Nerja

A charming resort town with an impressive number of beaches to choose from – we spent some time here after a few nights in Granada which is only an hour’s drive away. It’s ideal if you want to combine city and beach and the scenery driving down through the mountains is pretty awesome.

On the first day we parked in the centre of Nerja and wandered down to the Balcon de Europa. Lined with palm trees and teeming with parakeets, it feels quite tropical – the perfect spot to look out over the azure waters and golden coves. Nerja town is pretty touristy but it has retained a certain degree of village feel. There are some decent shops as well as the usual tourist tat and we stopped a few times in a lovely bakery close to the Balcon de Europa to grab lunch for the beach. There were some great cafes for waffles and crepes here too.

Beaches

As you head out of Nerja town along the clifftop, you have a number of small cove beaches to choose from. Carry on a little further and you’ll reach the largest beach, Playa Burriana – with a more lively atmosphere. With only a few days in Nerja, we just visited these beaches but there are many more close by.

Playa Burriana

This lovely stretch of sand, backed by mountains, is around 15 minutes’ walk from the centre of Nerja and a hive of activity both day and night. Dotted along the sand are play areas, volleyball nets and water sports to try out. We had lunch at one of the seafront restaurants serving up fresh paella cooked in a huge wood-fired pan and at a great price. Also great fun in the evening when locals and tourists are still playing on the beach until dusk.

Playa de la Calahonda

Backed by cliffs and lush vegetation, this tiny cove beach in the heart of Nerja Town has a very inviting tropical vibe and after months of British winter weather we couldn’t wait to get down there.

Playa Carabeillo

Accessed either by walking along Burriana Beach (tide permitting) or down the steps from Calle Carabeillo (main seafront from Nerja Town) , it has a more chilled out atmosphere in a lovely sheltered position.

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Frigliana

Around 10 minutes drive from Nerja, this white washed mountain top town is a maze of cobbled streets full of brightly coloured flowers. The children enjoyed the tourist train which takes you through tiny narrow streets. There was also a play area close to the stop with great views across Nerja and the coastline below and lots of lovely shops if they want to spend some pocket money or you want to pick up some local handicrafts. Perfect for lunch with a view, there are many cafes and restaurants to choose from with terraces to sit and enjoy the sun with spectacular scenery.

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A day in Malaga…

Often overlooked as a gateway to the Costa Del Sol, Malaga has a lot to offer as a destination in its own right. We loved how the city had a lively, cosmopolitan atmosphere whilst also feeling like a working city.

We made our way to the old town which was a hive of activity with tourists and locals enjoying their morning coffee. First stop was the Roman amphitheatre. My daughter who had been learning about Romans at school was keen to have a photo here. The oldest monument in Malaga, this impressive structure sits at the foot of the Alcazaba. We had just visited the Alhambra Palace but the Alcazaba was still a lovely example of an 11th century Moorish palace. Wandering around it in the warm sunshine, with crimson bougainvillea, orange trees and towering palms, you can admire the horseshoe arches, serene courtyards with fragrant jasmine and bubbling water fountains.

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Just off the main street into the old town, we found a cool little tapas bar (AlCasabar restaurant) serving a fusion of Mexican, Spanish and Italian dishes with amazing cocktails and smoothies. A great place to chill out with a view of the Alcazaba.

Afterwards we headed up to the Castillo de Gibralfaro. A remnant of Malaga’s Islamic past, the ramparts can be explored and offer wonderful views over the city and surrounding mountains. On the way up, you can stop and appreciate the sweeping views of the marina and sparkling coastline as well as Malaga bullring.

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We made our way back down through the lovely Paseo del Parque with its banana trees and fountains to the marina (Puerto de Malaga). This modern complex is a great place to browse the shops and market stalls, admire the luxurious yachts and stop in one of the many eateries or grab an ice cream. The kids can also let off some steam on the trampolines. If you fancy a boat trip along the coastline, there are several to choose from.

Cuevas de Nerja

We didn’t have time to visit Cuevas de Nerja but they look spectacular. The caves, with their incredible stalagmites and stalactites stretch out for nearly 5km.