Choosing a holiday destination with children is sometimes not an easy task. When planning a family holiday, it is essential to consider destinations that offer a wide range of options and activities designed specifically for younger family members. The ideal destination for holidays with children is Nerja. This town in Malaga and the surrounding area has one of the best climates in Europe, making it a tourist destination par excellence for families.
The quality of its beaches and their beauty, as well as its easily accessible services and activities for everyone, make it the ideal destination for family holidays. The large number of activities and options in this town for both children and adults means that you can enjoy your family holidays in Nerja with everything you need for an unforgettable time in this area of the Costa del Sol.
So here is a selection of places to visit and activities
NERJA CAVES
Visit the Nerja Caves to learn about the first cave paintings in the Iberian Peninsula. Educational tours are also offered with special activities for children.
AQUAVELIS
The Axarquía-Costa del Sol Water park offers fun for all, with a wide range of attractions like the Kamikaze with its 80-metre drop at full speed, the most spectacular water slides on the Costa del Sol, the amazing wave pool or the new attraction for little ones, AquaSplash. What are you waiting for!
THE TREASURE CAVE
El Rincón de la Victoria is where you will find the Treasure Cave, one of the three unique sea caves that are known of in the world. This is the only one of its kind on the European continent, which is also home to cave paintings.
Bay of Málaga by boat
If you love the sea and enjoy feeling a sea breeze on your face, you must take a boat trip around the Bay of Málaga. The sea, which has always been linked to the city of Málaga, has always favoured these kinds of activities, but the renovation of the port and the construction of new leisure facilities between Quays One and Two has revitalised this activity, making it another tourist attraction to add to the many the city already boasts.
There are several companies offering these kinds of trips, with a wide range of possibilities for those who want to go sailing, from short routes lasting one hour to renting a boat for events or incentive activities, trips with underwater views or dolphin watching.
Nerja Blue Summer family routes
Nerja is a beautiful town on the Malagan coast that is quite well known. It boasts delightful coves and beaches, a chilled atmosphere and refreshment stalls, where you can enjoy delicious paellas and fried fish, and impressive caves.
When someone mentions Nerja, most Spanish parents will immediately think of the programme they watched when they were kids, where a gang of friends travelled by bicycle through a town on the Malagan coast and had loads of adventures along the way. We are of course talking about the programme Blue Summer, which was filmed in Nerja and was a bit hit in the 1980s.
So, there is good news for nostalgic parents. From June to September, you can take tours of the town of Nerja with an exceptional guide, Miguel Joven, who played Tito in the programme. Starting at the “Chanquete boat’ (which has a replica in the park also called ‘Blue Summer’ as a tribute by the town of Nerja to the programme that made it so famous), Miguel Joven or ‘Tito’ will accompany you on a two-and-a-half-hour tour of the main scenes of the programme and share interesting facts and a ton of stories that will make you feel like you were part of the gang.
The beautiful beaches and coves of Nerja
Nerja, as well as being one of the prettiest towns on the Malagan coast, also boasts quite a wide range of beaches and coves for all tastes, from popular beaches with good amenities to spectacular, hard-to-access coves for more adventurous swimmers.
One the one hand, we have urban or semi-urban beaches such as Playazo, Chucho and Torrecilla. Playazo Beach, at 5,577 feet long, owes its name to the fact that it is long and wide and is located at the mouth of the River Chillar, as is Chucho Beach, though it is quite a bit smaller. Torrecilla Beach is one of the most popular because of its amenities and quality. Since 2006, is has held the distinguished Tourist Quality Q Award for Beaches and the EU’s Blue Flag.
Maro Natural Park – Cerro Gordo, route through the wild beaches Nerja hides under the cliffs
SCIENCE PARK
If you want your children to learn while they play, head to Granada and its Science Park. This is an interactive museum covering a surface area of over 230,000 ft2 and located a few minutes from Granada’s historic centre, which has a wide variety of activities for children.
A trip through Frigiliana
The town of Frigiliana, located in the far east of the District of Axarquía, looks out to the Mediterranean from the winding summits of the Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Sierras and is undoubtedly one of the prettiest and most charming towns in Málaga province. Wouldn’t you like to visit?
KAYAK ROUTE ALONG THE CLIFFS OF NERJA AND MARO
This is a low difficulty activity that is suitable for all: a kayak trip from Nerja to Maro that passes through caves, waterfalls and magical corners, where you can snorkel and discover the sea bed and posidonia.
Donkey Refuge
The Refugio del Burrito is a not-for-profit association dedicated to donkey and mule rescue and welfare in Spain. It also provides assisted therapy with donkeys for children with special needs. Its farm in Fuente de Piedra, which is home to around 80 donkeys, is open to the public and entry is free. It is the perfect place to spend some family time and learn about its donkeys and animal welfare at the same time.
Excursion to the river Chíllar
It is one of the best-known rivers in the province of Malaga for its routes and its beauty. Along the river are the cahorros, a route recommended for those travelling with children. This family activity is one of the best things you can do on your holidays in Nerja as adventures are always something the little ones love to do. Moreover, on this route, you will be able to walk and also get wet, as you will come to a beautiful pool of crystal-clear water just after an area of narrow rocks. It is a true paradise of nature and a perfect excursion to do with children. Of course, we recommend comfortable clothes and swimming costumes, as well as something to snack. Without a doubt, this family activity is one of the most special in Nerja.
Visit the Natural Park of Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama
This park is a treasure of the geography of Malaga and Granada. Visiting this park on your family holidays is one of the options we leave you with because you can do a multitude of activities there. Hiking routes such as Frigiliana- Fuente del Esparto or Raspón de los Moriscos where you can enjoy nature in all its splendour. You will be able to see the trees par excellence of this place such as the pine, oak, or yew and even the sighting of golden eagles or even the mountain goat. You will also be able to observe the marvellous panoramic views.
This natural park is a place where rivers such as the Chíllar and the Verde river flow, where canyoning can be practised. Adventure sports such as sailing or canoeing are other activities you can do at the Bermejales reservoir. For the more adventurous families, scuba diving is another of the sports you can do in Maro and get to know the spectacular seabed of this place.
Visit to the botanical garden Detunda-Cave of Nerja
Visiting the Detunda botanical garden is one of the options you can do on your family holidays in Nerja. Take a walk through this garden which is located next to the Nerja Cave and very close to the sea.
This is a fantastic place to go with them and let them get to know the different vegetation and flora typical of the locality. The family can enjoy a pleasant stroll through the garden of Malacitano-Almijarense species, as well as other rare and local species. Some of the species are endangered and protected. This exceptionally beautiful garden is home to a diverse array of plant species, thriving under the unique climate and geographical features of the region. The resulting ecological biodiversity offers an enriching experience for family holidays in Nerja and its surroundings.
Exploring the white villages
The route of the White Villages is perhaps one of the best-known in Spain. This beautiful route runs through Cadiz and Malaga and there are exactly 5 villages that belong to the province of Malaga. During your family holidays in Nerja, it is one of the best options to discover the beauty of Ronda, Casares, Mijas, Frigiliana and Júzcar.
It’s definitely one of the things you can’t miss and that you can do perfectly well when travelling with children. These 5 villages are characterised by whitewashed houses with whitewashed façades and steep streets, decorated with flowerpots and flowers that decorate the squares and narrow streets of the old part of the villages. However, each of these white villages holds treasures within itself. Ronda and its beautiful gorge or its famous and characteristic Puente Nuevo, its bullring, and the Palacio del Rey Moro (Moorish King’s Palace). In Casares, you can’t miss the Church of La Encarnación and the hermitage of San Sebastián. Mijas Pueblo is another essential place where you can see the beautiful gardens, the Oval Plaza or even see the animal par excellence: the donkeys. Frigiliana is one of the most beautiful viewpoints that you will find along your route through the spectacular old town. Júzcar, the village once known as the village of the Smurfs is no longer the village of the Smurfs but has kept the blue of its facades and its charm remains intact, preserving some elements of this film, as well as its famous Royal Tinplate Factory.
Visiting local street markets
The local street markets in Nerja are another option for the whole family to get to know the typical products of the area. In these markets held on Tuesdays in Nerja and Mondays in Torrox Costa you can find all kinds of items, from food, fruit, clothes, and vegetables to flowers or decoration and even second-hand items such as furniture or clothes if you go to the Sunday market in the town of Nerja.
Seeing the tradition, life and local products of the area is one of the activities to get to know even more about the culture of Nerja on your family holiday.
Open-air summer cinema in Nerja
One of the most fun family activities is the cinema. And if it is outdoors, in summer and Nerja even more so. Every summer, Nerja celebrates its traditional “Verano en los Cangrejos”, where a multitude of activities take place, including the showing of films for all the family. Having a summer night outdoors watching a movie with the little ones is without a doubt one of the things to do with the family that you won’t forget. We recommend that you keep an eye on the council’s social networks, so you don’t miss out on this magical summer cinema.
Enjoy the beach of el Morche, Torrox
Going to the beach with the family is one of the activities that children enjoy most on holidays. This beach in Torrox is very family-friendly, with all the services you need: parking, easy access and a long list of beach bars and bars where you can enjoy the Andalusian gastronomy. Relaxing on the beach while the children play is ideal for any family.
Snorkeling in Maro
If your family is adventurous and loves water sports, snorkelling is one of the activities not to be missed in Nerja, specifically in Maro. This beach is a paradise of nature and an ideal place for water sports and to enjoy the spectacular seabed of this rocky landscape and crystal-clear waters. Dive into the sea and enjoy the fauna and the underwater landscape with your family.
25 things you cannot miss from Nerja and Torrox, the city of Europe’s Balcony
10 chiringuitos (beach bars) in Nerja and Torrox Costa where you will lick your fingers.
WHERE TO STAY
Olée Nerja Holiday Rentals
You can rely on Fuerte Hoteles to help you enjoy your trip to Axarquía, where you can stay in accommodation nestled on the eastern Costa del Sol between Torrox and Nerja, traditional Andalusian towns with the best climate in the whole of Europe. It offers you peace and quiet while giving you access to a large number of activities and places to visit. The complex has air conditioning, a spacious living room with satellite TV and a modern kitchen equipped with oven, dishwasher and washer dryer. Some units have a terrace and wonderful views of the Mediterranean Sea. You can also stay at Fuerte Marbella, a hotel nestled in the city centre and right on the beach, just a few steps from the old quarter in an area full of shops and restaurants with terraces.