Nerja tourist information

320 days of warm sunshine every year

Nerja is on the seashore some 50 kilometres from Malaga so easily to reach on the new highway, and marks the eastern tip of Malagas Costa del Sol. Once a sleepy fishing village, the town now has a population of over 12,000.

Nerja boasts 16 kilometres of beaches with powdery sand and sparkling clear water. All major water sports are available here, including water skiing, scuba diving and sailing. Flanked by a dramatic mountain range, Sierra Almijara, to the east, the town has, fortunately, managed to avoid being blighted by the concrete high-rise scenario which has been the inevitable result of the tourist boom in some of the coastal resorts.

The old quarter of the town is still virtually unchanged with narrow, winding streets, whitewashed houses with wrought iron terraces overflowing with geraniums, on which a canary can sometimes be heard singing...However, the heart of Nerja is its spectacular Balcón de Europa, the "Balcony of Europe", a magnificent promenade along the edge of a towering cliff, once the site of the great Moorish castle, with sweeping panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the small coves and beaches below, against an awesome backdrop of hazy blue mountains.

There are plenty of restaurants and cafes here to choose from, and the visitor can hire a horse-drawn carriage to explore the most romantic corner of the town.

The strong Andalusian character, almost perfect climate, and cosmopolitan atmosphere, has made Nerja one of the most attractive holiday and property hotspots on the Costa del Sol. Who wouldnt envy Nerjas 16 km. of coastline, over 3.500 hours of annual sunshine and temperatures that average 25º C in summer and an average 15º in winter. A place still exists on the Costa del Sol, which lies between small coves untouched by development and surrounded by impressive mountain scenery. Only 40 minutes from Malaga and within 1½ hours drive to Granada.

Nerja has more than its fair share of fabulous beaches. There are several beaches in Nerja the largest being Burriana and Torrecilla which were awarded the blue flag last year. Favourite amongst locals and visitors alike is Burriana Beach, where you can enjoy food and a cool drink as diverse as a shellfish barbecue on the beach (Owner Ayo makes a monster lunchtime paella daily!), to a traditional pint and an a lovely English steak and kidney with Mark at the "Black Horse".

Only 3 km from the town centre and very easilu to find, following the traffic signs, you can visit the famous "Cueves de Nerja" or the caves from Nerja:

It are undergound caverns with stalagmites, stalagtites & columns and you can see:

-The worlds widest column
-Grand centre column in the Sala del Cataclismo (Cataclysm Hall) reaches a height of 32 metres
-Karstic cavities formed by erosion of marble by water
-Palaeolithic wall paintings

The caves also have a restaurant with lovely views and a museum where you can buy the typical souvenirs in the giftshop.

These are breathtaking beautiful caves, some of the best in Europe, that should not be missed if the opportunity arises. Each July a festival of flamenco music and dance is held inside the caves.

Further inland there are miles and miles of Andalucian countryside to explore. In the mountains behind Nerja, the beautifully preserved, white washed village of Frigiliana seems little changed by the centuries and enjoys panoramic views of the town of Nerja and the sea. Frigiliana is a charming and dramatically sited Andalucian village built on a mountain side, approx. 6 km from the resort of Nerja.