A Day Trip to Nerja and Frigiliana

Nerja and Frigiliana sit close together on the coast side of the Axarquia, and both are an easy drive from Casa Freya. Combine them and you get a full day out without rushing either place.

Nerja is the bigger town, known for the Balcon de Europa, a clifftop viewpoint over the Mediterranean right in the centre. From there it's a short walk down to a string of good beaches, including Burriana, which has a proper choice of beachfront restaurants for lunch. If you want to go further, the Nerja Caves are a short drive out of town, a large network of caverns with some genuinely impressive formations.

Frigiliana is smaller and quieter, and regularly comes up on lists of Spain's prettiest villages. The old town is a maze of steep whitewashed streets, with flower-filled balconies, small local restaurants and a scattering of craft shops. There isn't a long list of things to do here beyond walking the streets and stopping for a coffee or a wine, and that's the point.

Nerja and Frigiliana are about ten minutes apart by car, so a natural plan is Nerja in the morning for the coast and the caves, then Frigiliana in the afternoon or early evening when the light is good and the streets are quieter. Both towns get busy in July and August, so an earlier start is worth it in high season.