Any ecotourist visiting the Costa del Sol should visit the Cueva de Nerja. Nestled in the mountains on the border of Nerja and Maro are these stunning caves which were first discovered in 1959? Despite only being recently discovered, the caves are thought to be around 5 million years old and are the main attraction for the area.
The green traveller will be happy to learn that a visit to the caves and accommodation in Nerja won’t involve having to hire a car. There is plenty of budget priced accommodation close by and transportation to and from the airport in Malaga is straight forward an inexpensive.
Once there you should allow around a day to enjoy the caves. The caves themselves are beautiful to behold and house the world’s tallest stalagmite at 32 metres. Once you have taken the tour of the caves there is an outside area with lovely gardens for picnics and a wonderful view of the Mediterranean Sea.
Right next to the caves are the Spanish mountains that also have some wonderful wildlife as well as commanding stunning views. In the interests of preserving the countryside, cars are not allowed up in the mountains and as such you have two options if you want to enjoy the tourist trail.
Option number one is to take an official jeep tour with an expert who will stop at various sites, allowing you time for group pictures as well as a brief stop for a picnic. However, the jeep tours can get quite hot in the summer so if your legs are up to it why not walk the coastal path. This will take two to three hours and is around 5 miles in total. The views from the top are as wonderful as you are likely to find on the Costa and many walkers have reported an echo that goes on for an eternity if you shout from the top.
Maro, which is the town joint directly to the caves is still very traditional and if you stay there or go out to eat you will be contributing directly towards this town’s economy.