The Three-Tonne Surrealist on a Puerto Banus Roundabout

Salvador Dali made a film in 1954 called “La Aventura prodigiosa de la encajera y el rinoceronte”, the prodigious adventure of the lacemaker and the rhinoceros. In it, he argued that a Vermeer painting of a woman making lace could be decomposed into rhinoceros horns, and that rhinoceros horns were the perfect logarithmic spiral. Two years later he cast the “Rinoceronte Vestido Con Puntillas”, Rhinoceros Dressed in Lace, a three-tonne bronze that imagined the animal wearing Flemish lace patterns in its skin. In 2004 the work was donated to Marbella and installed at the roundabout at the eastern entrance to Puerto Banus.

This is Dali’s idea of a gift to a Costa del Sol resort town: a philosophically dense, formally bizarre, very heavy bronze animal sitting in the middle of a busy traffic circle between the supercar dealerships and the marina.

The Rhinoceros and What It Is

The sculpture sits in the Cristamar roundabout, and most people driving past it on their way to Puerto Banus probably do not know its name. It is free to view from the adjacent pavement at any time. There is no ticketing, no opening hours, no queue. The detail in the lace patterns on the bronze surface is genuinely impressive up close, and the scale, which photographs tend to flatten, is surprising the first time you stand next to it.

The rhinoceros is one reference point, but Marbella has more Dali than most visitors realise. Avenida del Mar, the marble promenade that links Alameda Park in the Old Town down toward the seafront, is lined with ten original bronze sculptures by Dali, including “Perseus,” “Mercury,” “Man on a Dolphin,” and “Cosmic Elephant,” as well as two pieces depicting his wife and muse Gala. These were cast in Verona and donated to the city. The entire promenade is free, open at all hours, and one of the more distinctive public art collections on the Costa del Sol. The Rhinoceros and the Avenida del Mar sculptures together make Marbella a genuinely interesting stop for anyone with an interest in 20th-century sculpture, which is not the first thing the town’s reputation would suggest.

The Ralli Museum on Calle Amargura in the Nueva Andalucia district also holds a notable collection of Dali bronzes alongside Latin American and European art. It is a private museum that charges no admission, which makes it one of the better free cultural experiences in the area.

Marbella Old Town

The Old Town, the casco antiguo, is a five-minute drive or a 20-minute walk from the Puerto Banus roundabout. It is the part of Marbella that existed before the resort development began in earnest in the 1960s, and it is considerably more pleasant than the Golden Mile strip. Orange tree-lined plazas, narrow whitewashed streets, the 10th-century Arab Castle, and the Church of Santiago make up the core of it. The Plaza de los Naranjos is the social centre, reliably busy with outdoor tables from lunchtime until late.

Most visitors to the Old Town make the walk down Avenida del Mar at some point, connecting the town centre to the beach. Early morning, before the tour buses arrive, the promenade is genuinely tranquil.

Where to Eat

Skina on Calle Aduar in the Old Town holds two Michelin stars and represents the most serious restaurant in Marbella. The tasting menus run 10 to 12 courses with a wine pairing option; the experience takes two and a half to three hours. Booking opens 30 to 60 days ahead and prime evening slots disappear quickly.

Casanis Bistrot on Calle Ancha is a more relaxed option in a 150-year-old building with creative Mediterranean cooking, painted murals on the walls, and an outdoor terrace. Mid-range pricing, no need to book weeks ahead.

La Tienda Casa Curro, also in the Old Town, is a newer generation tapas bar with an ingredient-focused kitchen and a serious wine list. It has built a strong local following, which is a reliable quality indicator in a town that has more than its share of tourist-oriented restaurants.

For breakfast or coffee before the Avenida del Mar walk, the cafes around Plaza de los Naranjos open early and serve a proper desayuno espanol: tostadas with tomato and olive oil, orange juice squeezed to order.

Where to Stay

Marbella has accommodation across every price band. For Old Town proximity, smaller hotels and guesthouses on the streets around the casco antiguo keep walking distances manageable. Hotel Villa Padierna Palace in Benahavis, a few kilometres west, is the area’s flagship luxury property with golf, spa, and formal gardens, though it requires a car or taxi for town access.

For direct access to Puerto Banus and the Rhinoceros without needing to drive, there are several apartment hotels along the marina frontage. These are more practical if the beach and marina are your main focus.

Getting Around

Marbella does not have a train connection. The nearest station is in Malaga, roughly 55 km east. From Malaga Airport, the journey by taxi or private transfer takes around 45 minutes; by bus on the Avanza line the journey is longer but costs around 5 euros. Within Marbella, the distance between Puerto Banus, the Old Town, and the beaches means a car or regular taxi use is practical, particularly in summer when temperatures make long walks uncomfortable in the middle of the day.

When to Go

July and August are the peak months on the Costa del Sol. Temperatures regularly reach 35 to 38 degrees Celsius, the roads fill with visitors, and restaurant queues at popular Old Town spots are long. May, June, and September give a good combination of reliable sun, manageable temperatures, and easier access to restaurants and sights. The sculptures are equally good in any weather: the bronzes on Avenida del Mar look particularly well in the low golden light of a late October afternoon.

The Rhinoceros roundabout is best photographed in the morning before the traffic builds. From the southern pavement of the Cristamar roundabout you get the sculpture with the Sierra Blanca hills as backdrop, which is a better image than the marina alternative.