Estepona holidays

The charming old town, all whitewashed buildings and winding lanes, is a great place for a wander in the shade. Soak up the town’s artistic vibe – there’s walking routes past outdoor installations and incredible street art here – before enjoying a drink in a buzzing plaza.

By the water, pitch your umbrella on one of Estepona’s sandy beaches or hire a sun lounger from a chiringuito beach bar. Snorkelling gear, surfboards and stand-up paddleboards are also available.

For a bit of an adventure, head into the Sierra Bermeja mountains. They are the town’s spectacular backdrop, and you can drive almost to the summit within an hour. If you want to get moving, strap on your boots for a hike through the Spanish fir trees, resin pines and soaring oaks. For the longest hikes, a refugio mountain hut is available for overnight stays.

Located in the Costa del Sol, Estepona holidays put you in the middle of the action for interesting day trips. Explore a picturesque old town, stroll around the swanky marina and check out Salvador Dalí’s bronze waterfront sculptures in the chic city of Marbella – it’s just a half-hour drive away. Or, head in the opposite direction to Gibraltar to see the famous Rock, monkeys and Great Siege Tunnels.

Back in town, the nightlife is more relaxed than other resorts nearby (namely Marbella), with friendly bars and restaurants offering cheap drinks and tempting Spanish delicacies. For something a little livelier, there are cocktail bars and a few nightclubs at the port, often hosting live music.

Estepona enjoys hot summers and mild winters. The town is busiest in summer, when temperatures reaching 26C bring sun seekers to the beach. Even at the height of summer, though, Estepona hardly swelters thanks to pleasant breezes from the Mediterranean.

If you want a sun-filled cheap holiday, you can visit Estepona all year round. Between the mountains and sea, Estepona has a unique microclimate that gives the town up to 325 days of sunshine a year. May is a good off-season option – most of the spring rain will have passed, and you can expect sunny days with temperatures up to 20C.

The town comes alive with street parties, music and dancing in July, when both the Estepona Fair and the Virgen del Carmen Festival are celebrated.

Sun-drenched beach days are a big draw for Estepona holidays – but there’s much more to do, too. There’s art to see and a wonderful Orchidarium to visit. Hike in the mountains for a change of scenery before recovering the next day on the beach.

Beaches

Estepona’s 21km (13 miles) of coastline has some 17 beaches, from golden sands to rocky shores. By day, catch some rays at its largest beach, Playa de la Rada, and come sunset come sunset join the locals for an amble along the Paseo Marítimo promenade; consider stopping in on one of the bars or upmarket seafood restaurants along the way.

For young families, Playa del Cristo’s warm, calm waters – protected by the Punta de Doncella headland – is only moments from the marina.

Old town

The postcard-perfect old town is typically Andalusian, with cobblestone streets, flowerpots filled with colourful geraniums and bougainvillea-adorned, whitewashed houses. Stop for a drink in attractive Plaza de las Flores, where cafés shaded by orange trees frame a central fountain.

As you wander the town, visit San Luis Castle, dating back to the 15th century and the soaring bell tower in Plaza del Reloj, which survived an earthquake in 1755.

Street art tour

Estepona is in the midst of an artistic makeover; since 2012, the local council has commissioned over 50 street artworks, ranging from a little girl watering her plants to the Last Supper. The self-guided Murals Route tour – with free maps available at the tourist office and online – will take you past them all.

For more, the Route of Sculptures features works from local and international artists across 46 sites and the Poetry Path displays poems by the likes of Victor Hugo and Shakespeare, as well as renowned Spanish writers.

Orchidarium Estepona

Opened in 2015, the Orchidarium has become one of the top attractions on the Costa del Sol. The landmark building, which can be seen across town, has three glass domes – the tallest being 30m (98ft) high.

Inside, you’ll find three waterfalls, more than 5,000 plant species and the largest collection of orchids in Europe. You can follow the guided walk on wooden walkways over artificial lakes past vertical gardens and admire more than 1,300 species of orchid.

Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja

The Sierra Bermeja Mountains rise majestically behind Estepona. Only 10km (6 miles) inland, this is one of the few places in the world with mountains this high, this close to the ocean.

You can drive, hike or cycle to the summit. You’ll find a refugio selling snacks, and you can spend the night if you bring a sleeping bag. From Mirador Salvador Guerrero, there are sweeping vistas across Estepona and the coastline as far as Gibraltar.