ESTEPONA
Area: Spain


Location:
The most westerly resort on the Costa del Sol. Malaga 52 miles NE; Malaga airport 47 miles.

Telephone code from UK:
34

Position:
The town lies on and just off the main Malaga-Cadiz road.

Description:
Less commercialised and more authentic than neighbouring resorts, the older folk chatting outside their front doors in the evening, eyeing the passers-by as they have done for years. However it is by no means behind the times; there is a pleasant, modern seaside promenade and harbour area.

Suitability:
Families or couples looking for a quieter, less commercialised resort.

Accommodation:
Most hotels as well as apartment complexes are in fact several miles from the resort, some actually on the Marbella borders. Estepona itself has a number of small hostels.

Shopping:
The central streets claim the best shopping area, small local shops selling local crafts, leather goods. A few quite expensive local boutiques.

Beach:
The beach, not as good as those elsewhere along the coast, is of very dark shingly sand, comparatively narrow.

Entertainments:
Daytime: places worth visiting include "Los Remedios" church; "Torre del Reloj" (clock tower); and, just outside resort, a unique asymmetrical bullring designed for concerts and shows.

Eating:
The harbour area has some of the trendier eating and drinking spots, while in the town centre you can still find the traditional "tapas" bars.

Public-transport:
Frequent buses run between Estepona and Marbella, less frequent between Malaga and other resorts.

Local-excursions:
See Torremolinos.