Falling In Love with Estepona | A Biophilic City in Bloom

Last week, I fell a little bit in love with a town. Estepona surprised me in the best way.

I didn’t expect to be so enchanted by its energy, but there’s something about it that just feels good. And as someone obsessed with nature-connected spaces, I knew it wasn’t just the sunshine or the sea air. Estepona is a living, breathing example of biophilic design on a city scale.

From the moment you start wandering through the historic centre, you feel it: this is a place where nature isn’t just decoration, it’s part of the town’s heartbeat.

Plants are everywhere. I mean everywhere. Not just in parks, but climbing façades, spilling out of clay pots, hanging from balconies, and tucked into street corners like little green surprises. Every street feels like a curated garden path, and yet it’s all so natural, so inviting.

Apparently, this isn’t just a happy accident. The town actually has a policy, yep, the municipality plants and maintains thousands of flower pots throughout the centre. Each street even has its own color theme! And those pots lining the façades in my photos? Totally typical. Estepona has truly earned its nickname: “The Garden of the Costa del Sol.”

And it’s not just the potted plants! I came across parks that felt like tiny urban jungles, lush, diverse, layered. Giant palms, banana-like leaves, thick-canopy trees with incredible sculptural trunks (I mean, look at that bottle-shaped beauty I snapped!). There’s so much texture and life, it’s like the town breathes through its plants.

One of my favorite spots was near the Orchidarium - a little urban park that felt like a green sanctuary tucked right into the city. The layering of tall palms, fragrant blooms, tropical leaves, and flowing fountains made it the perfect sensory pause. People were sitting, chatting, wandering slowly… It felt like a shared exhale.

Nature as a public offering, how beautiful is that?

Even walking along the beach promenade, there’s this gorgeous contrast: the clean lines of the sea meeting the organic chaos of palm fronds and blooming shrubs. Everything is softened by nature. You’re constantly surrounded by curves, colors, and textures that remind you - you’re alive, and the Earth is too.

And then there's the architecture. I was smitten by the earthy, terracotta-toned buildings, many of them with Arabic touches, arched windows, tiled courtyards, and lattice details. It’s like the homes and hotels are designed to breathe with the landscape. Natural ventilation, shaded patios, and materials that belong in the climate. No sterile white boxes here. Instead: warmth, groundedness, and a touch of romance.

The best part? None of it felt forced. Estepona has managed to integrate biophilic elements in a way that feels organic, rooted in culture and climate, not trend-driven. It’s not trying too hard, and that’s exactly what makes it so magical.

A Little Biophilic Takeaway

As a designer, I’m always looking at how places make us feel. And Estepona reminded me that when nature is woven into our everyday surroundings through plants, materials, airflow, light, we naturally feel more at ease, more joyful, more human.

Whether it’s a leafy café courtyard, a breeze slipping through terracotta arches, or a potted geranium brightening up a narrow street… it all adds up. To beauty. To belonging. To well-being.

So yes, Estepona, you’ve officially raised the bar.

And inspired me to dream even bigger for our cities, homes, and spaces.