The royal burgh of Nerja lies in the easternmost part of the province of Málaga and has what is without a doubt one of the most attractive landscapes on the Costa del Sol. Since it is set in the foothills of the Almijara Mountains the rugged terrain plunges straight into the sea, forming spectacular cliffs and also extensive beaches and small coves with deep, crystal-clear water. In addition to this spectacular scenery the village itself is a gift to the senses. It has preserved a historic old quarter, built in the late fifteenth century, with crooked Moorish-style streets, charming byways bordered by characteristically simple and meticulously whitewashed houses.

The main monument in the historic old quarter is the El Salvador Church, built in the early sixteenth century and reconstructed in the eighteenth. It houses several interesting frescos of the Granada School and the mural of the Annunciation by the Vélez painter Francisco Hernández. A good part of the village’s commercial life is concentrated around this church and its environs. There are well-tended establishments and an excellent and varied restaurant offer. The Paseo de los Carabineros (Carabineers’ Walk) is just a short distance from this setting. Any visitor should visit it, as it descends between rocks until emerging onto the Carabeo beach. The Jardines de Europe (Gardens of Europe) next to the Burriana beach are also a pleasant walkway near the sea.

The Paraje Natural de Los Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo (Cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo Natural Area) was designated as such in 1989. It covers an area of 375 hectares, including one kilometre out to sea. This rugged territory is of great ecological value due to the diversity of flora and fauna to be found there, but what intrigues visitors are the majestic cliffs and the numerous untouched coves that are separated from one another by imposing rocky crags or merely by fallen boulders. Because of its ruggedly mountainous nature diving and underwater fishing—both of which are strictly regulated—are some of the greatest attractions of this natural setting, but it is the coves that hold the greatest appeal for tourists. Due to the difficult terrain and the desire to conserve this area for its great environmental value it has been illegal to go to the coves in private vehicles or to camp there for some years now. The Environmental Council of the Assembly of Andalusia has set up a transport service with all-terrain vehicles that allows comfortable access to the beaches.

A visit to the Balcón de Europa (Balcony of Europe) is obligatory in any tour of the picturesque and well-tended old quarter of Nerja. This is really a huge esplanade that begins at the village residential area and extends towards the sea, ending in a semicircle protected by a railing. The view from this point of the Mediterranean and the beaches near the village is breathtaking. This walkway was built on the site formerly occupied by a fort that fell into ruins after the War of Independence, and it was popular imagination that christened it the Balcony of Europe after the visit by King Alfonso XII to the locality. The monarch visited Nerja after the disastrous earthquake in Andalusia on 24 December 1884. Some people understood that the king, upon seeing the place, commented that it was the balcony of Europe, and since that time that is what the former Paseo de la Batería (Battery Walk, so called in reference to the battery of cannon in the now-vanished fort) has been known as.

Since Nerja is on the Costa del Sol all you need do is take the Mediterranean Expressway (A-7; N-340) from any point on the Málaga coast to get to this locality, remembering to go in the direction of Motril-Almería.