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First time visiting Nerja

Galway, Ireland
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38 posts
12 reviews
2 helpful votes
First time visiting Nerja
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Hi,

My fiancé and I are coming to Nerja on 13th June for 10 nights. We are looking for reasonable accommodation fairly central but we don't mind a bit of a walk. Coming for a relaxing holiday but eager to do day trips and/or watersports.

Any recommendations for the best areas to stay? We are a young couple, 30 and 35 but not really into partying. A pool with the accommodation is a must we like to mix that with some beach time! We would prefer self catering as we are doing this holiday on a budget and like to have somewhere to sit outside in the evenings so a balcony or terrace would be preferable. Have seen a few apartments advertised on tripadvisor and booking.com but thought we would get the lowdown first from those of you who know the areas before we book anything. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

Kind regards

Emma

Andalucia, Spain
Level Contributor
6,258 posts
231 reviews
213 helpful votes
1. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Best thing is post info about the apartments you like the look of and everyone can give you feed back.the centre of nerja is pretty small everything is within walking distance only burriana is more out of town

Galway, Ireland
Level Contributor
38 posts
12 reviews
2 helpful votes
2. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Thanks, we like the look of this apartment Un paraíso a tu alcance its only got one review but it is excellent. If you copy and paste it you can find it on the site. The area seems nice and handy for what we want. Everything else is very expensive.

Bamber Bridge...
Destination Expert
for Torrox
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7,402 posts
53 reviews
53 helpful votes
3. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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The apartment is not central, but above Burriana Beach which is OK if you want a beach holiday but not if you want to have the "feel" for Nerja. You will have a bit of a walk to anywhere, maybe 20-30 mins to town.

Personally I wouldn't choose this area for a first visit

Andalucia, Spain
Level Contributor
6,258 posts
231 reviews
213 helpful votes
4. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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I agree. Just looked at the address. Its a treck to burriana and then further into town. defo look for something else.way to far put imo. Its not as if its right at burriana but its a walk just to the beach. Whats your budget?

Derby, United...
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385 posts
3 reviews
8 helpful votes
5. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Taking your ages into account (and assuming no mobility issues) and the fact you "Don't mind a walk", I'm going to go against the advice you've had so far.

We are in our early 50's now, and have been coming to Nerja since 2010. Twice a year to start with, and then once a year since 2013 (and again in 8 weeks time!).

For the first 4 or 5 trips, we stayed literally next door to the apts you are looking at (Las Flores). We now stay just around the corner.

The only noise you may hear, usually late afternoon, is the sound of laughter and frivolity around the pool(s) on the other side of the lush green valley (you are looking straight at them from your balcony). Look down the valley to your right, and you should see a chink of the sea.

"Our" pool/garden was just the other side of the tree seen looking right from "your" balcony. We never heard any noise from "your" apartments/pool.

Easy parking, if you have hire car, as we do. No shops, No bars. No bus stops. No late night revellers passing by (unless you go at the same time as us!) It is a residential area, so if you are looking for nightlife on the doorstep, then ignore my post! 5 min stroll to the "newest supermarket in town", for all your self catering needs.

6min stroll downhill to Burriana, for a mini supermarket, and plenty of bars and restaurants to suit all tastes.

Takes a full 10 mins to get back though, due to the slope... or 15mins after a hearty meal and "a few drinks"!

Three main routes into town, give or take the odd deliberate diversion...

A/ Downhill to Burriana (past the new car park), up the zig-zag path to the Parador, then flat to the Balcon. If you are in love and like to stroll hand in hand, it'll take you 30 mins if you don't stop for refreshments. If you "had a bus to catch", you'd do it in 20 mins if you had to (not that there are any buses at The Balcon! It was just a figure of speech! LOL!)

B/ Up through the houses and across a little waste ground, to bring you out at the Fire Station (Roundabout at top of c. Filipinas). 10 mins longer to The Balcon, but it does bring you via the top of town, and many tapas bars in the old town and/or along the "Top Road" (N340/ave Pescia).

C/ Down to the end of your street (c. Ubeda), straight across the Xroad, and turn right uphill (c. Filipinas) then first left. Defo steep there, but we manage it, and we're hardly fit!) Brings you in and around "Nueva Nerja", and the Hotel Flamenca, which is a nice looking (plenty of white houses with flower pots etc) residential area on the edge of the old town.

All nice walks. All energetic enough to make sure you don't feel guilty on the eating/drinking front, but all very do-able. For instance, we always need a 2min breather at the top of the zig zag... but it's a good excuse to take in the views along the length of Burriana.

We certainly won't be looking at staying anywhere else for the foreseeable, as we love staying in that area, and see the hills/distances as a much needed antidote against all the wonderful food and drink available all over Nerja!

Have a walk around c. ubeda on google maps street view. If you're still tempted, and want more advice/more detailed routes to town etc, shout up. :-)

Edited: 6 years ago
Galway, Ireland
Level Contributor
38 posts
12 reviews
2 helpful votes
6. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Hi there,

Thank you so much for your lovely detailed reply. We definitely do not mind a bit of a walk and go hiking all the time back home so a hill will not bother us! You have persuaded us to give the area a go and we are very excited about it. We have just confirmed our booking! While it would be nice to be in the hustle and bustle in some ways we do enjoy the peace and quiet as well including a nice beverage or two on the balcony in the evening! Its great to know that it is near the supermarket as well, we will probably do breakfast and lunch in the apartment when we are not out and about.

Your detail about the walks is really good, we love a good wander about somewhere new! If we are in the centre of Nerja until late evening is it better to get a taxi back or is it safe to walk? I had an unfortunate experience a few years ago where some friends and I were mugged on the way back to our hotel in Portugal. I thought it was a safe place up to that point so I just try not to take any risks anymore where possible! We were all ok and helped by the locals at that time and actually got our stuff back so it worked out well in the end thankfully!

Where is the best place in Nerja to get a town map? Can you recommend any restaurants? We love our food. Thank you for taking the time to reply to me I really appreciate it. Hope I haven't bombarded you with too many questions!

Emma

Galway, Ireland
Level Contributor
38 posts
12 reviews
2 helpful votes
7. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Thanks for your reply. A walk like that is ok for us. We don't mind.

Frigiliana, Spain
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1,663 posts
183 reviews
126 helpful votes
8. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Lots of lovely hikes around Nerja, bring your trainers, you'll be spoilt for choice. The dry riverbed up to Frigiliana is a lovely walk if you feel energetic.

Derby, United...
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385 posts
3 reviews
8 helpful votes
9. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Emma,

Obviously, it's not for me to say where is safe, and where is not, but what I can say, after many late night/early hours walks "home", we have never had any bad experiences, or witnessed any. That's mostly walking back as a couple, and only occasionally as part of a foursome, anywhere between 10:30pm to a good number (too many to count!) closer to 1:30/2am. We've had a little banter with the bin men more than once!

Occasionally that's down the zig-zig from the parador/fountain area, then up c. Filipinas then c. Velez Malaga, (That's 1km from the Parador fountain, or 1.8km starting from the Balcon, via c. Carabeo.

More often than not, having frequented the Anchor Bar (before Mike retired) for our "One for the road", we'd take the slightly longer route (but only by about 400/500 metres) along the following route:

c. Ruperto Andues - Right onto c. Gral Asensio Cabanillas - Left onto c. Andalucia (Past Hotel Villa Flamenca) - Right onto c. Cadiz - Left onto c. Maria De Waard - right onto c. Fillipinas - Downhill then second left onto c. Ubeda, crossing c. Velez Malaga. That's all flat or downhill until you reach c. Ubeda, rather than the longer uphill trudge from Burriana/bottom of zig-zig. Obviously, we have to take into account that we aren't exactly walking in a straight line at that time of the morning!

Only once have we returned from the "town side" (We class that as anywhere west of the road down to Burriana... c. Filipinas) in a taxi, and that was due to an extremely heavy 1am downpour, and one too many extremely heavy bacardi's!

As you are into hiking (That's very recently becoming our latest hobby!) try a local bus ride to Frigiliana, then walk down the river beds (Higueron then Chillar) back down to Nerja. That's the easiest way, as you can't take a wrong turn, and it's downhill all the way to the sea (Who knew? LOL!). Once you get your bearings (You will return to Nerja, it's very addictive!) you can walk up the Chillar, then take the left turn (you'll know where, after already doing it in the opposite direction) up to Frigiliana, or continue up the Chillar to the waterfalls. We did the latter last year, and it's top of our list to repeat when we return in May.

We've never used a Nerja street map. We prefer to wander, get lost, take refreshment, then find our way again! You'll miss out on far too many back street tapas bars if you rely on tourist maps! LOL! (Top tip... follow the locals!)

Not being particular aficionados of fine dining, and not being able to spell haute cuisine (Ooh... I did it!), coupled with the fact this forum is chock-a-block with restaurant recommendations by folk who know a lot more on the subject than I do, all I will say is that we have tried many Nerja restaurants, albeit just a fraction of the total number... and we haven't had a bad meal yet (and only one with poor enough service for us to walk out unfed!)

Mercadona (The newest "proper" supermarket) is right out of your front door (so up c. Ubeda), straight on at the roundabout (Hotel Marina Turquesa) and it's on your left. 400metres/6 mins, according to Google Maps. Slight uphill on the way there, at most. If you prefer, there's a Supersol just the other side of the main (N340) road, opposite Hotel Nerja Club. We use both, depending on mood/route "home" etc, and both are more than fine for our needs. (We generally only snack back at our digs, but never cook, much preferring the uncountable restaurants/tapas bars/cafes for all our hot food/main meal requirements... oh, and the cake shop next door to the gym (how ironic!) up on the main/top road!

I've a good feeling about you two... two more Nerja addicts in the making, I reckon! :-)

Sheffield
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13 posts
46 reviews
61 helpful votes
10. Re: First time visiting Nerja
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Just to add my "two-penneth", we are also a 30-something couple and we are returning to Nerja for a 5th or 6th time in July (albeit for only a few nights). It seems to have become our go-to place for a quick short sunny getaway as we can hit the ground running when we arrive. You'll have a great time and we personally just use google maps on our phones as/when/if we need to. For accommodation, over the years, we've stayed near to where you are and also right in the middle of the old town. Both have their merits, but of late, we've tended to go with the latter for the ease of access to the atmosphere and the nightlife at the expense of a pool and a quiet nights sleep! The walking involved for where you are is a piece of cake though. It was welcome exercise for us when we did it.

There's lot of useful info here on TA for bars and restaurants. I guess it depends on what you want/like and your budget. This is obviously subjective but we really like the tapas bar El Pulguilla for cheap eats and a couple of drinks. Ayo's on Burriana Beach is an old favorite for many, I believe, and famous for its paella (try and get there a little bit before the locals fill place at lunch time). We also like to book Restaurant 34 a few weeks in advance to get a good table outside on the terrace overlooking the sea for a little more refined dining. We also enjoyed La Braseria a few years ago. There are lots to choose from, but I would recommend doing your research. For drinks, we tend to just go wherever we fancy the look of.

I'm sure many on here will have great advice, which I too would like to read.

Edited: 6 years ago
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