Estepona

Holidays to Estepona serve up Blue Flag beaches, year-round sunshine and bags of old-school Andalusian charm.

Sunny character

Estepona is the most westerly resort on the Costa del Sol. Backed by the Sierra Bermeja mountains, this smart spot gets its own microclimate, with 325 days of sunshine a year – and its Blue Flag beaches make the most of it. The place mixes things up nicely – you’ve got modern bars and boutiques plus an old town packed with Andalusian charm.

A beach duo

Estepona deals up 2 big beaches. The main one, Playa La Rada, is a whopping 2.5 kilometres, with watersports like windsurfing and kayaking putting on a good show along the stretch. You’ve got a cactus-lined promenade here with bars and restaurants serving up paella and ice-cold cerveza. And 5 minutes’ walk west of the marina you’re at Playa del Cristo – a great little suntrap of a spot.

Two-sided resort

As a resort, Estopona is really sussed. Back from the main Avenida de Espana you’ve got the old town, a real looker with its steep, narrow streets, whitewashed houses and flower-filled balconies. You don’t miss out on the buzz, though. Evenings at the marina can get pretty lively with the bars and clubs round here.

Day trips to Ronda

An hour’s drive through the Sierra Bermeja gets you to Ronda. This historic town is sliced in half by the dramatic El Tajo gorge – stand on the 18th-century bridge that straddles it for a first-rate view of the mountains. Around the place you’ve got convents, churches and handsome mansions. The museums are ticked off here, too – one’s an homage to bullfighting, another is dedicated to Andalusia’s old-school bandits.