Essential Info
First time in Nerja ?
Read this and check the map on page 50 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 .
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 .
Beaches
Nerja ’ s busiest beach is Burriana to the east . Chances are you will have seen this beach in a travel or holiday programme back home , particularly Ayo ’ s where Ayo himself cooks an enormous paella over an open fire and seems to attract TV crews like flies . There is now such a wide choice of bars and restaurants there that Burriana has almost become a separate self-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 .
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 from Plaza Cavana but it is more expensive than the bus .
Golf
Nerja does not have its own golf course but it has plenty of golfers . The Golf International Nerja Society ( GINS ) has some 750 members and for information access the website www . ginsgolf . com and you will find all the necessary contact points . Alternatively , visit their HQ at the El Puente Bar and Restaurant at C / Carretera 4 , Nerja ( Map E3 ) and view their notice board . GINS members and a committee member are often available on a Saturday lunch time from 12.30pm .
Frigiliana
No visit to Nerja is complete without a trip to Frigiliana , some 5kms inland . This picturesque village is steeped in history and one of the best ways to learn it is to take one of the official walking tours . Contact the tourist office for details on 95 253 4261 .
Getting around
Buses For up to date bus times visit www . alsa . es . You can buy tickets online or at the bus station ticket office ( Map E5 ). There are regular buses to and from Málaga city centre , from here you can catch another bus to the airport . You can also hop on a bus to visit the Caves , Almuñecar or Granada . Please note if catching a bus to Frigiliana , tickets are purchased on the bus itself . Taxis You can get a taxi from Calle San Miguel ( Map E5 ) or Calle Castilla Perez ( Map 3G ) ( evenings only ). Or call Nerja Taxi on 638 036 949 .
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