A fortnight exploring Andalusia. White buildings, idyllic towns and stunning coastal views. Here are some favourite snapshots from my holiday.
Buenos días or buenas noches!
A few weeks ago, I got back from a fortnight away in Spain, holidaying on the Costa del Sol.
I’ve visited Spanish islands (Ibiza and Mallorca), but this was my first visit to mainland Spain. This trip I took my camera and phone along to capture the sights I explored in this part of Andalusia.
My last travel blog post was posted in September 2019, before the pandemic hit, and little did I know it would be three years before I’d go abroad again.
During that time I’m grateful to have experienced a few lovely UK staycations. Getting back on a plane and having the chance to explore further afield has been absolutely amazing and something I hope I can continue doing.
Our travel day started off pretty early. It wouldn’t be a holiday abroad if you’re not up in the early hours and it’s still pitch black outside!
Once we arrived at the airport, it was goodbye to the UK and a few hours later, hola Spain!
We stayed in Nerja, which is a popular seaside town on the Costa del Sol, located halfway between Granada and Málaga.
I really enjoyed travelling to a new destination as finally going abroad after so long, we were tempted to head back somewhere familiar, but I’m actually glad we didn’t and we tried somewhere new.
We spent every evening, apart from the day we arrived, out in Nerja. We’d have dinner cooked at the villa and then head out for a walk around the town, enjoying views and watching sunsets from the Balcon de Europa and devouring delicious ice creams. I recommend Heladeria Valenciano and Albi for brilliant ice cream in Nerja.
As this is a food blog, I have to write about the food! The pictures below are ice creams from Heladeria Valenciano – I picked quite a few different flavours while away. Two of them were traditional Spanish desserts. On the left is Crema Catalana (like crème brûlée and on the right, Miguelitos (a puff pastry cream-filled dessert), I also had another Spanish-style flavoured ice cream which was nata nueces (wet walnut ice cream).
My other favourites were Tarta de Fresa (strawberry cheesecake ice cream), chocolate blanco (white chocolate), and watermelon.
As I mentioned earlier, we cooked all our meals at the villa where we stayed. Cooking on holiday doesn’t feel like a chore to me, I can pick fresh produce and create tasty dishes. We cooked up some vegetable paella and various vegetarian tapas dishes during our stay. Though, lots of the restaurants in Nerja smelt amazing walking past with the aroma of food on the tables.
You can also enjoy paella directly on the beach and sit beside the beach at a chiringuito and order a drink and tapas. I liked the idea enjoying a morning swim in the sea and then grabbing some breakfast of pan con tomate (tomatoes on toast).
Fruit stalls in Frigilana
Aside from the food, we visited many gorgeous places on this fortnight trip. Driving around, we found some stunning little towns and many coastal areas.
Frigiliana was another beautiful town we were keen on visiting and heard a lot about prior to coming to this region of Spain.
We could see Frigiliana in the distance from where we stayed and visited the town a couple of times. The narrow streets are full of shops and fruit stalls; it was idyllic and a lovely place to take a leisurely stroll around.
Views in Frigilana
A destination that topped my list, was Málaga. This has become one of my new favourite cities. The sunshine, blue sea, the vibe and amazing views are all reasons I’ll definitely be planning a city break here! We kept coming back to Málaga and that gave us the chance to explore more of the city. As with most cities, one day is not usually enough to see it all.
Views of Málaga from the walk up to Gibralfaro Castle – it is a very long walk up to see this view. As always, I recommend if you do attempt this steep walk, then do it early before it reaches the hottest part of the day and take lots of water with you too.
The walk was uphill for a long time, but the panoramic views of the city made it all worth it in the end!
We also took a look around Málaga Cathedral which was simply stunning and gave me a sense of calmness and tranquility in an otherwise vibrant city.
Centre Pompidou Málaga
Paseo del Parque – this park in Málaga is just like being in a jungle. If you’re lucky, you might spot the parakeets. I love the sheer amount of palm trees in this park! We have a massive castle park in the city I’m from in the UK, but unfortunately not as many palm trees (if any) compared to Málaga!
The Alhambra was absolutely stunning. I’m so happy I got to experience a visit here. The Alhambra is a palace and fortress complex located in Granada. It’s one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture.
I found the gardens extremely beautiful and provided some much needed shade at times during the hot sunny days.
We discovered this gem of a beach on our last full day in Almuñécar. If I come back, this beach is somewhere I will plan a visit to. The crystal clear waters are ever so inviting…
Torrox Costa – this beach is lovely too and you can have a relaxing coastal stroll
I loved my time in Nerja, I brought many souvenirs home with me and I’ll have treasured memories of this holiday. Now I can only dream of my next travel destination…
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