San Pedro de Alcantara, Costa del Sol, Andalucia, Spain

San Pedro de Alcantara, usually referred to as simply San Pedro is often overlooked by tourists due to it's close proximity to the more famous Marbella and Puerto Banus. San Pedro is in fact immediately next to Puerto Banus but many just drive past the outskirts that run parallel with the coastal highway on the way to Estepona.

Originally, the land was an area of intense farming with over 10,000 hectares cultivated. A village was constructed for the farm workers and nearby areas, such as Guadalmina and Cancelada, was also used as dormitory towns for the agricultural laborers. The town retained its farming origins until the early 1920s, when the land was divided and sold.

The town itself makes is a convenient location to holiday or live as it's so close to the major attractions on the Costa del Sol. There is a central plaza / church square where both old and young meet friends and where major events take place.

Just off the main square are several pedestrianized streets with shops and plenty of cafes and restaurants. Much of the retail area has spread out towards the industrial park with new shops and supermarkets lining the route. Thursday is street market day on the outskirts of the town towards the industrial park and attracts plenty of bargain shoppers.

There is a small commercial park about a kilometer from the town center that is adjacent to the coastal highway. It's a handy stop off point and has a Macdonalds, small supermarket an Internet cafe and various small independent retail outlets. Immediately past this is Guadalmina where you can easily walk to the golf course located straight off the highway.

A pleasant walk is from the centre of town to the beachfront along the Avenida del Marques del Duero that is a particularly attractive wide avenue flanked by palm trees. And the modern wide promenade is ideal for continuing your stroll with cafes bars and restaurants along the way.