If you own a holiday villa in Marbella, you’ll never be bored, when you come for a visit – there’s just so much to do at the Costa del Sol, you’ll never run out of things to do and see. Apart from enjoying lazy days by your own swimming pool or preparing for a BBQ on your sun terrace, there is the beach, where you can windsurf or go sailing, snorkel or scuba dive; there’s also Marbella’s tennis courts and horse-riding, drama groups and various beach clubs where family members of all ages can have fun.

If you’re looking for something a little out of the ordinary – as if a holiday at your villa in Marbella could ever be called ordinary – why not head to the Strait of Gibraltar for a whale-watching adventure with the kids? Avistamientos Turmares offers families a wonderful day out. You’ll find their offices at the Avda. Alcalde Juan Nunez 3, Local 12, Tarifa (tel. 956 680 741).

Born to be Wild is an eco-tour provider offering dolphin-watching tours as well as jeep tours along the coast. Their exciting centre is open daily from 9am to 8pm and there’s something in their program for all ages to enjoy. You’ll find them at the Blue Dolphin Beach Club at Estepona Beach (tel. 689 720 246).

If you’re planning to make the most of Marbella’s close proximity to the Sierra Nevada Mountain range in the Granada province, why not get a little skiing practice in before the winter season starts? The drive to the Sierra Nevada ski resorts will take roughly 1.5 hours, but closer to your Marbella home you’ll find the Cable Ski Marbella centre at the Urb. Las Medrana in San Pedro, where you can learn to stay upright on skis without falling on a hard surface - thanks to their water ski cable system and swimming pool. The centre opens daily from 11am to 9pm; the centre is closed on Mondays (tel 952 785 579).
    
For land-based activities, why not spend a day at Congo, where you can visit a real rainforest and discover the world’s largest spider? The Congo rainforest experience is located inside Tivoli World (tel. 952 575 697) and is a great place to take the family when you want a change from beach-life for a day.

Your little ones will love you forever, if you take them to Camelot Park! At the Centro La Cañada, Carretera de Ojén in Marbella your little Tiggers can jump and bounce to their hearts content on bouncy castles and trampolines. There are also rides to be enjoyed by all ages and various other family entertainments (tel . 952 818 546/ 952 764 766).

The worldwide economic crisis may have called into question holiday home ownership for some market experts, but for people who enjoy coming to the Costa del Sol year after year, owning an apartment, villa or townhouse in Marbella has never really been in issue. While in other holiday destinations there may very well be a question mark hanging over a home purchase, buyers in Marbella rarely regret their decision to buy in this particular spot of Spain.

And buying has become so affordable at the Costa del Sol! The most recent figures published by the National Statistics Institute and the Ministry of Public Works, namely the Council of Notaries’ statistics, which are compiled from actual operations completed in the month of July, confirmed that, although there were indicators stabilisation was setting in, home sales fell throughout July by 7.9%, while the price per square metre of residential properties sold in the month declined by 13.9% year-on-year. The average square meter now costs 1,238 euros.

Meanwhile, news provider El Mundo reported that the country’s housing sector a 10.8% decline in sales, year-on-year, for July 2013.

If you’re looking to buy a family home in Marbella, prices for new 2-bed apartments start at around 178,000 euros in beach or golf course proximity. Resale starter homes can be purchased for ca. 100,000 euros; the average 3-bed luxury villa is on the market for around 400,000 euros, if located within a 10 minute drive of Marbella centre.