Villa Larelai at Andalucía

The Neighborhood

Villa Larelai is in a wonderful countryside location, close to lovely towns and villages and the beaches yet it has the most amazing mountain views and a feeling of seclusion and peace. It is important to have a car here. It is 3.3km to Nerja, 2.5km to the nearest large supermarket and 1.8km to a bar and restaurant.  Frigiliana is important from a historical viewpoint. The hill that climbs above the village, El Fuerte, was the scene of the defeat of the Moors of La Axarquia. Frigiliana is best explored by foot. The small plazas have some wonderful village bars which are popular for a wine tasting of the locally produced wines. There are some excellent shops selling pottery and ceramics.  El Acebuchal is a 17th-century hamlet within the unspoilt mountains and natural park of Sierra Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama. It is worlds away from the busy Nerja. For some time it was known as ‘The Lost Village’ or the ‘Village of Ghosts’ when it fell into disrepair but now it is utterly charming. The houses, chapel, tavern and cobbled streets have returned to what they once were.  Although incredibly popular, Nerja has kept its traditional charm, with whitewashed houses and narrow streets but it has many modern amenities and much entertainment on offer. Nerja sits at the mouth of the Chillar River where you can take some fabulous hikes. You can also hike on the Sierra de Tejada and in the Almijarra Natural Park. El Cielo is the highest coastal mountain in the area at 1508m where you will enjoy phenomenal views of all the way from Almunecar to Malaga, as well as the major summits of the Sierra de Tejeda and the North African coastline. There are 12  splendid golden sandy beaches within the provincial boundaries of Nerja. The area between Maro and La Herradura is a protected natural park. Most of the watersports are found on Burriana Beach. You can take an amazing sea kayaking trip from Burriana beach to Maro passing through some spectacular scenery along the way. The Nerja Diving Centre is halfway along the beach. It is a 5 star PADI instructor centre offering starter PADI courses, professional courses, night dives and equipment rental as well as snorkelling trips. Parasailing Nerja offers banana boat rides, jet-ski rental as well as parasailing.  Nerja is famous for its fabulous Balcon de Europa. It is so lovely to take a stroll along the promenade and enjoy the panoramic views. It is the focal point for the town’s activities.