Novak Djokovic and Simon Cowell will meet at Sierra Blanca, a tranquil spot that attracts stars in Marbella, Spain.

Nestled in the green foothills of the mountain range of the same name, the gated community of Sierra Blanca is one of the most luxurious neighborhoods in sunny Marbella, Spain. With its spacious Andalusian-style homes, fresh mountain air, 24-hour security, magnificent sea views and easy access to the city's best amenities, the location has long attracted a diverse international community looking to purchase primary or secondary homes, including celebrities such as tennis star Novak Djokovic. "For years people have referred to Sierra Blanca as the Beverly Hills of Spain," says Smadar Kahana, executive director of Engel & Völkers in Marbella, adding that the high location gives many homes sea and mountain views. "This is the most exclusive private community in Marbella, with elegant walkways and large magnificent residences." Minutes away from high-end restaurants, spacious golf courses, beautiful beaches and one of the best international schools in the Sierra Blanca neighborhood, this is a peaceful residential community with an emphasis on privacy and club-style sophistication. It is ideal for a family base or secondary residence, offering accommodation in luxury villas, apartments or townhouses.

Sierra Blanca neighborhood boundaries

The boundaries of the Sierra Blanca neighborhood are bounded to the north by La Concha Mountain, to the east by List Street and the luxurious Cascada de Camoian neighborhood, to the south by Albinoni Street and to the west by an area of protected forest.

"Prices for villas in Sierra Blanca start from €4 million (US$4.38 million) and go up to €25 million," says Kahana. "Of course, prices depend on the size of the living area and plot, availability of good sea views, location, style, age and amenities." Artur Loginov, CEO and partner of Drumelia Real Estate in Marbella, cites the €7 million to €8 million price range as "the strong center point of the price range." In addition to its spacious luxury villas with landscaped grounds and private pools, Sierra Blanca also includes two luxury apartment complexes and a townhouse community. "Prices for apartments start at around €600,000 and go up to €5 million, but they are also very scarce, so finding finds in this particular location is quite difficult," he says. "There is one townhouse community, it's called Meisho Hills, and there prices range from €1 million to €3 million."

"Sierra Blanca is an exclusive community of villas," says Kahana. "Construction of the properties started about 30 years ago, so you see a mix of large residences." The first builds were beautiful Andalusian-style homes with spacious patios. "Many of these homes were designed by the famous architect César de Leyva, who was known for his style," she adds. "Since then, many new properties have been built, some in the Andalusian style and many in a contemporary style or modern with the latest design elements." All villas have private gardens and almost all offer full or partial sea views. "Usually the plot size is about 2,000 square meters, roughly," says Loginov. "There is a lot of privacy between the houses." All villas have outdoor pools, Kahana says, and most also feature a private spa area with an indoor pool, sauna, hammam and gym, as well as amenities including movie theaters, wine cellars and outdoor kitchens. Other amenities buyers can expect from luxury villas include golf simulators, infinity freshwater pools and park-like gardens with stunning views, says Mariano Beristain, sales director at Diana Morales Properties | Knight Frank. Townhouses start at 200 square meters for a two-bedroom dwelling and increase to about 350 square meters for a four-bedroom house with terraces, garages and private pools, as well as access to the community

What makes it unique?

From its position at the foot of the majestic La Concha mountain, Sierra Blanca overlooks the city of Marbella and its golden beaches. From here you have views of the coast as far as Gibraltar and - on a clear day - the coast of North Africa. Its proximity to a nature reserve offers peaceful walks through the forested slopes, but also provides much quicker and more direct access to all of Marbella's attractions than many other residential communities deeper in the mountains. "Sierra Blanca is a private villa community with no commercial activity. It is very quiet and safe," says Cahana. "However, it is in a privileged location in Marbella, on the Golden Kilometer, so you can easily walk 15 minutes to the beach or drive three to four minutes to beach restaurants and all amenities, eight minutes to the old town or eight minutes to the famous Puerto Banus with its designer boutiques." The neighborhood also appeals to dog owners. "There is a fantastic park right on Sierra Blanca's doorstep - Parque de Nageles.

"All the luxury amenities are just three to ten minutes away, including golf courses, Michelin star restaurants and we have some very good private hospitals in Marbella," says Kahana. Swans International School, known as one of the best in the area, is located right on the border of Sierra Blanca and is within walking distance. Marbella's luxury infrastructure has expanded significantly over the past few years, says Loginov, with the addition of several well-known restaurants and branches of well-known nightlife venues from other parts of Spain. Marbella's main center of attraction remains the Golden Kilometer. "The Golden Kilometer is where Marbella was born, so the best hotels, the best shopping, the best restaurants are on the Golden Kilometer, as well as the best beaches," he says. "There's also the Hotel Puente Romano, with its famous tennis events, right there on the Golden Kilometer." The area is a golfer's paradise, with a huge amount of choice on the doorstep. The area known as Golf Valley is just 7 kilometers away, Beristain says, and includes the Las Brisas, Los Naranjos and Aloha golf clubs. Santa Clara Golf, Marbella Golf & Country Club, Santa María Golf and Río Real Golf are east of Marbella, about 12 to 15 minutes away by car, he adds, while Real Club de Golf Guadalmina, La Quinta Golf, Flamingos Golf, Atalaya Golf & Country Club, El Paraíso and Finca Cortesín are to the west of the city.

Sierra Blanca is home to high-income residents as well as "a very international clientele - a lot of celebrities from sports and movies, as well as high-profile business people from all over the world," Kahana says. "A lot of families also because of the better international schools and security." Many foreign residents are secondary homeowners who spend three to six months a year in Spain, says Loginov, but "more and more we see people moving permanently, especially from Northern European countries like Sweden, for example." Famous residents Novak Djokovic, the world's No. 1 singles tennis player, has a private villa in Sierra Blanca, according to published reports. British TV star and record producer Simon Cowell has also owned a private villa in the gated community for many years, often using it to host contestants on TV shows X Factor and Got Talent. The outlook for Sierra Blanca tends to experience less price volatility compared to the overall Marbella market, says Beristain. "Prices will either remain stable or increase due to high demand and the limited number of available properties in the area," he says. "Plots for residential construction are also very rare." Despite the slowdown in many markets due to rising interest rates this year, Sierra Blanca is not experiencing a downturn in demand or prices, Loginov says. "We see our prices strengthening, they continue to rise. The supply is extremely fringe