Estepona is located West of San Pedro de Alcantara and has changed from a small fishing village into a busy tourist destination.
Though being extremely popular with visitors, Estepona has retained all of its local Spanish charm and offers a more traditional holiday experience than some of the busier resort town destinations.
Estepona is just a 10 to 15 minute drive from the glamorous neighboring areas of Marbella and Puerto Banus and Estepona town is located approximately 25Km west of Marbella and is approximately 45 minutes drive from Málaga International Airport. The postcode or municipality of Estepona stretches from Benahavis and Guadalmina on the coast road A7 right down to the entrance of Sabanillas and has a municipal area of 137 km2 which comprises of some long sandy beaches over looked by the dramatic mountains behind.
Estepona is over 500 years old and is the area is steeped in history – some of the most impressive monuments are: the ruins of the Nicio Castle, the seven Beacon Towers which proudly stand along the coastline, the remains of the San Luis Castle, the los Remedios Church (18th century), and the original Bullring, which offers five museums.
Estepona Marina is a lovely place for an evening stroll where you can dine in one of the many Restaurants or simply admire some of the yachts moored up under the moonlight. The wide variety of excellent bars and restaurants are open from midday to the evening and there are some more lively lounge bars if you fancy a nice cocktail or two. On Sunday morning there is a bustling street market offering a wide range of goods and artifacts.
The wide and sandy beaches in Estepona spread along more than 21 km and offer a wide range of both secluded coves and rocky zones with crystal clear waters which are excellent for snorkeling or purely relaxing in the sun. Popular blue flag beaches include La Rada, El Cristo (stunning secluded bay), Baha Dorada and the natural beach of Costa Natura, among many others.
The Old Town of Estepona offers a more traditional taste of Spain with a variety of traditional fish restaurants preparing freshly caught delicacies, bustling tapas bars and incredible meat restaurants all centered around the Plaza de Naranjos (Orange Square) obviously named due to its abundance of orange trees. The Palacio de Congresos of Estepona is an exhibition Centre offering various activities organised by the town hall which under a roof of more than 3000 m2 it adapts its facilities to cater for a wide range of events from exhibitions and conventions to fashion shows, concerts, sports events and festivals. The diversity of Estepona appeals to all ages and has resulted in the area becoming one of the most established and up and coming tourist destinations on the Costa Del Sol.
Marbellas “Golden Mile” has long been the nickname for the stretch of road that links Marbella to Puerto Banus. The area is renowned for its exclusive real estate, restaurants and hotels including Marbella Club and Puente Romano. The “New Golden Mile” is a rapidly up and coming stretch of coastline that links the exclusive area of Guadalmina to the entrance to Estepona, which is lined with exclusive five star hotels, beach resorts & world class golf courses. Slightly distanced from the glitz and nightlife of Puerto Banus (but still within a short drive) the area is fast becoming renowned for its individual style and exclusivity. Developed in line with more recent legislations restricting over construction, the new golden mile benefits from a far less densely covered coastline and offers spectacular views across to North Africa and down to Gibraltar.
ATTRACTIONS
The new underpass in San Pedro now links the New Golden Mile directly with Puerto Banus and has dramatically reduced the journey time to about 10 minutes. Whilst benefitting from the local Spanish charm that is identified with Estepona the New Golden mile offers a range of five star amenities that rival only those located on its original predecessor in Marbella. Recognising the appeal of the area some of the highest standard Five star hotel chains have chosen to locate their services on the new golden mile such as the Kempinski, Las Dunas, NH and the Senator Banus Hotel.
The Laguna Village beach resort is located on a front line beach position, offering all of the chic of Puerto Banus with loyal cliental regularly mooring their yachts in the adjacent waters, to frequent the popular restaurants and bars. Including the renowned Puro Beach club where you can hire one of the huge family sized sun beds and chill out by the infinity swimming pool overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean waters enjoying some exclusive fusion cuisine and delicious cocktails. Laguna Village is also renowned for some fantastic designer boutiques and popular international restaurants that offer a variety of music events and couture fashion shows.
Golfing is also a popular attraction to the New Golden Mile with numerous courses lining the coastline, the most famous being in the extensive grounds of the Los Flamingos Golf Resort, a truly five star resort comprised of luxury apartments and villas situated overlooking the vast greenery offered by two 18 hole world class courses and golf academy. These championship golf courses surround the magnificent Hotel Villa Padierna, which a few years ago was famously chosen as the holiday destination of Michelle Obama.
The Villa Padierna Hotel is renowned as one of the finest hotels in Spain the hotel also offers a luxurious spa and restaurants that serve some of the finest cuisine on the Costa del Sol. Just inland you will find Selwo Adventure Park home to the largest wildlife park on the Costa del Sol, based on an African theme this huge wildlife park has more than 2,000 semi-free roaming animals including Lions, Elephants, Rhinos and Giraffes. Estepona, whilst older than Marbella as a coastal town, has seen a dramatic regeneration in recent years, its beaches have been revitalised and are the envy of the Costa del Sol. Home to one of the busiest working ports on the Coast and some of the finest quality hotels and amenities the New Golden Mile is rapidly becoming the place to buy offering new build developments and Villas with stunning sea and mountain views.
FACTS AND FIGURES
Estepona is just a 10 to 15 minute drive from the glamorous neighboring areas of Marbella and Puerto Banus and Estepona town is located approximately 25Km west of Marbella and is approximately 45 minutes drive from Málaga International Airport. The postcode or municipality of Estepona stretches from Benahavis and Guadalmina on the coast road A7 right down to the entrance of Sabanillas and has a municipal area of 137 km2 which comprises of some long sandy beaches over looked by the dramatic mountains behind.