27 Jun Estepona – one of the most beautiful cities
Estepona is the last town on the western part of the Costa del Sol. With the Sierra Bermeja mountain range to the north and the Mediterranean Sea to the south, Estepona has developed into a very popular location for both tourists and property buyers from all over the world.
An old fishing community which, with a wise municipal management, has grown but at the same time preserved its original charm as a genuine Andalusian town. The municipality has a 23 kilometer long coastal strip, which stretches from San Pedro in the east to Manilva in the west. The city has 66,566 inhabitants and is one of the largest municipalities on the entire coast. 137 square kilometers makes Estepona almost as big a city as Mijas, which has 148 square kilometers. From Estepona you have the option of using two different airports. It is 80 kilometers to Málaga airport and 45 kilometers to the one in Gibraltar.
History
When the Phoenicians ruled during the pre-Roman and Arab eras, Estepona became a natural stop for ships traveling with cargo from Cádiz to Málaga. The city was then called Estapa. During the Arab Empire, three different names were used for Estepona: Alextebbuna, Asttebbuna and Istebbuna. In the 18th century, the town had just over 600 inhabitants and was given its final city rights on April 21, 1729 by the Spanish King Felipe V. In the 1920s, Estepona had about 9,000 inhabitants, most of whom were farmers and fishermen.
The old town of Estepona is being renewed
A number of years ago, the old part of Estepona was renovated in a very careful and elegant way. With its freshly painted facades and cozy little streets, it has developed into one of the towns along the Costa del Sol, which has preserved much of its Andalusian character and charm. Despite its popularity, it is still a Spanish city where the Spanish population dominates. Estepona also has a fantastic promenade, which runs along the town and a very nice harbour. There is a wide range of restaurants and bars serving fresh fish and seafood. In the harbor area, the famous market is held every Sunday.
Estepona attracts international attention
In the early 1990s when the Walt Disney Company began planning to create its European Disney World, they chose Estepona as the original location. Unfortunately, this was later changed to Paris, where they created their Euro Disney. When First Lady Michelle Obama was to travel to Spain in 2010, she chose to stay at Spain’s first 6-star hotel, Villa Padierna in Estepona.
Golf courses in Estepona
There are ten golf courses in the municipality of Estepona out of a total of just over 70 on the entire Costa del Sol. These are Valle Romano Golf Resort, El Paraiso Golf Club, Atalaya Golf Country Club old course, Atalaya Golf Country Club new course, Estepona Golf, La Duquesa Golf Country Club, Dona Julia Golf Club, Casares Costa Golf, Club del Golf El Cotro and La Resina Golf Country Club.
Selwo Safari Park
Just outside the center of Estepona is Selwo, a safari park visited by more than four million people every year. In the park there are over 2,000 animals from all over the world, which live in semi-wild conditions. There you can see tigers, lions and elephants and ride a camel. You sit safely in large, off-road trucks as you drive around the park.
New Golden Mile
The New Golden Mile is the stretch between San Pedro in Marbella and the eastern part of Estepona. The New Golden Mile has developed over the last few decades into one of the most desirable areas to buy property on the Costa del Sol. Along the beach area of the New Golden Mile are several interesting residential areas, such as Cabo Bermejo, Torre Bermeja and Hacienda del Sol, all of which have become very popular with Northern European buyers. On the slope of the coastal road we find other well-established areas, including Atalaya, Bel-Air, Benavista, Benamara, El Paraiso and the village of La Cancelada.
