Count Rudi Von Schonburg

Count Rudi Von Schonburg

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He’s a socialite known by the great and the good in southern Spain, and was one of the first to help put Marbella and the Costa del Sol on the map. Count Rudi von Schonburg gives his views on the early days of a coastline which hardly anyone had heard of, yet what has since become a world-renowned tourist and expat playground:

“Almost 45 years ago, when I arrived in Malaga for the first time, I was so excited by what I’d seen on my way to the Marbella Club. What I’d smelt in the air, this marvellous aroma all year long, you just can’t miss it. The sea in all its variations, the coastline…not the best ever…but it is unique, because you can see Africa so closely, you feel you can get there in just one jump…And then you turn around and you see those beautiful mountains…they are not decoration, they contribute to this micro-climate. I believe that this intimate feeling of tranquillity has been, and will always be Marbella’s main attraction, although glamour and social happenings are what you first see here."

"All these new shops, excellent restaurants, sports facilities…they could not be financed, they could not exist, without this huge building activity. These are the fruits that keep originating from negative things. I was born in southern Germany, as you can still notice from my accent, and everything that is southern, exclusively fits here. I immediately felt at ease here. I found here exactly what I’d imagined. I’d always lived in the countryside, never a town and I’ve always been impressed by beauty.”