“Limitless undying love which shines around me like a million suns it calls me on and on across the universe” – John Lennon

I thought I would start this blog adventure with the first solo trip I ever ventured on. At the age of 17, I took off on a one way flight to Malaga in the Costa Del Sol in Spain. I think my Dad was crazy to let me do it, I think he thinks he was crazy to allow me… But I was determined and it was the best thing he could have ever done for me.

I settled in a small town an hour from Malaga called Nerja and I never looked back. Nerja boasts 16km of sparkling white beached coastlines. It has a modest population of 20,000 people with soars during the summer months. Their season lasts from April to October, with the temperatures reaching the late 40ºc in August.

Nerja has something for everyone. It’s a popular destination for families, retirees and twenty-somethings alike. While I was there I stayed in an apartment right beside Playa Torecilla, which was the perfect location for me. It was a 10 minute walk to Balcón de Europa and a 2 minute walk to one of my favourite beaches in the town.

While you’re there, there are loads of activities to enjoy.

Beaches:

First things first, no one goes to the Costa del Sol unless they want to catch a sun tan. While visiting Nerja, you can sunbathe on any of the numerous beaches that Nerja offers. My favourites are Torrecilla for the location and the space and Playa Calahonda (directly West of the Balcón de Europa), this is the prettiest and sandiest beach in Nerja and therefore can also be the most packed. If you go in the late afternoon it’s the perfect place to go for a sunset dip.

Playa Burriana is another favourite because it hosts a range of water sports and therefore is the most entertaining of the beaches. You can partake in jet skiing, water skiing, banana boating, kayaking and many other activities.

Outdoor activites:

One of the most underrated and beautiful attractions I would recommend are the Las Cuevas de Nerja. The Nerja Caves are accessible by bus to or you can drive to them. At €10 entry for adults, it’s well worth it and it is a wonderfully educational way to spend the day if you don’t want to sun yourself for every minute of your stay. You can pre-order tickets.

There are also many hiking trails that you can enjoy in Nerja and beyond. One place I would highly recommend visiting when the weather is cooler if Frigiliana. Frigiliana is a beautiful village up in the hills behind Nerja. It’s a white wash-window box kind of village, and I loved it. Although, I made the mistake of visiting on one of the hottest days in June and considering the hilly-ness of the village, it was an effort to move that day!

What to do in the evening:

First and foremost, before you go for dinner, I would strongly recommend going for a walk down to the Balcón de Europa to watch the sunset. The Balcón is the stage to one of the most breathtaking views in the world. Literally meaning the Balcony of Europe! There are usually quirky buskers around too that you can enjoy. While I was there, they included a Native American band playing instrumental and a hippy creating giant bubbles for the holiday-going children to chase.

After that, take a walk up Calle Pintada and choose whatever restaurant takes your fancy. There is a variety of different places to eat, anything from traditional Spanish tapas to a restaurant called California (if you’re going here, call ahead a reserve a table on the rooftop terrace, it’s spectacular) and a little bit further up (on Calle Cristo) there is a beautiful restaurant that I would highly recommend called Pinnochios where you’ll find the most delicious Italian food in the town.

One night, I’d recommend doing a self-lead tapas trail. You can go to any tapas bar in Nerja and order a glass of wine and receive a free tapa or you can order a range of tapas. Not only is this the cheapest way to eat out in Nerja but you also have the opportunity to try a range of different local wines. Who wouldn’t love that?

Cocktails:

Finally, end up in the Budha bar on Calle Gloria. Not only is Budha bar the chicest bar in the town but it also serves the most delicious and reasonably priced cocktails.

For those twenty-somethings looking for a party – find Plaza Tutti Frutti, speak to any promo worker and you won’t regret it! There are normally 2 for the price of 1 on drinks in every bar, not to mention the free ‘chupitos’ that are given at will.

I could go on and on and on about Nerja having been lucky enough to spend three months there and having numerous visitors while I was there to entertain. However, I will leave it at that and if you have any questions about it feel free to snap me (imperfectlyfree), tag me on insta or tweet me.

Winging it,

R x