El Velerin - Estepona Eastern districts
By Sinéad Mangan-Mc Hale
El Velerín is a small suburb (Barriada) east of El Padrón. The original Barriada is adjacent to the mountain side of the coast road. Low-density modern properties are located on the coastal side, making it ideal for visitors looking to enjoy the beach and path of the Mediterranean coastline.
The district is bounded by two rivers flowing down from the Las Reales de Sierras Bermeja mountains into the Mediterranean Sea: the Río del Velerín and the stream known as the Arroyo de las Cańas.
BEACHES
Three beaches stretch along the El Velerín district: Playa El Velerín, Playa del Castor, and Playa Arroyo de las Cañas. The beaches are in secluded positions away from the main tourist beaches offering visitors a quieter beach experience. Beach visitors have access to restrooms, but apart from that, there are limited facilities; most importantly, there are no lifeguarding services or accessibility facilities for individuals with a disability. There is a free car park within a reasonable distance of each beach.
The three beaches are typically narrow with dark grey sand and pebbles, giving a slightly more rugged but equally enjoyable beach experience. On Playa El Velerín, as an added attraction, on the landside, there are groups of tall reeds and trees providing shade when needed. The sea is calm with low waves and is conducive to snorkelling and scuba diving. The beaches are also a popular fishing area and visitors will see locals and visitors setting up their fishing rods for late night or early morning fishing. Read more about all Estepona beaches and listing of all Estepona Beach Bars (Chiringuitos).
RESTAURANTS
A popular eating place in El Velerín is the Chirinquito Torre Velerín, located on the beach near the Torre El Velerín. It serves traditional Spanish food, Western food, and, of course, a variety of refreshments. Also popular is the Dominion Beach Bar, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, offering a full range of traditional tapas and main meals.
Historical Landmarks - Watchtower and Water Wheel
The Torre El Velerín is one of seven watch towers along the Estepona coastline. It is named after the Río Del Velerín, the river located slightly to the west of the tower. It is a circular watch tower with a single opening at a high level, similar in appearance to the other towers in the vicinity. More about Torre El Velerín
The Noria de Hacienda, a historical landmark, is located near the Hacienda Beach urbanisation. It is an old water station water wheel that fell into disuse around 1965. During its operation, it supplied two nearby farms. A noria is a traditional water wheel with buckets attached to its rim for raising water from a stream into irrigation canals.
COASTAL PATH - SENDA LITORAL
Visitors can enjoy the coastal side of El Velerín via the Senda Litoral (Coastal Path). When complete, this walkway will enable visitors to walk along the entire Costa del Sol coastline from Nerja to near Sotogrande in the south. The path gives visitors easy access to the beaches within El Velerín district. From here, it is possible to walk or cycle into Estepona town along the coastal path. The path is very popular as a hiking, running, or cycling trail.
URBANISATIONS
Several well-established urbanisations in the El Velerín district include Dominion Beach, a beachfront residential complex built in stages from the late eighties to the early nineties, reflecting typical Andalucian character. The more recently built Velaya complex offers a blend of apartments and bungalows set on the frontline of the beach. In addition to stand-alone villas along the El Velerín coastline, there are some apartment complexes. Hacienda Beach complex offers swimming pools, a padel court, and direct access to the beach at the front of the complex. Another well-established beachfront residential complex is Bahía El Velerín, offering swimming pools and well-maintained gardens.
Visitors can rent villas or apartments in these complexes, as well as several stand-alone villas available for holiday rentals, by contacting local Agentes Inmobiliarios (real estate agents) and holiday booking agents such as Booking.com and Airbnb. This enables visitors to enjoy the beauty of the area within a settled community.
Bus Service
There are also public bus services passing Playa de Punta Plata: L-79 Estepona - Marbella to and from Marbella town, La Cañada Shopping centre and Marbella Bus Station. These is also the E-3 Microbus (only four services a day) to and from Estepona town.
The L-79 Estepona - Marbella bus stops in this district are located at El Velerin (4107) near the village by the pedestrian overbridge. Timetable and live wait times.
Car Hire, Taxi and Transfers
In addition to hiring a car in Estepona, Malaga Airport, or Gibraltar Airport, Estepona taxis and several firms offer private transfers by minibus car or limousine to and from the airport and the surrounding areas. Bolt and Uber Apps also work within the district.
For those who want to enjoy more of the sights of Andalucía, the district is situated close to the A-7 coastal highway and within a short distance of the AP-7 toll road. This road is typically quieter, but there are toll booths at Manilva, San Pedro and Calahonda in both directions – tolls can be paid in cash, by credit card, or VIA-T (non-stopping) so visitors can easily access destinations on either side of Estepona. Along the coast to the west, these include Sotogrande, Gibraltar, Tarifa and the golden sand beaches of Costa de la Luz. Along the coast to the east, these include Marbella and Malaga. They can also explore the inland villages of Casares and Gaucin on the road to Ronda. Not forgetting the magnificent cities of Seville, Cordoba and Granada.
NEIGHBOURING DISTRICTS
The neighbouring district to the west is El Padrón
The neighbouring district to the east is El Pirata
