3, 5, 7, 10 and 14 day weather forecast in Estepona

Estepona

It might be part of the Costa del Sol but Estepona has a very different atmosphere, Spanish, in fact. Unlike the megaliths surrounding it, this has remained a small(ish) town, relatively concrete-free and with plenty of character. Despite evidence that it is very ancient, dating back to the Phoenicians and beyond, there is no record of the town until the Califate era. By the 14th century scholars were writing that it was in a state of decadence, its monuments largely disappeared and its dubious reputation built on fishy delicacies. In 1457 Enrique of Castile recaptured the town, ordering that a church be built on the site of the old mosque and fortifications constructed to protect against Berber pirates. It grew gradually until at the beginning of the twentieth century there were 9,000 people living there; unlike the surrounding villages, it was home to doctors, bankers and professionals as well as farmers and fishermen. This strong identity may be what protected it from the worst excesses of mass tourism.

Estepona today is picturesque and friendly, with steep cobbled streets, better suited to horses than cars, leading down to the fine sand beach and flower-lined promenade. Musty bodegas and curio shops are hidden in the narrow alleyways. The weather is wonderful year-round, with 325 days of sunshine and an average annual temperature of 19º. Historical buildings are everywhere: La Virgen de los Remedios, the parish church is a blend of Latin American and Rococo Architecture; while the beautiful Clock Tower dates to 1474. Castillo El Nicio, the old Moorish watchtowers and Casa de la Borrega are also worth visiting. To the east of the town, Selwo Adventure Park is home to 2,000 free roaming animals as well as recreations of Zulu and Masai villages.

The main attraction, however, is the bullring. There are four museums grouped around the bullring, including the fascinating bullfighting exhibition. The toreador’s season starts in May and continues until the beginning of July, when the annual Feriakicks off. The week of dancing, parades and bar-hopping attracts thousands of visitors, who mingle with local families dressed in flamenco outfits. At night the streets are lit with thousands of lamps and the action moves to the outside pavilions and fairgrounds, where the Sevillanas carry on until morning.

The relaxed vibe and room to breathe do come at a small price: tourists seeking mad nightlife will be disappointed here. There are a few smaller fiestas, such as the annual “Burning of St John’s Moustache” on the 29th of June and the fishermen’s religious celebrations to La Virgen del Carmen on 16th July, but there are no superclubs in this town. Instead, people gather for tapas in the evening, feasting on grilled seafood, paella and jamon Serrano, before moving onto one of the bars that spill onto the streets. Many of the terrazas turn into “early clubs” that play music until 5 a.m. Then it’s onto a typical Andalucian breakfast – churros con chocolate (long thin doughnuts dipped into hot chocolate) before winding back through the ancient streets to bed.