About Estepona

With an overall population of 37,000, the 'old town', as it is known, is a bustling and atmospheric centre.

Estepona is one of the few coastal towns that has succeeded in maintaining its pueblo charm and character, despite the onslaught of tourism. Notwithstanding, all the tourist facilities are here, including hotels, restaurants, leisure and cultural activities, and shops.

The flip side is that the numerous street cafes and tapas bars still serve traditional Spanish delicacies and the steep, cobbled, narrow streets seem more suited to horses than cars. You'll also find unusual shops and bodegas in Estepona, where you'd least expect them, all very inviting, very friendly - and very cheap!

Climate in Estepona

The following table illustrates the mean temperatures according to season:

Spring 22 ºC
Summer 30 ºC
Autumn 25 ºC
Winter 17 ºC

The mean annual temperature of the sea is 18 ºC.
The sun shines for more than 325 days a year. It rains on 40 days out of every year, when it can occasionally be torrential.
The prevaling winds are westerlies and easterlies.

EXCURSIONS FROM EsTEPONA

Puerto Banus, Marbella, Mijas, Gibraltar and Sabanillas are all within half an hours drive. Sevilla, Malaga, Tarifa, Ronda are all within one hours drive and Morocco can easily be reached by ferry, which from Tarifa is just twenty minutes. These are all great places to visit, but you probably won't have time, which is a good thing, as you will want to return and stay at the apartment again.

Resturants in Estepona

Due to its geographical location, Esteponan cuisine is distinguished within the traditional offer of Andalusian cuisine by its clear preference for fresh sea produce.

Once again, the other natural agent -the country- also influences its cuisine. Thus it is that we can confirm that some of the most typical dishes in Estepona are "country soup" representing the men who work the land, and "barbecued sardines" offered traditionally at the popular "moragas" held on the beach. Another typical Esteponan dish is tile-baked sardines, or "sardinas a la teja".

Estepona's cuisine undoubtedly offers a rich variety of local fish, amongst which, apart from the already mentioned and much prized sardine, we shall emphasize species like the Norway haddock and the forkberard, with a most exquisite flavor. The area's prawns are also highly valued, as is the octopus, which is one of the most abundant species caught locally, not forgetting the highly esteemed red mullet.

All these "marine delicacies" may be savored whilst enjoying the healthy and popular custom of "tapaing" in the typical inns and taverns spread along the streets of the old town centre of Estepona and the Fisherman's Port.

Any restaurant will offer you the familiar chilled tomato and garlic soup known as "gazpacho" and the renown Malagan fish fry-ups, or "frituras", not to mention the salt-baked fish.

The restaurants in our district number more than a hundred, differing widely in their gastronomic offer, from the region's very own Andalusian cuisine to the French haute cuisine, Chinese, Italian and Indian cuisine.

MONUMENTS OF HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL INTEREST

The Parochial Church of Our Lady of the Redemption, "Ntra. Sra. de los Remedios" (18th Cent.).

Used from 1725 until 1766 as a monastery by the Franciscan fathers of the Tertiary Order. In 1835 it was abandoned by the monks because of the law of dispossession. lts facade betrays a curious mixture of stylistically rococo vestiges and others which appear to have originated from the Hispano American colonial architecture.

The Clock Tower (15th Cent.)
The remains of a church built on the orders of Henry IV (1474).

Remains of the Castle Wall (15th Cent.)
An ancient fortress. The construction of the first phase of which was ordered by Queen Elizabeth the Catholic.

Casa de la Borrega (18th Cent.)
One of the oldest houses in Estepona, with interesting period architecture.

Casa del Marqués de Mondéjar (18th Cent.)
Built on the instructions of the Marquis of Mondéjar during the conquest of the area.

The Watch Towers
Along the length of the municipal district's coast, one finds the opportunity to admire a complete ensemble of watch towers of Phoenicio-Roman origin, restored and enlarged under Arabic rule, and which were of considerable value in consolidating Spanish rule as a defense against incursions from coastal pirates.

Remains of "El Castillo del Nicio"
On the upper slopes of the area known as "El Padrón" lie the remains of the settlement of the Nicio Castle, of great importance during the Arab occupation of the area.