Spain’s Costa del Sol is famous for its sandy beaches, vacation resorts and golf courses. If you need a break from these activities, we found something else to do in this popular area. The captivating towns of Frigiliana and Nerja, along the Costa del Sol, are worth getting off your beach towel for a visit.
Costa del Sol’s name translates in English to Sunshine Coast. This name wasn’t reached by accident, since it receives 325 days of sunshine annually. This 150 km long sandy coast extends on both sides of Málaga. Frigiliana and Nerja are east of the city. If you want to travel southwest you can visit Estepona, Marbella & Casarás.
Frigiliana
Frigiliana is the quintessential historic town found only 15 km inland. It is adorable and has more than earned its place on Spain’s list of Pueblo Blancos. These are a collection of picture-perfect towns with white-washed heritage homes scattered on the hills and mountains in Andalucía.
Not only does Frigiliana have a spectacular location on the side of a steep mountain slope, the town is also deeply connected to the history of this region. In the 13th and 14th centuries, Spanish Reconquista campaigns were slowly conquering Moorish lands. Frigiliana was one of the last Moorish communities remaining. It fell to the Spanish in the late 1400s, shortly before Granada was conquered. The town was able to withstand Spanish forces for so long because of its hillside position and its protective wall.
During the Moorish reign, a few Christians and Jews lived in separate, but nearby communities. They all lived in peace for a while. Not long after the Spanish took over Frigiliana, the Spanish Inquisition began. Muslims and Jews had to either convert to Christianity or be exiled. Throughout Spain, many of them did convert and were called Moriscos (Muslims) and Conversos (Jews). The Muslims who didn’t convert were called Mudejares. Their decision to remain Muslim was tolerated for a while.
Over the next century, the Moriscos, Conversos and Mudejares were treated poorly by those in power. In the late 1500s, Moriscos in many communities revolted against the Christian rulers. Frigiliana was one of those communities and its secure location, attracted Moriscos from around Andalucía. The Battle of Frigiliana lasted a few months, but eventually, the Spanish Kings triumphed. The Moriscos living in Frigiliana were either killed, exiled or forced into slavery.
We saw quite a few plaques on the walls describing this history. They are a great way to help everyone remember this horrible time.
The Old Moorish Quarter has three names: Barribarto, Barrio Morisco, and Barrio Alto. The town was built on a steep slope below a Moorish castle. It was destroyed during the Battle of Frigiliana, but thankfully, the village was left intact. As you walk up and down the tiled lanes, it feels as though not much has changed since the early 1400s. The homes have a slightly different look in Frigiliana from others we’ve seen. The white-washed houses are attached as if they are one long rowhouse.
The streets branch off in different directions and each entices you to follow. Some lead to dead ends, while others take you on a meandering trail up the hill. Exploring each one leads to a unique surprise.
At the top of the hill, a small forested park has replaced the castle. Although there’s nothing to see up there, it offers sweeping views of the Almijara Mountains, the homes below and the Mediterranean Sea, only 8 km away.
Today, the town celebrates the days when the three religions lived in harmony. At the base of the hill is a square named Plaza de las Tres Culturas (Three Cultures Square). One of the unique things you’ll find is a coin-operated mini puppet show that plays scenes from Frigiliana’s past.
Not far away is Casa del Apero. The 17th century building was a granary in the important sugarcane manufacturing industry. Today, it houses the tourist information office and a cultural centre. From the courtyard, you can walk to the top of the city’s rampart to see the town’s white buildings scale the mountainside.
Across from it is an old stone building with an interesting history. It was originally a manor house for the Count of Frigiliana. Then, it was used as a sugarcane factory. Today, it has a similar purpose for a sugarcane molasses business.
Sugarcane was brought to Spain in the 8th century by Arabs. They found the hills around Frigiliana to have perfect growing conditions for the cane.
You can find more Pueblo Blancos in our post A Guide to Spain’s Pueblo Blancos.
Nerja
With a choice between admiring the Sierra de Almijara Mountains one way, and the Mediterranean Sea the other, means there are no bad views in Nerja. Its picturesque setting is part of its allure. Even the new hillside communities are picturesque.
Before being a beach destination, Nerja was a small fishing village. Its Old Town has remnants of those beginnings and seamlessly transforms from medieval Moorish to 15th-century Spanish. It’s not a large historic centre but is very well maintained. Today, many of these old homes are hotels, beachwear shops and cafes. Even with all of these tourism businesses, it has still retained a quaint quality that is often lacking in these tourist towns.
El Salvador Church is a rather plain, white building, yet charming in its simple design. It is only steps away from Nerja’s most famous landmark. Balcony of Europe was built in 1487. The viewpoint received its name after King Alfonso XII visited in 1885. When standing on the cliff edge, he realized he could see very far both up and down the coast making him call the spot the Balcony of Europe.
From it we could see Salon Beach (Playa el Salon) on one side and Calahonda Beach (Playa Calahonda) the other.
There are many other beaches in Nerja. A little further away, but still within walking distance are two smaller, isolated beaches. Carabeo (Playa Carabeo) and Carabeillo (Playa Carabeillo) Beaches are each contained behind rocky cliffs. They were the prettiest beaches in the area.
If you follow the paved coastal path you will reach Burriana Beach. It is the largest beach we visited in Nerja. Fishing boats are lined up on shore as a reminder of this town’s heritage. The rest of the beach though, is set up for sun worshippers.
The sand on all of these beaches is quite grainy and brown. It wasn’t as nice as we expected.
You can also read our other day trips from Málaga in our posts Best Day Trips From Málaga, Costa del Sol – Estepona, Marbella & Casarás and Hiking El Caminito del Rey.
How to get to Nerja and Frigiliana
Located 55 km east of Málaga, Nerja can be easily visited on a day trip by car or even by bus. There is no direct bus between Málaga and Frigiliana, but there is between it and Nerja. The distance is only 8 km. If you don’t want to drive, you can take a tour from Málaga. There is apparently a new train line being planned that would run the length of Costa de Sol, making it easier to visit more of this fantastic coast.
You can find them in the centre of the map, near the coast. Click on the map for an expanded view.
This article is now featured on GPSmyCity. To download this article for offline reading or create a self-guided walking tour to visit the attractions highlighted in this article, go to Walking Tours and Articles in Frigiliana.
To read more of our adventures in Spain, click here.
Coming Next – What To See In Granada Other Than The Alhambra
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