DISCOVER NERJA, THE COSIEST FISHING VILLAGE OF THE COSTA DEL SOL
My first trip along the coast of Andalusia is a fact. I visited Sevilla before, a couple of years ago, and back then I loved the city with its authentic Spanish cosiness. This time I returned for a long weekend and I made the Nerja Travel Guide among other things. Nerja is a small fishing village (that feeds mostly on tourism nowadays) on the coast of the Costa del Sol. The village is approximately a 45 minute drive from Málaga and has a cosy and Spanish feel with its streets full of tapas bars. Andalusia is a great destination for a sunny winter, where the average temperature in November is around 18 degrees Celsius. Unfortunately, I was just out of luck during my trip and the sun took turns with dark clouds. Nevertheless the temperature was still nice enough to have a drink and a bite on a heated terrace. And that’s certainly a luxury in November! During the summer months it’s also a perfect place to stay, with an average temperature of circa 30 degrees Celsius. On the enviable pictures I saw on Pinterest the white walls are shining like gold in the sun around then. And even though the weather hasn’t been entirley in our favour, we’ve had a lovely time. Strolling through the old centre, relaxing on a bench for a while facing a seaview. As soon as the sun breaks through the clouds the sea turns azure blue. Got to love that wintersun!
STAYING in Nerja (AndalusiA)
For this Nerja Travel Guide I travelled to Andalusia especially for Sunweb, and stayed in one of their Sunweb Secrets accomodations. These are small accomodations that are often run by families and make you feel like you are in the real Spain. We stayed in Hotel Rural Almazara, an authentic hotel that’s located less than a 10 minute drive away from the centre of Nerja. From our room I look out over the hills of Andalusia; I can see the sea from afar. The hotel has a lovely pool and I can definitely imagine relaxing there in the warmer months. Because you’re just a little outside the village (somewhere between Nerja and Frigiliana) you experience total peace and quiet here. The interior is characteristically Spanish, if that’s the best way to describe it. Don’t expect trendiness here. And to be honest, the authenticity and dito interior with a brick floor and dark, wooden furniture and woodcarving are refreshingly different than usual. In these surroundings I really had the feeling I was in Spain!
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10 x best Restaurants in Nerja (ANDALUSIa)
When you’re strolling through the streets of Nerja you’ll notice there’s no shortage of restaurants. When you’re here in the high season I would advise you to make a reservation to be sure of a table at the good restaurants. In this list I will line up my personal favourite restaurants in Nerja. Soms of the restaurants provide fine dining and others are tapasbars. In this Nerja Travel Guide I will give you a list full of different sorts of restaurants! Don’t expect hotspots, but expect cosy Spanish restaurants.
Oliva: The best restaurant of Nerja, if you ask me. Situated in a courtyard, where you experience that ultimate Spanish feeling because of all the flowerpots, small tiles and white and yellow painted walls. The interior of the restaurant is classic modern. Imagine a sleek decor, with white table cloths, black set tables and modern art hanging on the wall. The dishes on the menu have Mediterranean influences, with an international reference here and there. The menu differs per season and during the dinner you’re treated to several tasty hors d’oeuvres. I’ve had the octopus with hummus as an appetizer, which was delicious! The tuna is also very good, although the garnish had little to do with the more significant flavours on the dish.
Oliva
Restaurante Pacomari: From a totally different level than Olivia, but definitely a good choice if you’re craving for tapas! And you’ll only want to eat those at the bar, where you have a view over all the showcases where they stall their daily specialties. A typically Spanish bar with lots of dark wood and cold beers on draft.
Gusto: This restaurant is situated in a typically Spanish house in the centre of Nerja. On the menu you can find a mix of Spanish, British and American dishes. This restaurant is also suited for vegetarians and the roasted eggplant with garlic, chili and yoghurt is recommended. In several restaurants in Andalusia you’ll find Moroccan dishes on the menu. Very tasteful! Just like most restaurants in Nerja, you’ll enjoy sitting outside more in summer than sitting inside in winter, interior-wise ;-).
Julies & Valeri’s: A nice, small restaurant in of the main streets of Nerja. The owner is Cuban which you can tell from the menu. A mix of Spain and Cuba (especially the drinks!). The interior is a hodgepodge of furniture, nothing matches together but that’s also why it fits as a whole. This is the right address voor tapas with cocktails!
Mo Gastrotapas: At this Gastrobar the tapas are just a tad more culinary than in the traditional tapas restaurants you’ll find in the centre of Nerja. The interior is modern, but don’t expect a hotspot to the standards of Amsterdam ;-). The food surely is very good and the wine menu extensive. They also serve a great brunch during the weekend!
Cerveceria El Pulguilla: When you walk into this cerveceria you’re probably not immediately WOW-ed by the interior (same with lots of restaurants in Nerja). But… keep on walking onto the garden at the back of the restaurant, where they have a courtyard which offers a lovely setting. The fresh fish are laid out in showcases and are deliciously prepared for you to share as tapas with the whole table!
Cerveceria El Pulguilla
Sollon: This small restaurant in Nerja only has five tables and seats a maximum of sixteen guests. The menu changes three times a year and follows the seasons. The dark interior is classic but cosy. The chef has previously worked in several star restaurants, which you can easily tell by the dishes on the menu!
Bakus: Nice restaurant closeby the beach with a seaview. The terrace is great for a summerday. I was there during winter so I could not test it for you, unfortunately ;-). Amongst other thing you eat tapas here!
Au Petit Paris: If you don’t feel like Spanish food anymore, Au Petit Paris can be a welcome trip to the French cuisine. The interior is classic. Very classic to be precise. Just like the menu! Think of escargots, magret de canard and afterwards French cheese.
Good Stuff Café: This breakfast- and lunchroom is a bit off the main streets, but definitely worth a visit. Especially if you don’t feel like deep fried tapas but have cravings for a salmon and creamcheese bagel, an avocado toast or decent coffee. Every day they bake the most delicious cakes over here, and when you order a cup of tea with it they’ll serve you this in a pot with a sweater on, which is just too cute.
6 x fun things to do in nerja
Nerja isn’t very big, but it’s a nice village situated by the beach. When you depart from Málaga it’s about midway to Granada. Are you going to tour along the Costa del Sol? In this Nerja Travel Guide you can find tips on what to do in this town!
- A visit to Nerja isn’t complete without a walk to the Balcón de Europa. This look-out gives you a beautiful view over the sea and the several bays surrounding Nerja.
- Eat tapas at one of the many restaurants in the narrow streets.
- Off to the beach at Nerja! From the town beach Nerja Playa Burriana to the bays Playa de Maro and Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo.
- Drive past the 19th century aqueduct Acueducto del Águila, also known as the Eagle Aqueduct.
- If you have kids, you might enjoy going to the caves of Nerja.
- Approximately six kilometers north of Nerja you find the picturesque town Frigiliana. White houses and cobblestoned small streets. Very picture perfect!
Nerja Travel Guide and more tips for andalusia
When you’re travelling to Andalusia there are lots of more small towns, apart from Nerja, that are definitely worth a visit. I mentioned Frigiliana above, but Almuñecar, Istan, Miljas, Ronda, Tarifa, Salobreña and La Herradura are also worth a visit according to the readers of Your Little Black Book.
Through Sunweb Secrets you can book small and charming hotels in Andalusia. A tip for those who are looking for a hotel away from the big crowds.
Have you seen my other blogs about Málaga and Andalusia?
- Málaga Travel Guide with 40 hotspots and tips
- Marbella Travel Guide with 29 hotspots and tips
- Granada Travel Guide with the best tapasbars
- Hotspot BrunchIT in Málaga
- Checking-in: Hotel Rural Almazara
Enjoy your trip if you’re visiting Andalusia! If you have tips of your own, let me know!
WITH LOVE,
ANNE
