Starlite Marbella is an annual music festival that attracts thousands of visitors every year. If you are planning a vacation in Marbella during the summer months, you should definitely visit the festival. It has already become a cult event and is certainly the longest-running festival, with over 60 days of concerts. Find out which stars will be performing this year.
The story of how it all began
In 1983, Prince Alfonso von Hohenlohe, singer Julio Iglesias and tenor Plácido Domingo organized a musical event in the Cantera de Nagüeles quarry in Marbella. They decided to use this space as a natural auditorium due to its excellent acoustic properties. This was a historic precedent and also the prelude to the Starlite Festival, which finally took shape thirty years later. It was then that the first edition of the festival took place in Marbella, and the idea of the event’s creators was to combine music and culture with beautiful views of the Costa del Sol.
Over the years, the Starlite Marbella festival has become one of the most important cultural events in Spain and Europe. Suffice it to say that over 2 million guests from many countries have visited the Starlite festival during its previous editions. Today, it is undoubtedly an event that attracts both music lovers and showbiz stars to Marbella and the Costa del Sol. Every year, the organizers try to invite the biggest names in the music world to offer the audience a rich and diverse program.
More than a decade ago, in 2013-2014, the Starlite festival was held on the premises of the Marbella convention center. However, for the last 10 years, the event has been organized in an abandoned quarry. There, the audience can enjoy beautiful views of the sea, the city and the surrounding rocks, as well as exceptional acoustics. The Starlite Festival has already hosted many famous artists, such as Elton John, Andrea Bocelli, Julio Iglesias, Sting, Lenny Kravitz, Ricky Martin and Tom Jones.
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Exceptional acoustics and views
The Starlite Festival attracts thousands of people from all over the world every year, and its popularity is constantly growing. The organizers always try to introduce new features. During the summer months, a 2,200-seat auditorium is set up in the former quarry. At the concert, everyone can admire the illuminated rocks and pine trees growing on the quarry walls and listen to music performed by the world’s greatest stars. All this creates a truly unique atmosphere.
The acoustics also create a unique atmosphere. The quarry has the shape of an amphitheater, which provides an extraordinary experience. According to Plácido Domingo and Julio Iglesias, it is one of the best acoustics they have ever found. In addition, you can see the artists really up close – stars who usually perform in front of a large audience – as many as 50,000 spectators. This proximity means that not only does the viewer see the artist, but the artist also interacts with them.
The event also has a charitable dimension, and the Starlite Foundation organizes the annual Starlite Gala to raise funds for charitable projects. The gala is hosted by Antonio Banderas, who was born in Malaga. It is one of the largest annual charity events in Spain.
The Starlite Festival starts even before the concert itself, when guests can enjoy a wide range of gastronomic offerings in the atmosphere of a summer terrace. The amphitheater has both seating and a VIP area, and there are numerous restaurants and bars on site. After each concert, you can move to the area with a large dance floor and continue the evening with DJ music, interspersed with performances by artists or dance shows.
One of the stars of last year’s festival was Ricky Martin. He performed as part of a tour of Spain, including 14 concerts in cities such as: Seville, Murcia, Granada, Badajoz, Madrid and Barcelona. On July 25th, he sang in Marbella – it was his third visit to the festival in the Cantera de Nagüeles quarry. In 2024, The Corrs, Tom Jones, Diana Krall, Pablo López, Plácido Domingo, Vanesa Martín and others also performed on the Starlite festival stage.
Who will perform at the Starlite Festival in 2025?
During its 14th edition, the Marbella festival will offer almost 50 days of concerts in June, July and August. The top international artists who will perform in this unique setting include Kool & the Gang, Marc Anthony, Will Smith, Europe, Scorpions, Il Divo, The Beach Boys and Santana.
June
- 13.06: Emilia
- 20.06: Nathy Peluso
- 27.06: Kool & the Gang
July
- 02.07: Gente de Zona
- 03.07: Marc Anthony
- 05.07: Raphael
- 08.07: Europe
- 10.07: Seal
- 18.07: Jhayco
- 19.07: The Script
- 21.07: Scorpions
- 23-24.07: Miguel Bosé
- 25.07: Il Divo
- 26.07: Will Smith
- 28.07: The Beach Boys
- 31.07: Ana Belen
August
- 01.08: Rels B
- 03.08: Santana
- 06.08: Clean Bandit
- 08.08: Amaral
- 12.08: Beret
- 14.08: Los Secretos
- 19.08: Siempre Asi
- 20.08: Alejandro Fernandez
- 23.08: Fangoria
- 29.08: Camilo
What is there to know about Starlite Marbella?
Tickets for Starlite 2025 are now on sale on the festival’s official website. The prices depend on the artist, the date and the category of the seats. For example, for the Europe concert on July 8th, the prices start at 105 euros. For Marc Anthony’s concert on July 3rd, the prices start at 143 euros, and for Kool & The Gang at 53 euros.
- The Auditorium stage has numbered seats – divided into grandstands, stands and boxes with premium service, located just 20 meters from the stage.
- There are 42 VIP boxes available for up to 8 people each, which can be purchased on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or seasonal basis.
- VIP tickets include VIP parking, a welcome drink, concert facilities, waiter service and priority reservations in the lounge and restaurant. To rent a VIP box, call +34 672 149 416.
There are several food outlets on the premises where you can enjoy the best local and international cuisine. The food and restaurant area opens at 8 p.m. The festival opens its doors every day from Monday to Saturday at 8 p.m. The food and restaurant area is also open from 8 p.m., and the concerts start at the same time.
For those traveling by car, the organizers recommend the following parking spaces:
- General parking: free for festival guests with shuttle service. The entrance is one kilometer away.
- parking: for Gold and Silver Box ticket holders with a private driver to the red carpet.
Bus line 10 runs from the center of Marbella to Starlite – via Marbella Alameda, Farmacia Berdaguer, Edificio Portillo, Porcelanosa to Starlite – every half hour until 5:30 a.m.
Minors are allowed on the premises (over 3 years old, under 16 years old if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian, and minors between 16 and 18 years old if authorized by a parent or legal guardian) and in all events that take place until midnight, when they must leave the festival grounds.
