Nerja is a relaxing Spanish coastal town which adds some extra magic to a Costa del Sol itinerary. This gem is well worth a visit – the stunning scenery of Nerja is a must see. Plus, it is easy to get to and an affordable destination!
If relaxing on stunning beaches by a captivating cliff-side coastline isn’t tempting enough, Nerja has various activities to throw into the mix. Whether you wish for water-sports, cave exploring, or something more adventurous such as canyoning, Nerja has you covered. This is among the walking you will do to enjoy the coastal scenes to the full, of course!
I visited Nerja solo for a few days and had no idea what to expect before arriving. I went there on a whim and had done little to no research. I was so amazed by its beauty that I couldn’t believe I hadn’t known more about it. I am SO glad I ended up there!! It was the perfect break between cities on my trip, which went Malaga – Nerja – Seville. Adding Nerja in was the cherry on top!
In this post I’ll give you some useful information on visiting Nerja – how to get to Nerja, where to stay, and look more closely at what to do, so you can see what it really has to offer.
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How to get to Nerja?
Nerja can be easily reached from the Costa del Sol’s capital city, Malaga.
Head to Skyscanner to check out the best flights deals and options for you.
I spent 3 nights in Malaga before deciding it was time to experience some more of Spain, and headed to Nerja. To get to Nerja, I hopped on a bus from Malaga bus station, which took me directly there.
BUS: MALAGA TO NERJA
- 45 minutes to 1.5 hrs depending on the bus booked
- Buses run at various times throughout the day
- Cheap fare prices (vary depending on when booked). I booked the day before and paid around €5 each way. Buses run quite frequently but do book beforehand.
Be sure to check where you are booking the bus from in Malaga
- For the main bus station, book from Malaga, Estación de autobuses
- Bus also leaves from Puerto Málaga (Estación de Muelle Heredia)
The relatively short journey time, alongside the frequency of buses and cheap fare, means that even if you already have accommodation in Malaga booked for the duration of your trip, you could easily add Nerja in just as a day trip. It’s worth it!! (But it’s also worth going for longer if you can!). You might even opt to do the opposite – base yourself in Nerja for a predominantly chilled beach vibe holiday, and day trip to Malaga for a little city action!
DRIVE
If you wish for more freedom and don’t want to be tied to bus schedule, driving from Malaga to Nerja can be done if you choose to hire a car. The drive should take around 45 minutes from the city, or around 50 minutes to 1 hour if you head straight from Malaga Airport.
GUIDED DAY TOUR
A guided day tour from Malaga is another excellent option for visiting Nerja. If you want the ease of having everything organised for you and want to see as much as possible without a car in one day, a tour might be best for you!
The Caves of Nerja, Nerja and Frigiliana Day Tour from Malaga provides a guided tour not only of Nerja, but the popular town of Frigiliana, too. You will have free time in both Frigiliana and Nerja, so you can still have the freedom to do as you please when there.
The tour begins with a 2.5 hour visit to Frigiliana, before heading to the Caves of Nerja (entry fee is included, this lasts around 80 minutes), then into Nerja itself for 2 hours.
Accommodation in Nerja
If you can visit Nerja for more than one day, DO!!
There are many accommodation options in Nerja, to suit all budgets and whatever your needs. Whether a budget hostel, a luxury resort or something in between is you preferred choice, Nerja has you covered.
ACCOMMODATION: I always check out Hostelworld for hostels and Booking.com for the widest range of accommodation options with the best deals.
As a solo budget traveller, I opted for the cheapest option – a dorm room in Charming Nerja Hostel. There are two hostels in Nerja – Charming Nerja Hostel and Be Happy Hostel, you can check them out on Hostelworld here.
I paid €13 a night at Charming Nerja Hostel (so cheap!!). This was off season, at the end of October, but you can expect very favorable prices year round. (I paid €34 per night in a hostel in Malaga before heading to Nerja, for comparison!).
While I chose to be super budget, I could have booked hotel/apartment for almost the same price as my Malaga hostel! A big draw to Nerja, disregarding the beautiful coastline for a second, is the affordability of accommodation here.
Some of Nerja’s top rated accommodation options include:
- Hotel Balcon de Europa
- Boutique Rooms Playa Burriana
- Parador de Nerja
- Naim Guest House Nerja
- MB Hostels Premium ECO
What to See and Do in Nerja
– Plaza Balcón de Europa
Plaza Balcón de Europa is the heart of Nerja. Sitting essentially in the middle of Nerja’s coastline, it really is a ‘central’ spot in more ways than one. The plaza is lively both day and night, and is worth a visit at both times! There are plenty of shops, restaurants and cafés around here, not to forget the beautiful setting, with palm trees leading the way to the edge of the balcony from which it takes its name, Balcón de Europa.
The balcony stands tall with Nerja’s stunning coastline showing off on either side below it. Look directly ahead and you’ll see the Mediterranean Sea stretching as far as the horizon. Adorning the balcony are some sculptures, including King Alfonso XII, who visited Nerja after the earthquake in 1884. He stands overlooking the balcony, with his back to Playa Calahonda.
There is even a hotel names after the balcony – Hotel Balcon de Europa, which is one of the most popular in town.
You can easily just chill out here on the balcony/around the sqaure, watching the world go by. There are benches to sit or you can just stroll around – perfect spot to grab an ice cream, I’d say! There is often some extra entertainment going on, too. While it may be lively and busy, it keeps a relaxing essence.
At night, while Nerja’s famous balcony views fade into darkness, the plaza lights up to ensure it remains welcoming. It has a little magical feeling with its lit line of palm trees, and good vibes radiating around the area.
– Visit the Nerja Caves (Cueva de Nerja)
Cueva de Nerja is a top attraction not only in Nerja, but in Spain. You can expect to spend around 45 minutes to an hour exploring this marvel. The stalagmites and stalactites create a unique vision which is magnificent to see.
It is recommended to book the caves in advance to avoid having to wait on arrival, especially if you visit during peak season. The entrance ticket includes a free Audioguide.
Visiting the caves is a change of scenery from the coastline, which you will likely spend the rest of your time admiring! So, escape the sunshine (or this could be an excellent rainy day activity should you be unlucky!!), and head to the caves.
How to get to Nerja’s caves? Cueva de Nerja is just a short distance from the centre of town:
- 5 minute drive from the centre (perfect if you do choose to rent a car to get to Nerja!)
- 10-15 minute bus ride (from Nerja Bus Station)
- ~45 minute walk
– Beaches in Nerja
Whether you prefer coves or long stretches of beach, are looking for a lively beach experience or a more serene scene, Nerja has you covered with its many stunning beaches along the coastline.
Playa Burriana is arguably the the most renowned beach in Nerja, but I personally really loved Playa Carabeo. To be honest it’s hard to pick a favourite! Each beach has its own charm and characteristics and really, they are all worth visiting!
Let’s take a closer look at some of the picture-perfect beaches awaiting you in Nerja, including some activities you can do.
PLAYA BURRIANA
Playa Burriana is Nerja’s most popular, liveliest beach.
Some reason for this are:
- At around 800m long, Playa Burriana is Nerja’s longest beach. Meaning, there is plenty of space!
- Lovely promenade with beach-front restaurants/bars/stores
- Water-sports activities available from Playa Burriana (more on this below!)
- Beach-side parking available (althouhg this can fill up quickly), as well as a larger car park around 300m from the beach
- Lifeguards on duty
- Facilities such as toilets, showers
If you wish to stay by Playa Burriana, Boutique Rooms Playa Burriana, less than 200m from the beach, is a top choice! For a beach view, you could opt to stay in Apartamentos HC Burriana Playa.
WATERSPORTS AT PLAYA BURRIANA
Let’s delve a little deeper into the water-sports activities. Playa Burriana is essentially the ‘main’ beach and therefore the one which offers water activities. Both kayaks and paddle-boards are available to hire from Playa Burriana, wish the option to partake in a tour, such as this Guided Kayak Tour Nerja Cliffs and Maro Waterfall or this Guided Paddle Surf Cliffs and Maro Waterfall, or you can hire a kayak and hit the water on your own accord.
– Kayaking from Playa Burriana
The Guided Kayak Tour Nerja Cliffs and Maro Waterfall is a 2.5 hour guided tour of the coastline, giving the opportunity to view the Nerja’s cliffs up close and in a more unique way. A group tour can be a perfect activity for all, but especially if you are travelling solo and don’t want to hit the water alone. If you are with a friend or so, you can even opt to take a double kayak and paddle the water together.
If kayaking interests you but you don’t wish to do it as part of a tour, simply can hire a kayak (from Cyrstal Kayak Nerja) and head out on the water as you please. You can check out kayak rental here.
– Paddle-boarding from Playa Burriana:
Not tempted by kayaking, maybe paddle-boarding is more your thing? Why not opt for the 2.5 hour Guided Paddle Surf Cliffs and Maro Waterfall Tour. The tour leaves from Educare Aventura, located just by the beach. Similar to the kayak tour, you will head to Maro Waterfall and experience the coastline from a whole new perspective than if you stay on land.
They will give you an introduction to paddle-boarding before setting off, so this is open to even those who haven’t paddle-boarded before.
ADRENALINE ADVENTURE ACTIVITY FROM PLAYA BURRIANA
– Canyoning Tour from Playa Burriana:
For an even more adventurous activity in (well, from), Nerja, you can go on the top rated Río Verde Canyoning Tour. Leaving from Educare Aventura at Playa Burriana, this tour takes you to Rio Verde, where you will hike along the river then have an adrenaline filled 3 hours canyoning in the ravine. This is an amazing activity showasing the beautiful landscape of Nerj’a surroundings while you have a thrilling adventure. If you don’t love nature and more importantly heights, this might not be for you!
PLAYA CALAHONDA
The beach which will catch your eye most from the Balcón de Europa mentioned above, is none other than Playa Calahoda. This little gem of a beach sits right under the balcony, accessible through a charming archway which leads you onto zig-zag steps.
If you wish to spend the day here on one of the sunbeds which look very inviting, I’d recommend to get there early. There aren’t many for the popularity of this beach!
PLAYA CARABEO
Playa Carabeo is a relatively small, sheltered bay a little further to the east of Playa Calahonda. I really loved this spot! Despite being so close to the center of town, this beach feels more secluded thanks to the rocks surrounding it. I felt this beach was the perfect size, and when I visited at least, it wasn’t as busy as some of the other near-by beaches (there are no bars/restaurants by the beach, and you need to descend to get to the beach).
There are also some benches lining a walkway overlooking the beach (as you can see below), so you can even go and chill out there if you don’t want to go on the sand.
PLAYA CARABEILLO
The next beach along from Playa Carabeo is Playa Carabeillo. Between which you can find Mirador del Bendito, a viewpoint on the walkway above these two beaches, which overlooks Playa Carabeillo. This is a great sunset spot!
So, to reach Playa Carabeillo you will first have some beautiful views, and then be greeted by the steep steps which leads down to the beach. Depending on the tide, you can continue on the sand from Playa Carabeillo to Playa Burriana or vice verse.
The beaches mentioned so far are all on the eastern side of the Balcón de Europa, but what about on the western side? There are plenty of beaches there worth visiting, too!
PLAYA EL SALON
The beach immediately on the western side of the Balcón de Europa is Playa el Salón. This small beach is almost like a private beach for guests of Hotel Balcon de Europa, but is accessible to all. If you do choose to stay at Hotel Balcon de Europa, know that you will be right on this beach, even overlooking it if you’re lucky with your view. No doubt this is adds to the popularity of this hotel!
PLAYA LA CALETILLA
Also in sight from the Balcón de Europa, just beyond Playa el Salón, is Playa la Caletilla (the second further away beach in the above photo!). Do note that this beach is even smaller, so don’t expect there to be too much empty space during the busy months!
PLAYA LA TORRECILLA
Playa la Torrecilla is the best beach on Nerja’s western side in terms of facilities and accessibility. There are bars and restaurants overlooking the beach and just nearby, sunbeds to hire, lifeguards on duty, kiosks, toilet facilities, beach-side promenade. The beach can be easily accessed from the promenade running alongside it, meaning there are no steep stairs like to some of the beaches mentioned already.
If you wish for prime access to Playa la Torrecille, the popular Hotel Riu Monica has direct beachfront access. And don’t forget the views over the beach if you get a room with a view! Check out Hotel Riu Monica here.
At the western end of this beach is Mirador de la Torrecilla – do go for a little walk here for views over Playa Torrecilla and beyond, and Playa El Chucho in the opposite direction.
PLAYA EL CHUCHO
The next beach along is Playa el Chucho. This beach is again easily accessible, and has the continuation of the promenade from Playa la Torrecilla. Again there are lifeguards, sunbeds, toilets, showers.
Hotel Perma Marina overlooks Playa el Chucho, so this well-rated hotel is another perfect beachfront accommodation option. Check out Hotel Perma Marina here.
PLAYA EL PLAYAZO
For a quieter beach experience, go a little further west, to Nerja’s longest beach – Playa el Playazo.
There is so much space for everyone even at the busiest of times. It is the perfect spot to relax or even take a beach walk. With its 2km length, you can get a decent walk in from one end to the other.
Parking is readily available by this beach, perfect if you’ve hired a car and don’t wish to take the ~30 minute walk here from the centre of town. Or if you’re just visiting for a day, definitely stop here on your way into town!
Ona Marinas de Nerja Spa Resort is at the far end of Playa el Playazo, so if you wish for beachfront accommodation in an amazing but more peaceful beach area, you may wish to stay here.
I ran along this beach early morning a couple of days and it was dreamy!!!!
That sums up the main beaches closest to the center!! But keep going along the coast, and more beautiful and even quieter beaches will continue to present themselves!! There really are beaches for DAYS in Nerja!!
I’ll leave you to go and explore Nerja for yourself!! All I can say is, I loved my visit to Nerja and I didn’t want to leave after my 2 nights there were up. If you’re visiting the Costa del Sol, DO visit Nerja!!!!
