Andalucia in April for 11 days with children
 

hello everybody,
Just joined the forum. Whilst this topic has been discussed before, my query is a bit different.

We are flying in to Malaga early April for 11 days holiday. This is our first long holiday and my wife wants to just chill out. She is not keen on changing hotels and the stress around it.
I, on the other hand, would have loved to spend 2-3 days each in Seville, Cordoba , Granada,etc. However, we have agreed to stay in 2 places - 4 days and 7 days. Children want a swimming pool in the hotel and not keen on apartments / villas.

As we are arriving late night (11pm) at Malaga, I was thinking of staying for 4 days in either Malaga town or Nerja. Not keen on the very touristy Costa De Sol. Also not keen on huge resorts with 500 rooms and too many people. That is the only definite thing about our holiday so far.
Also, I intend to hire a car to travel around.

My queries are:

1. Nerja or malaga? Or infact Antequera . There is a nice Parador there with pool and children's play area. However, am worried if it is too far from the beaches. I am aware that early April might be too cold for the beaches anyway. Any suggestions for nice hotels would be welcome. Budget is around £100- 150/ night.

2. Where do I stay for the next 7 days? Seville or elsewhere ? Or would Antequera be a good base point for all places for the 11 days ( it seems to be central). Would day trips to Ronda , Seville and Cordoba be practical? Any suggestions on hotels?

There is so much to do in this lovely part of the world that I seem to have the problem of plenty.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Many thanks
Rajat

Welcome.

Randomness that may or may not assist.

What makes you think Nerja is not touristy and not similar to the Costa del Sol west of Malaga? However, I have not been there for years and you are going on a shoulder month.

Malaga has a beach at La Malagueta which touches the city. Unless I am mistaken and something has happened in the last couple of months, you will not find accommodation with a pool in the city.

I cannot help with hotels as your budget is greater than mine and you carry a family which is not the way I travel - try http://www.hotelscombined.com/ and see reviews on the net or Tripadvisor.

A car will be a burden in any city.

You can see using such as - http://www.viamichelin.co.uk/viamich...MaHomePage.htm distances involved and determine that based in Malaga or Nerja, the likes of Seville and Cordoba by car may be long day trips. So yes, perhaps move once if staying in Malaga and Nerja.

Antequera is central (ish) to everything on your wish list. Also, you will not see the tourist excesses of the Costa. The only other premises I am aware of, with pool, which may suit is Antequera Golf Hotel on the periphery of the town. (Search around and you may find better prices than the hotel offers.)

Best wishes.

You should be aware that Holy Week/Semana Santa is celebrated from 17th to the 24th of April. A huge thing in all of Andalucía, worship and party hand in hand. Should be a great experience, but be prepared if your stay coincide. http://www.andalucia.com/magazine/en...mana-santa.htm

Don't think outdoor swimming pools would be open as early as April.

Málaga is a big and fabulous city with some 560 000 people, while Nerja is small (pop. 20 000), more touristy but with lots of charm and great beaches. I spend time in both places quite often.

I posted this some time ago, about both Málaga and Nerja:

MÁLAGA:
Genuine Andalusian atmosphere, excellent tapas bars, cafés, and perhaps the most easy-going people in all of Andalucía. Within three hundred metres in the center, you'll find the recently excavated Roman theater, the 8-11th century Moorish Alcazaba, the great 16th century Cathedral and both Picasso's birth-place and the new Picasso museum (2003).
A couple of articles on the city:
"Málaga: Authentic charm of an overlooked treasure"
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ci...-treasure.html
From Andalucía Magazine:
http://www.andalucia.com/magazine/en...ed2/malaga.htm

NERJA:
Nerja (pop. 20 000), some 35 miles east along the coast from Málaga city. Has got everything that makes it popular with tourist, but has retained much of its charm and character. Great food, beaches etc. This site is excellent about Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/

If you go to Nerja, I can recommend bustling La Marina or La Puntilla to get a feel of the local flavour. Especially La Marina in Plaza la Marina is in my opinion as good as you get a seafood freiduria in all of Andalucía.
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/la-marina/
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...s/la-puntilla/

Top tapas grilled on the spot (conchas finas, mussels, clams, prawns, monkfish, whitebait, baby-squid, sausages, pinchos morunos, mini-burgers etc.) and great atmosphere at El Pulguilla in C/Cristo, just off Balcón de Europa. Free tapas to choose with every drink in the bar area (as in almost all tapas bars in Nerja).
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres.../el-pulguilla/

The spectacular prehistoric Nerja caves are just outside town: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/nerja-caves/

You should live in the centre/old town close to the sea, the best bars, restaurants etc (some of the tourist apartment areas are 20-30 mins walking from the center). These are all great options ranging from upscale to basic and good value:
Parador de Nerja: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/para...-nerja.en.html
Hotel Carabeo: http://www.hotelcarabeo.com/
Hotel Plaza Cavana (with indoor pool): http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/nerj...cavana.en.html
Hostal Mena: http://www.hostalmena.es/hostal/eng/

Lots of apartments for rent. Stay in the area close to the oldest street in town, seafront Calle Carabeo. A couple of options:
http://www.hocosol.com/obmp30/hotelp...s&id=175&ln=en
http://www.rentinnerja.com/apartments-nerja/AVL15/

Antequera some 35 miles north of Málaga city is also a good idea. Both spectacular El Torcal and the wolf park might be fun for the kids. More info about Antequera with kids on this fodor thread:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...nd-sevilla.cfm

thank you to you both. Nerja seems a great option.
Fantastic links, kimhe

Here's a great photo of Nerja. Calle Carabeo runs along the top of the cliffs. Here (or very close) you find the Parador, the Hotel Carabeo and the apartments:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

Nerja for kids: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/nerja-for-kids/

My family and I stayed at this hotel and really liked it. It is ideal for families with kids:
http://www.laherriza.com/home.html
The surroundings are breathtaking and the apartments very comfortable. They have no kitchen but you can rent a 2 room apartment with a living room. There is a restaurant on site. It might be too cool for swimming in April though. We were there in April too and it was definitely too cold. The pool was ready though.

Make sure you BOOK hotels ....very busy time during La Semana Santa.
We are arriving in Malaga on the 12t and continuing to Seville on the 15th.

Danon is right. Semana Santa is 17.-25. April this year.

we are there from 4-15th, so should miss the Semana Santa unfortunately.
KarenE, Gaucin looks tempting. really beautiful hotel too.
I am torn between Nerja and Gaucin. I feel the children will like Nerja more....