Nerja is a municipality in the province of Málaga (Spain) and the easternmost town of the Axarquía region. It has a long history proven by the paintings found in the Cave of Nerja, discovered in 1959, which could constitute the oldest rock art images in the history of humanity with 42,000 years of age.
Under Muslim rule, its name it was Narixa, which means “abundant source” and is the origin of the current name. Since the 60s it has been a preferential tourist destination belonging to the Costa del Sol. In 2010 it has an official population of almost 22,000 inhabitants, with one third of foreign residents, predominantly English.
Nerja has a mild climate all year round, which allows the cultivation of subtropical fruits such as cherimoya, avocado or mango.
Points of Interest
- Cueva de Nerja: the Nerja Cave is located 158 meters above sea level and is with 4,823 meters, one of the most topographically developed caves in Andalusia.
- Beaches of Nerja: (17 in total)
- Balcón de Europa (viewpoint)
- Barco de Chanquete: The boat is the symbol of the tourist development of Nerja. It is the protagonist of the television series “Verano Azul”, which the filmmaker Antonio Mercero made in Nerja at the beginning of 1980.
- Historic Center: Old town is dating back to 1487 and has narrow streets and white facades.
- Ermita de las Angustias (hermitage): The catholic sanctuary of Las Angustias stands out for the mural paintings in oil on the dome, which represent the scene of Pentecost. In the pendentives the four evangelists are represented, while the pillars and the triumphal arch represent theological virtues.
- Iglesia El Salvador (church): This baroque academicist church was completed in 1697. In 1724 the bell tower was added to the building, which stands out as one of the few in the world that includes representations of the three archangels, including San Miguel, patron of Nerja.
- Iglesia de las Maravillas de Maro (church): Small 17th century church of popular architecture, houses the image of the patron saint of the same name.
- Iglesia de San Miguel (church): Modern church of 1977 of popular architecture.
- Fuente de Europa: Built as a testimony of the union of European villages, it is made up of stones sent from each of the countries that made up the European Union in 2002 (year of its construction) and at its base by stones from each of the Andalusian provinces.
- Rapto de Europa: Monument made by the sculptor Aurelio Teno on the occasion of Spain’s accession to the EEC.
- Puente del Águila: Aqueduct of the S.XIX built to transfer water to the San Joaquin factory.
- Museo de Nerja (museum): The Museum of Nerja offers a panoramic view of the history and the environment in which it is framed, and an analytical presentation of the themes and issues that characterize and distinguish it. The plot of the Museum is the rich local history, from prehistory to the present, focusing on the most important aspects of each historical period.
- Hiking routes: click here for the guide and maps
- Los Cahorros del río Chillar:
Source: https://turismo.nerja.es
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