The Best Hotels in Nerja

Nerja Hotels

Lose yourself in the hubbub of tightly packed Sunday market stalls, explore 13 kilometers of golden sandy beaches, and wend your way carefully through the dramatic Caves of Nerja, where endless caverns are filled with dramatic stalagmites and prehistoric cave pictures. Down on Spain’s southern coast, the pretty town of Nerja entices tourists with the temptation of intriguing history, dramatic architecture, and a sublimely beautiful coastline. It’s a gem in the Costa del Sol, a small town that demonstrates its fishing village past in its friendly seafood tapas bars, and marina-front restaurants.

There’s more than one beach in Nerja – a whole string, in fact, of golden stretches of sand each hugging the rocky cliffs of Spain’s south coast. Whichever beach you choose to visit you’ll have access to the crystal clear waters of the Alboran Sea, where snorkeling and scuba diving are understandably popular pastimes. Burriana Beach is the most commercial, overlooked by multi-level, whitewashed holiday apartment blocks, garish cafes, and typical tourist pubs that run along its 800 meter length. Over at Torrecilla Beach, a wide promenade makes it a glamorous destination, lit at night with the orange glow of street lamps and tempting restaurant windows. The sloping sands here are ideal for sunbathers, and amenities like pedalos and showers make it a good choice for families. The jutting cliff face of the Balcon de Europa sits at the edge of the town, an ancient fortress that once guarded the streets behind it. It now serves as a vantage point for snap-happy tourists. It also signals the start of a busy tourist plaza that’s planted with towering palm trees, and edged with pretty chapels, and paved walkways. Concerts are played here in warm summer evenings, and it’s the starting or stopping point for many of the town’s annual parades.

Hotels in Nerja

A typical Spanish seaside town, you’ll have plenty of choice when you’re looking for hotels in Nerja. They line the beaches in a small army of upscale accommodation and discount hotels, vying for the best views along the coast. Since there are so many beaches here, most places to stay are either right on the sands, or within a short walk. At the top end of the budget, luxury hotels in Nerja provide immediate access to the beach, at least one outdoor swimming pool with a furnished terrace to enjoy, and very often more than one restaurant to visit on site. There are cheaper hotels here too, including some very hospitable bed and breakfasts. In fact, most budget hotels in Nerja provide basic self-catering accommodation, offering private bathrooms, separate living and dining areas, and simple kitchen facilities.

Where to stay

Nerja is a small, compact community with a welcoming, multicultural heart. It’s shaken off the mantle of coastal fishing village and assumed a vibrant, tourist friendly appeal as its popularity has grown. Overshadowed by the mountainous hulk of the Sierras Tejeda Natural Park, it can be a quiet destination during the cooler winter months, livening in summertime to a frenzy of ice cream parlours, sidewalk cafes, and beach parties. Most hotels in Nerja are within walking distance of the center, where bricked one-way streets are lined with quaint boutiques, and balconied townhouses.

How to get to Nerja

Malaga Airport lies in the east, and it’s one of the most accessible airports on Spain’s south coast. Onward travel to Nerja is easiest by hire car, although there are buses available. While you’re in the town itself, there’s no need for transport, and everything is a short walk away.