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Spanien:

About renting cars

Nerja

by Lars Haagen Petersen

Nerja - San Francisco - Christmas 2018

On the website of the Spanish tourist office, it says that Nerja is a small fishing village on the coast surrounded by agriculture, but it has been a long time since these two professions have been the economic mainstays of the city. Tourism is also here, as with the other cities on the Andalusian coast, the main business - not least in the summer season, when most cities are full of tourists.

The city with its approx. 21,000 inhabitants, is probably best known for being Costa del Sol´s famous authentic city with the most beautiful coastline. The town itself has a very pedestrian friendly center full of tourist essentials such as bars, restaurants and tourist shops in general. Personally, I mostly see the city as a good base for excursions to e.g. Ronda, Cordoba and Granada. and we prefer to live a little away from the center of the city and closer to the mountains in the very peaceful area called San Juan Capistrano, which is mostly characterized by many small staggered houses located on a mountainside.

Wanted

San Francisco, San Juan Capistrano, Nerja - Julen 2019

I must also admit that the bars in the city are not the ones that have the greatest interest, but tastes and preferences are different. Over the years, however, I have started to like certain parts of the city, which can actually be quite pleasant, at least outside the summer season.

In the old center you can also see what is called the "Balcon de Europa".

Balcón de Europa, is a man-made viewpoint on a rocky outcrop that offers views of the sea. Its name is said to have been coined by King Alfonso XII, of whom a statue can also be seen at the site. Under the balcony itself, there is a restaurant with an excellent view, but the food can be of a slightly mixed quality.

However, the city is also known for the impressive stalactite caves "Nerja Caves", discovered in 1959.

Hulerne strækker sig over næsten 5 kilometer og er en af Spaniens største turistattraktioner, hvor der bl.a. afholdes concerter jævnligt i en af salene, som danner et naturligt amfiteater.

The caves were rediscovered in modern times in 1959 by five friends who entered through a narrow hole known as "La Mina". This forms one of the two natural entrances to the cave system. A third entrance was created in 1960 to provide easy access for tourists. The cave is divided into two main parts known as Nerja I and Nerja II. Nerja I is open to the public, with relatively easy access via a staircase and concrete paths, allowing tourists to move around the cave without difficulty. Nerja II, which is not open to the public, was discovered in 1960 and another was discovered in 1969.

It is estimated that Neanderthals may have done the cave paintings, which can be dated back to 42,000 years ago.

A third attraction is the river "Rio Chillar", which flows into the Mediterranean close to the city center, which is exceptionally beautiful and an experience of the greatest to walk in.

When driving on the motorway between Maro and Nerja, you can see an aqueduct built in the 19th century that goes over "Barranco de Marco Gorge. The Aguila Aqueduct in Nerja is a historical monument that was built to transport water to a sugar factory in Maro. It is also known as Eagle Aqueduct or Eagle Bridge, because it has a weathercock in the shape of a double-headed eagle on top. It is a beautiful example of Mudejar style architecture, with four stories of horseshoe-shaped arches and a central pavilion with an inscription that reads “Pura y Limpia Concepción”(Pure and Pure Conception). The Aqueduct is one of the most photographed places in Nerja, and one can get a good view of it from the N-340 road, where there is a rest area where you can stop and take pictures. The aqueduct was damaged during the Spanish Civil War but was restored in 2011. It is still in use for local irrigation.