2 Days (without Car) in Nerja or Malaga?
 

Hi there -

I'm helping to plan a first-time trip for my parents to Spain...and we're having trouble deciding where to spend their last 2 nights on the Costa del Sol. They will have already spent nearly two weeks exploring Andalusia, so they might be a bit tired and ready to relax. They will be coming from Granada, and most likely won't have a car.

Do you recommend they stay in Malaga (from where they will be flying for return home) or Nerja? We've heard wonderful things about both, and I would imagine Malaga would be easiest without a car, but may not be as relaxing. The caves and opportunity to see a white-washed village is also very appealing for my mother...I just worry that it might be more complicated without a car (and might cause more stress than pleasure).

Any advice for them on where to stay, based on two nights in early October? And if you recommend that its the best for them to have a car, please let me know! Up until now, we thought the bus or even a private transfer from Granada to Nerja (or Malaga) could work. We were just hoping to avoid the hassle of renting/driving (first time for them in Spain) for just two days.

Thanks in advance!

For a relaxing stay at the end of a two weeks Andalucia trip, I can very much recommend Nerja. Take a look at the Parador, Boutique Hotel Carabeo or Balcon de Europa. All are on the cliffs in this photo (Balcon de Europa is a little left of the photo) and on the edge of the beautiful Old town: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trondjs/3735908317/

The Parador: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/para...rja.en-gb.html
Hotel Carabeo: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/carabeo.en-gb.html
http://www.hotelcarabeo.com/
Balcon de Europa: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/balc...opa.en-gb.html

You'll find dozens of genuine tapas bars and restaurants in the Old town: http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/131879/629455
La Puntilla, El Cangrejo, El Velero, El Niño, Los Cuñaos and Los Bilbainos are some of my favourites. http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/

You'll also find some excellent high end restaurants in Nerja.
- Sollun: http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Resta...n-227002-41102
- Oliva: http://www.viamichelin.com/web/Resta...a-452419-41102
- Fusion Food & Lounge (perhaps now the best of the top three): http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

But be aware that Nerja explodes in the more or less crazy Feria from Oct 8 to 12. Then it's not much peace and quiet here. http://www.nerjatoday.com/fiestas/nerja-feria/

... and Nerja is a 45 minutes and 65€ fixed price taxi drive from the Malaga airport. http://nerja-taxis.net/

Or there are frequent buses from Nerja to the central bus station in Malaga city, and from there are frequent direct buses to the airport.

Hi Kimhe, thanks so much for this, it's so helpful! These are some wonderful ideas for Nerja.

What's your opinion about lack of car: Do you think it's fine to go without a car? Is it fairly easy to get to the caves or Frigiliana without one?

Better to just pay for a private transfer from Granada and relax in the town of Nerja, then taxi to Malaga airport?

Thanks again!

No problem without a car in Nerja. Nerja is small and very walkable, and buses all the time between Nerja and both the caves and Frigiliana. http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/bus-timetables/

Buses from Granada to Nerja seven times pr. day. ALSA bus company, 10,76€ and less than two hours.
https://www.alsa.es/en/home

Had to add three of my favourite tapas bars/restaurants in town:

- La Marina, the freshest fish and seafood, as good as a you get a seafood freiduria in all of Andalucia: http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gu.../marina_en.htm
- Delicious grilled seafood and meat tapas in loud and crowdy El Pulguilla: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html
- No fuss La Puntilla, right in the heart of the Old town, a Nerja classic: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

Thank you so much kimhe! this is awesome!

last question,it looks some of the hotels you mentioned above won't work for their dates (Oct 4-6)...so do you have an opinon on the below? Parador is still on the list...but much higher in price, slightly out of their budget.

MB Boutique
Puerta del Mar

Or is Parador so wonderful it warrants the cost? :)

Also, there's no reason to think it will be super rowdy or loud in the few days before Feria, is there?

Again - thanks so much!

We were just in Nerja for a 3-night vacation from our vacation and I can't recommend Hotel Carabeo highly enough. It's a small (7 rooms) boutique hotel, with great service. Try to book the suite on the top floor if possible.

This is how we spent our days in Nerja and my recommended itinerary: Breakfast in the breakfast room followed by a walk through town, then reading and swimming on the hotel's terrace, lunch on the terrace, more lounging, a nap, and finally dinner in the hotel's restaurant.

We walked past the parador and it wasn't impressive at all.

Thanks Vonse! I saw the photos after kimhe suggested it and it looks incredible! I've tried a few websites (including their own) and it looks like they're sold out. I've just tried giving them a call and I couldn't get very far...my Spanish is a little rusty!

I'll suggest to my parents to go to the hotel restaurant at least...looks delightful!

Do you guys have an opinion on a tour to the caves and Frigiliana? Good idea or not necessary?

The Parador is modern, tranquile and quite luxcurious. Stayed here once and found it excellent but a bit dull.

MB Boutique is in a new and not very interesting/charming part of town, lots of apartment buildings in the area, but it gets rave reviews: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/mb-boutique.en-gb.html

Hotel Puerta del Mar would be an excellent choice: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/puer...mar.en-gb.html

Not any reason that it should be rowdy or loud in the few days before the Feria. The majority of visitors come for the Feria itself, and no special events before the fiesta suddenly explodes.

And I strongly recommend the Old town to find the genuine laid-back Nerja feel (could be a bit hectic around the famous Balcon de Europa area).

These bars/restaurants roughly squares in the Old town area I talk about.
Rincón del Sabor, close to the Parador: http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...con-del-sabor/
La Puntilla: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Andalucia.html
El Niño: http://mynerja.com/view/bars/el-nino/
And El Velero, close to the bus stop: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...Andalucia.html

And you should be aware that there are excellent and free tapas to choose with every glass of whatever in the bar area of the dozens of local restaurants in Nerja. A glass and a small plate of all kinds of goodies sets you back 1,50-2€. Lots of grilled fish, seafood, meat, sausages, casseroles, vegetables and salads.
http://themaritimeexplorer.ca/2015/1...rawl-in-nerja/

Frigiliana could be nice for a lunch-trip, but the spectacular cave is a must: http://www.cuevadenerja.es/index.php?lenguaje=en

This is wonderful! So grateful for your advice kimhe!

I've booked the Puerta del Mar for them...they are thrilled! Now I just have to plan a trip down there for me! :)

thank you again!

Just glad to help, and wish them a great Andalucia trip!

Speaking of "ready to relax", I finally just had to inform that your parents are staying 100 meters from my favourite cafe in town, comfortable, atmospheric and laid-back Cafeteria Cavana. A nice terrace outside, as seen in the photos, but the real gem is the inside. http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/cavana/

that's great! thanks Kimhe! I'll make sure to tell them. :)