locals in the many typical cafés and tapas bars.
Neighbourhoods
The main areas in San Pedro Alcantara are San Pedro Town Centre, Guadalmina Alta, Guadalmina Baja, LindaVista, Nueva Alcantara, El Ingenio and Cortijo Blanco
If you think San Pedro Alcantara can be the place for you, contact me and I will help you find your dream property and your perfect slice of this incredible lifestyle.
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