# Santa Margarita Costa Del Sol



## ecoera (Nov 6, 2019)

Does any members have any experience of the Santa Margarita area of the Costa Del Sol. Can you say what amenities are available there and nearby, such as shops, petrol, restaurants etc. Much appreciated.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

ecoera said:


> Does any members have any experience of the Santa Margarita area of the Costa Del Sol. Can you say what amenities are available there and nearby, such as shops, petrol, restaurants etc. Much appreciated.


Hi. 

Can you be a bit more specific? There are two that I know of (Marbella and La Linea) and there may be more.


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## ecoera (Nov 6, 2019)

jimenato said:


> Hi.
> 
> Can you be a bit more specific? There are two that I know of (Marbella and La Linea) and there may be more.


La Linea


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## ecoera (Nov 6, 2019)

@jimenato, do you know the area and can comment?


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

ecoera said:


> La Linea


Some years since I was there so it might have changed.

It's a new town (last 20 years) so it's maturing quickly - there wasn't much there in terms of facilities 10 years ago.

You would need to drive to La Linea, which is very close, to get to major shops. La Linea is large town with everything - albeit not to everyone's taste.

Palmones is a major shopping area - 20 minutes drive.

I imagine that there will by now be a fair few tapas type bars and restaurants but for anything a bit special you would have to drive. 

Very handy for Gibraltar and the N340 - and therefore Estepona, Algeciras etc.

I would expect there to be a petrol station there else La Linea is very handy.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

A kind of dormitory town for Gibraltar, as many workers on the Rock commute from Spanish mainland. Maybe nicer and less run down than La Linea.


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Theres a new docu series on Netflix about La Linea called Sombre de Narcos, I would watch that before moving into the area, it's dodgy.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

Roy C said:


> Theres a new docu series on Netflix about La Linea called Sombre de Narcos, I would watch that before moving into the area, it's dodgy.


There are perfectly respectable, safe areas even in La Linea. Like most towns. You could make a similar film about drug gangs and shootouts in parts of Manchester, Birmingham or Dublin.

Anyway, the massive police effort to clean up La Linea has merely moved the narcos further up the coast. Sabinillas and Estepona beaches are favoured landing spots now. Last week the GC intercepted two narco launches on two separate occasions and in one incident a GC car was rammed by a narco 4x4. Narcos land and unload on Estepona beaches in broad daylight. There have been arson attacks and murders including a shoot out in the early evening a year or so ago involving a guy eating on the terrace of a restaurant. Nineteen shots were fired, luckily nobody was hurt although the target ran away but was chased, caught, bundled into a car and found the next day with his throat cut in Algeciras. Popular beach bar Heaven was burned down and the owner later shot dead as he left a church after his daughter’s first Communion.
All in quiet, respectable Estepona...

The main traffic is tobacco and hash. Very many people round here buy cheap tobacco and cigarettes, indirectly supplied by the narcos. And of course marijuana and cannabis are easily available.

La Linea has areas of extreme poverty. Unemployment is very high especially for the young. I read in El Pais that around 50% of the locals work for the narcos in one way or other. They are heroes to half of the town, not villains. And if there were no demand there would be no supply.
Policing this type of crime takes up huge manpower and resources and of course costs money. Maybe it’s time to decriminalise like Portugal.

So back to the OP, Sta. Margarita is no better or worse than most places along the coast although I wouldn’t want to live there. Good place to live if you’re a smoker or pothead.


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## jimenato (Nov 21, 2009)

mrypg9 said:


> There are perfectly respectable, safe areas even in La Linea. Like most towns. You could make a similar film about drug gangs and shootouts in parts of Manchester, Birmingham or Dublin.
> 
> Anyway, the massive police effort to clean up La Linea has merely moved the narcos further up the coast. Sabinillas and Estepona beaches are favoured landing spots now. Last week the GC intercepted two narco launches on two separate occasions and in one incident a GC car was rammed by a narco 4x4. Narcos land and unload on Estepona beaches in broad daylight. There have been arson attacks and murders including a shoot out in the early evening a year or so ago involving a guy eating on the terrace of a restaurant. Nineteen shots were fired, luckily nobody was hurt although the target ran away but was chased, caught, bundled into a car and found the next day with his throat cut in Algeciras. Popular beach bar Heaven was burned down and the owner later shot dead as he left a church after his daughter’s first Communion.
> All in quiet, respectable Estepona...
> ...


I rather like La Linea. I'd far sooner live there than Snottygrande.


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## mrypg9 (Apr 26, 2008)

jimenato said:


> I rather like La Linea. I'd far sooner live there than Snottygrande.


As would i .

I’d rather live in San Pedro than Puerto Banus or Marbella.

Sobre los gustos......


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## Isobella (Oct 16, 2014)

mrypg9 said:


> As would i .
> 
> I’d rather live in San Pedro than Puerto Banus or Marbella.
> 
> Sobre los gustos......


We had a place in San Pedro, I prefer it to Banus. Marbella centro is mainly Spanish. Just the satellite suburbs that has all the foreigners. I would draw the line at living in La Linea though, probably head for the hills in Sotogrande. If i had to make the choice between 2.

Estate agents used to call San Pedro the Chelsea of the CDS can't remember what they called Banus. I know some names I could call it


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## Love Karma (Oct 10, 2018)

Isobella said:


> We had a place in San Pedro, I prefer it to Banus. Marbella centro is mainly Spanish. Just the satellite suburbs that has all the foreigners. I would draw the line at living in La Linea though, probably head for the hills in Sotogrande. If i had to make the choice between 2.
> 
> Estate agents used to call San Pedro the Chelsea of the CDS *can't remember what they called Banus.* I know some names I could call it


Didn't they say the B was silent


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

Love Karma said:


> Didn't they say the B was silent


Brilliant


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## Roy C (Sep 29, 2012)

mrypg9 said:


> There are perfectly respectable, safe areas even in La Linea. Like most towns. You could make a similar film about drug gangs and shootouts in parts of Manchester, Birmingham or Dublin.
> 
> Anyway, the massive police effort to clean up La Linea has merely moved the narcos further up the coast. Sabinillas and Estepona beaches are favoured landing spots now. Last week the GC intercepted two narco launches on two separate occasions and in one incident a GC car was rammed by a narco 4x4. Narcos land and unload on Estepona beaches in broad daylight. There have been arson attacks and murders including a shoot out in the early evening a year or so ago involving a guy eating on the terrace of a restaurant. Nineteen shots were fired, luckily nobody was hurt although the target ran away but was chased, caught, bundled into a car and found the next day with his throat cut in Algeciras. Popular beach bar Heaven was burned down and the owner later shot dead as he left a church after his daughter’s first Communion.
> All in quiet, respectable Estepona...
> ...


Well Mary I'm sure you're right about Birmingham, Dublin and Manchester, I wouldn't know as none of them have a draw for me  
I only commented on what I've seen on television and personally I don't like the look of the place maybe it's because I neither smoke or am a pothead. I do like the mayor there, an independent from the town and seems totally dedicated to improving it.
Snotty Grande, San Pedeo or banus does nothing for me either as I say, each to their own. I do like Estepona and remember the Mr Noodle incident etc but I feel less threatened there than I do in La Linea.
I prefer back up in the hills where I am and driving down to the coast as and when.
Hope to see you soon.


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