Estepona Supplement May-June 2023

HOW THE GARDEN GROWS

ESTEPONA is a town undergoing ceaseless transformation. But that’s nothing new.

From the day the seafaring Phoenicians first sailed in and established a colony on the Iberian coast nearly 3,000 years ago, the Costa del Sol resort has been the subject of change.

Be it the Romans, the Vandals or the Moors - or the Catholic reconquest or pirate raids from

The so-called ‘Garden of the Costa del Sol’ has seen constant change for centuries and is now roaring ahead of its near rivals

By Walter Finch

Africa in the 18th century - it has frequently been in a state of flux.

In the last 50 years alone it has gone from being a sleepy fishing

village, known for its pongs, to becoming one of Spain’s premier upmarket resorts.

After a tumultuous history of constant change and evolution, Este-

Continues on next page

From front resorts on the costas.

pona is entering its latest incarnation, driven by wealthy international visitors, now flocking in all year round. And its real success story is having staved off its once likely fate of becoming just another whitewashed mini-Marbella, full of celebrity yachts and designer brands. Nor has it imitated a ‘Little Britain’ takeover seen in other parts of the costas, such as in Benidorm or Magaluf.

Instead, its idyllic outdoor spaces and the colourful flower-filled streets of the old town are perhaps why Estepona has managed to retain its image as one of the last ‘authentically’ Spanish

Estepona Authentically Spanish

And despite this, the pace of transformation continues, under its current mayor Jose Garcia Urbano, a former notary, a man who clearly doesn’t like to stand still.

His greatest recent transformation has been the total redesign of the street system along the beach promenade.

Urbano - who by now will know if he is still mayor after Sunday’s May elections - has chosen to favour pedestrians, pushing cars and buses to the periphery.

And he has spent well over €100 million on public works since he took over power for his PP party in 2011. Much of it for the good, plenty of it though viewed as controversial.

What is certain though is how he has transformed the town into a green paradise as part of his ongoing ‘Estepona, Garden of the Costa del Sol’ project.

Anyone arriving in Estepona can be forgiven for rubbing their eyes at the sheer number of plants and trees that line the streets, its central reservations and its roundabouts.

There are tens of thousands, in fact, prob - ably hundreds of thou-

sands, of flowers bedecking almost every available surface from both extremes of the main town. Meanwhile, thousands of potted plants have gone in on every street in the old town. The profusion is hard to ignore and even the locals less enamoured with Garcia Urbano’s whims and schemes begrudgingly, mostly agree, it is impressive.

The latest additions to the city’s skyline have been a modern and sustain-

able town hall, and a new 45 metre-high mirador near the port. And now, the once traffic-heavy Avenida España along the beachfront has become a sedate and gentle promenade, dotted with restaurants, cafes, shops and, surprise, surprise, elaborate flower installations.

Estepona also

boasts one of the most exquisite city beaches in Spain, its Playa de la Rada (above) stretching for over 2 kilometres in the centre.

Known for its clean, soft sand, crystal-clear waters and excellent facilities - it has good views towards Gibraltar and Africa on clear days… not to mention 12 beach chiringuitos.

One chiringuito owner, Erwin Vanderdonck, 56, who owns Palm Beach is already gearing up for the summer. This is the beach bar where chart-topping girl group, Las Ketchup, recorded their video for catchy one-hit wonder Asereje (or ‘The Ketchup Song’). Originally from Amsterdam, he made the jump 23 years ago, swapping the ‘mayhem of finance’ in London for the ‘authentic feel’ of this Costa del Sol gem. “The main centre for nightlife used to be the port,” he says, “but now there is a shift towards the centre. A lot of new bars have opened.”

But Estepona’s bright young things still flock to visit the bars and clubs in the port on weekends, where bartend-

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SKYSCRAPER: The new Mirador del Carmen

ers free-pour drinks according to ye old Spanish ‘say when’ system. Louie Louie’s is always guaranteed for a good boogie or if you prefer to watch, El Patio puts on a colourful feast of flamenco.

Just up the promenade a little way back into the centre sits British expat Dave, underneath the awning of his Scottish pub Fergusson’s.

Although he approves in general with Garcia Urbano, he is in two minds about the changes to the traffic system.

“It’s great for the tourists, that’s for sure,” he insists, gesturing to the new

elegant pedestrian boulevard. “But trickier for us residents. Now you’ve got to walk everywhere. And all the cars have to go on a big detour around Avenida Andalucia to get from A to B.”

Almost as baffling as his football team Chelsea, he continues: “I’ve been living here six years and this is the biggest change in my time.

“And all the new apartments they’re building on the outskirts of the town, what with so many people coming here now and growing so much…But it’s still a pretty good life here, in my book” he concludes.

Fellow drinker Barry, 72, arrived here

as a teenager. “I first came here as a 17-year-old chasing a girl,” he explains. “Her dad was renovating a villa. Then, later in the 80s, I decided I wanted to come back and buy a property of my own here.

“But the thing is, I couldn’t remember what it was called. The town. There was no Google Maps in those days. All I could remember was two things: There were lots of flies in September, and the place smelled ever-so-strongly of sulphur.”

Armed with these two clues, Barry set about trying to find the tranquil town he had fallen in love with as a teen-

ager.

The clue of the flies offered little help, but there were not many places that smelled like sulphur.

On a return trip to Spain, Barry drove along the coast asking people where would smell of sulphur. He travelled for miles and several days, receiving mainly shrugs from the locals. And then finally he got an answer.

‘Try the Roman baths’, located along the nearby Manilva river, which were famed for their therapeutic properties - and their stinky pong.

It is believed that Julius Caesar himself bathed in the sulphurous waters,

famed for their healing properties. And the nearby town of Casares is named after him.

Following the directions given to him, Barry drove west and finally found Estepona again.

“It had changed, yes,” Barry agrees. “But not that much.”

Take a short walk from here along the marble pavements of Estepona’s Calle Terraza and you’ll arrive at the charming, aptly named, Plaza de las Flores (Flowers Square).

In this charming hive of activity you Continues on next page

CONTRASTS: The town centre and the port

IARRIVED in Estepona in 2003 to check out the coast, and like many before and after us, ended up staying.

The Costa del Sol in 2003 was in full boom mode although all the action was mainly taking place outside the town centres, off plan in innumerable building sites. Estepona centre, whilst a vibrant Spanish town was a little depressed, immersed in debt and corruption with the construction of the underground parking on the main avenida heavily delayed. The town was full of cars and parking was a nightmare.

We opened our first office the following year in 2004, in Calle Real which we shared with a clothing repair shop. Our trade was outside the town, and our first sale in town was in fact to ourselves when a year later we purchased a dilapidated old house in the old town of Estepona from a German flamenco dancer. Surprisingly, the regeneration of Estepona began in the depths of the financial crisis, in 2011

From page 15

will find the tourism office, with maps for all kinds of excursions, including the murals tour and a host of reasonably-priced restaurants and cafes.

Also nestled among the flowers, and spilling out onto Calle Terraza, are a handful of stylish clothes shops, mixing independent and quirky with more famous brands such as Mango. Strolling around, you won’t help but notice that a number of buildings are decorated with incredible street art, bringing the façade - and the surrounding streets - to life.

Murals as high as the buildings - some thought to be among the largest in Europe - paint ed with incredible skill and daring will take you aback.

The largest one, by artist Jose Fernán dez Ríos, depicts a fish on a line covering six separate building façades and measuring almost 100,000 metres squared.

Further into the town, past its historic centre head for the exotic glassdomed orchidarium - the

Orchid paradise

is home to more than 8,000 species of orchids, three waterfalls, streams and a butterfly house. Staff care lovingly for these delicate and beautiful plants, watching them bloom and flower and then fade away every three months, to start the cycle anew.

Another spot worth seeking out, near the port, is the Plaza de Toros, which isn’t the oldest, biggest or best in Spain but it’s one of a kind – the only asymmetrical bullring in the world.

tors more seating in the shade than under the hot Spanish sun, and it has hosted numerous sport and cultural events

Just a short hop from the bullring you will find the cella lighthouse, which has been blinking away its light to ships and boats up and down the coast in its present incarnation since

ing for nature and green spaces, there are plenty of other beaches up along the coast, not to mention excellent tennis clubs, like Forest Hills, plus great golf courses, including El Paraiso, now 50 years old.

APPETITE FOR CHANGE

In the past 20 years Adam Neale has seen Estepona boom

when the current mayor Jose Maria Garcia Urbano was voted in with what appeared an absurdly optimistic programme to reduce the debt burden (a staggering 304 million euros) whilst at the same time investing in the regeneration of the old town.

The subsequent story is well known.

The Garden of the Costa del Sol project was wildly ambitious and involved the pedestrianisation of the old town with over 9,000 potted plants distributed throughout the streets. However, the town hall's appetite for change did not stop there and over the next 11 years enormous investments were

appearance, infrastructure and services with a new theatre, sports stadium, hospital, and town hall to name but a few of the seemingly endless improvements that have been made to the town. At the same time, by 2021 77% of the inherited debt burden had been repaid, an impressive feat.

In 2011 from our relocated office in Calle Caridad we still had few to no customers visiting our office but over the next five years this began to

GIANT: The orchidarium is the largest in Europe

change. Clients suddenly began to trickle into our office interested in buying a property in the Old Town. Then more and more came, increasing year over year until eventually becoming a daily occurrence.

The news of the transformation of Estepona has travelled far and wide. Only last week American clients from Texas were telling me how they heard about Estepona´s regeneration and wanted to retire here. The benefits are obvious: how many towns offer such a high quality of life? Situated on a wide sandy beach, Estepona is a very safe town with convenient access to all manner of amenities and health care.

We are proud to have contributed in our own small way to the regeneration of Estepona, being involved in the construction of two new hotels in

the historic centre: one already built and running - Estepona Plaza Hotel in Plaza Ortiz - and another one opposite our new office in Calle Caridad that will begin construction soon.

Not surprisingly, given all the improvements, Estepona has become a magnet for tourism and for people who want to live in the Costa del Sol.

As we wrote last month, Estepona has seen the highest growth in revenue per hotel room, or RevPAR, on the entire Iberian Peninsula. It’s also the fastest growing city in Malaga province, which is the fastest growing province in Spain. And the real estate sector is outselling popular Marbella on a per capita basis. And yet despite such radical change and abundant tourism, it is still a very Spanish town that has preserved its authenticity and traditions.

The Property Insider by Adam Neale

made in improving the town’s

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NOCKOLDS Lawyers Spain officially launched its first Spanish office in Estepona in April this year.

An affiliate subsidiary of Nockolds Solicitors in the UK, established in 1831, with offices in Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire and the City of London, it is a tremendously exciting addition to the Nockolds Group.

Our portfolio of services encompasses, but is not limited to conveyancing, wills and estate planning, visas, and sworn translations. We pride ourselves on the provision of excellent client care as well as offering comprehensive services that other law firms here cannot, such as dealing seamlessly with British citizens’ assets and/or problems in both Spain and England by means of a cross jurisdictional joined-up approach.

Nockolds has been providing legal advice on cross-border matters between Spain and England for over 10 years.

In current times, more people are opting to live in two countries, or spend a lot of time in one country and have their base in the other. This can create complications when crucial life events occur, such as planning for your family in the event of death, making wills, effective tax planning, or sadly where there is a family breakup.

We have found that without the benefit of the knowledge of the two different law systems,

mistakes can happen. For example, making a will in Spain.

Without careful drafting and knowledge of the English system, you could inadvertently

revoke your wills in England, leading to a situation of intestacy, which can be complicated and expensive for the beneficiaries to sort out. Vice versa, making a will in England with a solicitor who is not aware of any Spanish asset, or the Spanish system, can also frustrate the will in Spain.

Many people do not know that whilst Spain applies the law of the country of residence of the person either going to Court or making a will, English law does not allow such consideration. This has a particular impact on divorce, for example. A British couple living in Spain have a choice as to where they start their legal proceedings, and this can be critical.

Families who have assets in Spain, but are based in England, will also need to consider the relevant tax implications as they reach their later stages of life.

This may involve change of residence or selling assets in a tax effective way. This has become more complex after Brexit, to the extent that the English now cannot enjoy the more favourable European taxation rules.

For those in business, or wanting to set up businesses, it is important to know the rules of the two countries, especially regarding employment rights, property rights, and entitlements. An advance warning about how they differ can assist preliminary plans.

In the case of court action for non-payment of monies or breach of contract where one party is situated in one country and the other in

another, there are complicated cross jurisdictional issues, which may need to be determined and considered beforehand. Even where a judgment is obtained in either Spain or England, there must be expert knowledge as to how that judgment can be enforced in each country. Again, since Brexit, this has become more complicated, because we cannot use the streamlined European system which automatically recognised judgments from a European member state. By working in the two countries and across both legal jurisdictions, we know there LAUNCH

are different attitudes and cultural norms, which can be very confusing to the Brits in Spain or the Spaniards in England. Knowing how local courts operate, what is expected, and having a full command of the lan-

guage as well as the knowledge of both legal systems, is paramount in assisting our clients. These are just a few of the examples we have come across in our practice, which informed our decision to open the office in Estepona.

SUCCESS: The Nockolds team at the April lift-off party

WALK OF THE TOWN

Discover the sights – and cafes and bars – of this traditional town on foot

WHILE Marbella and Malaga are held up as the key spots to visit on the Costa del Sol, Estepona offers sights and sounds to rival its neighbours, and has a much more tranquil ambience. It’s high time the town

THE WHEEL DEAL

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FROM classic cars and exotic sports models to your daily driver and family runabout - Premier Bodyshops has you covered.

Their team is dedicated to getting your wheels back on the road at high speed. Probably the largest motor vehicle repair shop in Estepona, they operate from a 700sq.m. fully-equipped workshop on the town’s industrial estate.

They undertake all types of accident repair work for vans and motorhomes as well as cars - from vandal scratches to major collision damage and convertible roof replacement to windscreen and glass replacement.

Premier also has approved repairer status with all major insurance companies operating in Spain and in some cases they can start repairs on your vehicle immediately without prior estimates or inspections, thereby cutting the time you

are without your vehicle.

Better still, you get use of one of their fleet of courtesy cars while your repair is being carried out – totally free – and a free valet service on collection.

All work is guaranteed for one year.

The business also specialises in classic restorations, from bare metal to fully-trimmed and painted running vehicles.

It has also produced some rare classic conversions such as the Rolls Royce Silver Cloud II four door convertible and they have also converted a Bentley MK VI from hardtop to two door convertible. And not only that, they are fully equipped to convert your classic car to electric power.

Aiden and his team are all car enthusiasts who love classic and exotic vehicles. So much so that they organise car events for fellow enthusiasts. Watch out for their next one this September/October.

To have Aiden and his team take care of your car, contact Premier Bodyshops on 951 90 11 55 email – aiden@premierbodyshops.es

Opening hours: Mon-Fri 8.30 – 17.00

C/ Juan de Herrera 23, polígono industrial Estepona. 29680

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had its day in the sun. With friendly locals and a vast array of tapas bars along its narrow cobbled streets, Estepona is the ideal town for a stroll.

Begin at the north end, in Avenida Andalucia where many of the residential

buildings are adorned by enchanting murals. Continuing onto Calle Terraza, you’ll pass a glass-domed building with white facade – the Estepona Orchid House, where more than 1300 species of orchids are on show.

Stop for coffee and pastries at nearby Tahona de Chana.

The cafe has an ideal central location, but just before the hustle and bustle of the bars.

There’s a fish and seafood restaurant with a decent hearty Spanish menu opposite, but further down you’ll arrive at Estepona’s busiest plaza – the Plaza Antonio Guerrero – where both the Freiduria and La Taberna de Juan make perfect spots for a beer and a bite to eat.

From there, walk a few hundred yards down the road and to the right, and you’ll find the charming Plaza de los Flores. The early afternoon, when it is quiet, is the best time to enjoy the peace and appreciate the full spectrum of colourful

flowers around the ornate fountain. Later, the plaza is transformed into a hotspot for sangria-drinking Brits and other tourists.

Veering left after the plaza, onto Avenida España, you are confronted by an endless succession of restaurants and ice cream parlours. Try El Rincon Toscano, a delicious and unpretentious Italian restaurant, or Mexa, an excellent Mexican with especially good food for vegetarians (make sure to get the jackfruit tacos).

Hipsters out there can get a flat white to go at Manila Café Bar, before entering into the old town and passing the stunning Parroquia Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, a beautiful church with a distinctly Andalucian flavour.

Ready for refreshment?

Drop into the Gran Vino, an excellent wine bar specialising in Italian wine.

It’s the kind of place that will tempt you into acting like a

ANDALUCIAN AMBLE: (From top left) the old town, Plaza Antonia Guerrero, La Rada beach and Plaza Antonio Ortega Vela

STUNNING: (Clockwise) Walking map of Estepona, Plaza de las Flores, Parroquia Nuestra Señora De Los Remedios, Parque del Calvario and statue in Plaza Ortiz

connoisseur before you are sussed out as an ignoramus by the expert waiters. I can recommend the Valpolicella Verona. Or if cervezas are more your thing, then a few hundred yards further along, you’ll find El Capote on Calle Viento, a secluded bar that is great value for money. After that, head down to the beach.

The view of the sea remains glorious. Walking along this beach never gets dull. Return to Avenida Andalucia, passing the understated but decent Cafeteria Delta, and finish at Parque el Calvario. The park makes a fitting end to a 5 kilometre walk that takes about an

hour and a half and allows you to do more than scratch the surface of this traditional yet vibrant town.

FABULOUS 50

IT’S no laughing matter, but El Paraiso is the real celebrity golf course of the Costa del Sol.

The Holy Trinity of British TV comedians Bruce Forsyth, Jimmy Tarbuck and Ronnie Corbett have all graced the privileged fairways of the Estepona course, which hits 50 this Spring.

Opening in 1973, the stunning fairways have also seen some of the world’s best golfers play a round or two, including Seve Ballesteros and Tony Jacklin. But given it was designed from scratch by the world’s best known golf designer, Gary Player, that is no surprise.

The South African, who has constructed more than 400 golf courses in 35 countries, always had the same philosophy: courses must be suitable for both professionals and amateurs.

He certainly left his mark on the beautiful Paraiso Valley, where he created what is rated as one of the best designed courses in Andalucia.

The El Paraiso story is one of people who had a vision and carried it through, and of those who have continued to develop it; in partnership with the members who love golf, but also a club that has united them throughout their lives; in short, the stories of the peo-

El Paraiso, one of the Grande-dames of Spanish golf hits its half century in Estepona

ple who have made this anniversary possible.

It was in 1968 that a Belgian family, the Mols, bought 200 hectares of the valley alongside a business partner Fernando Gillis.

Construction began and through the 1970s it became one of the most popular courses on the coast.

From the 1980s it changed hands a few times until finally it became subject of a successful members’ buyout.

The majority owner of the club was by then UK construction giant, Wimpey, but it had made a commercial decision to concentrate its interests in the UK and relinquish ownership.

The company was persuaded that the members could finance the purchase. So the committee, with more than the required 50% approval, moved forward with the purchase.

May 21, 1996 was the big day when after more than a year of negotiation, they were successful in buying the club- house and golf course and

converting it into one of the few member-owned golf courses on the Costa del Sol.

The key upside being that all profits were reinvested into the club and course improvements.

By 1993 the club had over 400 members and, apart from golf, offered a very active social life. Today the club’s membership is made up of more than 23 nationalities and it has become an international club with an extensive calendar of events.

Throughout these 50 years, the history of El Paraiso has been linked to its members' generosity both with money and time.

In particular, the ladies clubbed together to raise money to refurbish their changing rooms while many have purchased trees for the course.

But perhaps the most valuable thing that members give to the club is their time. From the board to the club committee, to the many committees required for social activities, handicaps and the organisation of other events. A lot of it is unseen but it is the mainstay of the club and its ethos.

SEVE AND

JACKLIN COME TO PLAY AS THE EUROPEAN TOUR COMES TO EL PARAISO

IT was a real coup for the first owners of El Paraiso when the European Tour chose to come to the course in 1974 for an inaugural tournament of the PGA Tour.

The tournament had a prize purse of three million pesetas and 156 national and international players took part.

The competition was won by Peter Oosterhuis, a former British amateur champion who became a successful professional golfer and member of the Ryder Cup team.

Among the Spanish players were legendary names such as Piñero, Gallardo, Barrios and a very young Seve Ballesteros at the age of 16, plus international players, such as Tony Jacklin and Roberto De Vicenzo.

Over 300 new trees in a decade

The course started out with only seven holes, the

CELEBRITY LINKS: (Top to bottom)

Bruce Forsyth, Jimmy Tarbuck, and Ronnie Corbett

CHANGES: Half a century has seen massive alterations, with the addition of thousands of trees

UPGRADE: The clubhouse (today) and (right) in the 1980s

first of which was on the current 4th hole. It soon became nine holes at the end of 1973 and finally 18 holes.

In those 50 years the course has been updated, especially in recent years as part of meeting the goals of saving water and sustainability, for which the club has undertaken reforms and investment in facilities and machinery.

Some minor changes were also made to the design and aesthetics of the course. Although funds were not available for major works, the greens’ chairman encouraged members to make private donations for trees, plants and bridges and, between 2010 and 2018, 334 new trees and large shrubs were planted.

Between 2014 and 2019, a lot of work was done to increase the visual appeal of the course, particularly with the laying out of new tees and more bridges.

A healthy €27,000 was raised from private donations from members to enable the bridges on the 9th, 12th and 18th holes to be rebuilt in Casares stone.

Casares stone was also used to build walls and flowerbeds to enhance the entrance to the driving range.

In 2015, the course was graced with a pair of rare Tetraclinis Articulata trees, which are now a protected species.

At that time the main priority was the replacement of the greens, which were by then more than 40 years old. The first was a simple replacement of the existing one, followed

by the 2nd and 12th.

At that stage, the board decided that it would be desirable to have consistency in the redesign of the remaining greens, and an approach was made to Gary Player Design (GPD). Its vice-president Steven MacFarlane, a Scottish architect, agreed to prepare the designs and oversee the construction of the remaining 15 greens, and also many of the course bunkers.

The course today

All new greens have been built to USGA specifications, as was the new enlarged putting green in front of the clubhouse and the new short-game practice area and green next to the 10th tee.

The practice ground also received attention.

An improved artificial surface was provided for the shaded practice area and a members-only grass area was identified.

Meanwhile, the company Surtec produced a comprehensive technical report highlighting what was needed to take the course to a sustainable next level.

Areas for improvement were identified and procedures, costs, staffing levels and closure times were quantified.

In addition, a major investment in machinery and technology was made at the time. Following this report, it was agreed to create ‘naturalised’ areas to reduce maintenance and improve appearance, kikuyu grass contamination was eradicated from fairways, tees and rough and a comprehensive review of greens and collars was carried out to measure consistency of performance.

As a result, all collars were renewed in 2020 and work began to fix an inner collar to prevent contamination of the greens.

General work on the course continued through 2021 and 2022 with improvements to the paths, tee surrounds and drainage.

Golfing paradise

THE Tarbuck Classic golf tournament boosted the image of the Costa del Sol and brought in 25 teams each year, captained by various England stars and managers such as Matt Busby, Nick Faldo and actors such as Robert Powell.

It took over four courses, including the El Paraiso and Valderrama and did around four tournaments a year.

It was a must-attend for so many celebrities and

MEMORIES: Les Dawson played in a 1982 tournament, while (left) Matt Busby and Nick Faldo

SCENIC: The thousands of new trees and lakes created have made the course one of the most beautifal in Andalucia

A major investment in machinery and technology was made

really helped to raise the profile of the coast.

Pirates and Plants

Find out how this booming seaside town is so much more than sun, sea and sand, writes Pablo

Balbontin

DID you know pirates regularly attacked the coast of Estepona in the 1700s? Or that its bullring is the only asymmetrical structure of its kind in the world? This gem of the Costa del Sol is

packed full of history and amaz ing facts and those two are just for starters. Here are 11 stupendous Este pona assets that easily make it one of the coolest resorts on the coast.

IT’S OWN WEREWOLF

Among the many sculptures gracing Estepona’s streets, one soars above the rest: a creature that’s half wolf, half man. It’s a homage to the Spanish actor Paul Naschy for his contribution to Spanish horror films of the 70s, when he was cast in his most famous role as a werewolf.

Tombs intact

attack by sea, known as almenaras , which still stand today.

Rare species

The Sierra Blanca mountains backing Estepona and the rest of the Costa del Sol are the only place in the world to find forests entirely composed of rare Abies pinsapo Spanish fir trees.

The first traces of human existence in Estepona can be found in the mountains in the shape of the Corominas Necropolis, whose dolmen cave tombs and graves remain almost exactly the same as they were 5.000 years ago.

INDEPENDENCE

One of the most valuable documents kept in the Historical Archive of Estepona is the Villazgo letter. Written and signed by Felipe V in 1729, it grants the title of independence to Estepona, previously controlled by Marbella since 1552.

Europe’s Biggest Orchidarium

Not only does it hold the size record at 15,000 cubic metres, this monster glass house houses an incredible 8,000 different species of exotic orchids.

A remarkable tower

The Lisbon Earthquake of 1755 was the most devastating earthquake known in the history of southwest Europe, triggering a tsunami that spread to the Med. Estepona’s church didn’t make it, but the tower did and it’s still standing today, although it had to wait until the 20th century to get its famous clock.

A TREND-BUCKING BULL RING

Estepona’s plaza de toros isn’t the oldest, biggest or best in Spain but it’s one of a kind - the only asymmetrical bullring in the world. Its clever shape was designed by Juan Mora Urbano to offer spectators more seating in the shade than under the hot Spanish sun, and it has hosted numerous sport and cultural events since it opened in 1972.

No Micky Mouse town

If things had been different, Eurodisney Estepona would have been coining it in from millions of visitors around the world. The resort was the original choice for Eurodisney back in the early Nineties before the project was finally awarded to Paris for political reasons. But frankly we prefer it that way.

A GHOSTLY PAST

Estepona was once a ghost town like many of the depopulated pueblos in inland Andalucia today. After years of war, it was conquered and then abandoned by King Enrique IV of Castille in 1461, when it became a wild and dangerous place to be. It was rescued from near extinction in 1502 when 30 families were encouraged back to reboot the town we know today.

A split personality

Estepona has been inhabited by many civilisations down the centuries - Phoenicians, Romans Muslims - who all called it something different: Alextebbuna, Asttebbuna, Estebbuna and its present name, christened by Enrique IV.

MODERN VILLA ESTEPONA, MALAGA

4 Bed | 5 Bath | 330m2 Build ref. LVN-0005

The best location on the New Golden Mile, just 10 minutes drive from Puerto Banús and 15 minutes from the center of Marbella or Estepona.

APARTMENT ESTEPONA, MALAGA

2 Bed | 2 Bath | 100m2 Build ref. 100739656

Beautiful fully furnished apartment with sea and mountain views in the Playa del Angel urbanization.This property has a spacious living room from which you access the balcony.

APARTMENT ESTEPONA, MALAGA

3 Bed | 1 Bath | 82m2 Build ref. 100739654

Bright renovated apartment in the Parque Antena urbanization. Located in a residential area with a swimming pool and green areas, 5-10 minutes by car from the city center.

SEMI-DETACHED HOUSE CASARES, MALAGA

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 151m2 Build ref. LVN-0035

Fantastic townhouse in Marina de Casares. A 3-minute walk from the beach, quiet environment. Private garden and swimming pool.

APARTMENT MANILVA, MALAGA

2 Bed | 1 Bath | 70m2 Build ref. LVN-0006

South west facing, first floor apartment in Manilva old town. Communal pool ,air con, marble floors.

APARTMENT ESTEPONA, MALAGA

2 Bed | 2 Bath | 97m2 Build ref. LVN-0007

Luxury living at its best in the Mirador de Estepona Hills. Class and sophistication await you! Live the luxurious life in this elegant oasis nestled in nature in one of the most prestigious areas of Estepona.

APARTMENT BENAHAVÍS, MALAGA

2 Bed | 2 Bath | 170m2 Build ref. YR-00001BIS

Discover the ultimate luxury living experience in the heart of Marbella’s golf valley in Lomas del Marqués, an exclusive residential neighborhood nestled between the most soughtafter locations in Puerto Banús, San Pedro de Alcántara and Benahavis.

GROUND FLOOR APARTMENT NUEVA ANDALUCIA, MALAGA

3 Bed | 2 Bath | 137m2 Build ref. LVN-00025

Beautiful and cozy furnishings: living/dining room. Exit to the big sunny terrace. 1 master bedroom, with fitted wardrobes and a bathroom (en-suite).

No one in the world sells more properties than REMAX

WHITE-WASHED: The area surrounding the beautiful centre was once grazing ground for cattle

SELLING THE DREAM

Laurens Van Noten explains the advantages of using a real estate professional when selling or buying

IN 2023, many people, especially the younger generations, are trying to sell a home through social media or online marketing.

After a few weeks, they often come to the conclusion that they are not reaching their target group. Furthermore, selling a home is not something you do every week. Most individuals do this no more than once or twice in their lives, so they have little or no experience in such negotiations.

Building promoters for their part often have an internal sales department, but certainly during the early years they do not yet have an extensive file of potential customers.

For all the reasons mentioned above, approximately 82.7% of sellers

Life on the seas

Estepona’s seafaring tradition is the salt adding seasoning to its tourist offer

STILL a working fishing town, much of Estepona’s cash flow surges from the port.

The importance of the maritime trade is obvious at the Ethnographic Museum, which showcases the ancient craft of boat making and the cornucopia of marine life living off this golden coast. Museum guide Mariano Jobreas, who moved to the town from Madrid, shows off a wall displaying dozens of complicated knots.

“To become a fisherman you have to learn to tie every single one of these.

“You have to be prepared for all eventualities out at sea,” he says gravely.

The models of fishing boats still in use look so real, he jestingly assures me that the working vessels are much bigger.

On a trip to the port Miguel Ferrer Gonzalez explains his boat trips.

“I came here because Estepona is more of a family town,” he beams, explaining that he spends his days sailing around in search of

HUB: The port is still a hive for fishermen, but also offers a melting-pot of bars and restaurants these days

dolphins.

It sounds like money for old rope as dolphins aren’t hard to find - beach goers often spot shoals of them frolicking offshore.

“It’s not an office job, and if you like the sea, this is the job for you,” agrees Miguel.

If you’d like a turn at the helm yourself, the Real Club Nautico houses a sailing and kayak school with a dry dock for sailboats and a nautically-themed restaurant for hungry sailors returning home from the sea.

Estepona is still home to hundreds of working fishing families whose ancestors have been casting their nets here for centuries. Now this great maritime tradition is continued by their offspring who brave the elements to this day to put fresh fish on

(eventually) count on the services of a real estate agency in Estepona.

Firstly, this creates more security and safety for them. In a private sale, the selling party often does not know who is coming over and can also be confronted with dubious practices. Other sellers give an interested buyer an option for a period of time until it turns out that the potential buyer does not have the resources to finance the

transaction.

Real estate agencies have added value for both parties. They supervise the home visits and take care of the integral administrative process, which relieves both buyer and seller.

LAURENS Van Noten (pictured) and his team set up RE/MAX Dream Home Estepona in 2022. The young entrepreneurs managed to make a name for themselves in the real estate market in Estepona and the surrounding area in no time.

“We continue to invest in innovations and guarantee fair and market-based valuations. To this end, we developed an application that calculates the value of a property based on a number of parameters and presents the esti-

Making a name

mate in a clear report. This quickly provides the customer with a transparent and correct estimate,” explained Laurens.

They are also skilled in conducting very specific negotiations. This often results in a compromise that works out better for the seller than hoped for, and which immediately earns back the commission for the real estate agency. Thanks to the intervention of the real estate office, the buyer can often negotiate more interesting conditions with banks and renovation contractors.

“Remax Dream Home now has 12 agents from Sotogrande to Marbella.

At the beginning of this year we also started a partnership with Real Estate agents in England, France, the Netherlands and Belgium.”

Building promoters who join forces with a real estate agency often see their properties sold faster, because such agencies have a broad customer base of people looking for a home.

HUB: The port is still a hive for fishermen, but also offers a melting-pot of bars and restaurants these days

VINTAGE: Estepona was once a quaint fishing village

GLOBAL GOURMET

IT feels like a hole in the wall, but you walk into a more charming space, lit up with Japanese lanterns and a simple pine wood counter.

This is Takeko, one of nearly a dozen restaurants scattered along the Estepona coast.

An original menu with plenty of sushi and hot ramen dishes, it sums up the international nature of the resort that three decades ago was only really good for fried fish.

Stroll up every backstreet in Estepona these days and you’ll find a new place to eat.

They emerge around every corner and on every sleepy flower-laden square.

Both at lunchtime and at night the place is heaving with tourists looking for a decent meal, so you really have to pity the poor lemmings staying at the all-inclu-

sive joints, like Ikos, on the outskirts. But the new influx of restaurateurs needn’t worry with a trio of new boutique hotels opening in the centre, not to mention a string of other places to stay.

Whether you’re after Thai, Mexican or Chinese you are spoilt for choice and there are plenty of good tapas joints and wine bars to

Continues on page 16

BAR OPEN: from 12:00

KITCHEN OPEN: 12:00-16:00 & 18.30-21:00 Closed Wednesday

Avda Luis Braille, Puerto Paraiso, Blq 6, Local 14, Estepona, 29680

+34 603 118 790

Puerto Estepona

The melting pot starts coming to the boil as Estepona develops an international food scene, writes Jon Clarke

INSPIRING: And the 100-plus wines by the glass make Casa del Ray a real winner

NEW BROOM: Takeko and a delicious dish (right)

WHERE TO EAT

From front

Spoilt for choice

boot.

Heading in any direction from the two key squares of Plaza Ortiz and Plaza de las Flores, you will find a dozen interesting places to eat.

Top of the pile is certainly Casa del Rey, the trailblazer that set up just off Plaza de los Flores nearly a decade ago now.

It’s a stylish joint with high ceilings inside and a wall of amazing wines, an incredible 100-plus of them served by the glass.

It’s a tight ship run by capable half-Dutch expat Liliana, who has been running businesses around Estepona for over two decades. Another good wine bar with tapas (and

FEEL THE VIBE

Old Town Boutique Hotel offers the best of all worlds

MANY people choose Estepona as a place to visit for its charming old town as well as its kilometres of golden beaches.

While most of the town’s hotels offer the beaches as a standard attraction, they need a taxi or a long walk to reach a decent restaurant or enjoy the historic centre.

But the Old Town Boutique Hotel offers the best of both worlds.

As its name suggests, it is at the heart of old Estepona on Calle Caridad, one of the town’s prettiest streets. Not only are restaurants and the best of Spanish cafe culture just a step away, so is the beach at a five minute stroll.

The adults only hotel opened in 2021 after husband and wife duo Simone and Giusy undertook massive renovations on a once crumbling townhouse.

Their hard work certainly paid off. The selection of rooms - including a junior suite - have been thought-

fully redesigned while keeping original details, including and Alucian geometric tiles, and has stunning artworks handpicked by the couple. Modern furnishings, enormous showers, bright white cotton sheets, Nespresso machines and cava in the mini bar all dial up the luxury feel.

And the hotel prides itself on being as environmentally sound as possible with no throwaway plastics used at all. They even supply plastic-free toiletries in the room, including toothbrushes to help keep a smile on your face.

And it is also the perfect place to enjoy a relaxing pre-dinner drink on their rooftop terrace lounge which has spectacular views of the historic old town - as do all the rooms.

For a more up-beat vibe they have a bar on lively Calle Caridad where you can soak up the Spanish atmosphere.

For more information or bookings, please call +34 673 713 032, email book@theoldtownestepona.com, search www. theoldtownestepona.com or visit us at Address 94 Calle Caridad

Estepona AN 29680 Spain

sometimes music) is Take a Wine, in Plaza Manilva, which only opens in the evening.. A charming leafy square bedecked by orange trees and geraniums, it was set up by former Rioja businessman Anselmo, who combines his love of vino with music, particularly classical, an area he has worked for decades.

Also in the old town and great for lunch is Etcetera, run by expat business dynamo Alex and her mum, who’s one of the best cooks in town. Half way along Calle Real, it has a big range of international dishes, with excellent burgers and fabulous asparagus croquettes. In Plaza Ortiz,

REFRESH: Be sure to check out Palm Beach for a cocktail and spend the day luxuriating while (below) Take a wine

look out for Sur, a brilliant Argentinian, where owner Juan is a hands-on and hard-working cook, who usually has much of his family around helping. Among other delicacies you are guaranteed superb juicy empanadas and lamb tagine. For fish, take your pick from El Pescador or La Rada, which are long-running rivals, but both have excellent wild fresh fish. For chiringuitos the best place

to kick back and spend the day, hanging out on a sunbed, then enjoying cocktails at night is Palm Beach

A superb fish lunch with espeto skewers, it is run by friendly Dutchman Erwin, whose prawn pil pil samosas and crab spring rolls are legendary. Looking for good pasta? Up in the newer part of town look out for the excellent Italian La Carbonara where they make their own pasta fresh in the kitchens every day.

There are some excellent wines by the glass and always plenty of starters and mains off the menu. La Alcaria de Ramos may be out of the way but it’s worth seeking it out,

somewhere between the two famous golf courses of El Paraiso and Atalaya.

An ancient coaching inn, it is charm personified with some amazing Spanish tourist posters and has wonderful views of the coasts sitting up in an enviable position. And for something completely different head for the coolest spot by far on the Estepona coast… the La Catalina restaurant and beer factory.

This is fast becoming one of the hippest places to hang out on a Friday night and over the weekend when there are a string of live events taking place. But the food is also excellent and the beer and wine is hard to beat, being local and organic.

YUM!: It’s a joy to eat out in the sylish old town

BOUTIQUE DELIGHT!

Estepona has two new kids on the block - right in the heart of town

ESTEPONA has been rapidly developing a buzzing hotel scene since it became the Garden of the Costa del Sol.

A duo of new boutique hotels have opened over the last few years in the centre, while the coast has seen a string of new four and five star joints.

The best are renovations of charming old buildings in the heart of the town. The Old Town Hotel, on Calle Caridad, one of Estepona’s prettiest streets, opened in 2021 after husband and wife Simone and Giusy undertook

SUPERB VIEWS: at the Old Town Hotel in the heart of Estepona

massive renovations on a once crumbling townhouse.

Their hard work certainly paid off. The entire building has been thoughtfully redesigned while keeping original details, including Andalucian geometric tiles and has stunning artworks handpicked by the couple. Modern furnishings, enormous showers, bright white cotton sheets, Nespresso machines and cava in the mini bar all dial up the luxury feel. Another excellent place to stay is the recent-

ly-opened Hotel Estepona Plaza, a beautifully reformed building on Plaza Ortiz. One of the old town’s most bustling squares, full of great restaurants, the hotel has been tastefully renovated preserving as much of the original building as possible. This includes the charming hydraulic tiles in the lobby, which are laid out in their original grids. The three-dozen rooms are well appointed and good value, while the highlight has to be the incredible rooftop pool with dreamy views across the town.