Malaga or Nerja? My Take On Which City Is Best For You
Whether it’s in my Facebook community, via email, or on consultation calls, many travellers ask me which town is better: Malaga or Nerja.
My short answer is that it depends on your travel style and plans. As a summary, Malaga is best for sightseeing, whereas Nerja is best for a beach holiday.
It isn’t easy to pick one, as both destinations offer different experiences. I personally love both.
In this guide, I’ll break down which town is best for attractions, beaches, and day trips, among other things, that we take into consideration when booking a holiday.
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Attractions
Malaga
Malaga is the main city in the province, so there are many activities to do, from visiting the top landmarks to learning about local art at the museums and tasting the traditional food.
You’re spoiled for choice in my hometown. I totally think you can visit the main attractions in one day, but I always suggest staying longer to uncover the hidden gems.
The city has a lively atmosphere. From my local perspective, it’s evolved from being a summer holiday to an all-year-round destination. The city centre gets very busy for a reason! But you can have a quieter experience by staying in other neighbourhoods.
Nerja
Nerja doesn’t have as many attractions as Malaga. The main highlights are the Nerja Caves, its historic centre, and the Balcon de Europa viewpoint.
Nerja Caves are one of the most important in Spain. You can see stalactites you won’t find anywhere else. It also has beautiful gardens that many travellers miss.
The historic centre is home to lovely narrow streets with many independent shops, restaurants and bars, and it’s here where you can also enjoy the breathtaking views from Balcon de Nerja. The colours of the sky at sunset are beautiful. It’s one of my favourite places to watch the sunset.
Malaga or Nerja? Malaga is the winner! The city has plenty to do and see compared with Nerja. It also has a wider selection of activities for all types of travellers. You could still take a day trip to Nerja to see its attractions.
Accommodation
Malaga
Whether you want a hostel, an apartment or a boutique hotel, you’ll find these options and more in Malaga.
There are plenty of accommodation options catering to all budgets and travel styles.
Picking accommodation is one of the challenges for travellers who come to Malaga, so if you need recommendations, these are some of my suggestions:
🛏️ Luxury: Gran Hotel Miramar GL
🛏️ Mid-range: Room Mate Collection Valeria
🛏️ Budget-friendly: Dulce Dreams Boutique Hotel
Nerja
I personally think that hotels in Nerja aren’t as modern as the ones you find in Malaga, but if you don’t mind this, you still have many options here.
Regardless of this, if I were you, I’d stay central as it’s the most lively area and where you’ll find most restaurants and shops, plus the beaches are a short walk.
These are some of my hotel suggestions:
🛏️ Mid-range: Hotel Balcón de Europa
🛏️ Budget-friendly: Hostal Boutique Plaza Cantarero
Malaga or Nerja? Malaga has more accommodation options to choose from, and more stylish hotels if that’s something important to you when booking a holiday.
Beaches
Malaga
Malaga city is surrounded by beaches, and even if you stay in the centre, you’re a stone’s throw from La Malagueta Beach.
The beaches in Malaga have good facilities and are easy to access, including for travellers with mobility problems. I love my hometown, but I admit there are better, more beautiful beaches outside the city.
The sand isn’t gold and fine, and it’s the type of sand that sticks to your skin, and the water isn’t crystal clear either.
Nerja
Nerja has some of the most idyllic beaches on the Costa del Sol. Compared to Malaga, you can expect turquoise and crystal clear water and stunning cliffs.
The beaches in Nerja are great for snorkelling, scuba diving and other water activities.
I love the Nerja beaches, but bear in mind that many of them have pebbles, so I highly recommend packing water shoes.
Playa Burriana is my favourite, but don’t miss Maro Beach either. It’s the perfect place to rent a kayak tour and see the cliffs and the waterfall.
Malaga or Nerja? Nerja has more idyllic and beautiful beaches than Malaga. It also offers many fun water activities.
Day trips
Malaga
Malaga is the best place to base yourself if you want to go on day trips, especially if you’re going to rely on public transport.
You’ll be a short walk or an underground stop from the bus and train station by staying in Malaga City Centre.
There are many good day trips from Malaga, so it isn’t always easy to pick the best, although depending on your transport of choice, you might have more or fewer options.
Travelling by bus or train? I recommend day trips to Mijas Pueblo, Nerja, Benalmadena and Marbella.
If you rent a car, I’d consider inland towns like Ronda, Zahara de la Sierra and small villages in the Axarquia (my favourite is Moclinejo!)
While it’s possible to take day trips to other Andalusian big cities, I’d stay more than a day. Cordoba and Granada are easy day trips, too.
Nerja
If you want to travel beyond Nerja, I highly suggest renting a car. Otherwise, you might have to travel back to Malaga or another location to reach the town or city you want to visit.
The only day trip from Nerja by direct bus I recommend is to Frigiliana, as it takes only 15 minutes. This guide tells you exactly how to travel from Nerja to Frigiliana.
Getting a car? Explore the towns in the Axarquia or the Costa Tropical, or head to Granada to discover the breathtaking Alhambra Palace and its gardens.
Malaga or Nerja? I would pick Malaga if I were you, as you’re better placed to explore other destinations. Although Nerja isn’t bad either, if you want to discover the East of the province and Granada, and you have a rental car.
Food
Malaga
The city has numerous places to eat. You find a wide variety of bars and restaurants, from traditional tapa bars to top-notch restaurants serving beautifully presented dishes packed with flavours.
There are more and more places to eat offering international cuisine, too.
Regarding prices, although most restaurants in the city centre are more expensive than in the neighbourhoods, there are also cheap eats.
If you’re looking for the best places to eat, I’ve written a detailed guide that compiles my favourites and some local tips.
Nerja
There’s no shortage of places to eat in Nerja either. The historic centre has plenty of bars and restaurants where you can enjoy any sort of meal, Italian, Indian, Spanish…
However, these are usually more old-fashioned or traditional in style and decoration than those in Malaga.
For something more upscale and modern, Oculto is a good choice. Expect beautifully presented dishes made with local produce. My partner and I loved the food.
Looking for places to eat in Nerja? This guide includes my food recommendations.
Malaga or Nerja? Both towns have good restaurants. For me, there isn’t a winner, but if you want modern and aesthetically pleasing places to eat, Malaga is the best.
Transport
Malaga
You don’t need to use public transport in Malaga as everything is within walking distance. I walk everywhere.
However, if you need or want to do so, there are many options, from underground to buses and Uber.
Also, if you want to travel elsewhere, you simply need to head to Maria Zambrano train station or Malaga coach station, from where you can take a train or bus to many other destinations.
Transportation in Malaga is generally cheap, so you don’t need to allocate much of your budget to it.
It’s cheap and safe, in case you’re wondering about transportation in Malaga.
Nerja
There are fewer options in Nerja, meaning you have buses and taxis to travel within and outside Nerja.
If you want to spend your time in Nerja, I recommend staying in the centre so you don’t need to use public transport. The historic centre is small and walkable, and the beach is a stone’s throw away.
I’ve previously mentioned this in the day trip section, but I totally think it’s worth renting a car to travel to other places from Nerja, as you don’t need to stick to limited timetables, and you have more flexibility to travel to the lesser-known towns.
Malaga or Nerja? Malaga as it has more transportation options.
Nightlife
I’m not really into parties, but since I know both towns very well, Malaga is better for nightlife, especially during the off-season, when Nerja can be pretty quiet and some places close.
Prices
There isn’t a big difference in prices between Malaga and Nerja; they’re only a 50-minute drive from each other. You might find that Nerja food and some accommodation are slightly cheaper, though.
My final verdict
Malaga wins over all, and I’d say it’s my preferred choice, but I’d definitely pick Nerja for a beach holiday.
Do you have any questions about your upcoming trip? Join my Facebook group, the best place to get your questions answered.
If you want personalised advice or a tailored itinerary, check out my travel planning services.
Enjoy your time on the Costa del Sol!
Cristina
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