As is the case in all of Andalucia the people of Nerja love to party and never more so than for the annual Nerja Festival (Feria de Nerja) which takes place for four wild days in October. Nearly everyone seems to take the week off work and there are street parties going on throughout the night with copious consumption of alcohol. The fairground also comes to town and is packed with mothers and daughters in traditional flamenco dresses.
Some of the other main Nerja festivals are in February when the town celebrates Carnaval, in March/April for the traditional Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations and June for San Juan when barbecues take place all along the beach. The 16th July is a great day to be in Nerja to witness the Virgen del Carmen festival when a statue of the Virgin Mary is carried through the town to a fishing boat and is then taken out to sea. Also in July is the Festival de la Cueva when classical music concerts take place in the Nerja Caves.
If you’re in Nerja over the Christmas period be warned that bars and restaurants will most likely close early on Christmas Eve but Christmas Day will be a normal opening day for them. The big day over this period is the evening of January 5th when the Reyes Magos (Three Wise Men) arrive in town to give gifts to the children.
Here’s a full list of annual festivals but do check with Nerja Tourist Information at Puerta del Mar 2 to confirm dates.
- San Anton – January 16 – 17
- Carnaval – February
- Holy Week (Semana Santa) – March/April
- Cruces de Mayo – May 3
- San Isidro – May 15
- San Juan – June 23
- Virgen del Carmen – July 16
- Festival de la Cueva – July
- Maro Fair – September 7 – 9
- Feria de Nerja – October 8 – 12