The 11 best free attractions in Nerja

The caves are excellent, and unlike anything I’ve ever visited before. The audio tour is great and very informative. However the caves get very busy which really make moving around fairly difficult. The caves are also quite expensive and for a family of 6 cost over $100. Despite this the caves are a really unique and beautiful experience that I do recommend.

Amazing experience and a must do when in Nerja. We bought tickets just by Riu Monica hotel by the train stop. Train takes about 15 mins to get there. Had a drink at the cafe which has amazing views. Take headphones as can download tour guide when there.

The Cueva de Nerja is, without a doubt, a must-see natural wonder on the Costa del Sol. This spectacular cave system offers a truly awe-inspiring journey into the geological history of Andalusia. The sheer size and grandeur of the caverns are breathtaking. The cave boasts one of the world's most impressive geological features: a colossal, record-breaking stalagnate (a column formed by the fusion of a stalactite and stalagmite), which dominates the 'Cataclysm Gallery.' The rich formations, beautifully illuminated, showcase a mesmerizing array of stalactites, stalagmites, and flowstone. Beyond its natural beauty, the Cueva de Nerja is an invaluable archaeological treasure, containing prehistoric paintings and evidence of human occupation dating back tens of thousands of years. This dual nature—as a geological masterpiece and a historical site—makes the visit profoundly enriching. The tourist route is well-maintained and clearly signposted, providing a comfortable and safe experience. Moreover, the pleasantly cool underground climate offers a welcome respite from the Spanish heat. ​In summary, Cueva de Nerja is a spectacular and fascinating natural monument that beautifully marries epic natural formation with deep human history. It is an unforgettable experience.

Great place to visit. Audio guide is excellent. Make sure you bring your Bluetooth headphones for the audio guide because it's based on your cell phone. I do recommend getting tickets early if possible especially in the peak season because it can sell out. It's really nice and cool inside the caves and it's nice and hot outside. Don't forget to validate your parking and pay for it before you leave.

Enormously huge cave. 48h before your visit they release a limited 60 tickets for free. Definitely worth the visit. Temperature inside is the same or even warmer (visited in October). You can even download a free audioguide in many languages.

The Nerja Caves were an amazing experience — the most impressive cave system I’ve ever visited. Each chamber feels unique, filled with massive stalactites and stunning rock formations. Highly recommended!

An awe-inspiring natural wonder, the Cueva de Nerja reveals colossal chambers, ancient stalactites, and prehistoric cave art that spark the imagination. The guided paths are well lit and accessible, offering a fascinating journey through history and geology in one breathtaking visit.

Visited the Cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo and it was absolutely breathtaking! This 12-kilometer coastal trail offers some of the most spectacular panoramic views of the Mediterranean I've ever seen. The highlight was definitely the Torre de Maro viewpoint - on clear days you can even see the coast of Morocco The area is a UNESCO-protected nature reserve with amazing biodiversity. We spotted mountain goats along the trail and the crystal-clear waters are perfect for snorkeling The marine life here is incredible, including rare orange coral and groupers Worth spending a full day here if you love nature and don't mind moderate hiking difficulty. Bring sun protection and plenty of water! Perfect spot for anyone seeking tranquil beaches away from the crowds.

Clear water, great for snorkelling. If you don't fancy the walk down pay the 2.5Euro to get the bus down (and back at the end of the day) Get there early if you want a parking space, even earlier on the weekend as it's a popular spot.

Fantastic spot with amazing views out over the Costa del Sol. For those who don't walk as much the view points along the coast will seem a bit of a trek, but you won't be disappointed when you get there. Free parking.

Stunning views

Stunning beach, not crowded, nudism area, clean. We have been to cala del pino, quite big beach, beautiful landscape. we just found a few jellyfishes and there isn't natural shadow, must bring your own umbrella. The path to the beach is steep but enjoyable.

Amazing cliffs and beaches down below. Important to take a sun shade in summer as it gets very hot. Nice local chiringuitos you can go for lunch.

Beautiful places where to spend the relax time. You will enjoy it.

Fantastic experience, the views are breathtaking and totally unique well worth the effort. I loved the experience and all the geophysical features of this fantastic gorge. This is a must see wonder of the world and if you book its free...... Not to be missed. One of my all time favourite trips to South Spain 🇪🇸

Beautiful for walking and camping

A great scenic walk along a narrowing shallow river gorge. Shady, large pebbles so wear old trainers and possibly walking sticks too. A nice route in the mountains. Thoroughly recommended.

Very beautiful nature park with a variety of nice paths. You can hike in the mountains or descend in the ravine.

Beautiful to say the least. Full of birds and wildlife. The water is crystal clear.

Beautiful scenery, somehow I managed to find some clag in August though...

Amazing place, nice walk through the river, great to enjoy nature !

Beautiful hike through the river, easy/moderate enough takes about 4 - 5 hours (up to waterfall & back). You walk along a dirt road for the first 20 mins and then reach the river. Bring water & sun cream & food - there are a few places to sit on the riverbank and take a rest but no services or picnic benches etc. Wear trainers as you have a better grip. There’s a waterfall at the top and a kinda plunge pool, but if it’s very hot the plunge pool is dried up a bit but the waterfall is still refreshing 😁

Beautiful hike along Río Chíllar near Nerja. The first 3–4 km from the parking are on dry road and paths, then the real adventure starts in the river. Scenic gorges, refreshing streams and waterfalls along the way – we stopped after about 7 km at a lovely cascade and waterfall. Officially the water entry is “not allowed,” but in reality it seems like a dead rule, which maybe keeps the place a bit less crowded. Good water shoes are essential, and take plenty of drinking water.

Starting point isn’t correct on Google maps so be sure to look for the official sign at the start of the walk - use Google map to walk to the Chillar river and you’ll find it that way. You pass an old building on the right. Lovely and cool walking through the river after about 15/20 mins of walking. It’s a good hour walk up to pools.

Everyone should do this! This was the highlight of our holiday. We did it in August when it was very hot, but this walk was fine because there is lots of shade and you are in and around the water. You basically walk up the river which is cut into the valley. Sometimes it is wider, sometimes it is narrower. The water is so clear and the scenery is beautiful. There are various points you can walk to, but if you can walk up to the falls they are very pretty and some fun to try and get under! We went with kids (15, 12 and 7) and would have probably been able to do the full distance since they were about 5, but even if you just go halfway it is really worth it.

This walk is brilliant its like a lost world, wear trainers with sturdy soles as you will be walking on rocks for a long time, take a packed lunch and drinks. Be careful!! No phone signal out there, so dont go alone! Beautiful place.

Alway one of the walks we have to do staying at NERJA but sad to see very little water the whole area chiller was down on water but still a great wet walk

Just the perfect walk on a hot day.. Remember to take a pack lunch.. Water, a camera. Can be done in 6 hours, but better in 8..

We did half of the hike so 5h in total, but the view was still wonderful!

Fantastic hike. This was my second time going up El Cielo. Started at 1:30pm (which was late) however I stocked up with 5litres if water. Although heavy, it was much needed in the heat. Ascent took 4 hours with several 1 minute rests. The last 200 m are tough and there is some scrambling required. Descent took 2 and 1/2 hours. Note of caution in descending from the peak - I confused a goat track with the trial and wondered quite a bit off the path requiring me to go back up. Word of advice - keep an eye out for the trees and use them as landmarks in case you do wander off the trail. Views are amazing and is your reward.

About 8 hours to go and come back! Moderate difficulty, definitely recommend it ☀️

Nice views from the top of the mountain! It's a hard climb up of 4 hours if you start in Maro. But worth it!

Great hike, huge draft on the top, recommend proper clothes against the wind. 👍

Nice views from the top of the mountain! It's a hard trek but worth it!

A must do thing. Quite long tho. 23km total, 7 hours if you take it slow. Come with proper shoes, food, water and a beer to drink on the top

We visited twice. In the first day the water was very calm and the beach had pebbles - 2 days later the beach was sandy and the water cold and “angry”. The entrance in the water is pretty deep. At every 2 steps the difference is more than 50cm depth. After 2 meters I wasn’t touching the bottom anymore. The color is wonderful, a very clean turquoise. If you want sun-beds you have to come early and you still might have low chances because people do reservations in advance. But there is room on the beach for towels and own umbrella if you are inspired enough to bring one.

The beach is set in a stunning natural landscape, with soft sand and a very welcoming atmosphere. There is free parking available right next to the beach, though it’s best to arrive early as spaces fill up quickly. On-site, you’ll find public restrooms and free water stations, which is a great convenience. There are also plenty of options nearby to grab a meal or enjoy a refreshing drink. For those looking for activities, you can rent a kayak or simply relax under a parasol with sunbeds. Overall, it’s a beautiful spot and definitely a place worth returning to.

Very nice beach, lots of people and umbrellas, but everyone can find a place. Lots of parking but very hard to find a free spot, but with pacience it can be done. The entrace in the sea water is kind of rough, water gets over your dead pretty fast from the shore. Lots of restaurants and shopping store near the beach.

Fine gravel beach, that has public toilets close by. Nice clean beach and clear sea, good for snorkeling. Promenade is lined with shops, Bars & Restaurants

We arrived here at the beach around 1 PM and none of the beach clubs had any places left as they were already full and we couldn’t rent any sunbeds or umbrellas, so instead of leaving this beach, we decided to buy beach chairs and a umbrella from a store nearby which costed us around hundred euros for two people, but this allowed us to pick a spot that we would prefer a bit further from people. The water is very cold I would say but the beach is well organized with showers and many bars or restaurants around it so you could really enjoy your beach day but maybe if you’re really into swimming not really the best place to be.

Lively and buzzing family beach. Great reasonably priced restaurants. Clean and free toilets. Definitely recommend the kayaking, which is great fun. Pedalos are great fun too…as long as a sudden squall does not appear. One of my favourite European family beaches.

Absolutely lovely beach. Nice shops and restaurants. Crushed stone like sand but beautiful crystal clear water when calm.

The dog park is nice. Several patanko courts and several exercise classes offered. Very nice. Parking is sometimes scarce, but there is a 1e pay lot across the bridge. It's a 3-4 minute walk from that parking lot to the park.

A grew up watching Verano Azul, very disappointed that the Dorada was placed on a car park far away from the center.

A beautiful lounge in the city, a lot of posibilities for both activities and relaxing for kids and grown ups. Well maintained, except for the toilets. They were awful, no toiletpaper, no soap, no dryer (disconnected). Dirty.

Always well worth a visit to the Parque Verano Azul with its memories of the TV series which brought so many people to Nerja. The replica of the boat (El Barco) has been enhanced by the images of the characters from the show now appearing on deck and in the various posters around the park. The only thing missing is the statue of Chanquete which is in the tourism office in the town centre.

Excellent kids park, for all ages. Must be recently renovated because it’s brand new and has a lot of fun features. Section for 1-4 y.o., 4-15 etc.

For the people of 80's who watched the spanish series "Blue summer" /Verano azul/ this boat means so much ! But for the others it's very strange to see a boat in the middle of the city :-) Never mind, there's a parking lot and a small garden, so you could take a picture and then looking for the series on-line

My daughters loved that park. Highly recommend it!

A nice beach for those who like it more quiet. It is not a sand beach, but it has regions with very fine stones that are comfortable to sit on. It would have been very good if the beached was cleaned better. It has a natural feeling.

Lovely beach alongside Nerja. Clean large beach with clear water. Also a lovely place to visit and wander along the top of this and other beaches - you can walk for miles.

Huge, beautiful, quiet and clean beach. Nice rest in summer and winter.

A pleasant walk along the beach from Nerja to Punta Lara. New benches and lots of lovely flowers and shrubs in bloom The addition of the bridge over "the river" makes a huge difference and the fact they have put in walkways with benches down each side up to the edge of town very pretty and much needed

Excellent Beach, Sunbeds 6 euros all day, access to toilets near by, shower on beach too, great for paddling, and swimming, but you do need feet protection, whilst in water.

Nerja is great ! So so nice.... Beaches beautiful, city amazing.

Great little beach with crystal clear water which everyone enjoyed snorkeling and swimming in. Shallow drop off too. Recommend some beach shoes to make walking over the pebbles a bit more comfortable.

The sardines were really bad. Sour taste. The fish (dorado) was tasteless. The waitress stressed and uninterested... The location is good though, just above the beach. But I would recommend you to make your own dishes and eat a picnic directly on the beach instead!

Beautiful! The water is so clear and blue, it’s almost unreal. The sea is calm and water is shallow. There are small rocks when entering in the water, beautiful gray sand after. You can snorkel and see lots of fish. Get there early for a spot, lots of people come to this beach.

A nice view and sandbeach. Toilets available and cafè/restaurants nearby.

La Torecilla beach is one of the most attractive in Nerja. It is in its western part. In comparison to other beaches this one seems to be cozy because it is tiny. It is appreciated by foreign tourists as everything is close to each other. Sandy beach, restaurants with reasonable prices, promenades, plenty flowers and trees. Even some historical rests are around. The western part of the beach ends with the moorish watchtower. I advice to combine beach at the sea with a walk along the Chillar River which flows into the sea besides. The walk can be compared with a visit a Botanical garden. Some exotic plants are to discover.

Limited number of sunbeds. Cafe,8 restaurant and ice cream adjacent. Nice promenade with lots of sitting areas. Toilet facilities. Many people bring their own chairs and parasols to the beach.

Beautiful beach and great sunsets this time of year. (January)

Very peaceful beach with 2 local restaurant 10 minutes walk from Nerja. No renting of beds or umbrella.

Unfortunately we chose a very wet day to visit the plaza at Nerja as can be seen by the video. On a warm dry day it would a great place to take a stroll look out over the water and have an ice cream.

We visited Plaza Balcón de Europa in Nerja with our family during Easter week. Although we didn’t get to see any special events or parades during our stay, our day at this beautiful spot was more than enough to create unforgettable memories. The plaza is famous for its breathtaking views over the Mediterranean Sea. Perched on a cliff, it offers sweeping vistas of the coastline and distant mountains—so stunning that no photo could truly capture their beauty. Our whole family was amazed, and we took countless photos while the kids happily ran around the spacious plaza. Plaza Balcón de Europa is truly a fantastic destination for families. The area feels safe and open, allowing children to play freely. There are plenty of cozy cafés and ice cream shops nearby, perfect for taking a break. Simply sitting on a bench, gazing out over the sea with my family, was a wonderfully relaxing experience. The old town of Nerja, just steps from the plaza, is also a must-see. Strolling through its whitewashed, flower-lined streets felt like walking through a storybook village. We enjoyed delicious local food at nearby restaurants and discovered the charming, laid-back atmosphere of the area. Even though we didn’t witness any special Easter events, our day at Plaza Balcón de Europa became a cherished memory for our whole family. With its stunning scenery, peaceful atmosphere, and the warmth of the local people, I can confidently give this destination a full five stars! Visitamos la Plaza Balcón de Europa en Nerja con la familia durante la Semana Santa. Aunque no vimos eventos especiales, disfrutamos de un día inolvidable en este hermoso lugar. Las vistas al mar Mediterráneo desde el acantilado son impresionantes y el ambiente es muy agradable para familias. Los niños pudieron jugar libremente y nos relajamos en las terrazas cercanas. También paseamos por el encantador casco antiguo de Nerja, con sus calles blancas y llenas de flores. Aunque no hubo celebraciones especiales, fue una experiencia maravillosa que recomendamos con cinco estrellas.

Lovely people watching and great views, night life and lights spectacular.

Wow just wow, what a beautiful place to see. A very busy place with loads of authentic shops to look round as well

Probably the highlight of Nerja and well worth taking the time to visit. The Plaza is picturesque and lively with plenty of places to sit and enjoy a cold drink or an ice cream. It is the beginning point of the Balcon de Europa which affords great views of the local beaches, the coastline and the mountains beyond.

Beautiful place , amazing view and a clean sea at nerja!

Beautiful view and a very nice place. It can get quite windy in the evenings, so make sure to bring a jacket.

A project in the making, hopefully. It looks and feels quite barren with a lot of empty units. But look past this, and enjoy the big open space. Little craft market was there during our visit, which added interest. A few nice cafe bars to sit and catch the rays. After the narrow, tiny cobbled streets of the town, it has quite a serene and calming effect. Parking is available underground, with access from the plaza.

Probably one of the most disappointing squares in a seaside town especially in a town where apparently there are visitors even in so-called off-season. A shameful and failed urban project. Closed stores all around, not only for temporarly reasons. The square is just making you to run away.

Nice big square, with some bar restaurants, lead out past the church and into the balcony of Europe, weddings come down the same route to the church

There is a parking right underneath the Plaza De España. Other than that it is a very boring Plaza de España. There are definitely prettier ones in other cities. If you’re close by stop by but otherwise I would say it is not worth a visit. I can recommend the Balcon of Europe which is only a few meters from the Plaza de España. You have better views from there.

Nerja in top 10 Tripadvisor worldwide... l understand why 😁

Simple but nice looking plaza.

Great place to catch the sun in the park and have a beer it some food. Realy nice place!