Nerja area guide: rugged cliffs and sandy coves
Situated around 50 kilometres east of Málaga, Nerja is perhaps one of Andalucía’s best kept secrets. The hordes of visitors who each year come through Málaga airport generally tend to head to the famous resort towns of the Western Costa del Sol, such as Fuengirola, Marbella and Puerto Banús. However, more adventurous types are in for a pleasant reward, venture in the opposite direction towards the Axarquía region and the Eastern Costa del Sol. Built atop beautiful cliffs overlooking the sparkling Mediterranean, Nerja sits between the peaks of the Sierra Almijara and the sea. Those who know Nerja, love it, and with good reason.
Nerja is ideal for those who appreciate rugged coastlines, quaint fishing villages and Spanish culture. Although Nerja has been occupied since the times of the Moors, the Old Town dates back to the 14th century. Since then Nerja has retained its beauty and charm over the centuries – today, it is a delightful resort that abounds with traditional bars and restaurants and is shrouded in an air of satisfied contentment all year round.
The resort's rugged coastline harbours more than 10km of beautiful beaches, bays and coves. The most famous of these is the 'Balcón de Europa' (Balcony of Europe), which is a stunning cliff face that overhangs the beach, divides it into two and attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world. There are palm trees, al fresco cafés and restaurants, plenty of shops and bars and a bustling promenade here, which is the undisputed hub of regional activity. The Balcón de Europa acts like a magnet for the masses during the plentiful sunny days. With the golden sandy beach below, palm trees lining the promenade either side and inviting cafés, restaurants and bars dotted along the cliff-face, it is an idyllic setting for the entire family. Other beaches and coves worthy of note include the Las Alberquillas, the El Pino and the El Cañuelo coves.
Elsewhere, the resort's Playa Burriana beach is great for watersports. The rocky makeup of this stretch of coastline makes it an ideal spot for scuba diving, while windsurfing, canoeing, kayaking and kitesurfing conditions are generally good for much of the year. Then there’s the golf as well. Although the Western Costa del Sol is the true golfer's haven, Nerja and its surrounding region boast a couple of exceptional courses too, including Añoreta Golf in Rincón de la Victoria, Los Moriscos in Motril, and Baviera Golf located just a few miles away in the neighbouring resort of Caleta de Vélez.
The sedate pace of life that is found in Nerja perhaps best encapsulates the town as a whole. It is pretty and peaceful, It is traditional and it is welcoming. Even Nerja Caves, which are a geographically dramatic natural wonder, elicit feelings of peace and awe in equal measure.
Located just a few kilometres inland from the town, the famous caves are Spain's second-most popular tourist attraction after the Prado Museum in Madrid. Only discovered as recently as 1959, these huge underground caverns had lain untouched by the human hand for millennia, hiding pre-historic cave paintings and pieces of wall art that are thought to be some of the oldest ever discovered on the continent. Now a designated National Historic-Artistic Monument, the Nerja Caves provide a brilliant day out that the whole family can enjoy: the haunting beauty of the prehistoric art is matched by the eerie shadows thrown by the huge stalactites and stalagmites that sprout throughout the caves.
And what of Nerja’s nightlife? Nerja being a well-located Spanish beach resort, there are plenty of late night bars and clubs to choose from. However, Nerja by night appears to cater more for Spaniards, older couples and families with very young children than those naturally drawn to places like Marbella and Puerto Banús. Nights out are cheaper, less riotous and more traditional, but there is a smattering of British and Irish-style pubs if you’ve a cultural itch to scratch and thirst to slake.
Beyond the bars, there are some superb restaurants to choose from. Those near to the Balcón de Europa are great, but the real gems are found in and around the Old Town. For something a little different, each summer the Nerja Caves host the International Festival of Music and Dance, a celebration of classical music, ballet and opera that has attracted such star names as Yehudi Menuhin, Kiri Te Kanawa and Paco de Lucía.
A typical old Spanish fishing village with many modern touches, Nerja is highly popular and has an expat community that makes up around a quarter of its population. Drawn by Nerja’s charm and beauty, the residents give the town a truly cosmopolitan feel. It is this mix of divergent communities and traditional Spanish way of life that make Nerja the attractive and popular resort that it is.