Estepona is a vibrant town with a strong Spanish identity and an international community.
Located west of Marbella, Estepona is a lovely Spanish town filled with Andaluz soul and character. In recent years the town has undergone a big transformation, with a forward-thinking Town Hall making new developments and investments easy and improving the town almost beyond recognition. It is unpretentious and charming and is becoming an increasingly popular alternative to Marbella with foreign buyers.
Sun worshippers are in for a treat in Estepona. The wide sandy beaches stretch for miles and are lined with great bars, restaurants and relaxed beach clubs with a cool yet laid back atmosphere. It’s significantly quieter than nearby Marbella and you’ll always be able to find a place for yourself, even in the peak summer months.
Estepona’s charming Old Town has been revived with newly painted houses and colourful flower pots lining the winding streets. It is full of great restaurants and bars, with many traditional tapas restaurants and bars, alongside more upmarket Spanish restaurants and international options too. Exploring the town during the annual tapas festival, or by following the mural and poetry routes is a delight and there’s always something new to discover.
Estepona Port offers a busy marina and lots of bars and restaurants, plus a weekly market. Head up from the port, away from the sea to find some lovely residential areas, with many parks and public facilities from libraries and sports centres to skate parks, and a wide selection of properties, from apartments and town houses to large villas.
There are many new developments being built in and around Estepona, with stunning off-plan options available. However, they are being careful to avoid overcrowding and ensuring that there are plenty of parks and green spaces among the developments. Although it is urban, it’s managing to retain its identity and has a great community feel, with lots and lots of property options for international buyers.
There are also a surprising amount of things to do and see in Estepona. There are a number of museums including a palaeontology museum and an orchid house, with one of the largest collections of orchids in Europe. There is a modern theatre which offers music and drama performances through the year, excellent sports facilities, including a new athletics stadium and a golf course. The murals which are scattered through the town are extraordinary and the Playa del Cristo on the far edge of Estepona is one of the nicest beaches on the coast.
The Town Hall also put on an excellent schedule of events, with culture, family and gastronomy at the centre of it all. We love the annual Ham Festival, where producers from around the country showcase their finest hams, and there are regular concerts and events throughout the year.
Estepona is a very family friendly place too, with playgrounds, parks and activities for children everywhere. There are a number of excellent schools, including the highly regarded IES Mediterraneo state secondary school and the academically excellent private school San Jose.
Not to be missed: The Orchidarium which is Europe’s biggest and even boasts an indoor waterfall.
Fun Fact: Estepona is known as The Garden of the Costa del Sol thanks to its streets lined with flowers, large green parks and gardens and natural parks full of native plants and trees.