Estepona
Estepona is a popular tourist destination, especially during the summer season. It’s located on the western side of the Costa del Sol, next to Marbella and San Pedro.
With its privileged setting, Estepona captivates visitors in each one or its parts. The revamped old town, one of the most beautiful in Andalusia, offers tourists the change to enjoy a true urban garden at “El Jardín de la Costa del Sol“. Its maze of white streets, decked with colourful pots brimming with flowers, is the very essence of a coastal Andalusian town. Estepona conserves its customs and traditions and has blended them in seamless harmony with its modern and tourist-focused side.
Estepona is committed to culture and exhibits art in its streets. Open-air sculptures by renowned artists, artistic murals that decorate building facades and bring life to the streets … a rich and diverse heritage will surprise visitors, who can wander through the different neighborhoods and areas with buildings that host pictorial works of great quality and originality, and discover a new way of enjoying art.
The seafront promenade stretches for several kilometers and provides a pleasant walk-way next to the town’s blue-flag beaches.
At the west end of the town is Estepona Marina, home to the fishing fleet and shops and restaurants plus a Sunday market.
Gastronomy
Estepona is not short of a restaurant and whatever your taste, you will be satisfied with the choice. There are some excellent traditional tapas bars, Spanish restaurants and bodegas, if you want to enjoy typical Spanish and Mediterranean cuisine. Plus the beautiful beaches are home to a number of excellent Chiringuitos and beach bars.
Nature, sport, and countryside
Nature lovers will enjoy a side trip to the Sierra Bermeja natural park, where they can climb the Pico de los Reales (1,449 metres) for views over the western Costa del Sol, the Rock of Gibraltar, and the north coast of Africa.
Estepona is also home to the Selwo Aventura leisure park, where over 2,000 animals live side by side in semi-freedom.
Estepona has a great range of sporting facilities that includes top golf clubs such as Estepona Golf, La Serena, Atalaya Golf, and El Paraiso which was designed by Gary Player. Horse lovers also have the pick of facilities in Estepona with several riding schools that teach students of all ages and abilities.
Shopping
Estepona has a range of shops in the town centre selling your usual household items, groceries and tourist gifts. Alternatively, for a more authentic shopping experience you can visit the indoor market which opens each morning near the castle ruins.
Laguna Village, located along the beach towards San Pedro has a good selection of top end outlets selling everything from designer fashion to accessories for the home.
There are two main markets in Estepona (as well as several smaller ones), a market on Wednesday which is more local focused and sells much more local fruit and produce. The other main market is held on Sundays in the Port of Estepona.
The stalls at the Sunday market offer a wide range of goods for sale including handbags, belts, shoes, clothes, gifts, toys, jewelry, sunglasses, scarves, etc and of course the obvious tourist souvenirs.
Festivals
Estepona, like all the other Andalusian towns and villages, has a series of local and traditional festivities which gives the visitor a good insight into Andalusian traditions and customs.
Amongst the local festivals in Estepona, we would like to point out the fiestas mayores which are celebrated every year in July. During these days, the center of town during the day and the feria area during the night, are transformed in a place of joy, sevillanas and entertainment. The other days of festivities in Estepona are in May, celebrating the Patron Saint of the town, San Isidro Labrador, on the 15th of May and the surrounding days.