First time in Nerja?
Read this and check the map opposite and
our guide before you go anywhere...
Much of Nerja’s charm comes from its narrow winding streets
but they also make finding your way around quite confusing if
you are a first-time visitor. Driving is even more confusing
because so many
streets are one-way
and several are
pedestrianised so
the first rule is
dump the car. If
you use the main
car park (see map),
take the south exit
and you will find
yourself on the
Balcón de Europa,
the “Piccadilly
Circus” of Nerja. This peninsula and the area behind it is a
magnet for visitors and a great place to sit and watch the world
go by.
contained town. Coming back towards the Balcón, there are
Playa Carabeo, Playa El Chorrillo and, next to the Balcón itself,
Playa Calahonda on one side and Playa El Salón on the other.
Further west are Playa La Torrecilla and Playa El Playazo, both
of which can be reached down Avda. Castilla Pérez, one of
Nerja’s busiest streets.
The Caves
Discovered in 1959, the Nerja caves are one of the biggest
tourist attractions in Spain, visited by hundreds of thousands
each year. One of the most
beautiful cave complexes in
Europe, look especially for
the 32m high column in
Cataclysm Hall which was
formed by an estimated
1,000 billion drops of water.
Recently opened are the
adjoining Botanical Gardens,
they cover 26,000 square
metres on a site next to the
entrance to the caves. The
garden is laid out in four
zones, including traditional
crops, vegetation linked to
climate, vegetation linked to
different soils and special
collections, with a total of
more than 200 species on display. One of the collections
features rare and endangered species common to the area. Set
around a central lake, the garden also includes a classroom for
educational visits and workshops. It is open to the public every
day except Sunday from 9.00am to 3.00pm. Admission is free.
Stand with your back to the sea and it’s shopping to your right
up Calle Pintada and Calle Cristo (also known as Post Office
Street). The biggest concentration of restaurants is also on Calle
Cristo and off to the left on Calle Gloria. To your left from the
Balcón you go past Plaza Cavana and along El Barrio to the left
or Diputación to the right for more bars and restaurants. There
are, of course, many exceptions but use this as a rule of thumb.
Night life
Night life in Nerja is on Antonio Millón and the adjacent Plaza
Tutti Frutti which are wall-to-wall with bars, many of them
with dancing. The area doesn’t come to life much before
midnight and bars stay open until 3.30 am Sunday to Thursday
and 4.30 on Friday and Saturday (one hour less in winter). For
live music check out both Buskers and Fitzgeralds - they are
both on Antonio Millón. There are other bars which stay open
later but then it’s mainly on to the discos.
The caves lie on the outskirts of Nerja near the village of Maro
and are served by a regular bus service or not too far to walk if
you’re fit and energetic. If you’re here in July, try to get tickets
for the annual
festival when
famous national and
international artists
perform in this
beautiful
underground
setting. Opening
hours are 10.00-
14.00 and 16.00-
18.30 (20.00 in
July/August). You
can also visit the caves on the red train – a new transport
service. It’s a tourist train that makes a tour of the most iconic
places in the town. It has four stops: Caves of Nerja, Barco de
Chanquete, (a replica of a boat made famous in Spain by
‘Verano Azul’, a children’s TV drama from the 60s), Museo of
Nerja and Maro Plaza. A €15 ticket is valid all day, and you can
get on and off the train as often as you like. It has an
audioguide in Spanish and English which explains the
monuments and places along its route. The price includes a
free visit to the Nerja caves (it is essential to book a time when
purchasing the ticket) and the Nerja Museum.
Sports bars
There are many bars in central Nerja and on Burriana which
show British football, rugby, cricket, horse racing and other
sports. The Spanish Via Digital carries a Premiership game live
every Saturday afternoon so you can watch even if you can’t
understand the commentary (if Radio Five Live covers the
same match, bars general