Travel blog - Tips to explore the world on a budget: Estepona

Estepona, nestled on Spain's Costa del Sol between Marbella and Gibraltar, enchants visitors as "The Garden of the Coast" with its immaculately whitewashed Old Town bursting with geranium-draped balconies, over 60 vibrant street murals transforming building facades into open-air galleries, and Europe's largest Orchidarium housing 1,500 orchid species beneath three glass domes—all just steps from 21 kilometers of golden-sand Mediterranean beaches. Home to 70,000 residents yet retaining authentic Andalusian charm often lost in neighboring resorts, this former Moorish fishing village balances history—15th-century Castillo de San Luis ruins, Roman mausoleum foundations, Torre del Reloj clock tower—with contemporary coastal living, its 5-kilometer Paseo Marítimo promenade linking Old Town plazas to marina yachts and Blue Flag beaches where locals still practice espeto de sardinas (sardine skewers) beachside grilling traditions. Free walking tours through the Centro Histórico unlock hidden courtyards, ceramic poetry plaques lining cobblestone alleys (Ruta de Poesía), and Plaza de las Flores' flower-framed cafés serving pescaíto frito (fried fish), while the coastal path reveals sculptor-dotted gardens and turquoise waters ideal for sunset strolls far from Costa del Sol's tourist crowds.