Car Hire Nerja: Airport Pick-Up, Driving and Booking Tips

Within Nerja itself, probably not. The Balcón de Europa viewpoint and the town beaches, including Playa de Burriana, Playa de la Calahonda, Playa del Carabeo and Playa de la Torrecilla, all lie within about a mile of the centre, so car hire in Nerja town is more about the days out than getting to the sand.

A car comes into its own once you look further afield. The Cueva de Nerja is about 2 miles away, Playa de Maro and La Caleta de Maro around 2 to 2.5 miles, Playa de las Alberquillas nearer 4 miles, and the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama Natural Park roughly 6 miles inland. Frigiliana, with its castle and the Palacio de los Condes de Frigiliana, is about 3 miles up the hill.

If you only plan the odd excursion, taxis in Nerja may be enough for a short hop. For a fortnight of coves, caves and mountain villages, car rental in Nerja gives you far more freedom.

Most visitors pick up at the airport. Granada (GRX) is the closer of the two, around 43 minutes from Nerja and 40 minutes from Frigiliana. Málaga (AGP) is about 50 minutes from Nerja and 49 minutes from Frigiliana. Both have direct flights from the UK, so you can land, collect the keys and be in town within the hour.

If you are arriving on a package holiday with transfers included, you could skip the airport desk and arrange car hire once you have settled in, using it only for the days you plan to explore. Travellers coming by sea will find Motril the nearest ferry port at about 20 miles, with Málaga around 30 miles and Almería roughly 78 miles away. Compare the Nerja car hire companies serving each pick-up point on this page.

Distances are short, but the character of the roads changes quickly. Heading east along the coast takes you towards Maro and its beaches, while Frigiliana and the natural park mean climbing inland from sea level into the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama, so expect gradients and bends rather than motorway cruising.

The weather is worth factoring in. July and August peak around 32 to 33°C, so a car with good air conditioning matters, and parked cars heat up fast. March and October are the wettest months, with around 140mm and 101mm of rain, so allow extra care on hill roads after a downpour. April, May, June, September and November offer the most comfortable driving conditions.

Look for a full-to-full fuel policy, so you collect the car with a full tank and return it the same way, paying only for what you use. Check the excess on the standard cover and decide before you travel whether you want to reduce it, rather than deciding at the counter after a flight.

If you are travelling with children, reserve child seats when you book, as availability at the desk is not guaranteed. School holidays push demand up for car hire on the Costa del Sol as much as for flights, so booking early for those weeks is sensible. You can compare car rental in Nerja, Spain, from both airports in the live comparison here.