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| Ruinas del Castillo de San Luis |
There is little left to see of the great castle which once stood at the heart of Estepona, and what remains is not now readily apparent, but it is possible to trace the ruins around the high ground. Its construction followed the seizing of the town in 1457 by Enrique IV. He also built new defensive towers along the coast, since, although they had been expelled from Estepona and their domination of the Peninsula was effectively over, the Arabs - mainly Berbers - were still perceived a problem. Pirate raids were not uncommon and if not wildly destructive, at least a great irritant.
From the college, head for the indoor market and the Plaza Casa Cañada, where a small garden has been laid out beneath the walls for visitors to rest among the flowers. The centrepiece of the garden is a rusting old cannon, which was once part of the castle's defences. The existing walls probably date from the 16th century, though they may incorporate some earlier stonework, possibly Moorish.
To see more of the castle, walk around the actual calle Castille, where the wall meets the road. What is left is either hidden by 19th century town houses, or has been blasted away to facilitate the construction of a block of flats. From the flats, a path winds back to the plaza and garden behind the market.
The above text was reproduced from the the book "In Search of Andalucia" by kind permission of the authors David Wood and Chris Wawn. Click here to order your copy from our online book store.
GPS Location: 36º 25' 29'' N 5º 08' 47'' W
Min: 15C