10 Superb Day Trips from Estepona Recommended By a Local
There are plenty of fun day trips from Estepona – from visiting popular destinations like Gibraltar to discovering off-the-beaten-track white villages and spending the day in one of the best natural parks in the province of Malaga.
As a Costa del Sol local, I can assure you that Estepona has many fantastic activities. You could potentially spend your entire trip in Estepona, especially if you go for a short period.
However, if this isn’t your first time in Estepona and you want to explore beyond, or you can’t stay still in a place like me, I’ve compiled my favourite excursions from Estepona. Here they are:
- Ronda (best for a cultural day trip)
- Mijas Pueblo (best for discovering one of Andalusia’s white villages)
- Sierra de las Nieves (best for a day in nature)
- Gibraltar (best for a family day out)
They’re all realistic day trips, and what I mean by that is that you won’t spend the day travelling. They’re within a maximum of 2-hour drive.
Ready to discover them all? Let’s go.
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The best day trips from Estepona
🚗 Tip: The best way to explore places near Estepona is by car. Rent a car with Discover Cars and visit them at your own pace!
1. Marbella
• Distance: 33.5 km (20.8 miles) – 30 minutes
Marbella is one of the closest towns near Estepona, which makes it a great day trip if you don’t want a long drive.
Whether you want to experience the sophisticated atmosphere in Marbella’s famous port, called Puerto Banus, uncover the charm of its historic centre or watch the sunset at one of its finest rooftop terraces.
Estepona Old Town might be considered one of the best, but Marbella isn’t much behind. I actually prefer Marbella’s old town.
On top of this, another reason to love Marbella is its coastline. Cabopino is without a doubt one of the best beaches, but you can also enjoy ones right in the centre, like Playa del Faro.
Get sun-kissed even in winter by walking or riding a bike on the beach promenade.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Marbella: The fastest way to get to Marbella is by car. However, you can also take a bus from Estepona bus station. The direct bus takes approximately 1 hour and 5 minutes.
2. Mijas Pueblo
• Distance: 65.5 km (40.7 miles) – 50 minutes
Mijas Pueblo is one of the prettiest villages in Malaga, alongside Frigiliana, located on the east side of the province.
This village is full of charm – its lovely whitewashed streets with flower pots on the walls, its amazing coastal views and its people make it worth visiting.
Walk on its streets, visit the local museum, eat tapas, buy beautiful ceramics and watch the sunset from the viewpoint next to the chapel.
A fun activity in Mijas Pueblo for families and anyone without kids is to do a chocolate workshop at Mayan Monkey Mijas.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Mijas Pueblo: The most straightforward way to get to Mijas Pueblo is by car via AP-7. You can also take AP-7 and A-355 if you don’t want to pay tolls.
3. Gibraltar
• Distance: 50.8 km (31.6 miles) – 55 minutes
Gibraltar is a popular excursion from Estepona, especially among families.
If you ask Spaniards, you’ll often hear that Gibraltar doesn’t have much to see, but I’m a Spaniard and have to disagree. In fact, I love it because of the mixture of cultures and breathtaking views of the north of Africa from the Rock.
You can’t miss the Upper Nature Reserve on a day trip to Gibraltar. It’s where you’ll find most of the attractions like the suspension bridge, the skyline (a glass path where you can see what’s underneath), St. Michael’s Cave and the Rock.
While exploring this place, you’ll always feel accompanied by the cheeky Gibraltarian monkeys. Make sure not to feed them; otherwise, they won’t leave your side, and you risk being fined.
If you love shopping, Gibraltar is also a good day out. Many goods don’t have tax so you can get things for cheaper!
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Gibraltar: The easiest way to get to Gibraltar is by car via AP-7 and A-7. Note that the route has tolls. Also, you can book a guided tour like this one.
4. Tarifa
• Distance: 73.6 km (45.7 miles) – 1 hour
Leave the province of Malaga to discover the coastal town of Tarifa. It’s famous for being the best kitesurfing spot in Europe. The wind conditions are just perfect! So if you love this watersport, you definitely want to spend your day in Tarifa.
If sports aren’t your thing, you can still have a laid-back day by exploring Tarifa’s town centre, which gives you all the hipster and bohemian vibes.
Try the traditional red tuna, window-shop its independent shops, visit its castle, and if you drive 25 minutes in Cadiz’s direction, you can see the impressive Baelo Claudia ruins.
The golden sand beaches in Tarifa are stunning, but they aren’t great for sunbathing because of the wind. It’s been windy every time I’ve been to Tarifa.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Tarifa: The fastest way to get to Tarifa is by car via AP-7 and Autovía del Mediterráneo/A-7.
5. Ronda
• Distance: 67.9 km (42.2 miles) – 1 hour and 10 minutes
Ronda is among my favourite day trips from Estepona because it offers a day full of culture, food and sights.
If you love museums, you have several ones where you can learn about archaeology and traditions.
With numerous options, choosing which ones to go to can be difficult. Well, if you don’t have much time, I recommend Palacio de Mondragón, where you find the local museum, and Casa Museo Don Bosco; I love the scenic mountain views.
Besides the museums, check out Puente Nuevo and spend time wandering the old town.
Regarding food, you’re spoilt for choice. Ronda is full of bars and restaurants! El Lechuguita is my go-to place. It’s cosy and gives you the old-fashioned tapa bar vibe.
Another fantastic experience for those who love wine is a winery tour where you can savour some of the local wines.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Ronda: The easiest way to get to Ronda is by car via A-397.
6. Malaga
• Distance: 90.1 km (55.9 miles) – 1 hour and 15 minutes
Malaga is just over an hour from Estepona, and it’s a fantastic day trip for anyone who loves sightseeing because Malaga is more than the sun and beaches. I’m so happy more travellers appreciate all the things my hometown has to offer.
Is one day in Malaga enough? I would say yes if you want to explore the main attractions in the old town, but it isn’t if you like discovering the hidden gems.
If there’s one place you shouldn’t miss, it is the Alcazaba Palace. This jewel is rich in history and takes you back to the Moors period in Southern Spain. I love wandering its scented jasmine gardens, appreciating the Moorish architecture and taking in the panoramic views.
Next to the Alcazaba, you can easily visit the Roman Theatre and its Interpreting Centre.
I would also add the Picasso Museum Malaga and Malaga Cathedral to your list. Both places are worth visiting. If you love a city view, get the Cathedral tickets with access to its rooftop.
Last but not least, I can’t skip food! While you’re in my hometown, check out Atarazanas Market and have a meal at El Pimpi. The latter gets very busy, so I recommend booking in advance.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Malaga: The quickest way to go to Malaga is by car via AP-7.
7. Setenil de las Bodegas
• Distance: 83.4 km (51.8 miles) – 1 hour and 20 minutes
If you are in love with the Andalusian white-painted villages, Setenil de las Bodegas needs to make it to your list.
In addition to the white buildings, what makes Setenil unique is its houses perched inside a cliff.
It’s a small village, but it’s worth wandering its hilly cobbled streets and contemplating the natural surroundings from its viewpoints.
Do you really need a full day in Setenil? No, but you can pair it with another small town like Olvera, visit the Ruins of Acinipo or Ronda. Also, if you don’t drive, you can still visit Setenil and Ronda on this guided tour with transport.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Setenil de las Bodegas: The only way to get to Setenil is by car via A-397 (the route with tolls) or A-355 without tolls, but it takes longer (1 hour and 50 minutes).
8. Sierra de las Nieves
• Distance: 83.1 km (51.6 miles) – 1 hour and 25 minutes
Sierra de las Nieves is a beautiful natural park not far from Estepona. It’s a fantastic day out during the shoulder season when it isn’t scorching.
I especially like to visit Sierra de las Nieves and its surroundings in November because you can see the stunning yellow and brown leaves and chestnuts.
There are many hiking trails in the area that go from easy peasy to challenging.
I recently discovered the town of Parauta, where you find the “Enchanted Forest” (Bosque Encantado in Spanish). This small hike has wooden statues of fairies and other magical creatures along the way. It’s definitely great for families.
Another worthwhile hike is Bosque de Cobre (the Cooper Forest). This one is much longer and better for regular hikers.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Sierra de las Nieves: The only way to get to Sierra de las Nieves is by car via AP-7 and A-366. Note that this road is windy and not an easy one to drive.
9. Jerez de la Frontera
• Distance: 141 km (87.6 miles) – 1 hour and 30 minutes
Jerez de la Frontera is a lovely town in the province of Cadiz. It’s a fantastic day trip from Estepona if you want sightseeing, flamenco and wine.
One of the best things to do in Jerez de la Frontera is visit its wineries. It’s actually here where you’ll find the famous Tío Pepe winery, which opened more than 180 years ago and was the first to export wines to other parts of the world.
If you’re up for a day of sightseeing, you don’t want to miss some of Jerez’s best attractions like the Alcazar, San Miguel Church, the Basilica and the Cathedral. On top of this, spend some time wandering Barrio de Santiago (Santiago neighbourhood), home to stunning architectural buildings.
Last but not least, Jerez is a fantastic place to enjoy a live flamenco show, so why not book one?
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Jerez de la Frontera: The fastest way to get to Jerez is by car via A-381. Note that this route has tolls.
10. Caminito del Rey
• Distance: 103 km (64 miles) – 1 hour and 32 minutes
Caminito del Rey is one of the most unique hiking trails in the province of Malaga. Why? It’s said that this path was once the most dangerous in the world, and when you actually do this trail, you’ll understand why. Nowadays, you can still see the old path.
It’s a fun outdoor day trip from Estepona if you aren’t scared of heights. There are parts of the trail where you walk and see what’s underneath.
However, the landscapes are incredibly beautiful, and you can expect to see outstanding gorges, canyons, and valleys. Also, if you’re lucky, you might spot birds of prey and other small animals.
You can book your tickets and take the path at your own pace; however, I do recommend booking a guided tour, and that’s exactly what I did.
I enjoyed the tour guide’s explanations and learned much about the history, fauna and flora throughout the walk.
🚗 How to get from Estepona to Caminito del Rey: Getting to Caminito del Rey from Estepona by public transport is almost impossible, so the best way to do it is by car or taking a guided tour.
Places I wouldn’t visit on a day trip from Estepona
Granada
There are excursions from Estepona to Granada, but I don’t recommend them because you won’t have much time to explore everything Granada offers. If you’re only interested in the Alhambra, it might be worth it for you, but if you want to explore beyond the Alhambra, I recommend staying at least one night.
Tangier
Similarly to Granada, you’ll spend a lot of time travelling and little time discovering the destination. In the case of Tangier, you also need to take a ferry and pass a country border, which adds up to your travelling time.
If you want to discover Tangier, go for a minimum of a full day.
Conclusion on the best excursions from Estepona
There are many gorgeous places to visit near Estepona, so whether you want to immerse yourself in nature, sip a glass of wine or discover a new museum or art gallery, you have plenty of options.
Do you have any questions about Estepona or anywhere else on Costa del Sol? Drop them in the comments!
Cristina xx
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Top things to do before visiting Estepona Spain
- Book cheap flights to Malaga-Costa del Sol Airport with Skyscanner.
- Are you looking for accommodation in Estepona? Check out Booking.com
- Discover all the amazing activities you can do in Costa del Sol with Get Your Guide.
- Travelling around Malaga and Costa del Sol? Hire a car with Discover Cars.
- Book travel insurance for your trip. This is a must for any trip! SafetyWing offers flexible travel and health insurance.
