Increasingly, Andalucia is welcoming a different type of tourist: it's no longer the beach, fun and nightclub enthusiasts herded into Southern Spain by tour operators catering for the party animals of the 18 to 30 age range. More and more hikers, climbers, cyclists and nature lovers are coming to the Costa del Sol to enjoy activity-based holidays. Although much of the new coastal path in the western Costa del Sol has already been completed by other Town Halls, Estepona has fallen behind in the length of the route open to the public that is located in its municipality.
Now Estepona Town Hall is planning three new stretches of coastal path that will connect Hacienda Beach and La Chimenea, the beaches of El Roquero and Doncella and also Punta La Plata. Funding has already been released by Malaga's provincial authority, the Diputación, to begin works early next year on the next phase of the “Senda Litoral” project that will eventually span the entire coastal length of Malaga Province.
Ana Velasco, Estepona's councillor for infrastructure and tourism, said that the plans envisaged a 310-metre long boardwalk that connects Hacienda Beach to La Chimenea. This would cost ca. 449,000 euros, according to the budget set for this part of the plan.
Some parts of the Punta la Plata section of the walkway will be on stilts due to the unevenness of the ground. The 275-metre long elevated walkway will cost 406,000 euros to build.
Along other parts of Estepona's coastline, developers currently constructing new homes are responsible for building sections of the new coastal path. This is a part of their planning permission agreements they must fulfil.
Estepona Town Hall also received funding for the stretch of coastal path that links El Roquero and Doncella Beach. This part of the walkway is the easiest to complete, as it only requires levelling the ground and paving it at a cost of ca. 214,000 euros.
For tourists and those hoping to become future residents, the new coastal path will be a major attraction in the western Costa del Sol, linking all of Malaga province's major coastal resorts. Visitors and local people alike will be able to reduce their carbon foot prints, preserving the beautiful landscape of Andalusia's coast for future generations, while enjoying an active lifestyle at the same time.