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The Best Beaches in Nerja
Nerja is well known throughout Spain for its famous beaches and coves because many of them are featured as the best beaches in Spain. Nerja is one of Costa del Sol’s most well known destinations as this community has kept its traditional fishing village feel with its whitewashed store fronts and small town feel so it has become a well known seaside resort. The majority of people who visit Nerja come to vacation and relax on one of the many beaches along this stretch of Spain’s Costa del Sol. Many of the beaches are in stark contrast as some have long stretches of sandy shores, while the majority are small and tucked away in quiet coves between different rock outcroppings and cliffs. Many of these cliffs offer beautiful views, but one of the best views of the coastline in Nerja is from the Balcón de Europa. Many of these beaches are also in walking distance from the center of Nerja so it makes it easy to enjoy the beach and explore the town on the same visit. Even if you don’t feel like walking far, there are restaurants, stores, public restrooms and showers close to the shoreline. Another reason that makes a beach day in Nerja so comfortable is the large number of lifeguard stations located along the beaches in Nerja. There are actually so many different beaches in Nerja that you could visit a new beach each day of the week. Let’s take a closer look at a few of those different beaches starting in east Nerja and moving west, getting closer to the central part of the city and going just past the Balcón de Europa.
Burriana Beach (Playa de Burriana)
For many tourists to Nerja, the only beach they are planning to visit is Burriana as it is the most popular. This beach is on the top of many visitors list because it is so large. It has over 700 to 800 meters of sandy beach that has a lot of space and isn’t far from the center part of town. In fact, you could walk there, but many choose to drive and park in the underground parking garage. If you like water sports, you can easily hire a tour company to take you parasailing or you can rent kayaks. If you would rather stick to land, they have beach volleyball courts where you can practice serving in the sand. You don’t need to visit the center of town if you are looking for different services, as this beach has everything you might search for along the boardwalk full of vendors, and if you are in search of food, there are restaurants, cafes and bars along the beach boardwalk promenade. If you are looking for seafood, it’s a great place to enjoy fish, shrimp and other fruits of the sea. It’s also great for families as the town has multiple children’s playgrounds along the beach. You can easily rent beach chairs and get almost anything or any type of amenity you would need for a day at the beach.
Check out this map to see where Playa de Burriana is located in Nerja.
Carabeillo Beach (Playa Carabeillo)
Carabeillo Beach is one of the shortest beaches in Nerja and located basically right next to Burriana Beach, just a few steps to the west. It is surrounded by cliffs and is kind of secluded so this beach is less crowded than Burriana Beach. Due to the cliffs, there is a steep descent from the street down to the beach, so just be aware when planning to know you will be climbing some steps. It has less amenities, but you can just walk back over to the neighboring Burriana Beach in just a few minutes to access anything that you want. This beach also has lifeguards so that makes it easier to relax along the beach.
Check out this map to see where Playa Carabeillo is located in Nerja.
Carabeo Beach (Playa Carabeo)
Carabeo Beach is the mother beach of Carabeillo Beach and is slightly larger, but not by much. It has a sandy beach about 120 meters wide while the smaller Carabeillo Beach is only about 70 meters wide. It is kind of hidden from view because of the cliffs that surround it, but you can easily find it walking down Calle Carabeo from the center of Nerja. To access the beach you will need to use a set of very steep steps to walk down into this cove surrounded by massive rocks on both sides. Many people choose not to visit this beach because the steps deter them away so just remember the beach is never extremely crowded and it feels like you have found a very private secluded beach.
Check out this map to see where Playa Carabeo is located in Nerja.
El Chorrillo Beach (Playa El Chorrillo)
This beach actually is made up of three small coves. All three little coves together are about 60 meters long so it is small and kind of difficult to get to because there are high rocks everywhere. The only way to access this beach is from Calahonda Beach, located right next to Balcón de Europa. You must be adventurous and work your way climbing over and through some rocks, depending if the tide is out. If the tide is high, this will cause the water level to be elevated and you won’t be able to access these small coves. Another way to access this bay is by actually swimming from Calahonda Beach to El Chorrillo Beach. As it is more difficult to actually access this beach it can be a really private spot. You can easily stay out of the sun by sitting under the shade provided by the rocks’ shadow.
Check out this map to see where Playa El Chorrillo is located in Nerja.
Calahonda Beach (Playa de la Calahonda)
If Playa de Burriana is considered to be the best beach in Nerja, Playa de la Calahonda is probably one of the most famous beaches in Nerja. That’s because it is located right next to the Balcón de Europa and when looking down on this spectacular 120 meter beach with rocky cliffs on both sides, all you can think about is the absolute beauty of this beach! It is located right in the center of town so if you don’t have a car you can easily get to this beach. You can access Calahonda Beach by using the steps next to the Boquete de Calahonda as it’s surrounded by boulders and rocky cliffs so this is the only access point. It has beautiful blue waters and this beach even has old fisherman’s cottages built into the rocks. They generally also have small fishing boats along this beach when not in use and that also makes this beach very picturesque. From viewing this beach above on Balcón de Europa or seeing the beach by walking along the sandy shore, this is a wonderful beach to visit and is also safe since it is covered by lifeguards.
Check out this map to see where Playa de la Calahonda is located in Nerja.
Caletilla Beach (Playa la Caletilla)
Caletilla Beach is located just below the Balcón de Europa on the western side and is one of the smallest beaches in Nerja. Because it is so small many people believe it is a private beach as it’s located just below Hotel El Balcón, but it’s a public beach that anyone can visit. It can be difficult to find the small trail to get down to it. If you are staying at the Hotel El Balcón, you don’t have to worry as you will have direct access to the beach. Although during high tide, generally this is a beach you will want to stay away from because when the water rises, the beach’s 50 meters of sand will disappear. Since this beach is in the center of town and somewhat secluded, parking can be difficult as the only option in general is the underground parking garage near the town hall.
Check out this map to see where Playa la Caletilla is located in Nerja.
El Salón Beach (Playa el Salón)
El Salón Beach is one of Nerja’s larger beaches with over 200 meters of sand and surf. This beach generally won’t be extremely overcrowded as there is only one way to get to the beach and the access road can be difficult to find so it can be a nice quiet place to relax and listen to the crashing waves of the Mediterranean Sea. Playa el Salón has all the standard services and amenities that the previous beaches of Nerja that we discussed also had which includes lifeguards, showers, and access to restaurants and bars that are nearby.
Check out this map to see where Playa de Salón is located in Nerja.
Treasures of Traveling in Nerja
There are many wonderful treasures of traveling to visit in southern Spain and these 7 beaches in Nerja are just a few of them! The Costa del Sol has so much to offer any tourists and the Nerja has spectacular beaches and views of endless rugged coastline and mountains. There is a tremendous amount of exploring to do throughout Nerja. Most people decide to visit Nerja during the summer months for the wonderful Mediterranean weather, but the winter months can also be nice as it won’t be nearly as crowded as during the summer months. If you are planning to visit Nerja, make sure to make a stop in Granada and Seville, two other wonderful cities to visit in Andalucía, the southern region of Spain.
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Check out the map below to see where these six beaches in Nerja are located!
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