The Ultimate Family Guide to Spending 3 Days in Nerja with Kids

If your next dream family vacation includes adventuring into caves, soaking up the Spanish sun while your kids build sandcastles, enjoying endless tapas and sipping sangria while your kids play with the locals at midnight, Nerja may just be your family’s perfect Spanish escape. Tucked along Andalusia’s sun-drenched Costa del Sol, this charming seaside town has all the ingredients for an unforgettable family getaway.

We spent three days and four nights exploring Nerja with kids (ages 5, 3 and 1) and quickly discovered that this laid-back coastal gem is much more than just a beach destination. In this guide, I’ll share exactly how to spend three days in Nerja with kids, including the best family-friendly attractions, beaches, restaurants, and easy day trips to help you make the most of your visit.

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Where to Stay in Nerja with Kids

We stayed in a simple, two bedroom apartment run by Hostel Tres Soles. What it lacked in charm it gained in being a perfect location right in the heart of Nerja. This two bedroom apartment slept five and was right above the main restaurants and shops in the historic quarter right on Calle Almirante Ferrándiz. We were always a five minute walk from anywhere we needed to go and the apartment had a great balcony for enjoying when the kids were asleep. I’d highly recommend this apartment for families visiting Nerja.

Note: The apartments run by Hostel Tres Soles are not all located in one building so depending on which apartment you book, it may be in a different location. The two bedroom apartment is the one we stayed in.

Day 1: Sightseeing + Beach Afternoon

Balcoń de Europa

On your first full day in Nerja with kids, spend the morning exploring the city. One of the most iconic locations in Nerja, Spain (and one of the most famous viewpoints on the Costa del Sol) is the Balcoń de Europa. Perched on a rocky cliff above the Mediterranean Sea, you’ll get 180 degree views of the rocky coast, beaches, and turquoise waters of the Med.

TIP: Visit at sunrise or sunset for the most beautiful lighting.

See Iglesia El Salvador

The Church of El Salvador (Iglesia El Salvador) is located along the Balcón de Europa in the main square. This church has been standing for hundreds of years and is a beautiful landmark in Nerja.

Walk the Old Town Nerja Streets

Unlike many of the modernized beach towns on the Costa del Sol, Nerja has preserved its traditional Andalusian character. Spend time wandering the old cobblestone streets and narrow alleyways to marvel at the beauty of the architecture and charm of this small town.

Play at Playa Calahonda

We loved grabbing some towels and toys and heading to Playa Calahonda for a fun beach afternoon. The kids had an awesome time running through the waves and playing in the sand.

TIP: As with many beaches in Europe, be prepared for a lot of topless sunbathing here. If you have older kids, it’s good to be aware of this ahead of time.

Day 2: Nerja Caves + Visit Fringiliana

Visit Nerja Caves (Cuevas de Nerja)

After a relaxing morning, drive about 10 minutes to explore the Nerja Caves. The caves are easily one of the most well known attractions in Nerja, Spain and they deserve the praise. The caves are a big hit with kids who can walk down into the cave and wander around looking at all the stalagmites and stalactites – it’s a great adventure for them. The stairs are a bit steep in places but the pathways are well lit and overall this is a very family friendly stop. My three year old did not appreciate the trek up the stairs at the end but that’s nothing a piggy back ride can’t handle.

TIP: The caves can get a bit chilly so be sure to pack a jacket or sweater just in case.

Play at the Nerja Caves Playground

After you explore the caves, save some time for your kids to play at the Nerja Cave Playground. For any kids who don’t love the adventure in the caves, they can look forward to a fun spot to let off some steam after.

Explore Fringiliana

Fringiliana is a one of the most picturesque white villages (pueblos blancos) in Andalusia Spain. Located a short 15 minute drive from Nerja this is a must visit while you’re in Nerja. Kids will love exploring the narrow alleys, enjoying the local playground and eating ice cream overlooking the hills.

TIP: Visit Fringilliana in the evening to avoid the crowds. We arrived around 5 p.m. and the city was very quiet and enjoyable.

Dinner with a View

After you’ve had your fill of Fringiliana’s beautiful streets, stop at Restaurante Plaza 45 for dinner on the terrace with beautiful views of the mountains. Reward yourself with some sangria and delicious food after a long day of exploring.

TIP: Restaurante Plaza 45 is right next door to Albi Urban Cafe where you can grab an ice cream treat after dinner – the kid’s favorite part of the day!

End the Day at the Playground

Our kids can never really get enough playgrounds while we’re traveling. After you’ve filled the kids with food and ice cream let them run off the sugar at Parque Infantil, right across the street from Restaurante Plaza 45.

Day 3: Day Trip to Granada, Spain

Since we were traveling with three little kids, we tried to have fewer home bases and more day trips. This way, we could see a lot of the area without needing to move accommodations as much. The best way to do this is to plan a few day trips without moving hotels. We decided to take a day trip to Granada instead of moving accommodations to spend a night there. I highly recommend this for anyone traveling with small kids. Granada is only an hour from Nerja so it’s an easy day trip.

Explore Alhambra

The Alhambra in Granada, Spain is a truly beautiful place to visit while you’re in southern Spain. However; it’s definitely not the most kid friendly stop as little ones will not appreciate the beauty of the building and grounds. But, that doesn’t mean you should skip it. In all honesty, our kids didn’t love this stop, but travel is all about balance and as long as I’m working in playground and ice cream breaks, I don’t worry too much about forcing them to experience some cultural things too. Make sure you allow an entire day to explore Granada – there’s plenty to do.

Evening in Nerja with a Sunset on the Beach

By mid-afternoon we had our fill of The Alhambra and decided to head back to Nerja for the evening.

After an amazing dinner on the outdoor terrace of Bar Redondo, we picked up ice cream and walked to Playa Calahonda to eat our treat and enjoy the sunset on the beach. Now you may think that kids will not be into a sunset stop (and you’d be right) but they are ALWAYS down for a trip to the beach. The kids had a blast running through the waves and throwing rocks while we just sat and enjoyed the most perfect Spanish evening on the Mediterranean.

The beach was mostly empty at this time of night so we loved the chill vibes and a clear place for the kids to run. 10/10 recommend adding this to your itinerary – it is one of our favorite memories from Nerja.

Where to Eat in Nerja with Kids

There are so many amazing restaurants to eat at in Nerja with kids! We found all the restaurants we visited to be extremely family friendly and welcoming. Be sure to always check times as many restaurants close mid-day for siesta and open again for dinner. Some of our favorite spots were:

Breakfast

• Coffee_mar_ – Located right in the historic quarter. Treat yourself to giant breakfast sandwiches and some actually good coffee. Seriously, it was so hard to find good coffee in Spain but Coffee_mar_’s lattes were a much needed coffee treat.
• Café Bar las Cuatro Esquinas – Simple, protein heavy breakfast options plus churros with chocolate sauce (of course!)

Lunch/Dinner

• Bar Redondo – Traditional Spanish tapas and sangria with fun street-side seating
• Bar El Pulguilla – Awesome back terrace and delicious local tapas with lots of fish options
• Dolores El Chispa – Laid back restaurant with tapas menu with covered, outdoor seating

Ice Cream

• Puerta del mar Gelato
• Yummy Naty Heladeria

Tips for Visiting Nerja with Kids

Embrace the late night culture

This is easily one of my top tips for visiting Spain in general – embrace the late night culture! In Spain, locals sleep in, have a late breakfast, take a mid-day siesta break and then have late dinner when the heat starts to settle. While you’re here, try to enjoy the cultural rhythm as best you can. We visited with three little kids who usually go to bed every night at 7:30 p.m. but as soon as we arrived in Spain, we got them on a late schedule where we were all staying up until 11/midnight. It sounds crazy but it was actually amazing and I’m so glad we got to experience the true Spanish late night vibes.

Don’t over plan

It’s easy to want to see everything but don’t over plan your time in Nerja. Allow plenty of time to wander the streets, have a long meal and enjoy the beaches. We loved spending afternoons at the beach instead of packing in the sightseeing and allowing time to fit in day trips made our itinerary much easier.

Take advantage of the true tapas life

When you order a drink at most restaurants in Spain, you will receive a free tapa with the drink (kids drinks usually count as well) so be sure to take advantage of all the free food that comes with your drinks. Also, tapas are a great way for kids (especially picky ones) to have a lot of food options so hopefully every kid can find something they like – although my three year old really gave this one a a run for it’s money.

FAQs

How long should I spend in Nerja with kids?

We spent three full days and four nights in Nerja and thought it was the perfect amount of time. This gave us enough time to fully explore the city, enjoy the beaches, see nearby sites and take a day trip without having to pack up and move to different accommodations. I would highly recommend spending 4 nights in Nerja.

Is Nerja a good place to visit with kids?

Nerja is an amazing place to stay with kids. Between the beaches, family-friendly restaurants, ice cream and laid-back vibe, Nerja was the perfect family destination. I would definitely return in the future.

Is Nerja stroller friendly?

Yes, Nerja was very stroller friendly overall. Of course, with anywhere in Europe, the sidewalks tend to be a bit narrow or run down in areas but overall we had no problem using our stroller in Nerja. If you’re heading to the beach, leave the stroller at home.

How is parking in Nerja, Spain?

We found parking in Nerja pretty straightforward. There is free street parking but we mostly opted to keep it simple and just use paid parking. If you’re staying in the Old Town area, we enjoyed using the Parkering Nerja sentrum lot. It was 20 Euro per day and large enough to leave your car somewhere close to where you needed to walk.

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