Information about Estepona
The area has eight golf courses, seven museums, a beautiful marina and a well-equipped beach. The municipality stretches for over 21km along the Mediterranean Sea and includes some of the best and quietest beaches on the Costa del Sol. The ‘old town’, as it is known, is set in lush countryside and sheltered by the surrounding mountains. With the Mediterranean at its feet, Estepona is quieter than other towns on the Costa del Sol.
Many of the streets are pedestrianised and are lined with whitewashed houses decorated with colourful geraniums.
The seafront promenade stretches for several kilometres. You can enjoy a lovely stroll along the town’s Blue Flag beaches. On the west side of the town is Estepona Marina, home to the fishing fleet and shops and restaurants, as well as a Sunday market. Estepona has excellent amenities and facilities, including health centres, private hospitals, schools (including Colegio San José, which is often listed as one of the best schools in Andalucia) and sports centres.
Plaza de las Flores
Perhaps the nicest place in all of Estepona is the Plaza de las Flores. This authentic old square is beautifully decorated with masses of flowers, creative murals and a large fountain in the middle of the square. The large number of flowers are actually what gives the Plaza de las Flores its name, translated: the flower square. During the day it is a quiet square full of cozy terraces and playing children. People come there for their breakfast or to read the newspaper. But as soon as the sun goes down, the Plaza de la Flores changes from a nice family-friendly square into the epicentre of nightlife in Estepona. Most of those innocent-looking houses are namely bars and terraces.
Castillo de San Luis
A short 200 metre walk from the Plaza de la Flores is the old Castillo de San Luis. The castle was built in the 16th century mainly for protection against piracy but also for other potential threats. The castle has since been partly renovated and is open to the public. Nearby is the historical museum of Estepona where you will find a lot of information about the history of the castle and the town.
Estepona Orchid House
Estepona is one of the few cities on the Costa del Sol that has managed to remain truly authentic. However, this city has not been able to resist letting the 21st century in, and that is a good thing. On the edge of the central city, the large Estepona Orchid House has been built, a gigantic botanical garden with thousands of species of flowers and a 30-metre high waterfall! Estepona is after all ‘the garden of the Costa del Sol’. No fewer than 1500 different species of orchids grow in the building, as well as many other species of plants and flowers from the Mediterranean and Asia. The largest dome of the Orchid House is 33 metres high and is illuminated blue in the evening. Outside the building is a park of 1000 square metres with a large pond, palm trees and many more flowers.
Other places of interest in Estepona include:
- Parroquia Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, an 18th century Catholic church with a 15 metre high bell tower
- Plaza Antonia Guerrero, a large square near the centre with palm trees, many murals and a fountain
- Parque del Calvario, a large natural park in Estepona with large lakes, a waterfall, and a few fountains and statues
- Toore del Reloj, a 20 metre high bell tower in the centre of Estepona
- Plazoleta Ortiz, a square square at the intersection of several shopping streets and with a view of the sea
A day at the beach in Estepona
The Costa del Sol is known throughout Europe for its beautiful golden sandy beaches, and Estepona is no exception. And with 21 km of coastline and dozens of different beaches, there is something for everyone. Whether you want to relax or exercise, with your family or with a group of friends.
Playa de la Rada: for a relaxing day at the beach, directly at the apartment.
Playa de la Rada is the main beach of Estepona. This means that everything you could ever need is here. For example, you can rent sunbeds, there are showers and toilets and there is a lifeguard with first aid. In addition, the large boulevard of Estepona runs along this beach. As a result, nice restaurants, terraces and shops are never far away. Playa de la Rada consists of fine sand and has been awarded a blue flag. The beach can get quite busy but finding a good spot should not be a problem. There is also a section of the beach in front of the apartment that is smoke-free.
Playa el Cristo: for families
West of the port of Estepona lies the crescent-shaped beach Playa el Cristo. This beach is the most child-friendly of them all. The sand is fine and the water shallow. There are also a number of playgrounds on the beach.
You can also practice light water sports at Playa el Cristo, such as paddling and canoeing. There are a number of good restaurants on the beach.
El Saladillo: for water sports enthusiasts
A 10-minute drive from Estepona is El Saladillo. This beach consists mainly of stones and pebbles and is therefore less suitable for a normal beach day. However, the beach is suitable for water sports. Here you can sail, paddle surf or fly a kite. In addition, the lack of sand ensures clearer water, making this the best place for snorkelers in Estepona.
Playa de Arroyo las Cañas-Velerín: for privacy
This 2 km long beach is located between Estepona and Marbella. Playa de Arroyo is much less crowded than the other beaches on this list and is almost exclusively visited by locals. The beach is located in a beautiful natural environment and nudism is allowed here.
The boulevard of Estepona
Along the 2 km of beach of Estepona runs a long and wide boulevard. This promenade consists of beautiful white and red tiles and is well maintained. In many places along the boulevard runs a small park with palm trees, flowers, a terrace and a playground. Along the beach there are in some places beach terraces and beach clubs and sometimes live music is played. In addition, you can shop wonderfully here.
Shopping
When you are on holiday you will of course also want to go shopping. Whether you want to buy a souvenir, swimming gear, clothes or accessories. Fortunately, these items, and much more, are simply for sale on the boulevard of Estepona. If you want to do your shopping in Estepona, it is best to go to the centre, where local farmers offer their food every day. Just outside the central city are the large supermarkets such as Aldi, Carrefour and Lidl. In addition, there is a large market hall at the harbour where a market takes place every week.
Visit the market
As in most other Spanish coastal towns, Estepona has a weekly market. On Sundays, you can buy jewelry, clothes and souvenirs in the town's large marina. However, if you are looking for fresh Spanish vegetables, fruit and fish, you can go to the historic center of the town, where this delicious Spanish food is sold at a daily market.
Going out in Estepona
Although Estepona seems like a quiet city during the day, it really comes to life in the evening. The boulevard and the centre are then full of people. The nightlife in Estepona consists mainly of bars, but there are also about three discos. By far the largest of these is Mosaic Music Club. The most famous bar in town is Louie Louie Rock Live Estepona. If the bars of Estepona are not enough for you, you can visit the large tourist town of Marbella.
Eating out in Estepona
On holiday you want to eat delicious food. Spain is known for its fresh fish, delicious tapas and of course the traditional paella. And since Estepona is originally a fishing village you can also enjoy these delicious dishes here. But there is more choice than that.
