Nerja is about 50 kilometres from Malaga, it was once a sleepy fishing village, but the town now has a population of over 12,000. Nerja has 16 kilometres of beaches with powdery sand and sparkling clear water. All major water sports are available here, including water skiing, scuba diving and sailing. Flanked by a dramatic mountain range, Sierra Almijara, to the east, the town has, fortunately, managed to avoid being blighted by the concrete high-rise scenario which has been the inevitable result of the tourist boom in some of the coastal resorts. The old quarter of the town is still virtually unchanged with narrow, winding streets, whitewashed houses with wrought iron terraces overflowing with geraniums, on which a canary can sometimes be heard singing...However, the heart of Nerja is its spectacular Balcón de Europa, the "Balcony of Europe", a magnificent promenade along the edge of a towering cliff, once the site of the great Moorish castle, with sweeping panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the small coves and beaches below, against an awesome backdrop of hazy blue mountains. There are plenty of restaurants and cafes here to choose from, and the visitor can hire a horse-drawn carriage to explore the most romantic corner of the town.

Though a popular tourist destination, this seaside resort retains traces of its fishing-village and agricultural past, with a slow, gentle pace of life that makes it a favourite with many British and Scandinavian ex-pats. Still relatively small at 1 ml by ¾ ml, development for the most part is low rise and sensitive to local style, creating an almost village-like atmosphere. Many of the narrow streets of the old town still show signs of the town's Moorish past and are benefiting from a "gentrification" process which includes restoring the original Andalusian tiling and paving the roads; a few streets are almost traffic free. Its position on a high cliff edge affords exceptional sea views, but means it can be steep in places, especially the final drop to the beach.

A quiet resort best suited to middlemarket couples and the more mature market. Steep terrain means it may not suit those with mobility difficulties.

A few larger hotels (usually older); otherwise small hotels and a growing number of self-catering apartments, either in blocks or villa-style developments.

Poor, ranging from small pebbles to coarse sand; there are 7 beaches in all, the best being Playa de Burriana. There are good "chiringuitos" (small restaurant/coffee bars) right on the beach, offering excellent fish dishes and popular paella. On some beaches you can watch the fishermen bringing in their catch.

The majority of shops are located on the narrow central streets and comprise typical town-centre shops, including clothes boutiques, as well as the usual souvenir, jewellery and ceramics outlets nearer the centre. A bargain may be found in the Tues-morning market. Tourist-tat shops on the main beach.

Daytime: beach- and water-based activities including pedalloes, jet-skiing and canoeing; fishing trips; horse-drawn carriage rides; tourist train around town; taking in the views from the Balcony of Europe. Nightlife: range of restaurants and bars; 1 or 2 discos.

Plenty of restaurants specialising in fish, meats and local cuisine. A growing number of British fast-food outlets plus Chinese, Italian (including a pizzeria), Indian and Greek options.

A regular bus service links with Malaga and the towns in between and runs until early evening.

Half day: Cuevas de Nerja, a gigantic underground cave system 2 mls outside town, said to be the third most visited sight in Spain; the pretty nearby village of Frigiliana; the white town of Salobrena, with a castle and long, pebbly beaches. Full day: mountain village of Ronda; Malaga city tour; wine route, visiting local inland villages; Seville; Granada; Gibraltar.

On Spain's S coast, towards the E end of the Costa del Sol. 32 mls E of Malaga; 39 mls E of the airport.

Below the main coast road from Malaga to Almeria, clinging to a high cliff edge known as the Balcony of Europe (Balcon de Europa); backed by dramatic mountain scenery.

Post Code: 29780
Website: www.nerja.org

Airport : Malaga
Airport Code: AGP
Flight time from ther U.K.: 2 hrs. 50 mins