Ever dreamt of Christmas in the sun? We headed to Nerja on Spain’s Costa Del Sol to give it a try, finding not only sun and sangria waiting for us, but also a whole lot of festive cheer.
The best things to do with children in Nerja, while enjoying the winter sun of the Costa Del Sol
Christmas in the sun? Why not we thought… it would make a change from the usual cold weather and grey skies back home in the UK. It was an easy decision for us anyway, given that we were going to be mid-way through a year away in our motorhome with our 3 children, and due to be spending the winter months moving between Portugal, Spain and Morocco.
After giving it some thought, we settled on the beautiful town of Nerja, on Spain’s Costa Del Sol. We parked our home on wheels and moved into a rented apartment for a week, so we could celebrate a family Christmas together in comfort. Gone were the woolly hats and mulled wine we’d have at home, in were sunglasses and sangria. We made sure we still had brussel sprouts though… it just wouldn’t be Christmas without them.
Top things to do in Nerja
Nerja is situated towards the eastern end of Spain’s Costa del Sol, in the far south of the country. The area is known for its year-round sunshine, pretty whitewashed towns, green hills meeting sandy beaches and vibrant cafe/bar culture.
These things have all contributed to the Costa del Sol remaining a favourite holiday destination for foreign visitors from all over Europe and beyond. It’s a great place to visit at any time of the year. Christmas is really special though, especially if the notion of spending it in the sunshine presents its own unique novelty for you, in the same way that it did for us.
The Balcón de Europa
The focal point in the centre of the old town is the Balcón de Europa. It is an elevated headland with paved promenade that juts out into the sea, offering up beautiful views along the coastline in both directions. It is a popular spot both day and night, either for a quick stroll or to sit and relax on one of the benches while watching the World go by.
Explore the Old Town
The old town of Nerja consists of an attractive network of lanes and walkways that wind their way through historic whitewashed buildings, centred around the El Salvador church. The town is for the most part very pedestrian friendly and full of interesting, small independent shops and restaurants to browse. It takes no time at all to find yourself slotting into the relaxed and calming pace of life that seems to exist here.
Hit the Beach
With sand in all directions, Nerja is not short of beaches. While not the finest quality of sand we’ve encountered (it is quite dark in colour), the beaches are immaculately clean and family friendly, with a good variety to choose from.
Playa Calahonda – A very pretty little cove that is reached by descending a flight of stairs directly from the Balcón de Europa in the centre of town. The beach comes complete with a cute hobbit-style house built into the cliffs. Though we found it not busy in the winter, I suspect its small size and location could make this a very overcrowded option in the peak of summer.
Playa la Caletilla – Located to the west of the town, this is a long and very accessible sandy beach. It has a nice paved promenade behind the beach that is great for a wander at sunset.
Playa Burriana – Nerja’s busiest and most established tourist beach, located to the east of the town. It boasts a long stretch of sand that is backed by a series of beach restaurants, some with charcoal barbecues cooking up the best of the local seafood, and all with a great view of the sea. The beach is also equipped with multiple Children’s playgrounds, making it a great choice for families. Be prepared for a long and steep walk back up to town though if heading to the beach on foot.
This beach was our contribution to a round-up of some of the top child-friendly beaches around the World. To see more, check out… The 25 best international beach vacations for families
Relax with some Tapas and Wine
The Spanish province of Andalusia, that includes the Costa del Sol, is renowned for it’s culinary heritage and prestige. In particular, the culture of tapas (small plates) is both prevalent and, more importantly, delicious! Nerja is no exception. The old town boasts an array of cafes, bars and restaurants waiting to be explored, with people spilling out onto outside tables when the sun is shining. I don’t know if we were just lucky with the weather when we visited, but we were able to sit outside and relax even in December.
For a meal with a great view, try one of the restaurants with small terraces overlooking the Balcón de Europa. We enjoyed some decent pizzas at Portofino restaurant.
A good tip for the evenings is to ‘bar crawl’ around a few places in the old town, enjoying some drinks and light bites as you go. Some bars will even give you a free tapas dish every time you buy a drink. We particularly enjoyed Gloria Bendita for its good wine and tasty tapas, with the added bonus of it having a play area of toys for children at the back of the restaurant.
As you’d expect from a town of this size and with such a diverse clientele, there are also a wide range of other international restaurants available to satisfy all tastes.
Visit the Caves
In the hills just outside of the town of Nerja are the famous Nerja caves. They make for an interesting visit if looking for something a bit different to do. Inside the caves are a labyrinth of tunnels and chambers with some spectacular natural features. Indeed, they claim to be home to the World’s largest stalactite. Visitor tours take around 45 minutes to complete. The caves are also home to some ancient prehistoric cave paintings, but sadly not in a section that can be visited for reasons of preservation.
Nerja at Christmas
We found Nerja made a really good choice as a Christmas destination. Perfect for those pining after some winter sun. We found it busy enough to feel lively and interesting, but never overcrowded. While eating our Christmas dinner in shorts and sunglasses took some getting used to (in contrast to the usual winter gloom of the UK), the town still embraced a lot of the familiar Christmas traditions and magic for our children that we would hope to find back home. The old town was beautifully illuminated with Christmas lights and decorations and there was a truly festive feel.
The large Plaza de España square in the centre of town was the focal point for the Christmas festivities. There was a small stage with seating at one end of the square that hosted numerous singing and children’s concerts throughout our stay. The rest of the square was taken over with a collection of various inflatables for children. The cost of using them was not unreasonable and our 2 girls particularly enjoyed zooming down the enormous inflatable slide.
On the evening of the 23rd December, a Christmas parade makes its way through the town. There are moving floats with a Santa and sweets are thrown out to the children lining the streets to watch. It’s a nice touch.
For some other great ideas for places to spend a Christmas away from home, check out this roundup of some of the Best Christmas Destinations.
Around Nerja
For those wanting to experience more of what this part of Spain has to offer, there are a number of other beautiful places to visit in the surrounding area.
Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo – To the east of Nerja, a short drive brings you to the Acantilados de Maro-Cerro Gordo, a coastal National Park. The steep cliffs and secluded coves are perfect to explore for those looking for a beach retreat to escape the crowds.
Frigiliana – Close by, in the hills to the north, is Frigiliana. Previously voted as one of Spain’s most attractive small towns, you can see why. Mosaic tiles line the floors of the picturesque winding lanes that lead you up the hillside to a series of impressive viewpoints, with views right back to the sea far below. A small tourist land train also runs to take visitors to the less visited corners of the town. It makes a great place for an easy day trip from Nerja.
Malaga – To the west of Nerja, within easy reach by car, is the city of Malaga. Sometimes perceived as just the main airport city for the Costa Del Sol, Malaga is so much more. It is a lively and interesting city in its own right and definitely worthy of a visit.
Driving further west brings you to more seaside resort towns, including arguably the jewel in the crown of the Costa Del Sol, Marbella, with its attractive and lively town squares and 24 hour party culture. Further inland are more picture-perfect hillside villages ready to be explored, such as the tour group favourite, Mijas.
There really is so much to see and do in this part of Spain. Ignore the old stereotype of sunburned, drunken Brits abroad and come see for yourself. You’ll find a beautiful, varied and surprisingly interesting part of the World, that is full of culture, is waiting for you.
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I love the beaches of Costa Del Sol. I stayed in Benalmádena for a week in spring and can see why you picked the area for a winter stay. The Nerja Caves sound interesting.
First, your children are the cutest!
Second, Spain has always been on my list, but you know, the usual Barcelona and Madrid thing, Costa del sol might seem a bit more “quiet” than Barcelona while retaining all the Spanish charm, am I right?
Thanks! Outside of school summer holidays the area tends to be quieter than the big cities. Culturally it is a bit different to Barcelona, which has Catalan influences, but both make great places to visit – especially with children if you like staying out late with them without being disapproved of!
I’ve never had Christmas in the sun. Always at home in the middle of a cold, dark winter. I have been thinking about it though with my family in the UK and I live in Canada. Maybe soon I’ll have to plan a Christmas holiday like this
I’ve never been to this part of Spain, and I keep hearing about Marbella and the surrounding area and its charm.