In the south of Spain there is a resort area - Costa del Sol, which attracts tourists from all over the world. One of the popular holiday destinations here is the city of Estepona. Spain is famous for many resorts, but this town, in our opinion, deserves special attention: it is cozy and picturesque, and not as crowded as many popular resorts of the country.
Its old part is a typical Andalusian village with white houses, covered with red tiles, narrow streets, a leisurely rhythm of life. This is one of the popular Spanish resorts and one of the most beautiful places on the coast.
Estepona is a small town that is part of the province of Malaga, the autonomy of Andalusia. About seventy thousand people live here permanently. The city is surrounded by mountains and the sea, which creates a unique microclimate here. Despite the superbly developed tourist infrastructure, this small town has retained the provincial charm and charm that attract thousands of tourists.
A bit of history
The first settlement was formed on this earth several millennia ago. This fact is confirmed by the results of archaeological excavations. Artifacts belonging to the Iberian tribes and Phoenicians were discovered. However, the city did not reach its significance during the time of Roman rule, but much later - during the occupation of the Iberian Peninsula by the Moorish.
It was during this period that Estepona acquired the geographical boundaries of the city center, which in those old days was called Estebuna. In 1457, the Reconquista came to the city. The city was liberated by the troops of the Christian king Enrique IV, of Castile. King Philip V in 1479 granted the settlement city status.
Climatic conditions
Thanks to its favorable geographical position, Estepona is characterized by a Mediterranean climate with dry and hot summers and mild, wet winters. Probably, almost all tourists are satisfied with the weather in Estepona (Spain). From May to October, the air temperature does not fall below +22 ° C, in July-August reaches +28 ° C. In winter, the average air temperature is +15 ° C. Water is heated to the same values. At the peak of the holiday season (July, August), its temperature is +25 ° C. The minimum amount of precipitation falls from May to September (from 5 to 30 mm per month). Their main part falls on the winter.
Estepona (Spain) Attractions
Today, many of our compatriots love to relax in Spain. Estepona is a favorite resort for many of them. The mild climate, well-groomed beach, many options for leisure activities - all these are the indisputable advantages of the resort. What else is Estepona famous for? Spain is known all over the world not only for its magnificent climate, magnificent landscapes, but also for many historical, architectural and cultural monuments, and this small town is no exception.
San louis
Unfortunately, only a small part of it survived from the once magnificent and huge castle located in the very center of the city. The construction of the grandiose structure began after the capture of the city (1457) by the troops of Enrique IV. He ordered the construction of towers along the entire coast, which were to serve as reliable protection for the city.
In the 16th century, the castle was fortified, but at the very beginning of the 19th century, the building was seriously damaged by the attack of Napoleon’s troops. Since then, it has remained in ruins, which, oddly enough, have been declared a state historical monument. Today you can only walk among the picturesque ruins of a once beautiful castle, go down a small path to a semi-tropical garden and go up the stairs to Calle Castillo street to see the preserved side of the castle wall.
Harbor
This is a favorite vacation spot for citizens and guests of the resort. It is nice to take a walk and admire the unusually beautiful yachts and fishing boats. But most of all, this place attracts vacationers by the presence of numerous restaurants and bars, and many of them are open already in the middle of the day. In the evening, their baton is hosted by disco bars and night clubs.
The harbor awakens after midnight, especially in the summer. Numerous ballrooms and nightclubs hospitably open their doors. Most of them are youth oriented. However, here no one will be surprised by respected locals of old age, famously dancing Andalusian Sevillana. The most popular evening dance and entertainment venues are Renaldo, Chico Dies and Attiko.
Selvo Aventura
For tourists with children, Estepona will also be interesting. Spain has several safari parks on its territory. One of them is located at the entrance to this resort town. The park occupies a vast territory - a million square meters. Visitors here can watch the lives of more than two thousand different animals that have been imported from all over the Earth, including very rare and endangered species: giraffes and Bengal tigers, lions and white rhinos and even the only Indian elephant that was born in Spain.
In addition, the park has a zipline (descent along a rope of steel using a special device), which is recognized as the longest in Europe. Guests are invited to take part in a camel safari and Suspension Bridges ride.
In order to plan their time, tourists should know that a visit to the park will take at least three hours. The walk can be both on foot and by car (open jeeps are provided).
The exhibition hall presents an interesting exhibition with reptiles and reptiles. Here, a huge boa constrictor, tiger and royal pythons, spotted snake feel quite comfortable. You will learn a lot of interesting things about the life of snakes and their habits.
And predator lovers can visit the "Land of Lynx", which is dedicated to the study and reproduction of these graceful cats, which today are on the verge of extinction. American lynx and common lynx are presented here, as well as a photo of the Pyrenean lynx - a program to restore this rare species is carried out in the Doñana park.
Torre del Reloch
In antiquity, Estepona was at the center of the fierce struggle of the Moors with Christians. Spain finally put an end to this confrontation in 1457 thanks to Enrique IV of Castile, who captured the city. He ordered the construction of a church here, which took the place of the former mosque. It was completed in 1473. Today it is the oldest religious building on the coast.
Unfortunately, only the tower remained from it. Historians claim that it used to be a minaret of a mosque. In the XVIII century, the tower (at that time already a clock) was crowned with a neoclassical dome, and in the XIX century it was reconstructed. Today, the building adjacent to it is occupied by a school, so it is quite noisy during the school year, and serious football passions often boil.
Orchid House
There is a landmark in the city, thanks to which Estepona (Spain) is known far beyond the borders of the country. Photo "Orkidario" can be seen in all advertising booklets of travel agencies. The Orchid House was recently opened in 2015. Already in the first days of work, it was visited by about forty thousand people. And this is not surprising: the building of the greenhouse is a real attraction of the city - bright, catchy, impressive.
Three glass domes are visible from almost any part of the city. The main dome weighing about fifty tons in height reaches thirty meters, the other two are slightly smaller - sixteen and six meters. Inside a huge greenhouse, you can see plants of eight thousand species, many of them bloom throughout the year.
Visitors walk along the winding path to luxurious orchids in a circle, from entrance to exit, while enjoying the ethereal scents of ylang-ylang and vanilla. Many orchids from around the world are planted near the twelve-meter wall, thus forming an original multi-level garden.
Another striking detail of the interior is the seventeen-meter waterfall, which falls in the atrium.
Estepona (Spain) Travel Reviews
The vast majority of people who happened to rest in Estepona, delighted with this city. They were delighted with a small, but surprisingly cozy, well-groomed and welcoming resort. Most travelers liked the fact that here you can combine a magnificent beach holiday with a sightseeing one. Pleased with a variety of entertainment, excellent service and the friendliness of the locals.