Adorable towns and sandy beaches make Spain’s Costa del Sol a popular beach destination. This detail almost made us avoid it entirely, but we’re very happy that we took a chance and visited the beach towns of Estepona and Marbella as well as the nearby Pueblo Blanco mountain town of Casarás.
Estepona
We were worried that the towns on Costa del Sol would be very touristy and overcrowded. As it turns out, the quaint community of Estepona ended up being one of our favourite destinations in Spain. Its rich history, dating back before the Phoenicians, is partly due to its location, only 40 km east of Gibraltar. This entire region was important for trade going into and out of the Mediterranean.
Although there are a few specific monuments to visit, our favourite thing to do was explore the old streets without a plan. Flowerpots are strung from the sides of pretty whitewashed homes. Wrought iron balconies hang over clean streets. Even the street signs are adorable. All of this made it easy to be enchanted by Estepona.
In addition to the homes, the squares are also decorated. Sculptures, fountains, flower beds and flowering trees can be seen in almost every plaza. It’s no wonder Estepona is called the Urban Garden of Costa del Sol (El Jardín de la Costa del Sol). One of the squares is even called Plaza de las Flores (Flower Square) and it lives up to that name.
The historic town sits on the edge of the Mediterranean Sea and is a popular beach destination. Its main beach was quiet in October, but in mid-summer, it is likely a busy place. There’s a nice 2 km long bike and pedestrian path beside the black sand. From it, you can see Gibraltar in the distance which allows you to better understand this area’s historical importance.
Casarás
When you need a break from the beaches on Costa del Sol, we think you should visit the cute mountain town of Casarás. Strung between two rocky hilltops, you’ll find the whitewashed buildings of this heritage town. It was foggy when we arrived, so the tops of the mountains were shrouded in clouds. We were patient and by the end of our visit, we were treated to a lovely blue sky.
It’s listed as one of Spain’s Pueblo Blancos (White Towns). These are a collection of picture-perfect towns with white-washed heritage homes, scattered on the hills and mountains in Andalucía. We saw many of them during our stay in Spain. Casarás is a perfect example of those treasured towns.
This adorable town is cute from afar, but it gets even better close-up. Seemingly untouched by the modern world, its medieval lanes are decorated with old lanterns as they climb up and down the slopes of the hilly terrain. In between the narrow paths you can find a few open squares, but given its geography, they aren’t large, sprawling plazas.
Some of the homes have incorporated the rocky landscape into their design. In a few places, you can still find remnants of the old Moorish wall.
At the top of one of the hills is the Moorish built, Casarás Castle. Today the castle is mostly in ruins, but its location allows you to look down upon the town. Apparently, on a clear day, you can see as far as the Rock of Gibraltar one way, and the city of Ronda in the other. That wasn’t to be for us though, we could barely see the next ridge.
Casarás is only 14 km from Estepona and would make a great day trip. Don’t plan to drive your car on those narrow streets. There is a parking lot before the entrance to the town.
You can find more Pueblo Blancos in our post A Guide to Spain’s Pueblo Blancos.
Marbella
Marbella is a well-known, tourist city on Costa del Sol. We expected a characterless city filled with beach shops and touristy bars. It’s touted as a busy, expensive resort town, so we were delighted to find wonderful narrow alleys decorated with flower pots and old-style lanterns.
Patios were busy with people, but they had such charming settings in orange tree-filled squares, it was hard to blame anyone for wanting to dine there.
We eventually found the scenes we had read about when we reached the sea. A long, cement boardwalk travels between the dark sand beach and cafes. Tall condos and hotels loom overhead, casting their shadows on the pathway. It’s much more hectic and built up than Estepona but we have to admit, it was actually nicer than we had expected.
There are also a few great Costa del Sol towns on the other side of Málaga. You can find out more about those in our post Costa del Sol – Frigiliana and Nerja. Read about other day trips in our posts Best Day Trips From Málaga and Hiking El Caminito del Rey.
How to get to Costa del Sol
The nearest airport and train station are in Málaga. From there you can catch a bus to Marbella or Estepona. The best way to reach these cities though is by car. The highways leading to the coastal cities are very good. If you do drive make sure your hotel has parking, since there isn’t much parking in the historic centres. There is apparently a new train line being planned that would run the length of Costa de Sol, making it easier to visit more of this fantastic coast.
To reach Casarás, the drive is on a double-lane, winding highway, but it is well maintained. If you don’t have a car, there are tours agencies in Marbella that offer private day tours to Estepona and Casarás.
You can find these cities in the lower, middle section of the map below. Click on the map to see an expanded version.
Where to stay Costa del Sol
With so many different hotels and apartments along this coast, you have a wide selection of accommodation. Public transportation isn’t easy, so unless you have your own car it would be easier to stay in one of the cities such as Estepona or Marbella. Of the two, we would choose Estepona.
To read more of our adventures in Spain, click here.
Coming Next – Visiting Ronda’s Iconic Bridge
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