Estepona is located in Southern Spain in the region of the Costa del Sol.  The town has a populous of some 37 thousand inhabitants and it is a lovely place to visit year round. Estepona draws thousands of tourists every year; it is a small, lovely coastal town which has managed to keep its pueblo character and charm despite all of the overwhelming amounts of tourism in the region.

Estepona is loaded with fine accommodation, wonderful dining options, shopping sites, historical destinations, recreational pursuits, and culturally significant activities. The streets are lined with splendid tapas bars and cafes to enjoy, and many of the streets are still cobbled which gives the town an often romantic air.

The history of Estepona is a bit ambiguous. Some believe it was at one time either Silniana or Salduba, but no one knows for sure. If this is not the case than the town can only be traced as far back as the Moors. There are no historical records which have included Estepona in its documentation until the arrival of the Califate era. This town was captured in the year 1457 by Enrique IV of Castile. The mosque that once stood in the town was then converted to a church by his order. Unfortunately, this church has all but disappeared now and all that remains of it is the original clock tower.

By the early 1500s this small town was home to just over 20 families. All of the land in the town was divided between the colonists which came from Northern Spain; many new streets were then added between the years 1507 and 1600. Up until the early 1700's, the town remained an administrative district and was granted a charter in 1729 by King Filipe V.

By the early 1940s the town consisted of some 9000 fishermen and farmers, a few weavers, some tailors, a gunman, a couple of vets, a few dressmakers and cabinet makers, a couple of midwives, and a total of five doctors. The town had grown in size and there were plenty of structures in the region. The town then had a hardware store, a college, a cinema, a bank, a shoe store, and a pharmacy as well as a sawmill. There were also a couple of inns and taverns, a single restaurant, one hotel, two shops that sold cakes, and a bodega.

The town now has a marina as well that is located along the seafront promenade on the west end. People enjoy walking along the walkways in the area, and there are bars and fine dining options to enjoy. A market is established in the area every Sunday too, which attracts many tourists.  The town today is home to as many as four museums, including the Bullfighting museum, the local museum, the Paleontology Museum, and the Archaeological Museum too. With plenty of shops, cultural pursuits, historical buildings and architectural offerings, it is really no surprise that Estepona has turned into such an immense tourist hotspot and attraction.

 

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