Nerja - advice please (covers play off final day too!)

[HalifaxSeagull]

Hi all NSC travel guru's,

I'm off to Nerja for a week at the end of May. I've been before (passing through) but only for a day and the following morning. Any tips for decent places to go / see? What I saw of it, it looked lovely.

If (and its a big if...) we get to the playoff finals, where would be the best place to watch the match?

Thanks, Jim

 

[vegster]

I had a couple of days there 2 years ago and can't remember much really ! there are a fair few bars there including a godforsaken Oirish Bar. There is a traditional Spanish white walled village called Frigiliana a few miles north of Nerja that can be reached on the bus, I think there is only about one bus an hour but its a must see. Lots of little craft places and a great outdoor cafe bar overlooking the main road in to town where you can enjoy an ice cold San Miguel and people watch.

Nerja is fine if a little overstocked with tourist shops, for brekkies, look no further than the Spanish omlette in one of the cafes, it will set you up for the day ! enjoy.

Ps, the Oirish bar is probably the best bet for footy.

 

[happypig]

Theres a big cave that you can go and visit, well worth a look and nice and cool inside.
Nerja Caves - Cuevas de Nerja

A very odd thing happened to me there, I was sat on my own at the bus stop by the caves waiting for a local bus to take me back to Torre del Mar where I was staying and a Pickfords lorry pulled up, driver jumps out and says to me something like "perdón por dónde Nerja". I told him, in English and while chatting it turned out he lived in Ditchling Rise. I lived in Vere road at the time.

I also went into a bar near the Balcony of Europe (not as exciting as it sounds, to be fair) and the bloke running it was from Eastbourne, although he said he couldn't return due to a "misunderstanding with the constabulary".

 

[Birdie Boy]

I stumbled across a cafe/restaraunt in Frigiliana right at the top of the hill, you walk through the restaraunt and sit outside at the back looking down the hill out to sea, lovely! Sorry cannot remember the name of it.
Caves were also good.
Was a while ago that I was last there, used to go to a bar for a San Miguel and tapa's whilst doing the crossword around 4ish and the tapa's was only a euro a go, unfortunately I bet they aren't now.

 

[hybrid_x]

caves are a tourist trap for sure......17 euros and they are pretty shit - then shop, restaurant all part of the same gig.

wandering around the streets is nice in nerja. nice italian restuarant just east of centre - 4 euro pizzas and amazing!

lots of bars showing football too.

get up to the alhamba in granada an hour or so away.....a must see......or hack up to the alpujarras - orgiva on thursday has a busy market.

malaga is a dump, so is motril, almunecar is a poor mans nerja - but there is a super nice little harbour east of nerja - la herradura or something.

basially, get into the nice meditarrranean vibe and chill oh, theres a horrendous careoke place too, and all the clubs are in a square called tutti frutti - full of teens / early twenties.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

My parents used to own a flat there (well, 2 different ones as different times).

It's a lovely place.

The walk along the Carabeo to the centre of town is lovely, and there are some wonderful restaurants along the cliff edge there.

The Balcon de Europa is a great place to stroll around in the evening, with stunning views along the coast, and back into the Sierra de Almijara.

The road which leads back from the base of the Balcon has more good restuarants and bars along it, as well as the usual tourist shops.

The Burriana Beach (to the East of the town) is the biggest, and is accessible from the coastal path via steps, or you can drive there. There are many beach cafes at the back of the beach, which do lovely food (plenty of seafood)...

The beach itself is clean and safe.

Frigliana is worth a visit, as it's a lovely old style spanish village - lots is winding streets and a few nice if expensive restuarants.

The caves are worth a visit as well, very impressive.

If you've got a car, there's a journey I did once, which is worth trying.

I'll look out the route later.

Of course, you're within driving distance of the Sierra Nevada range and Granada, the Alhambra Palace is well worth a visit.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

ok - the route (in Google Maps is)

Nerja, Málaga, Spain to Nerja, Málaga, Spain - Google Maps

You drive north of Velez Malaga, and slowly climb away from the coast into the mountains, until you pass through an amazing rock inverted arch (U shaped) at Zafarraya... and the terrain goes for lush to almost dessert.

This takes you to Alhama de Granada - outside of which there are some ancient Roman hot spring baths... they're actually in a hotel, but when we were there there were less sophisticated pools next to the river where the water was still very hot. It was great to lounge in the hot pools, next to a river. I don't know the exact location - but it was in a small ravine.

We did the circular route, which goes through a variety of terrains, from pine forest to Olive groves to huge gorges and ravines (past Alhama de Granada) on way back.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

On that same map the drive to Competa is very nice as well...

 

[Daffy Duck]

I stumbled across a cafe/restaraunt in Frigiliana right at the top of the hill, you walk through the restaraunt and sit outside at the back looking down the hill out to sea, lovely! Sorry cannot remember the name of it.

Sounds like The Garden Bar & Restaurant. It used to run by an English couple. We went there one Sunday a few years ago for roast dinner and they came out with a whole leg of lamb and the biggest roast potatoes you've ever seen. Amazing views from the terrace.
The grub was pretty good too.

 

[The Bear]

My folks have a place there and they go numerous times through out the year now they're retired. I've been with the lads a few times and always had a good time. Next visit is with mrs bear end of April! It's a cracking little town with plenty to do and see for all ages.

Recommend the Galeria at burriana beach for €9, 3 courses.

We managed to watch the Woking replay on ESPN a couple of years back in a bar called Over Land and Sea. It's on the back of burriana beach and run by a west ham fan. Other than that there's a few places in town that will show it, Coach and horses or DB's would be a good start (on same street I think)

 

[HalifaxSeagull]

Cheers all. I'll give them a try. I recall a gorgeous restaurant called 34, posh, pricey but very nice... Might leave tutti frutti sq to the young uns!