Alhama de Grenada         

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      Nerja's waterfall

WHAT TO DO AND WHAT TO SEE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA

We provide folders and booklets containing information on all the places of interest for you to visit.
The Spanish Tourist Office (www.tourspain.co.uk) has good detailed free brochures that can be requested on 09063 640630 (60p.a minute). There is a helpline for specific questions on 020 7486 8077. The office at 22-23 Manchester Square, London W1 is open Mon-Fri 9.15am-4.15pm
www.guideofnerja.com , www.nerja.org and   www.nerjanow.com is another useful website.

NERJA - Nerja boasts many small coves reached by walking the Paseo de los Carabineros from Burriana to the Balcon de Europa. The shops here are varied and leather goods are one of the best buys.

The surrounding countryside is filled with whitewashed sleepy Andalusian villages and orchards scented with ripening oranges and lemons. Six kilometers from Nerja is Frigiliana, one of Andalusia's most picturesque villages. The outsides of the houses on the narrow streets are decorated with vibrantly coloured flowers. The village also has wonderful views over the surrounding valleys and out to the coast.

FESTIVALS- Nerja stages a wide variety of cultural and festive activities beginning the year with the February carnival. At Easter, several floats lead processions through the streets of the town. Holy Week is celebrated here with great emotion and simplicity. The festivity of the 3rd of May is also important in Nerja and two specialities are prepared for this day, arropia and marcocha, both made with honey. On  May 15th the Romeria de San Isdro takes place; a pilgrimage involving gaily-decorated carts and horses. The lavishness here of the commemorations for the patron saint of farming is a clear sign of the importance of agriculture in the economy of Nerja. Another outstanding festivity is 24th of June, St John's day. The tradition on this day is to go down to the beach to enjoy the specialty of the feast, torta de San Juan. The importance of the sea for Nerja is reflected in the feasts in honor of the Virgin del Carmen, on 16th of July. Nerja fair takes place from 9-13th of October. Regarding strictly cultural events, there are two outstanding occasions to mention; the International Music Week and the Festival of Dance and Music, held every year in Nerja Caves.

CAVES OF NERJA -  Are 3kms. east along the coast  road. These are natural archaeological caves containing the world's widest column shaped by the merge of a stalactite and a stalagmite (Guinness Record 1989). Traces of paintings, the discovery of weapons and tools, jewels and bones, indicate that the cave was inhibited in the Paleolithic era. An annual festival of music and dance is held in the Sala de la Cascada.

LAKE AT VINUELA - Take the A352 north from Velez-Malaga to Vinuela. Enjoy an extremely pleasant lunch at El Lagar, sitting on their beautiful terrace overlooking the lake. There's few better ways to pass an hour or two.

FRIGILIANA - Picturesque Andalucian village in the Sierra Almijara mountains where you can taste the delicious vino del terreno (sweet wine) and Choto (goat kid).

MALAGA -A vast sprawling city, it is the lively capital of the Costa del Sol. Visit the Cathedral, monuments, wine bodegas, tapas bars and up market shops. The central food market in Calle Atarazanas is housed in a fabulous mudejar influenced building. This market has excellent fresh produce and is easy to find - just follow the locals' shopping baskets.
Garden lovers can visit Malaga's oldest gardens, founded around 1669. El Retiro at La Conception, beautiful and immense botanical gardens where plants and exotic birds live in harmony with nature, art and history.
Enjoy your sightseeing trip on the open double-deckers as an alternative to the traditional horse and carriage. Serious shoppers will head for the swanky Marques de Larios or the upmarket store El Cortes Ingles.

MIJAS - Wonderful mountain setting with views over pine forests and the coast. Typically Andalusian picturesque narrow streets lined with whitewashed houses.

RONDA - A monumental and historical city. The home of bullfighting, it has Spain's oldest bullfight arena dating back to 1785. Perched high above a deep ravine, Ronda has been an inspiration to artists from around the world.

GRANADA - A holiday on the Costa del Sol simply has to include a day trip to Granada. Not only is the location beautiful, it has an incredible backdrop of the Sierra Nevada's snowy peaks, but the city itself is stunning. Explore the Alhambra Palace with the finest example of Arab architecture in the whole of Spain - sumptuous images of marble columns, gilded ceilings and meticulously embroidered tapestries.

SEVILLE - A traditional city which can keep you enthralled for hours. The Cathedral is one of the most beautiful in Spain. Take a walk through the gardens of the Alcazar, the old Moorish palace, or maybe stroll through the Jewish Quarter, a romantic huddle of flower-decked houses and tiny squares shaded by orange trees and cooled by tiny fountains.

FUENGIROLA - Has the largest market on the Costa del Sol and you can have a great time haggling with the locals for your holiday bargains.

MARBELLA - One of the most famous resorts on the Andalusian coast; a holiday home to the international jet set. Luxury hotels, elegant residential areas and golf courses, landscaped amongst pinewoods and gardens, welcome celebrities from all over the world.

PUERTO BANUS - Marbella's famous port is the holiday playground for the rich and famous. There is no shortage of bars and restaurants here. The main square, which is delightful, is shaded by orange trees and is particularly good for those liking to eat outside. The port of Puerto Banus is filled with expensive looking yachts and pretty exciting for those who like to people-watch!

GIBRALTAR - Coach trips from Nerja also go as far as Gibraltar, a little bit of England at the end of Spain and from where you can enjoy the fantastic tax-free shopping!

TIVOLI WORLD - Arroyo de la Miel, Benalmadena. Theme/amusement park.

SEA LIFE CENTER - Aquarium, Benalmadena port.

CABLE SKI - San Pedro de Alcantara (Marbella)

USEFUL LINKS  FOR MORE INFOMATION

We can recommend the car hire below

NERJA TOURIST INFORMATION OFFICE      

MAIN FAIRS AND FESTIVALS