Nerja
Nerja is an unspoilt seaside town that lies some 35 miles east of Malaga. The area is one of outstanding beauty situated on the coast in the midst of lush tropical farmland where avocado trees, chirimoya and strawberries grow in abundance. A great variety if exotic plants and flowers flourish in what is considered to be the best all year round climate in Europe and the town of Nerja itself is bedecked with a profusion of flowers during every season of the year.
Nerja town is predominantly Andalusian in style. Neat, clean streets lined with charming white houses whose window boxes display masses of colourful flowers, restaurants, bars, and a variety of shops catering for your every need. Nerja is a small town which has not been over-developed and retains its charm whilst still offering all the facilities needed for today’s lifestyle.
The town is easily explored on foot and on a stroll through the narrow winding streets you will discover interesting courtyards, colourful shops and local people simply selling their harvest of avocados of lemons from their door steps or simply sitting and enjoying the comfortable relaxed atmosphere. The main meeting place and the centre of the town is called the Balcon D’Europa and it is the perfect place to sit over a cool drink in one of its pavement cafes. Stretching out into the shimmering Mediterranean towards North Africa, this splendid area paved with marble and lined with palm trees is one of the centres of activity for anyone of the local festivals, or is used to just meet friends and gossip while the rest of the world strolls by. When weddings are held in the pretty church on the Balcon it is a lovely spot to people watch and enjoy the fun.
Nerja has little beaches tucked away in small rocky coves and one main beach called Burriana Beach. If you want to do more than soak up the sun and the wonderful atmosphere of Nerja, there is golf, tennis, water sports and horse riding nearby.
Every Tuesday morning, a market is held in the winding streets on the north side of the town. This is a market full of colour where you can buy jewellery, gifts, beautiful pottery and local crafts. It is stocked with the fruits of both land and sea and naturally everything sold is so beautifully fresh and inexpensive, from locally grown strawberries to locally caught red mullet and sardines. Why not go to Burriana Beach early in the morning and see the catch being unloaded from the small boats hauled onto the beach.
Festivals and other celebrations are part of the Spanish culture and there is usually something going on somewhere. Some festivals are celebrated all over Spain, such as San Isidro and Semana Santa (Easter or Holy Week), others are regional or are special events celebrated in just one town. Each town has its Patron Saint, and of course this is cause for celebration. Over 3,000 fiestas are celebrated each year in Andalusia.
Fiestas and Ferias in Spain are colourful events with much eating, drinking and dancing as everyone enjoys a family day. Ferias generally last 5 days, sometimes more, not finishing until the early hours of the morning.
New Years Eve on the Balcon D’Europa
The Three Kings: 5th January
Street Carnival: Mid February
Semana Santa: Thursday, Good Friday, Saturday and Easter Sunday morning
San Isidro - Patron Saint of Farmers
Procession to the caves: Mid May
Patron Saint of Fishermen: Mid July
Feria: The Nerja Fair: Early October
