Estepona
Estepona lies about 25km south-west of those world-renowned towns, Marbella and Puerto Banus. With more controlled development than its famous neighbours, Estepona is a very pleasant seaside town with a strong family atmosphere and two EC Blue Flag Beaches.
The historic centre around Plaza Las Flores is the perfect place to enjoy an evening stroll or refreshing aperitif in one of the many restaurants. The town clock tower overlooks the square and the Church of Los Remedios is close by. Other attractions include the original bullring, and the San Luis Castle. Walking through the narrow and colourful winding side streets, you will discover authentic Andalucian style cafe and bars - the international establishments being situated within the Puerto and old town itself. The weekly market is held on Wednesdays featuring clothing, fruit and vegetables, and there is a busy market in the Puerto de Estepona on Sundays.
Puerto de Estepona
A km or two further along the beach you will find the working fishing port area, Puerto de Estepona. Lined with thriving restaurants, cafes and bars, it is an excellent place to have breakfast, lunch or an evening meal, with nearly every establishment offering outside seating. The port features daily auctions for a wide variety of seafood, and is the focus of Estepona's nightlife. Although the night club culture of Marbella and Puerto Banus is not so common here, there are many places to relax, listen to good music with a beer or cocktail, and relive the day's activities with friends and family.
Along the beachfront there is a superb children's play area, a workout area for older people, and countless sporting facilities such as tennis, football and basketball courts. There are also plenty of traditional beach shacks along this stretch, offering ample opportunity to take a rest from the sun and refresh with undisturbed views of the clear blue sea, long sandy beach, the rock of Gibraltar and, on a clear day, Africa.
The Carrefour hypermarket on the N340, a smaller Carrefour express store in the middle of the town and a few Mercadona supermarkets serve Estepona. The nearest department store is El Corte Inglés store in Puerto Banús, just before Marbella. Some useful telephone numbers in the area include:
Assistance for foreign residents: 952 80 20 02
Consumer Service: 952 80 05 30
Guardia Civil: 952 80 10 87
Health Centre Estepona: 952 80 10 44 (information)
Post Office: 952 800 537
Tourist Office contact details are here.