Nerja what to see and do

When, how many people, will you have a car, how long will you be there, is this part of an extended trip in Spain, what are your interests?
Nerja is small, almost tiny, and the beaches are not scenic sand with limited opportunties. However it can be a nice place to visit, so I would like to know more in order to enable providing better suggestions/information.

Why are you planning a trip to somewhere you nothing of?

Hi Carmela,

Rick's Spain guidebook tells you everything you need to know, from sights to hotel and restaurant recommendations. As Marbleskies stated, Nerja is pretty small. It's mainly a place to relax and stroll the Balcon de Europa and seaside promenades. There's a small beach in town, as well as some other beaches nearby, such as playa Carabeo and playa Burriana to the East and playa del Salon to the West. There are also the Nerja caves, just outside of town and small Nerja history museum in town. I like to stay at the Hostal Marissal, right on the Balcon de Europa - www.hostalmarissal.com

I spent a week in Nerja (twice) in the summer and really enjoyed it. I can't remember the name of the place, but the absolutely BEST Flamenco I've ever seen in Spain, in many trips, was in a small restaurant in Nerja. They had the dancers come from the Music Conservatory in Malaga. At Burriano Beach, they have Paella stands on the beach during the summer. I don't know your age, but there's also a lot of night-life in Nerja.

We arrived by bus from Malaga and didn't have a car while there. BUT for two days we rented a car and went to Porto Banus (so we could see how the REALLY rich live) and and a side trip to Frijiliana, which was a sweet white washed town with lots of good restaurants. You can also day-trip to Granada and see the absolutely Marvellous Alhambra. Don't be discouraged, Nerja's absolutely beautiful.

We rented a VRBO apartment, up 4 flights of stairs, It had an amazing view. It was too big for us, but it was IN town. Some advertised places are very far from town and you'd need a car to go to dinner, or sight-see, or anything else. If you want the VRBO apartment # PM me. I absolutely loved the small town charm (and it's NOT that small!) of Nerja. Absolutely beautiful Church there too! Great shopping, great dining, beautiful views, etc. NOT a place I'd want to be in winter, though.!

Most responses seem to say that Nerja is not good for beaches, that it has little interest except as a base to see other things. Rick's guide claims it has good beaches, has kept it's "Old World charm," and is one of the best places on the Costa del Sol. Can anyone else chime in to help clarify this discrepancy? Obviously, there are differences in personal preferences, but the Nerja in the guidebook sounds good to me. Also, how early in the spring/summer can one comfortably swim? Our trip is planned for late May-early June.

There are some very pretty and quaint typical Andalucian white villages in the hills near Nerja. We stayed just one night at Posada La Plaza in Canillas de Albaida. Took a bus to the town and walked everywhere. Very small village, very picturesque town square. Great area for outdoor activities, hiking is popular but it is very steep and hilly. Lots of pretty white villages in those hills. As a traveler I am more interested in seeing/experiencing typical Spanish culture than the beach scene. If you have never been to this area, a daytrip into Málaga is well worth it. I like Málaga. I have been there several times. I would prefer to stay there and do Nerja as a side trip. Lots to see and do there and good transportation from Málaga to other Spanish cities/towns. Bus transportation in Spain can be very convenient. We took a bus to Granada and train to Sevilla from Málaga.