From Mijas to Estepona by seafront promenade

When the town councils of Mijas, Marbella and Estepona complete plans for their coastline walkways the three municipalities will be connected by a single promenade running for more than 50 kilometres.

The goal is to connect all three towns on the Costa del Sol via an uninterrupted paseo marítimo that local authorities believe will help boost tourism in all three of the popular resorts.

This coastal pathway is a genuinely fantastic way to travel between the large and small towns in this part of southern Spain and the walk is arguably the best way to see the beautiful shores of the Mediterranean Sea.

Sea and coastal natural wildlife This beautiful seaside paseo provides a perfect setting to observe a diverse array of plant and animal life as the Málaga coast is an area of great biodiversity within the Mediterranean region. The species that reside in the habitat along the path include life forms from the Atlantic Ocean, the subtropics of Northeast Africa and the Straits of Gibraltar. The varied landscape of beaches, cliffs, marshes and rivers provide the habitat for local flora and fauna, and a place for migratory animals to settle or spend time whilst on their seasonal travels.

Keep your eyes peeled for over 30 types of coastal plants, 100 different sea birds, 200 species of fish, 500 sea invertebrates, 150 varieties of seaweed and four kinds of turtles.

Cycling The rules for cycling on the promenade vary from section to section and according to the rules of each town. In some areas, such as Estepona, cyclists are not allowed on the path at all and in others there are strict speed limits to consider. The regulations are clearly signposted and anyone with a bike should check at each stage of the route.

The Mijas to Estepona paseo is part of the Senda Litoral de Málaga (Málaga Coastal Path) a planned project to create a 180km path that will follow the entire coast of Malaga province from Manilva to Nerja. For updated information on every section of the walkway visit: www.sendalitoral.es/en/

General info relating to completed sections: The following phases have been completed with the exception of a few small parts:

• Mijas Costa – 6,1km – La Cala de Mijas to 500m short of Cabopino port boardwalk
• Marbella – 11,8km – Bajadilla fishing port – Marbella town centre – El Ancon – Rio Verde – Puerto Banús – San Pedro
• Estepona – 3,3km – La Rada Beach: Avenida Litoral – Alcazaba Beach
• Casares and Manilva – 7,7km – Sabinillas promenade: Torre Sal headland – Castillo de la Duquesa – Urb. Playa Paraiso

Details relating to certain sections along the route and their status at the end of 2017:

• La Cala de Mijas to municipal boundary 500m from Cabopino – 6km of boardwalk opened in 2015
• Cabopino to Marbella fishing port by Playa el Cable – some sections of path complete including Rio Real and Banana Beach to Funny Beach
• Marbella fishing port to Marbella town centre, El Ancon, Rio Verde, Puerto Banus, Ventura del Mar – extensive section complete; short urban diversion leads to the San Pedro promenade
• San Pedro Promenade – path complete
• Estepona Hotel Atalaya Park to Avenida Litoral (Carrefour) – only isolated sections of path complete
• Estepona La Rada – path complete from Alcazaba Beach to Marina
• Estepona Marina to Buenas Noches – very patchy path
• Casares Costa – path partially complete
• Sabinillas Promenade from Rio Manilva to Castillo de la Duquesa – path complete up to Urb Playa Pariso

Originally written March 2014 and updated by Adam Neale in November 2018