Route of the murals of Estepona. A tribute to urban art

Culture is one of the attractions of Estepona and in recent years, specifically since 2012, the commitment of this town on the Costa del Sol to paint its façades with murals has turned it into the capital of urban art. Visitors and the curious choose to visit the artistic murals of Estepona, a total of 60 dwellings that have seen how their houses have become artistic exhibitions and which has given rise to the creation of the famous Estepona Mural Route.

These paintings invite you to stroll through the streets of the city, making a beautiful tour appreciating the originality and professionalism of these murals, as well as providing Estepona with an identity sign as a reference point for urban art. The Estepona Mural Route is booming and more and more locals are taking part in this urban art route.

 

SPORT FOR ALL

Located on the façade of the Juan de la Morena sports centre in the city, this mural created by Félix García Álvarez pays homage to sport. It is an artistic work depicting 10 athletes practising different sports such as swimming, running, dancing, weightlifting and stretching. This mural in Estepona is also a call to the importance of practising sport to maintain an optimal state of health while having a pleasant and fun time.

Google Maps

 

ESTEPONA DRESSES IN FLOWERS

Susana Velasco is the author of this artistic mural that belongs to the Estepona mural route. In it we can see a painting in which a girl is stroking a cat on a cobbled street, so typical of the oldest and most central streets of the town.  Moreover, this mural is painted entirely in grey, except for the girl’s dress, which is given a touch of colour. Behind the mural, the church of Santa María de los Remedios can be seen.

Google Maps

 

NOURISH

This beautiful mural on Terrace Street is the work of a South African artist. Full of colour, this work by Samantha Jordaan simulates a tree whose trunk is a girl. The roots that open up under her foot and the birds resting on her branches are the perfect combination of nature and human beings.

Google Maps  

 

WITHOUT NAME

A girl with her eyes closed, a red scarf on her head which is the only shade with a more vivid colour and flowers on her face and back. This mural represents urban art in all its splendour as the work is in dark grey tones, except for the small detail of the scarf. From her position, this long-haired woman appears to be very relaxed and concentrated.

It is the work of El Chorro Arts.

Google Maps

 

THE FALL

Vyacheslav Gunin is the creator of The Fall, an artistic work of urban art that intertwines a woman and nature itself. This artist is a renowned urban painter and in this case, The Fall is a beautiful fresco in the open air in which the female figure, with closed eyes and in a state of apparent peace, seems to find relaxation in nature, hence the flowers and leaves that envelop this woman.

Google Maps

 

WITHOUT NAME

This mural by Alejandro Gambín Vivente depicts a boy sitting at a table, who seems to be looking straight ahead. Next to him is another boy and both are eating and drinking from the items on the table. On the walls there is a socle so typical of Andalusia.

Painted entirely in grey, this mural in Estepona seems to depict the breakfast of two children of about 8 years of age getting ready for their day, with special details such as the tablecloth covering the table.

Google Maps 

 

PASSING MOMENT

The work of the artist Ángel Caballero Rioja, this artistic painting depicts the faces of two girls. One with her eyes open and the other with them closed, with three lines of different colours and a bunch of leaves on top.  Both with long hair, the mural is done in three colours, each representing a different meaning and perhaps the meaning of the mural. The purple colour at the bottom of the mural evokes sensitivity and spirituality, the green colour evokes peace and calm and the blue tone is aimed at feelings.

Google Maps

 

ILLUSION

This painting alludes to its name, Illusion. The author of the painting, José Antonio Barrientos, represents the illusion of a small child. In different shades of blue, in this route of the murals of Estepona we find this fresco with what seems to be the face of a smiling child. The sweetness and innocence of the little ones can be seen in this marvellous work.

Google Maps

 

WITHOUT NAME

A couple formed by a man and a woman, holding hands. This mural WITHOUT NAME by Álex Serna, painted entirely in black and white, draws simpler lines, but in which we can see how this couple are enjoying the beach. Dressed only in swimming trunks and standing, the man and woman stand on the shore looking out to sea, the same sea that covers their feet.

Google Maps 

 

THE BLUE PHASE OF CURIOUS LITTLE BIRDIE

A long mural by André Farkos with very significant details in different shades of blue. It is a work open to interpretation, less realistic, in which two human bodies, but with the heads of birds, are superimposed one on top of the other, one with feet on the ground and the other on the ceiling.

Urban art, as we can see here, is often subject to personal interpretation, but without a doubt, the volume of the painting, the geometric figures and the details in blue with shadows on the feet included in this mural, make it special and leave room for the imagination.

Google Maps

 

FRAGMENTATION OF A SPECIFIC ENVIRONMENT

Montes Sánchez is the artist of this work in which nature is represented in green and its different shades, as well as elements in black and white. Very long leaves that could represent a part of the jungle or of the wildest nature. Like other murals, this painting is widely interpreted, and some believe that the artist is expressing the importance of nature and the planet’s green areas.

Google Maps

 

PHEMINA

It is undoubtedly one of the most original in terms of the representation of a woman. The colouring and the shapes of the lines draw the face of a woman. Its author, Curro Leyton, captivates with this mural in which he expresses the female face. The work, in which we can see beautiful green eyes surrounded by bright colours, is undoubtedly aimed at the transgender community.

Google Maps

 

THE MODERN FISHERMAN

Estepona’s urban art is represented by this set of murals. The latest addition to this list is the Modern Fisherman, by Juan Pineda. In spite of being the last mural to be unveiled, its author represents in this work a Estepona of yesteryear, in which we can see a fishmonger and the different elements of the same such as a boat, sea waves and even a seagull. It is a tribute to the city’s more traditional era, although it uses some more contemporary artistic elements.

Google Maps 

 

4 M

This mural is the work of the artist Miguel González, from Malaga, and represents a ten meter high impressionist portrait of the actress Scarlett Johansson. The painter has dedicated a big portion of his career to portraits, that is why he decided to make this project in 2010 in the facade of the Los Claveles building, on Cristo del Amor street. Considering its size, the real-life look of the eyes and the volume of the lips are truly outstanding.

Google Maps

 

Reflejos del Jardín (Reflections of the garden)

Next to the Orchidarium we find a work from hyperrealism painter José Fernandez Ríos, a beautiful double mural representing palm trees and bouganvillae. It is one of the murals that better blends to its surroundings, because of its realism, it looks as if it were part of the building.

Google Maps

 

Madre amorosa y la mirada de un niño (Loving mother and the look of a child)

It consists on two murals painted in two buildings of the Barriada Primavera neighborhood, from the artist Francisco Alarcón. In Both creations, which feature shades of gray, white and black, the artist wanted to pay homage to the mother figure, on the one side, and to the creativity of the children and the importance of the learning artistic language in the personal development, on the other side.
The realism of the children’s faces is amazing.

Google Maps

 

Ángel el Buceador (Angel the diver)

Work of the French artist Eric Aman. The modern style work represents a young person wearing a bathing suit that traverses the brick wall to enter the building’s facade.
The artist, among other awards, has received the Grand Cross of the Order of Saint Sylvester, is a Knight of the Italian Republic and a member of the International Modern Arts Academy of Rome. It is one of the most original works because it plays with the sense of space at it looks as the diver is really coming out of the building.

Google Maps

 

La Casa de la Buena Gente (The house of the good people)

This 80 square meter mural from the artist Conchi Álvarez represents characters from the neighborhood, besides being and interactive work where people can play with their perspective to look as if they were part of it when being photographed next to it.

Google Maps

 

Siglo XXI (21st century)

Mural by Néstor Prada representing landmark places of Estepona such as the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios (Chuch of Our Lady of the Remedies), the Sierra Mermeja, the sea and the produce from the land.

Google Maps

 

La poda de la Buganvilla (Prunning of the bouganvillae)

It is a mural covering an area of 300 square meters that occupies four facades of the school building, by the artist José Fernández Ríos, from Jaén. It represents, in hyperrealism, a gardener taking care of a bouganvillie, looking for the visual of effect of “confusion”, given that, for the pedestrians, the gardener looks as a real person.

Google Maps

 

Fundación Antonia Guerrero (Antonia Guerrero Foundation)

From the artist Joaquín Aguilera, a homage to Antonia Guerrero and her work in favor of the education of the women of Estepona. The mural represents the image of a child going up the staircase of the Iglesia de los Remedios (Church of the Remedies), with the ascension up the stairs resembling the levels of education one acquires through life. The doves of the upper portion represent the freedom attained by women. There is also a bust that pays homage to Antonia Guerrero.

It is good to know the mural’s explanation, given that it is difficult to identify the levels of depth of the things represented in it.

Google Maps

 

Tiempos de Claridad (Times of clarity)

Mural by the artist Ana Cecilia Salinas that pays homage to the city’s natural landscapes. It was made in two perspectives. It is a beautiful and colorful mural that represents the landscape seen from a window. Unfortunately, for the mural to fit perfectly it has to be looked at from a higher perspective, which is why from the street it looks a bit out of perspective.

Google Maps

 

La Huerta de Irene (Irene’s vegetable garden)

A colorist painting by Encarna de Hoyos, artist from Estepona, where agriculture and several yellow chicks are the main characters.

Google Maps

 

Aires de Música (Airs of music)

This mural pays homage to the Banda Municipal de Música (Municipal Music Band) for its 75th anniversary and represents various instruments and musical notes to pay tribute to the work made by he municipality to maintain the band since its early beginnings. Its has been painted in a building of the San Fernando square by the artist Blanca Larrauri. It takes up the entire height of the building, forcing us to step back in order to completely appreciate it.

Google Maps

 

Almas del Mar (Souls of the sea)

Another work by Blanca Larrauri. This mural, located in a building in the prolongation of Avenida San Lorenzo, is a homage to the sea nature of Estepona. Without a doubt, in a coastal city such as Estepona, it was necessary to have a mural such as this, which would feature the sea origins of the land. One of the best characteristic s of this mural is the boat reflected in the water.

Google Maps

 

Regando el jardín (Watering the garden)

The artist, José Fernández Ríos, realistically recreates a young girl playing in a garden while watering the tree planted on the street. Together with “Día de pesca (Fishing day)”, this is one of the most eye-catching murals of the entire route because of its originality, size and realism. You would definitely want to take a picture of yourself under the water that comes out of the hose.

Google Maps

 

Keep on tracking

Work by artist Juan Abia Presa, also known as “Nano4814”. This work combines figurative and abstract art and introduces street art and graffiti. “Keep on tracking” is an expression that might mean “walking with steady feet”, although considering the legs of the “thing” it is very doubtful its walk is steady and stable. It was painted over an eight story building in La Mantilla street, in the neighborhood of Mar y Sierra, and it was sponsored by the Council of Malaga through a 10.000 euro collaboration.

Google Maps

 

Día de pesca (Fishing day)

Mural done by the artist José Fernández Ríos. It occupies the facade of six buildings of this emblematic neighborhood, for a total area of almost 1.000 square meters, which makes it the largest artistic mural in Spain. It was made with exterior acrylic paints and varnish, using the trompe l’oeil technique to play with different perspectives and recreate a sequence in which the fisherman throws the fishing rod and catches a fish.

Without a doubt, these is the crown jewel of the route. It is amazing the precision with which the artist managed to align the facades of the 5 buildings to make on piece.

Google Maps

 

Estepona Bermeja (Auburn Estepona)

30 meter artistic mural by the artist Ana Cecilia Salinas. It is work allegoric to the city where there are also references to the world of chess due to its closeness to the “Plaza del Ajedrez” (Chess Square).
The predominant color is auburn, a shade that resembles the ground of the Sierra Bermeja.

Google Maps

 

Pasen y Vean (Come and see)

Work of the local artist Elena Aguilera in collaboration with the painters Alejandro García and Manuel Aguilera. This creation, located at the Goya street, has as a theme the circus world and the childhood, and it is noticeable because of its ethereal aesthetics and the moving feel it provides through the representation of trapeze artists performing stunts under the circus tent. The work mixes very diffused shades of acrylic and oil paints over a background of plastic paint to achieve the volatile effect that characterizes this piece.

Google Maps

 

Una Flor de Futuro (A flower of the future)

Mural located at the Nuestra Señora de Los Remedios street, by the local artist J.F. Ríos. It is a realistic painting that features the sea and a large flower. It represents, according to the author, the aesthetic renovation that the city is going through with the mural project.

Google Maps

 

Salartij

Mural done by the Moraga collective. It is formed by two 5 meter metallic pieces inserted in the facade of building number 12 of this neighborhood that recreate two salamanders.

Google Maps

 

Azul y Plata (Blue and silver)

Mural inspired in the aquatic life and done by the Moraga collective. Its name comes from the contrast of the blue and the silver of the fish. It is an original mural because it is no only a drawing or a painting, it features two pieces embedded into the building, which shine when the sun hits them giving them a special charm.

Google Maps

 

Quijote del Siglo XXI (21st century Don Quixote)

On January of the present year, to commemorate the fourth centenary of the death of Cervantes, Curro Leyton created this vast mural in the Puerta del Mar Institute. A very original painting and a fine adaptation of the classic work of Cervantes to the current aesthetics, featuring, of course, the windmills.

Google Maps

 

San Isidro Labrador (Saint Isidore the Labourer)

Estepona pays homage to its patron saint in this work by Laura Larrauni, located very close to the mural called “Regando el jardín”. In this painting we can see Saint Isidore surrounded by scenes from a typical romeria (religious pilgrimage).

Google Maps

 

Sin memoria no hay historia (No history without memory)

This work by Joaquín Aguilera is formed by two murals that are reminiscent of the fishing past of the neighborhood where it is located.

Google Maps

 

TIMES OF CLARITY (TIEMPOS DE CLARIDAD)

‘Tiempos de claridad’ is the third mural by Ana Cecilia Salinas. This work seeks to be a tribute to Estepona’s natural landscape and is created in two different perspectives.

Google Maps

 

IN MEMORIAM

This mural, 328 square feet in size, is dedicated to refugees as a way of making people aware of the migration situation that Europe is experiencing.

Google Maps

 

6 SEGUNDOS DE OSCURIDAD (6 SECONDS OF DARKNESS)

This work represents a lighthouse surrounded by a choppy sea. It covers 1,377 square feet and is made in a naive pop style. Its title refers to the six seconds during which the sea is dark until it is illuminated again by the Punta Doncella Lighthouse located near the mural.

Google Maps

 

ANTONIA GUERRERO, SUEÑO DE LIBERTAD (ANTONIA GUERRERO, DREAM OF FREEDOM)

Mural that pays tribute to the struggle for gender equality. The painting represents two figures, on the one side a woman, who incarnates a young girl Antonia Guerrero who dreams of being able to study, and on the other, is a goldfinch, the symbol of her desires for freedom.

Google Maps

 

DESDE EL MAR (FROM THE SEA)

This is a hyperrealist style architectural trompe l’oeil. In it a portico can be seen and in the background, a marina that includes all the elements that appear in the city’s coat of arms.

Google Maps

 

QUIJOTE EN EL GUERNICA (QUIJOTE IN GUERNICA)

This is replica of the famous painting by Picasso, but with a hidden secret so that visitors are entertained, since you have to find a Quijote hidden among its elements.

Google Maps

 

EL BOSQUE DE LAS MARAVILLAS (THE FOREST OF WONDERS)

This Argentine-Japanese mural is a colourful vertical painting where a very sunny day on the beach can be seen.

Google Maps

 

SIN TITULO (UNTITLED)

This mural represents the usual hustle and bustle of an Estepona neighbourhood during the summer months.

Google Maps

 

HOLA (HI)

This mural won the Award for Young Estepona Artists at the 1st International Estepona Murals Competition in 2017.

Google Maps

 

LA IMAGEN VUELTA (THE IMAGE RETURNS)

This mural is a work by Francisco Clemente, who is a creative member of The Richard Chanin Foundation and its main characteristic is that it is an abstract work that captivates all who see it.

Google Maps

 

LA LUNA (THE MOON)

This mural is a work by Dadi Dreucol. The particular feature of this work is that, in addition to using a test card as the Moon, a bearded, semi-nude man also appears in the painting, representing a person who does not let themselves be influenced by established laws.

Google Maps

 

LLEGANDO A TU DESTINO (ARRIVING AT YOUR DESTINATION)

Even though it is painted solely and exclusively with a mixture of blue, orange, white and black, the placement and the quality of the brush strokes make this work an amazing mural. It should also be said that DOURONE are Fabio López (Madrid) and Elodie Arshak (France).

Google Maps

 

PARAÍSO GOLF (GOLF PARADISE)

A balance between abstraction and figurative art, the work represents a golf course full of trees and with two floating dog heads.

Google Maps

 

MUSAS (MUSES)

The work of this graffiti artist is without a doubt very original and with a large amount of details and quality. Not for nothing does his work have references ranging from comics to cinema or photography.

Google Maps

 

JUMP INTO BLUE

This is a work of great realism where several bathers can be seen jumping from different trampolines and in different perspectives.

Google Maps

 

FREAKS

This is one of the most fun murals on the entire route. Pay special attention to the “mum” tattoo and the sailor pointing to the recently caught fish.

Google Maps

 

AGUA

This is the first mural in braille in Spain. This work combines touch reading with pictograms. It is 23 feet wide by 6.5 feet high and also represents various dolphins in the ocean as a symbol of seafaring Estepona.

Google Maps

 

PÓRTICOS DEL CIELO (PORTICOS OF THE SKY)

Porticos of the Sky is a mural by José Fernández Ríos. This work is of a building with a large window that looks out onto a forest. This hyperrealist style work plays with architecture that simulates that the building is hollow and combines it with vegetation.

Google Maps

 

MURAL HISTÓRICO del S.XIX (MURAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE 19th CENTURY)

This a mural painting from the 19th century that belongs to the old Town Hall. In this work, several volutes and elements can be seen that framed a plaque in honour of the 1812 Constitution of Cádiz.

Google Maps

 

LA ÚLTIMA CENA (THE LAST SUPPER)

This is an interpretation of the work of Da Vinci in the artist’s own style, which gives the work a more modern and minimalist aspect, since it plays with perspective and colours.

Google Maps

 

LEYTON

The purpose of this mural is to awaken the imagination of citizens who look at it, since the author uses lines and shadows that seem casual, the result of which is that each person who looks at the mural will have their own view of the work, since it will depend on where they stop to look at it.

Google Maps

 

FRESCOS DE LA CASA MONDÉJAR del S.XVIII (FRESCOES OF THE MONDÉJAR HOUSE from the 18th century)

This ia mural painting from the 18th century located in a historic house. It is a Baroque work where geometric, zoomorphic, anthropomorphic and plant motifs can be seen, which has aroused the interest of experts.

Google Maps

 

ATLANTAS

This mural represents a woman from classical Greece who represents femininity as a fundamental pillar of life, holding the world in her hands. The work has a surface area of 558 square feet.

Google Maps

 

‘Evocación Nazarí’ (Nazarí Evocation)

Recalls the representative elements of monuments as important as The Alhambra of Granada, The Alcazaba of Málaga or the mythical city of Medina Azahara.

Google Maps

 

Download de map with the murals locations

 

28 things you cannot miss in Estepona

Tapas route Estepona. the best bars for having a beer and a glass of wine

Enjoy the beauty of orchids and other tropical species in the biggest orchidarium of Europe in Estepona

Estepona monuments and other places of interest

 

WHERE TO STAY

The best option for staying near Estepona and discovering the murals route is, undoubtedly, Fuerte Group Hotels.  The chain has branches where you can enjoy the best of each area throughout the province, in addition to its services. Its more than 60 years of experience are the best guarantee. Marbella or Torrox are some sites where you can find this amazing accommodation.