The Nerja and Frigiliana area is a fantastic place to go walking and hiking, with rugged mountains, fast running rivers, deep gorges, white washed villages and stunning scenery all within a short distance of Nerja.
You can download the council’s guide to walks in the area as a PDF from the link below:-
As well as the walks listed in the council leaflet, there are a few you can go on straight from the front door of the house.
Nerja to Maro
4km. 1 hour one way.
Maro is the next village along the coast from Nerja. It has a few bars and restaurants where you can go for a coffee or lunch, or you can continue walking down to Maro beach.
From Pasaje Anduez turn right up Calle Ruperto Anduez. At the top of the road turn right on Avenida de Pescia. Follow this road all the way to Maro. You will pass the Eagle Aqueduct (picture above) just outside Maro, you can also visit the Nerja caves. There are more walks in the natural park that start by the caves (see the council leaflet for more information).
Nerja Rio (River) Chillar
Minimum 2.5km.
From the house walk up to Plaza Cantarero by the bus station. Cross over the road by the large roundabout and walk down Calle Joaquin Herrera (next to Nueva Nerja school) – at the end of this street the footpath turns down to the Rio Chillar – at the bottom turn right and follow the river (usually dry unless there has been plenty of rain). After 2.5km pass the barriers into the main Rio Chillar walk. You can now walk for hours up the river, which gradually gets narrower and more rugged. You will pass through gorges, natural bathing pools in the rocks and waterfalls. This walk is so popular in the summer that the council don’t publicise this walk. Note that you will get your feet wet on the later stages.
Nerja to Frigiliana
6.5km, 2 hours one way
Frigiliana is a picturesque village in the hills to the north of Nerja. You can walk there, have lunch and get the bus back, or vice versa.
Follow the instructions for the Rio Chillar walk above, but after about 2km (just after you pass under the motorway bridge high above you) turn left crossing the Rio Chillar up the Rio Higueron (note that there is a ford you can wade across, but there is also a concrete bridge just before the ford, often hidden in the bamboo). You can also park here if you want to do part of the route by car.
Follow the Rio Higueron (almost always dry) another 2km until you come to a crossroads (photo below). Turn left up the steep winding road towards Frigiliana (or turn right to take a circular walk up over the hill back to the Rio Chillar and Nerja).
The steep winding road to the left brings you out next to the La Molineta bar/restaurant by the main road. Don’t walk up the main road, but look for the footpath on the right that cuts up the hill, before rejoining the main road. Follow the main road for a few hundred metres and you will come to the roundabout at the edge of Frigiliana. Take the second exit from the roundabout up the hill into the village (or the third exit which is another way in).
