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The
eastern edge of the province of Malaga is connected
to the province of Granada by the municipality
of Nerja, which is not only the most important tourist centre of the Eastern
Costa del Sol, but also the one that boasts the most attractive coastal landscape
of the entire Malaga seashore, since here the slopes
of the Sierra de Almijara jut boldly into the sea, something unusual in this
area of the Mediterranean, and form a very rugged coastline. This coastal
setting has been designated as the Paraje Natural de los Acantilados de Maro-Cerro
Gordo (Cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo Nature Area), which protects a series of
small, untouched coves that are of difficult access but worth the visit. For
more information about property for
sale in Spain in or near Nerja please contact us.
Inland, the territory of Nerja ascends the Sierra de Almijara mountain range –which forms a geographic unit with the Sierra de Tejeda-through a country of deep ravines, sheer cliffs and peaks that is furrowed by numerous watercourses, forming an extraordinarily diverse mountain landscape. In the areas closest to town, there are a large number of housing developments that coexist-probably not for very long-with terraced plots where all kinds of subtropical fruits and vegetables are raised. Signs of the first human settlement in this municipality were discovered in the famous Cueva de Nerja (Nerja Cave) and belong to the Auriñaciense stage of the Upper Paleolithic period. Nothing is known of other civilisations that may have existed here until the period of Roman rule, when apparently a small settlement (Detunda) was established at present-day Maro. It should be noted that Maro is another population centre of Nerja, where the cliffs and the Nerja Cave itself are located.
The first documented fact about the history of Nerja, however, appears in the writings of the poet Said Al-Mugrabi, in the age of Abderramán III (tenth century), in which he refers to this place as a city-sized farming community where fine silk products were produced. Ancient Narixa stood next to a fortress, whose ruins can still be seen in a place called Castillo Alto, next to the old Frigiliana turnoff. After the surrender of Vélez (1487), Nerja sent its envoys to that place to render allegiance to the Spanish king and queen and thus prevent bloodshed. A few days after that visit, Pedro de Cordoba took possession of the town in the name of the Catholic Monarchs. Under Christian rule, the town began to lose population, and in order to prevent greater abandonment Juana la Loca ordered Nerja to be repopulated with long-time Christians from the Basque Country, Valencia, Galicia and Malaga itself.
In the late sixteenth century the first sugar mill was set up in Nerja and in the late eighteenth century a paper mill was in operation here, supplied with water from the River La Miel. This factory remained in operation until the early twentieth century. During the War of Independence, the English levelled the fortress that used to stand where the Balcón de Europa is today, and also destroyed the port that had been adapted to handle coastal shipping. The name of the town comes from the Arabic Narixa, Naricha or Narija, which apparently derived from a pre-Roman name, and the translation “abundant spring” that some give for this word is still not very certain, although there are plenty of reasons to speak of an abundance of water in this municipality.
Fiestas
The patron saint fiestas in honour of San Miguel Arcángel and the Virgen
de las Angustias, begun in 1804, are celebrated from 8 to 12 October, during
which time many people come to Nerja from the surrounding towns due to the
pleasant entertainment atmosphere created by the Nerjeños. After the
nocturnal procession of the patron saints, all sorts of activities take place
ranging from a flamenco song festival to sports competitions, and including
verbenas (street parties) and all kinds of musical performances. The Virgen
de las Maravillas fair is held in Maro around 8 September, the day the Virgin
travels through the streets in a procession accompanied by a deafening “coheteá”
(lighting of firecrackers) whose costs are shared by residents depending on
their economic status. This fiesta revolves around traditional music and beach
parties and originated in the sixteenth century.
The Cruces de Mayo (May Crosses), early in that month, have a long tradition in Nerja that has changed over time but has not at all been lost, so that what used to be an occasion for courtship among young people has become a popular fiesta based on the assembly of colourful floral altars that are placed on various streets and that give rise to flamenco singing, dances and the consumption of traditional products. Around 30 crosses are set up, some of which are so popular that it is necessary to block off traffic from the streets where they are placed due to the crowds that flock to see them. The outlying township of Maro hosts the celebration of the fiestas of San Antón on 16 and 17 January. As in days of old, numerous bonfires are lit on the first day as an invocation for the protection of animals from illness. On the following day, a mass is celebrated and later there is a lively traditional verbena.
The San Isidro pilgrimage on 15 May has become a multitudinous event attended not only by Nerjeños but also by foreigners who reside locally. After a verdiales mass (one with traditional Andalusian song) in the El Salvador church, in which offerings of Nerja garden products are made to the saint, the processional floats depart from the Balcón de Europa for the saint’s hermitage at La Mina, next to the Cueva de Nerja. Here a fiesta is held that is based on song and dance and, naturally, a prodigious quantity of food. Nerja’s vocation for the seafaring life is demonstrated on the day of the Virgen del Carmen (16 July). The fiesta begins with a gigantic traditional beach party, and in the evening, after mass, the Virgen del Carmen is borne in a procession by boat, travelling across the Nerja waterfront accompanied by numerous craft. On one of these, as dusk deepens, a fireworks display in the form of a castle is lit.
The “sanjuaneo” (eve of San Juan, 24 June) is a celebration with equally close ties to the sea, since the burning of the “júas”, the “moragas” (beach parties) and the ritual of submerging oneself in nine waves after leaping over the fire are performed on the beaches of Burriana, La Torrecilla and El Playazo. A special characteristic of Holy Week in this area, both in Nerja and Maro, is the solemnity and respect with which the public views the passage of the processions, but this does not prevent some cofradías (brotherhoods) from enjoying great popular devotion which is openly demonstrated during the procession. There has always been a peculiar predilection in Nerja for the carnival, but in recent years, this fiesta has taken on an importance that has surprised even its organisers, since practically the entire town participates in it. The quantity and variety of disguises catches the attention, and their presence is most noticeable on the days that King Momo and the Nymphs are elected. The burial of the chanquete (an anchovy-like fish) is a mournful and somewhat irreverent funeral procession.
Food
Sea and garden products combine in this region in the best possible
way, resulting in a rich and varied cuisine. The great amount of tourist traffic
that the town receives has also favoured the founding of high-level hotel
establishments, thus extending the offering in this field to international
cuisine. The most typical local dishes are pimentón con pescado y almejas
(paprika with fish and clams), cazuela de fideos con pescado (noodle casserole
with fish), ajoblanco con uvas (a chilled soup with grapes), ajocolorao (made
with potatoes, peppers, onions and garlic), besugo de Burriana (a Nerja beach)
a la plancha (grilled Burriana sea bream), berzas (cabbage), calabazas fritas
con sardinas (fried squash with sardines), choto en salsa de almendra (suckling
kid in almond sauce) and, naturally, pescaíto frito (small fried fish),
customary anywhere on the Costa del Sol.
How to get there:
Since it is located on the Costa del Sol, you need only take the
Mediterranean Expressway (A-7; N-340) from any point on the Malaga
coast, remembering to go towards Motril and Almería.
Tourist information:
Tourism Office, 2 Puerta del Mar Street. Telephone: 952 521 531
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