Nerja News

Although the Costa del Sol is still a relatively safe area, the influx of summer visitors does lead to a rise in petty crime and an increase in the number of cons and scams being perpetrated against the unwary, particularly tourists and the elderly.

Just by taking normal precautions and by being alert, much heartache can be spared.

We have probably all done it at some time, been so relieved at going on holiday after all the stresses and strains of everyday life that we leave our brains at home and fall for things that, under normal circumstances, we would never fall for.

Here, we take a look at some of the more common cons and scams which occur with alarming regularity during the summer months. more »

Los Barriles is a tapas bar on calle Carabeo, Nerja, and would probably best be described as ‘no frills’, although unlike Ryanair there are no extras, hidden or otherwise, to bump up the cost, and the loos will always be free.

There are no tiles on the floor and the tables are barrels, simplicity itself. And it works. The atmosphere in the bar is warm and friendly, the prices are very reasonable and the speciality of the house, ‘fiery chorizo’, is absolutely excellent. more »

August 6th to August 8th is the very first ‘Mercado Marinero’ in Nerja, being held in the Plaza de España (formerly the Paseo Nuevo) behind the town hall.

On Friday August 6th, the scheduled start was 19:00, although as the church bells chimed there were still quite a few stalls still being set up or covered over.

However, it wasn’t many minutes before the curious began arriving in the square, many straight from the beach, and things started to get going.

There are all kinds of stalls: handicrafts, foods of all descriptions, herbs, potions, art, sweets, jewellery and several bars and eateries serving a wide variety of dishes.

On Saturday and Sunday, there are numerous activities planned from 11:00 to 14:30 and from 19:00 to 01:00, including parades, workshops and all manner of entertainment…PHOTOS…

On August 19th, the group Los Hados Negros will be performing in Plaza Fabrica de los Cangrejos, Nerja, an event which will mark the group’s 45th anniversary.

Los Hados Negros played their first concert on July 22nd 1965 at the Marissal in Nerja and continued until 1970, their last performance being at the Ventorillo del Santo. The lineup was: Pepe Millón, Pepe Cobos, Placido Cabra, Antonio Sánchez,  Antonio Ariza and Antonio Luis.

Members of the band went on to start up or perform in other bands, such as Los Tarsis and la Criatura, and Los Hados Negros passed into history. Or almost. more »

Nestling in the countryside, surrounded by trees, greenery and flowers, and with the distinctive aroma of Cestrum Nocturnum (Night Blooming Jasmine) scenting the air, the Venta Madrid is a great setting for lunch or an evening meal.

Or just for a drink and a chat.

The Venta Madrid opened for business in February this year and is run by Ángel and Raquel.

In July, Ángel and Raquel introduced musical evenings, on Thursdays and Saturdays each week, with a variety of artists and musical styles from Blues to Flamenco. more »

One of the carriage drivers in Nerja has decided to ‘give it a go’ from the new location of Plaza Fabrica de los Cangrejos. It’s either that or starve, basically, so I wondered how it was panning out.

The new location is a a parking bay, still under construction, on avenida Castilla Perez. So, how was it going so far?

Well, at this time of year and located on the Balcon de Europa, the expectation would be for some 8 to 10 rides. So how did today compare? more »

La Virgen del Carmen is the protectress of seamen, and on July 16th the coastal towns and fishing villages celebrate with parades and festivities in her honour. Statues of La Virgen del Carmen are carried through the towns to the water and then taken aboard a gaily adorned boat.

The procession in Nerja started from the El Salvador church on the Balcon de Europa and made its way slowly through the town and then down Avenida Castilla Perez to Torrecilla beach where the image of Carmen was loaded, at the second attempt, onto a fishing boat.

The boat, accompanied by an armada of craft of all shapes and sizes, then made a grand tour of all the beaches in Nerja before eventually coming back to shore on Calahonda beach after fireworks lit up the night sky…PHOTOS…

The scenes were similar all over the country as Spain fulfilled their dream of winning the World Cup, always having been regarded as the ‘great under-achievers’ on the world stage.

Plaza Tutti Frutti in Nerja was packed with people watching the match and thousands took to the streets to celebrate the well-deserved victory.

For the record:

Spain are the first team to win the World Cup after losing their opening game

Spain also became the team to win the World Cup having scored the fewest number of goals – finding the net eight times in their seven matches

Spain only conceded two goals in the tournament

Spain now join Brazil, Germany and France as the only teams to win both the World Cup and their respective continental cups. more »

The Asociación Nerjeña de Arte, ANEDA, is currently holding an exhibition in the Municipal Exhibition Centre in calle Cristo, Nerja.

The exhibition runs until July30th and is open from 11:00 to 13:00 and from 19:00 to 21:00.

The Asociación Nerjeña de Arte was incorporated in November 2007 and the aims of the association are to promote cultural activities through competitions, art exhibitions, lectures, cultural trips and the artistic stimulation and cultural training of its members.

The association currently has 35 members, mostly painters, and they hold open meetings on the first Monday of each month in the Nerja Cultural Centre, calle Granada 45 in Nerja.

They have also recently opened a studio in calle Méndez Núñez…Exhibition Photos…

The attractions of a holiday in Spain are often summed up as either ‘Sun, Sea and Sangria’ or ‘Sun, Sea, Sex and Sangria’ and visitors are forever asking ‘but where can I find the best Sangria?’. So, what is Sangria, how is it made, who drinks it, which bar serves the best Sangria and how has Sangria been affected by the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico?

Sangria, from the Spanish word ’sangre’, meaning ‘blood’, originated in Spain and Portugal and has been around in various forms for centuries. It is basically just a wine punch. A typical modern day recipe for Sangria will include at least the following ingredients: more »

The renowned artist Santiago Fernández Aragüez has recently donated one of his paintings, ‘Nerja, un sueño posible’, to the town of Nerja and, to commemorate this event, there is an exhibition of his works in the Municipal Exhibition Hall in calle Cristo.

The exhibition is entitled ‘Paisajes y figuraciones’ (Landscapes and Figures) and contains a total of 25 works. It runs until June 25th 2010.

Santiago Fernández Aragüez was born in Vélez-Málaga in 1950 and spent his early years in the town before moving away to study Industrial Engineering, Teaching, Fine Arts, Philosophy and Physical Education. more »

Pepe Pascual, Official Chronicler of Nerja and the Nerja Caves, celebrated his 71st birthday yesterday and it was no coincidence that this day, June 3rd, was chosen to officially present him with the award of Hijo Predilecto – Favourite Son.

In addition, a newly finished square above the Parque Verano Azul underground car park was officially inaugurated as Plaza Cronista Pepe Pascual. A sculpture of Pepe Pascual, created by the sculptor Francisco Martín stands at the Parque Verano Azul end of the square.

At the feet of the statue of Pepe is a reproduction of the newspaper Sur for which Pepe worked for many years and still remains sports correspondent for Nerja.

At the end of all the official ceremonies, the Municipal Band played ‘Happy Birthday’ and all those present joined in the singing. more »

A glorious day, as we’ve come to expect, for the San Isidro celebrations this year. Just as rain can be virtually guaranteed for Feria, the same can be said of the sun and San Isidro.

Shortly after noon, the procession began to wend its way from the centre of town to transport the image of Saint Isidore (1070-1130, Patron Saint of Farmers) back to the hermitage near the Nerja Caves.

The magnificent oxen led the way, pulling the beautifully decorated carts, and Saint Isidore arrived at the caves at around 14:30.

Not renowned as being the fastest of animals, this naturally led to the procession being rather strung out, at one point stretching back for nearly four kilometres. It was approaching 17:00 when the final stragglers made it up to the caves. more »

The Fiesta de las Cruces / Cruz de Mayo / Dia de la Cruz / Cruces de Mayo – the name varies from area to area – is a holiday celebrated on May 3rd in many parts of Spain, particularly the south, and Latin America.

Religiously, the origin of the festival relates to the search by the Byzantine Empress Saint Helena for the cross on which Jesus died.

Legend has it that Emperor Constantine I was involved in a conflict with barbarians on the banks of the river Danube and was facing a huge army, which made victory seemingly impossible.

It is said that one night, Constantine saw a vision of a cross in the sky with the words ‘In hoc signo vincis’ (With this sign, you shall be victorious). The Romans, the same as many other nations before and after, were very conscious of, and put great faith in omens and other signs and, quite naturally, the emperor had a cross made and put at the front of his army. more »

The Plaza de Andalucia was the first of the popular squares in Nerja to undergo major renovation as the Central Government pours money into municipalities under such schemes as the State Plan for Local Investment (FEIL), more commonly known as the ‘Plan Zapatero’.

Currently undergoing renovations are Plaza Cavana, Plaza de la Ermita and Plaza Cantarero.

Plaza de Andalucia, tucked away in the old part of the town, is dominated by the Iglesia San Miguel – St Michael’s Church.

The renovations have not changed the character of the square, or the area, and it remains a peaceful little outpost, a place to relax. more »

February 28th is Andalucia Day and in Nerja, in addition to the official commemorative acts, it is also Dia del Pedal – Day of the Bicycle.

It has become part of the local tradition and each year, the number of entrants is a new record. In 2009, around 1,600 people took part. In 2010, the number of entries was almost 1,900.

The Dia del Pedal now starts and finishes at the Plaza de España (formerly Plaza Paseo Nuevo), just behind the Town Hall and participants are of all ages and the bikes are of all shapes and sizes.

The route is not strenuous and it’s not competitive, it’s just a leisurely bit of fun cycling round the town with food and refreshments when you get back.

Several local establishments and organisations, such as the Taller de la Amistad, offer bicycles in a prize draw held at the end of the event. Photos from this year’s event can be seen HERE.

The 4th Nerja Festival de Arte is currently taking place in the Sala Mercado on calle San Miguel in Nerja, a multicultural event with artists, artisans and organisations from a variety of nationalities taking part.

The opening day, or evening to be more accurate, saw a performance by the Frigiliana-based band ‘Not to Fall’, a four-piece outfit who play at a number of venues in the area and are always well worth going to see.

The festival is a bit like an indoor street market in some ways and it also seems to have more of a ‘buzz’ about it this year. Smiling faces and an atmosphere that gives the impression that those participating are actually enjoying themselves rather than going through the motions of putting on ‘another exhibition’. That’s my impression, anyway. more »