Five minutes’ walk from the Balcón de Europa, but a thousand times less crowded: Carabeo Beach is one of the coves Nerja keeps tucked beneath its cliffs, found only by those who bother to walk down the steps.
Getting there
The access is on Calle Carabeo, down the steps that start beside the gardens on Calle Hernando de Carabeo. There are around 90 steps, so it’s neither accessible nor practical with a pushchair. Parking in Nerja’s old town is difficult in summer: the sensible approach is to use the underground car park in the centre and walk down.
Facilities
- ✓ Beach bar in season
- ✓ Lifeguard in high season
- ✓ Showers
- ✗ No parking of its own
- ✗ No adapted access (steps)
What it’s like
Around 140 metres of dark sand and gravel wedged between rock walls. The water is exceptionally clear — Nerja has rocky seabeds and little sediment — and there’s good snorkelling along the rocks at either end. The slope is fairly steep.
What makes it special
The sensation of being in an isolated cove while standing in the middle of a town. From the sand all you see is cliff, vegetation and sea; the bustle of the Balcón de Europa stays up above and out of earshot. At sunset the rock wall turns gold, and it’s one of the finest sights in Nerja.
Tips
Bring water shoes for the gravel, and bear in mind the cove falls into shade early in the afternoon beneath the cliff — which in August is an advantage. If you have limited mobility or very young children, Burriana is the better choice.
