There are many ways to tour Estepona, although the truth is that there are fewer and fewer. Let me explain. The new city design focuses on pedestrian comfort. In addition to the traffic restrictions imposed in the historic center, the old national road that used to run parallel along the entire coast of the municipality will now be converted into an extensive promenade. Driving in Estepona becomes an unnecessary odyssey for those who visit us. Ideally, park the car where you can and forget about it for a while. This way I can take the opportunity to propose you a walk through Estepona“con musho arte“. In Estepona, works of art flourish in the streets like plants. They are everywhere.
Estepona has different routes that will allow you to walk through it enjoying the art and culture that permeate its streets. These routes are the route of murals, the route of sculptures and the route of poetry, which are an ideal way to get to know the city following its trail in a pleasant tour of the historic center and neighborhoods that are not as crowded but just as recommendable.
In this post I will focus on the route of the artistic murals, consisting of more than 60 works that adorn the facades of homes and public buildings with the colorful and talented artists, with different themes and reflecting everyday aspects of daily life, local traditions, familiar faces and abstractions. A good plan to dive into the dreamlike world proposed by these artists of the brush (or with these dimensions, of the brush).
Since when are there murals in Estepona?
The route of the murals emerged in 2012 as an initiative of the city council financed by private companies, being La Caixa the first collaborator. Subsequently, more murals have been made with the same formula and an artistic mural contest has been created, which is now in its second edition, and from which ten murals are chosen to be painted on the streets.
Who are the authors of the murals in Estepona?
Among the artists who have participated with their works in this route are well-known national artists such as graffiti artists Nano4814, Fabio López, Efran Calderón, El Chorro Arts, Ángel Caballero and Alejandro Gambín; local artists such as Francisco Alarcón, Encarnación De Hoyos, Javier Infantes and Conchi Álvarez and international artists such as the French Elodie Arshak ‘Dourone”, the Argentinean ‘Zosen’, the Japanese Mina Hamada, the German Anne Marthe Mewes and the South African Samantha Jordaan among others.
There are also artists who have repeated with several murals such as Curro Leyton from Malaga with his different works inspired by the figure of Don Quixote and the hyperrealist painter José Fernández Ríos with authentic jewels, for my taste.
Park the car
Step by step
I propose you a little game, choose on the map provided by the Delegation of Tourism on its website (link in the button below) a series of random numbers and build the path that will make you know the city and its people. Regardless of the murals you have chosen, you will discover areas of the city that will surprise you.
The 7 best artistic murals in Estepona (ordered from worst to best, although all of them are very good).
If you are one of those people who do not leave anything to chance, I recommend 7 artistic murals that you cannot miss because of their quality and the prestige of the author. There goes my personal bet in reverse order of my preferences:
7- The blue phase of the curious little bird.
The Brazilian artist Andre Farkas ‘Treco‘ won second prize in the 2nd International Art Mural Contest with this work, which was executed on a building on the extension of San Lorenzo Avenue. His use of colors and shapes stands out. In addition to the winks that this work makes to the Malaga painter Pablo Picasso and the artistic avant-garde of the first decades of the twentieth century. I advise caution if you try to imitate the posture of the figure, do not break your neck because you would not be the first.
6- The forest of wonders.
Located at the top of Calle Terrazas and created by one of the most dynamic street art couples of the moment, Zosen and Mina Hamada. It was the winning mural of the I mural contest organized by the city council. It is a burst of colors and abstract shapes that illuminate a residential building. You still find grandparents sitting on neighborhood benches staring in wonder and animatedly discussing the meaning of those drawn shapes.
5- Airs of music.
By the author Blanca Larrauri, it is located in the Plaza de San Fernando. This mural depicts musical notes and various instruments paying tribute to the Band for its 75th anniversary. Several generations of young Esteponeros lived its boom and there was a time when being part of the music band gave you a popularity in high school typical of the 80’s movies.
4- The fall.
This mural by the Russian artist Vyacheslav Gunin ‘Sav45’ won the II International Contest of Artistic Murals”. It represents in a mystical way the woman who dreams of nature. The quality of his work has been recognized with this award and for that alone he deserves to be on this list. It is located in the Isabel Simón neighborhood.
3- Six seconds of darkness.
It is on the facade of a residential building next to the Plaza de Toros. The author is Ana Torralba, an artist from Santander also known as “Anula Mixtura”. The mural is 32 meters high, naïf and pop style and represents a lighthouse hit by the waves of a rough sea. Its title refers to the six seconds it takes for the lighthouse light to turn around and illuminate the sea again. More than one has gone to time how long our lighthouse takes, you can be next.
2- Watering the garden.
Work of the artist José Fernández Ríos, hyperrealist painter and sculptor, who plays with real and drawn elements giving rise to a curious trompe l’oeil: A girl watering with a hose the tree planted in front of the facade where the mural is located. It is located on Avda. Andalucía in front of the Padre Manuel Cultural Center. It is one of the most popular.
1- Fishing day.
It is another work of the artist José Fernández Ríos. It is drawn on the facade of six separate buildings. It is one of the largest murals in Spain and has become a source of pride for the people of Estepona. The best way to observe it is to place yourself at a marked point on the sidewalk and you will enjoy a beautiful image of the different murals lined up to reflect a fisherman in action catching his prey.
You already know my list of the must-see murals, I hope it doesn’t mislead you because there are a hundred great works of art around the city that don’t detract and could be on this list but I had to set a limit for myself.
Finally, I would like to remind you that every walk involves a well-deserved rest, so you can do it in the middle of the tour, in any neighborhood bar with a refreshing drink and with less inflated prices than in the more touristy parts.
You just need to keep observing, and with this walk that I propose, in addition to taking you a broader perspective of the city will allow you to know the day to day life of the genuine Esteponeros and even interact with some of them. Who gives more.
