Estepona: flower-filled old town, murals and the Sunday market, 20 minutes away
From the apartment: 15 km, about 20 minutes by car (A-7). Local buses along the A-7 also stop in Estepona.
Estepona is the nearest larger town and the one you will visit most: for the Wednesday market, a dinner in the old town or a Sunday stroll around the port. Twenty years ago it was an ordinary fishing town; two municipal projects turned it into the "Garden of the Costa del Sol": every street of the old town was given flower pots in its own colour, and more than 70 giant murals were painted on apartment blocks around the centre. The result is a town that is pleasant to walk in at any time of year and has kept its Spanish character.
Why go
- The old town is flat, compact and car-free: ideal for an evening paseo with children.
- Free attractions: the mural route and the flower streets cost nothing.
- A real weekly market on Wednesdays and a craft and clothes market at the port on Sundays.
- Playa de la Rada, a long town beach with a rebuilt promenade, if you fancy a change from Casares Costa.
What to see and do
The flower streets and Plaza de las Flores
Start at Plaza de las Flores, the main square with the tourist office and the 18th-century Casa de las Tejerinas, then wander Calle Terraza, Calle Real and the lanes around them. Each street has pots of a single colour, geraniums and bougainvillea spill from balconies, and small plaques of poems appear on walls. Allow an hour, more if you stop for tapas.
The mural route
Estepona's giant murals turned the outer neighbourhoods into an open-air gallery. The official route with a downloadable map is on the town's tourism site (turismo.estepona.es/murales); the full walk takes 45–75 minutes on flat ground and is free. The most photographed is the "Día de Pesca" fisherman painted across the side of a block.
The Orchidarium
A glass dome with thousands of orchids, tropical plants and an indoor waterfall, right by the old town. Adults €3, children €1. Open Tuesday to Saturday 10:00–13:30 and 15:00–18:00, Sunday 10:00–14:00, closed Monday. A good half-hour stop with children or on a rainy day.
Markets
The big Wednesday market (Calle Eslovaquia, roughly 9:30–14:00) sells everything from fruit and olives to clothes and leather. The Sunday market at the marina (9:00–14:00, about 40 stalls) is smaller and more about crafts, clothes and jewellery, with the port's bars alongside. There is also a Sunday market in Sabinillas, five minutes from the apartment.
The port and the beaches
The Puerto Deportivo has restaurants on the water and boat trips in summer. Playa de la Rada runs east from the port with a wide promenade, playgrounds and beach bars; Playa del Cristo, a sheltered cove west of the port, is the calmest water for small children.
Selwo Aventura
Just east of Estepona, Selwo Aventura is a safari-style park with over 2,000 animals, walkways and a truck ride through the "African" area. Adults from €19.90 online, children (3–10) and seniors from €15.90, under-3s free; parking €5. Open from 10:00, until 18:00 most of the year and later in summer. Buy online in advance, prices are dynamic.
Practical information
| Distance from the apartment | 15 km · about 20 min by car |
|---|---|
| Parking | Underground car parks by the port and along the seafront; the old town is pedestrian |
| Markets | Wednesday morning (Calle Eslovaquia) · Sunday morning (marina) |
| Orchidarium | €3 adults, €1 children; closed Monday |
| Selwo Aventura | From €19.90 online; parking €5 |
| With children | Flat, car-free centre; playgrounds on the promenade; Selwo for a full day |
FAQ
- Is Estepona old town worth visiting?
- Yes, it is the prettiest town centre on this stretch of coast and completely walkable in an hour.
- Which day is market day in Estepona?
- Wednesday morning for the main market, Sunday morning for the craft market at the port.
- How far is Estepona from the apartment?
- About 15 km, a 20-minute drive along the A-7.