Estepona

March 2023

We’re Back In Our Happy Place! We are here in Estepona for the month of March. It is our fourth time here and it has become our favorite.

Sunrises From the Balcony

Our balcony looks out over The Mediterranean. I am usually up early enough to see the sunrise. No two mornings have been the same!

The construction workers arrive at first light. The widening of the paseo (pedestrian walkway) is almost complete. Almost the entire length of Estepona’s long beachfront (Playa de la Rada) is now free of traffic. By this weekend, most of the work should be finished just in time for the grand opening of the Mirador; a new building between here and the port. Previously, that site was unimproved and unattractive with weeds and graffiti. It will now be a public access area. The building will house an art gallery, a multi-story library, an auditorium, a restaurant, and a rooftop lookout.

The grand opening is March 31st, unfortunately, the day we travel home. Hopefully, next year we can enjoy the new additions.

All Around Town: The Old and The New

Virgen Del Carmen Church (Patroness of Fishermen)

Just a Sampling of the Public Art in Estepona

They Say It’s A Dog

City Hall (El Ayuntamiento) Behind Us

There is always something happening here. Last weekend there was a street fest to celebrate Estepona’s Old Town. It was complete with cheese vendors, tapas crawls, free concerts, and contests. There was also a rehearsal for the Semana Santa (Holy Week) processions. Since they were out there they collected food donations along the route.

A Day on the Mountain

One Saturday, we took a taxi up into the Sierra Bermeja Natural Park. It was about a 40 minute ride straight up. Sure glad I wasn’t driving! Our driver decided to wait for us. We told him we had a lunch reservation, but he said that was no problem. He would turn off the meter and wait. We walked around a bit up at the overlook. The views were spectacular of mountains, woods, and the town and sea below. Lunch at Venta El Refugio in a charming old inn was delicious. We chatted with a nice couple from Denmark. As promised, our taxi driver was there when we were ready to descend.

We saw the devastation from the wildfire two years ago. It came really close to the place we had lunch.

Our Estepona activities included swimming at the indoor pool three days a week and yoga class outside twice a week.

Favorite After Yoga Brunch Spot

The Orchidarium

Estepona’s Orchidarium is in a beautiful setting. Inside the building, is the largest orchid collection in Europe.

The Beach

The Beaches and Beach Bar/Restaurants are open for the season. Playa La Rada is a super-long beach that is Estepona’s front porch. Whether you walk the paseo or the sand, the views are spectacular. Chiringuitos (Beach Bars) serve great food and drink. Playa La Rada ends at the fishermen’s port. A walk through the recreational port area of town will get you to Playa del Cristo, a lovely cove with a sandbar. This is a favored spot for young families and paddleboarders.

Rent a lounge chair and umbrella for 7 euros for the day. A member of the waitstaff will serve food and beverage to your spot or you can claim a beachside table for lunch.

The best part of choosing a spot and staying awhile is the opportunity to make friends. The “Estepona Gang” is a group of expats who adopted us for the month. We enjoyed hanging out with them very much and hope to be back next year!