as219

Will be in Nerja, Spain mid-October for about a week. We've got accommodations taken care of, so what I'm trying to figure out is (a) places to eat and (b) places to go. We have a car but can't overnight outside of Nerja, so anything we do has to be a day trip (don't ask...).

As far as eating goes, I know about the palla at Restaurant Merendero Ayo, and I'm booked for something in nearby Frigiliana, but other than that I know nada. Any tips/ideas/recommendations you may have would be much appreciated. As I said, we have a car and would be willing to drive, say, 30 minutes to get there.

About things to see... I know the basics: We're doing a day trip to Granada to see the Alhambra, and definitely a trip to Gibraltar. Some have talked about a day trip to Tangier, which I think is a little far for a one-day trip, but I might get overruled. Is anything else worth seeing?

Thanks in advance for the best travel advice on the Web!

LapLap

I can't comment on Nerja, I've never been.

I have been to Granada many times and will keep returning. Giving Granada the same time as Gibraltar seems obscene to me, one day just doesn't seem enough.

Nerja will be 'en fiestas' between the 8th and 12th October - be sure not to be elsewhere then. If you arrive after the 12th (or just get a taste for Fiestas and want more), then Salar has their one on the 16th October (Real feria del ganado de Salar which dates from 1914) and Huéscar has theirs on the 22nd http://granada.fiestas.net/?programa...-huescar-11940 (the Huescar one in particular looks like it could be lot of fun).

keisari

Nerja is a nice beach resort, a bit touristy and a little sleepy for my taste.
I spent only one day there but walking the malecon (waterfront walk) is nice and there are tons of places to sit around. There is a great view point called El Balcon de Espana. I cannot recommend anything specific.
I agree that Gibraltar is not really worth it. With the traffic it can take 2-4 hours each way from Nerja. there are some interesting caves.
I agree that Granada is much nicer and overall more interesting.
I would plan on driving down to Marbella or even Mijas has its charm. The views in Mijas are beautiful. Maybe Ronda? the ride from the coast to Ronda is really nice.
You are not going to find too many great places 30 minute ride from Nerja.

David-A

I don't think that's what LapLap said! They said they felt Granada warranted more time.

However, it is all a question of personal preference. There are plenty of people who would rate Gibraltar as far more worthwhile than doing 'another' or 'more' Andalusian history/place.

Also, if you are envisaging travelling about the area properly, I'd certainly not view 2hours as a long time. I'd consider 2-3 as a length to be reflected upon but also somewhat to be expected if people are really moving about the area.

Three and a half to four however would be my absolute limit under any circumstances.

as219

Wow, forgot about this thread!

Thought I would post a quick, belated update:

Nerja is absolutley not worth the trip. We found it overrun with European tourists, particularly English -- we barely knew we were in Spain at all. With the exception of Ayo's paella on the beach, the food was not very good, not very Spanish, and not very cheap. Absolutely without charm.

LapLap was right, Granada needed more time! We only had half a day, basically to have lunch, see the Alhambra, then leave. A shame, it looks like a lovely city.

Gibraltar, on the other hand, was totally fascinating and definitely worth the trip! I did it as a day trip from Nerja, leaving early in the morning, coming back in the afternoon. I learned a few things the very hard way:

(1) The drive there was murder -- 4 hours to get there! Almost all of this was due to traffic in and around Malaga. Word to the wise: either leave at 4 a.m. or expect terrible traffic.

(2) Unless you know the Spanish highway system, get a good map before you go! The route looked easy on Google maps, but the Spanish system of express tollways and regular expressways was hard to figure out through trial and error.

(3) The most important thing for visiting Gibraltar: Whatever you do, don't do what I did...get into the wrong lane and end up driving into Gib itself as opposed to parking outside and walking in. I knew I was looking for the Fo Cona parking lot, but the directions I had were very bad, so that by the time I realized my error, it was too late to turn around -- I got caught up in the morning traffic influx into Gib. It was literally -- literally -- a nightmare: It took me 1.5 hours to find a parking space, and even then it was sort of illegal. Do. Not. Drive. Into. Gibraltar. Make sure you have a very good map and know exactly what you're doing before you get there, particularly if you're planning to arrive in the morning when traffic patterns are altered to accommodate the influx into Gib. You can't just "turn around" and try a different way. Trust me.

(4) I did the entire thing in one day, a few hours really. It is doable like this, but nowhere near as enjoyable as it might have been otherwise. If you're as history buff and like walking, do yourself a favor and either spend the night there or somewhere nearby. There's a lot to see up on the rock, and it shouldn't be rushed.

Based on all of this, you can imagine how insane our "day trip" to Tangier was. We spent about 14 hours in transit for a 4 hour tour of Tangier. It ain't worth it.

Anyway, thanks for all your help!