LIVING IN ESTEPONA AND THE NEW GOLDEN MILE

ESTEPONA AND THE NEW GOLDEN MILE

Estepona and the New Golden Mile have fast become one of the Coast’s most dynamic residential areas, offering a blend of stunning sea views, golf, shopping and restaurants, specialised health and wellness offerings, culture and events, and green areas.

This is the perfect setting for families and young couples alike, with a tranquil yet lively atmosphere that invites you to awaken your senses to the beauty of both architectural and natural wonders. These are just a few of the highlights of living in Estepona and the New Golden Mile.

GOLF, HEALTH AND WELLNESS

You will be spoiled for choice when it comes to golf, with three renowned courses in the area - Los Flamingos Golf ( an 18-hole, par 71 course with views to the Mediterranean), Atalaya Golf & Country Club (with two 18-hole golf, par 72 and 71 courses with views over La Concha Mountain and the Mediterranean) and the Real Club de Golf Guadalmina (with two 18 hole, par 72 courses – Guadalmina Sur is an famed for its difficulty, while Guadalmina North is shorter yet challenging in terms of shape and water structures).

Seasoned golfers who wish to expand their horizons can always head to Finca Cortesin (ranked one of Spain’s Top 5 courses by Golf World Magazine) or Alcaidesa Golf Resort (a golfing haven surrounded by the Sotogrande and Valderrama Golf courses) – both a short 15 minute drive from Estepona.
After a long day on the greens, nothing appeals more than relaxing your cares away at a spa and Estepona is home to some of the most exclusive in the south of Spain. The Villa Padierna Spa, ensconced in a stunning Tuscan style palace and winner of the Best Spa Wellness Spa Experience Awards 2017, is worlds away from the stress of daily life.

Health and wellness offerings abound;

Healthhouse Las Dunas is a five star, sea front resort with an impressive spa boasting a stunning thermal area, sensation showers, Vichy showers, steam baths and so much more. The resort is famed as much for its wellness programmes (lasting anywhere from seven to 21 days or more) as it is for specific anti-ageing, anti-stress, and anti-tobacco therapies. A must for health-conscious gourmets is Healthouse’s amazing restaurant, featuring dishes designed by Michelin starred sensation, Andoni Luis Aduriz, creator of world renowned restaurant, Mugaritz. Here, you can enjoy delicious menus which afford a total of just 1300 per day; various options are available, so  you can order in accordance with your dietary needs.

MEDICAL SERVICES

Estepona houses an array of hospitals and clinics, including Hospiten, the Hyperbaric Medical Centre, the Marbella Lyme Clinic, and the Cenyt Hospital. Currently, construction is being carried out on the New High Resolution Hospital, set to open in 2019 and feature the very latest technology and services.

CULTURAL ENRICHMENT

Estepona and the New Golden Mile boast the perfect blend of old and new – everything you need to soak in Spanish and international culture, yet feel that you are in a city with a lively vibe. ‘El Jardín de la Costa del Sol’ in an initiative carried out to breathe welcoming oxygen into the city centre, through the planting of lush garden terraces, romantic green archways, elegant shrubbery and climbing vines throughout the whitewashed walls of Estepona’s Old Town. Everywhere your gaze turns, you are surprise by vertiginous pines, vividly hued flowers, and the welcoming shade of trees. In other areas, flower pots burs- ting with life grace the walls of narrow city streets, while tiled wall plaques bearing scores by famous local musicians such as Felipe Campuzano remind us of Estepona’s rich cultural tradition.

There are many squares (plazas) in which to meet and greet friends and contemplate art – including Plaza ABC and Plaza Ortiz. If you really want to get a feel for Old Estepona, head to Castillo San Luis (constructed by the Catholic Kings in the 16th century to defend the city), or acquaint yourself with Estepona’s ancient Roman past at the remains of the Roman Tower in Calle Villa, or at the nearby Archaeological Museum.
If modern art ignites your passion, check out the open-air museum, comprising almost 50 impressively sized murals that grace facades of homes and buildings. Give in to your poetic side by following the Poetry Route – featuring colourful wall tiles bearing poems by famous Andalusian poets – including
Antonio Machado.

By night, enjoy the many opera, dance and theatre performances at the Felipe VI Auditorium, and in the summer, catch your favourite artists at a series of open- air concerts.

EDUCATION

Estepona is home to excellent bilingual schools such as Atalaya and San José, and a short drive away from schools following British and international curriculums - such as Aloha College, Swans School and Laude San Pedro. Some of these schools also offer the International Baccalaureate qualification.

NATURE IN BLUE AND GREEN

In addition to the stunning ‘Jardín de la Costa del Sol’ project, Estepona and the New Golden Mile have a host of spots in which to disconnect from stressors, and reconnect with your inner world. The beaches of the New Golden Mile and Estepona are in excellent shape, thanks to careful maintenance and cleaning work carried out by the City Council. Green spaces abound, including the Orchidarium Botanic Park, featuring over 5,000 plants from all over the world. Three blue-hued crystal domes lend the park an elegance and convert it into one of Estepona’s most famed landmarks.
The beauty of Nature surprises you at every turn – colourful flowers, palm trees and cacti capture your eye in roundabouts, while long, leafy avenues, and tiled squares, lit up at night with scenic lights, turn the city into a spectacle by night.

MAD ABOUT SPORTS

There are many opportunities for those who like to keep fit or enjoy adventure sports everything from bootcamps to fitness programmes, personal trainers, and gyms. The north of Estepona is home to outdoor sports areas, a karting circuit, and Athletics Stadium, as well as skate parks, dog parks, a vast indoor sports centre, football fields, green walkways, outdoor gyms and circuit machines, beach circuits for children, a plethora of playgrounds in urban areas and on the promenade, and tennis and padel clubs. The area has hosted many important sporting events, including the National Automobile Champions- hips and the Andalusian Cycling Tour.

CULINARY BITES AND SHOPPING

Estepona and the New Golden Mile are renowned gastronomic havens, with a host of tapas style bars and fine dining options to choose from. If fine Japanese dining is your thing, it doesn’t get better than Santoku at the Villa Padierna Palace Hotel: the hotel is also home to one of the most famed international establishments – the stunningly decorated La Veranda.

For a lively experience, try La Buena Vida offering scintillating cocktails and fantastic tapas dishes made with locally sourced produce. Of course, the seaside is dotted with the quintessential chiringuitos - beach restaurants where you can bury your feet in the sand while tucking into freshly cooked espetos (sardines on the spit), paella, or fresh deep- fried seafood. You will also find a host of Asian, fusion, and Italian restaurants – easily comparable to that found capital cities when it comes to variety, quality, and service.

The perfect blend of shopping and gastronomy comes in the form of Laguna Village, home to the trendy Puro beach club (with one of the most stunning outdoor pools on the Coast), as well as a wide array of fashion and jewellery stores, coffee shops and restaurants serving everything from authentic Thai cuisine to healthy salads and smoothies, fresh-from-the-sea fish and seafood dishes, and chilled cocktails, enjoyed at the restaurants themselves or at the Balinese beds that grace the shoreline. Another highly rated restaurant is TikiTano – offering seasonal Mediterranean and international cuisine overlooking the glistening sea and live performances within beautifully designed interiors.