Estepona's casco antiguo is compact, mostly car-free, and well-maintained without feeling sanitised. The characteristic whitewashed walls, terracotta rooftiles, and iron balconies draped with red geraniums are the backdrop to a growing collection of street murals that have made the old town unexpectedly famous. Wandering to find all of them takes the better part of a morning, with a map available from the tourist office on Plaza de las Flores.
The main square, Plaza de las Flores, is pleasant for coffee — a standard Spanish plaza with orange trees and a central fountain, surrounded by the kinds of bars that have been there for decades. The market building on Calle Antonia Guerrero does fresh produce in the mornings; the covered fish market near the port sells the morning's catch. The old town is about 10 minutes' walk from both the beach and the marina.