Not counting a city break to Barcelona, this was our first trip to Spain for a holiday and I'd chosen the region after reading up about the various places to stay; as we're not beach bunnies Nerja seemed to be a good base for some exploring. My first impression upon arriving was that the town was incredibly busy and I wondered if I'd made the right decision but after unpacking and walking to Balcon de Europa I began to relax. I love the feeling around that area and all the little streets that lead off it. I have read complaints that it's too ‘British', untidy and dirty but I didn't find that in the areas we were at. Granted Nerja is a big place and we didn't go to any of the urbanisations or English/Irish Bars or most of the beaches but I never saw any of that anywhere we went. All of the people we met were very friendly and it certainly felt like I was ‘abroad' rather than in Blightly.

We stayed in a private rental in the Torresol apartments at Torrecilla Beach and were extremely lucky as at time of year we could always get parked directly outside. The apartment itself was very clean, comfortable and well appointed (a washing machine ensured I'd done most of my washing before I got a home which made a nice change). Torrecilla Beach was fine for us, we're not ones for the beach so I enjoyed the 2 days we spent there. We didn't go to any of the others with that one being so close to the apartment.

I was surprised by the international mixture of restaurants in Nerja, I think that's because when we holiday we usually stay in much smaller places. I must say we had some great meals. Our favourite places were -
Mason Antonio (Diputacion) - great value local food, friendly staff and there seemed to be lots of locals there.
Rey Alfonso (down some steps at the end of Balcon de Europa) - quality food, good choice and nice wine.
Sollun (Almirante Ferrandiz) - Brilliant place and excellent for a special occasion with only 5 tables. We didn't book but were lucky to be able to get a table on the night we went. I had a fantastic beetroot and strawberry soup with salted beef to start followed by suckling pig with apple and macademia nuts. The service was excellent from start to finish and you get little bits in between courses to clear your palate etc. Reminded me of one of Gordon Ramsay's places but at a fraction of the price, I can't recommend it enough.
Vinoletta (Antonio Millon) - lovely tapas and wine bar. Great choice and attentive service with many wines, ports and tapas to chose from. The free tapas we got were so lovely we just had to add to them and ended up staying in there the whole evening. Somehow we both had a hangover the next day!!!
Au Petit Paris (Calle Malaga) - charming French restaurant run by a couple from France that has a lovely atmosphere, good hospitality and excellent food.

We had some lovely days out -
The Nerja caves were amazing and afterwards we parked up and visited the nearby aquaduct, such a shame they don't seem to be preserving it.
Frigiliana is so pretty and it's nice to be able to walk about in many of the streets without cars. There are lots on interesting nooks and crannies up the side streets. We had some lovely tapas for lunch there too.
We took a day out in Las Alujarras taking in Orgiva, Bubion and Trevelez. The scenery changes often, which I liked but if I'm honest it was my least favourite day out. The mountains didn't really ‘do' it for me although I'd imagine it's great for those of you who hike and cycle.
Ronda was one of my favourite places - it's absolutely beautiful. We visited the Bull Ring while we were there and spent ages wandering around the streets, stopping off at churches, museums and various places of interest. The views are simply stunning and I don't imagine I'd ever get tired of them if I lived there. I also managed to do a bit of shopping and bring home one of their lovely tablecloths.
Granada's Alhambra Palace was a must see for me and when got there it didn't disappoint. I'd booked an afternoon visit for the Nasrid Palaces so we wandered into town for a bit and had a fabulous lunch at a little place near the cathedral - it was a menu of the day serving gazpacho soup, paella and fresh fruit for the princely sum of 9E, what a delicious bargain. Afterwards we walked back up to the Alhambra. Sadly the Lion courtyard is being restored at the moment but that didn't detract from the enjoyment, every surface has been carved and sculpted, wood is mixed with marble and tile and water plays a big part. It's a lovely place to visit and I'd highly recommend it.

Hope that helps with anyone planning a trip to the area.