A Little Paradise on the Sunny Coast of Spain

Spain, Nerja, May 2025

When I was looking for places to visit in Spain, I asked a friend who had lived and worked in this marvelous country for over a year which town she thought was the most beautiful. Without hesitation, she said, “Nerja, in Andalusia.” I was surprised—I had never even heard of it before. At the time, I didn’t give it much thought. But a few months later, while researching Spanish language schools online, I suddenly came across one located in Nerja, Escuela de Idiomas Nerja. I took it as a sign—I had to go there.

And I’ve never regretted that decision. I fell in love with the place the moment I stepped off the bus that had brought me from Málaga to this little picturesque town. Cozy, narrow streets; scenic beaches embraced by rocky cliffs—it all felt like a dream. If you ever watched Verano Azul (a Spanish TV show from the 80s that was filmed in Nerja and made this place a famous resort), you know what I’m talking about 😉

The house of my host family, where I was going to spend an unforgettable two weeks, was just across the street from the bus station. My host named Angie had just returned from her run to meet me and take me to her house overlooking the mountains.

We connected right away, as she also shared a passion for yoga, meditation, hiking, traveling, and—most importantly—cats. In addition to having one at home, she also cared for numerous other cats that stopped by her beautiful terrace for food. Angie and I practiced Spanish every day, sharing breakfasts and dinners, and going out together on the weekends. Thanks to this, I was fully immersed in a Spanish-speaking environment, and my Spanish improved dramatically in just two weeks in Nerja.

The school also made a significant contribution to my progress in Spanish. Taking four hours of intensive language classes each day with dedicated teachers—Paco, Fernando, Raquel, and Francisco (we had two new teachers every week!)—was definitely an enriching experience. They not only taught me the nuances of the subjunctive and conditional in Spanish, but also shared insights into Spanish history and culture.

The school’s pleasant atmosphere, with a lovely patio and a cafeteria where we took breaks between classes with other students, made the experience even more enjoyable.

My first day of school started with a welcome session and a short speaking test at Club Costa Nerja (I had also completed a grammar test online a few weeks before my arrival).

After that, I was placed in a B2 (upper-intermediate) group with three other students from Switzerland and the US. Coincidentally, one of them was also from Madison, Wisconsin—just like me! We met on the other side of the world and became great friends, practicing our Spanish on the beach after class.

On our first day here, we even appeared on a national TV news program together as part of the crowd, and later had Miguel Joven, the star of Verano Azul, as our tour guide at Educare Aventura while kayaking.

The school offered numerous activities for a small additional fee, such as city walks, going out for tapas, cooking paella, attending flamenco and salsa workshops, and listening to lectures about famous Spanish artists like Velázquez and Picasso (those were free).

Unfortunately, some of the activities were canceled because a minimum number of students had to sign up, and May turned out to be a less popular month. Most of the students were over 50, whereas in the summer months the school usually attracts more younger people. Nevertheless, all the students were extremely motivated to learn Spanish and practiced it outside the classroom as well.

There were also some weekend trips organized by the school in collaboration with a travel agency. I didn’t get to join those, but I arranged my own trip by taking an ALSA bus to the nearest major city, Málaga, and enjoyed a free walking tour (highly recommended when you’re in Spain—just keep in mind that while it’s called ‘free,’ it’s customary to tip €5–15 at the end).

My host also took me to a beautiful nearby village called Frigiliana, which is only about 10–15 minutes away. Together, we strolled past pretty white houses decorated with flowers and enjoyed a true European dinner on one of the patios next to the church.

Despite being a relatively small town, Nerja has a lot to offer too! There are about seven gorgeous beaches—just enough to spend a whole week visiting a different one each day—complete with chiringuitos (beach bars), a wide variety of restaurants, a history museum, and, of course, the famous Cueva de Nerja, home to the world’s largest column formed by the merging of a stalagmite and a stalactite.

You can reach this record-breaking site by ALSA bus, tourist train, or even a one-hour walk.

I was very sad to leave this little paradise called Nerja, and I’m hoping to return one day.