This resort town on the Costa del Sol has an atmospheric old town, a lively late-night bar scene and pretty beaches set around sandy bays.
Nerja is the “Jewel of the Costa,” a charming coastal resort town on Spain’s famous Costa del Sol. Picturesque, endearing and energetic, Nerja attracts couples, families, history buffs and watersports enthusiasts. Delight in the 10-mile-long (16-kilometre) coastline peppered with attractive beaches and coves. Discover the history of tumultuous battles, visit millennia-old caves and spend evenings hopping between pubs and tapas bars.
Enjoy views of the coastline and Sierra de Almijara mountains from the Balcón de EuropaOpens in a new window. This headland terrace once held the watchtower of a 9th-century fortress established to protect the town from invaders. Visit this popular social meeting point and location for colourful festivals. Stroll along Paseo Balcón de Europa, a palm-lined promenade leading into the old quarter.
Visit the Church of El Salvador, built in the late 1600s and decorated with ceramic tile plaques and frescoes. Walk to the Nerja Museum on the stately Plaza de España. Browse the museum’s exhibits to learn about the town’s history from Paleolithic cave dwellers to its 1960s tourist boom.
Find several beaches close to Nerja’s town centre. Mingle with local families at Salon BeachOpens in a new window. Dine at chiringuitos (beach bars) and try watersports, such as kayaking, Jet Skiing and parasailing at Burriana BeachOpens in a new window. Calahonda Beach and Carabeillo Beach are also just short walks from the town centre.
Catch the tourist train to the fascinating Nerja CavesOpens in a new window. Admire cave paintings, gaze in amazement at extraordinary rock formations and attend a concert inside a cavern. Afterward, browse the boutiques and galleries lining the village streets of nearby Maro.
Experience the friendly nightlife action at Plaza Tutti Frutti, framed by a collection of tapas bars, themed pubs and wine bars. Find bars, restaurants, ice cream parlors and souvenir shops on Calle Pintada and the pedestrian-only Calle Almirante Ferrándiz.
Reach Nerja by flying to MálagaOpens in a new window and renting a car or taking a bus from there. Venture out of town on a daytrip to GranadaOpens in a new window, renowned for the Alhambra palace complex.
