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Nerja News

English magazines in Nerja:
• Soltalk
• Market Place / Der Markt Platz (German version)
• Streetwise
• (Nerja Menu Guide)

Spanish news about Nerja: www.infonerja.com

News about Nerja, Andalusia and Spain


October 2010

• In Madrid the First siesta-sleeping contest ever were held. The 360 contesters were judged on who could get to sleep the fastest, the loudest snoring, the most original sleeping position and the nicest pyjama. The price of 1000 Euros was won by a guy from Ecuador who had a snoring volume of 70 decibel.

• Spanish restaurants expect the loss of 140.000 jobs due to the new anti-smoking law. Starting 2011 smoking in all public buildings will be banned. It’s still possible though to smoke on terraces.

• In the beginning of 2011 a butterfly park will open in Benalmadena Pueblo. The park will be 1.500 m2 big and will contain over 100 butterfly species.

September 2010

• A lot of squares (Plaza de los Cangrejos, Plaza Cavana, Plaza Cantarero and the Balcon de Europa) have been renovated during the last half year. For this reason the horse carriages have been permanently moved from the Balcon to Plaza de los Cangrejos.

• This september Malaga will open a car museum. Some 80 cars will be exposed build from 1898 until now. The museum will be located in an old tabacco factory.

• Paramount is planning on building a new film theme park in Murcia between 4 and 6 mln square metres. The park should offer jobs for 20.000 people, but the company is still looking for investors.

• Velez-Malaga recently started a free bicycle plan. Citizens who sign up can use the 100 free bikes of the town hall to get from a to b. The town hall hopes to save 55,000 litres of fuel per year.

• Spain gets a law to band snacks and sweets from schools. With this law the government wants to fight the growing problem of obesity amoungst children. Besides that there will be a ban of advertising for children under 15.

• Andalusia has 60% of Spain’s ecological agricultural land. The province of Malaga, for example, is the market leader in producing ecological mangos and avocados.

August 2010

• Besides the blue flags for Burriana and Torrecilla Playa, Nerja now also received one for Playazo and Maro Playa. This Danish quality mark checks quality and safety of the beaches, but also other standards like service, environment etc. In total Spain’s beaches got 634 blue flags this year.

• Next spring Nerja will open its own museum of history, that will be founded by the organisation of the Nerja Caves (Cuevas de Nerja).

• Nowadays the 19A bus from Malaga Airport drives to the Central Station in 30 minutes (7 stops, costs 2 euro). The hours are 06:25 till midnight.

• The Nerja town hall gave permission for building 7,000 new houses around Nerja. It concerns area’s next to Punta Lara, El Romeral, Baden Alto, Los Poetas and the industrial area poligono Castilla Alto. It could take 10 years though before the actual building can start.

July 2010

• Aena installed 18 defibrillators on the Malaga Airport. The project which cost 96,000 Euros involves 100 volunteers which have been trained to use the devices correctly.

• In the first quarter of this year house sales rose by 16.2 per cent compared to the last quarter last year. This is the highest figure in 18 months.

• Once again Mercadona has proved to be the cheapest supermarket of Spain. Mercadona’s product are 27% cheaper than those of the most expensive supermarket, El Corte Ingles.

• In the harbour where Malaga’s cruise ships tourist come ashore, a new 80 mln euro shopping mall will be build. It will open in summer 2011 and will create 700 jobs.

• Velez-Malaga will stop watering its green zones with drinking water. This will save 28.000 m3 drinking water a year and the project will cost 200.000 euro.

• Sheik Abdullah Ben Nasser from Qatar has bought the football club of FC Malaga and is to invest a lot of money in the city of Marbella.

• All the towns between Rincon de la Victoria and Torrox will be connected by a cycling lane.

June 2010

• Tourist’s organisations on the Costa del Sol requested to official rename the airport of Malaga ‘Malaga Pablo Ruiz Picasso’ into ‘Airport Malaga Costa del Sol’.

• Contrary to earlier press reports, Brits aren’t returning to the UK by thousands. Actually, the number of Brit residents in Spain rose by 11,500 to 387,226 last year. Now 12.2 per cent of Spanish residents is of foreign origin.

• Malaga is candidate for being Europe’s Cultural capital in 2016. You could give your vote on www.cadidatescities.com

• In the rock sculpture nature park ‘El Torcal’ close to Antequera this summer you can participate again in a spectacular nightly walk (Friday’s). See the website of Antequera for more information about this magical moonwalk.

• Prices for apartment rentals have dropped this year with 7% in Andalusia. Nerja still is in the top 10 of most popular locations within the Andalusian coast.

May 2010

• The Nerja tourist train will in future also drive to Nerja-Maro at least 4 times a day. There it will stop at the pedestrian bridge which leads to the caves (price 4-6 euro).

• Everywhere in Nerja Centre the big plastic rubbish bins are being replaced for underground bins. These will also be placed on Burriana Playa.

• The footpath between Burriana Playa and Carabeillo Playa ‘El Paseo de los Carabineros’ is open again to the public. The second part though that leads to the Balcon de Europa will remain close because of the continuing risk of falling rocks.

April 2010

• The amount of sun beds for hire on the beaches of Nerja has been raised to 1352. Every 2 beds also have a sun parasol.

• The mayor of Nerja approved the building of 541 new houses in the Fuentes del Baden and El Romeral area. The plans also include parks, sports facilities and a 2-storey hotel, plus 71 low-cost projected houses.

• In the Velez-Malaga eastern processions one of the three catholic statues will from now only be carried by females. About 130 women have signed up for this task, that until now only has been carried out by men. It concerns a throne of 9 meters long (which is rather heavy!).

• King Juan Carlos has inaugurated the new terminal of Malaga Airport. This T3 terminal has 250.000 square meters of floor space and 20 boarding gates.

• After Velez-Malaga now Malaga also has its Semana Santa (Easter) museum. The entrance fee will cost 2 euros for adults and 1 euro for children.

• From the 23rd until the 25th of April the yearly international belly dancing festival will be held in Nerja and Frigiliana. For more information check www.victoriaivanova.com

March 2010

• The Nerja town hall continues developing the river banks of the Chillar and also the Rio Seco, they will be upgraded at the mouth of the river (next to Hotel Marinas de Nerja on Playazo Beach).

February 2010

• January’s heavy rainfall caused some damage here and there, but the water levels of the Vinuela reservoir are now six times greater than last year.

• After further improvement of the train track the AVE high speed train travels from Malaga to Madrid within 2 hours and 25 minutes.

• The completion of the A-45 motorway from Malaga to Cordoba has shortened total travel time from 2.5 hours to 75 minutes.

• There are plans to complete the Malaga ‘Cathedral de la Encarnación’ (also called La Maquinita). In 1782 the money ran out and the cathedral’s second tower has never been completed.

• The Spanish government will introduce new energy saving plans for public buildings, shops, restaurants etc. The temperature in these places should be a minimum of 26 degrees in Summer and a maximum of 21 degrees in Winter.

January 2010

• Nerja is constructing a 36,000 m2 botanical garden south of the caves (las Cuevas de Nerja). The gardens will also have a visitor’s centre and a viewing point.

• About 380.000 visitors to the travel website Trivago.com voted for their favorite holiday within Europe. In this survey Nerja comes 14th and is the third most popular place in Spain.

• Ryan Air extends its number of destinations from Malaga from 20 to 39. New direct international destinations will be Berlin, Munich, Oslo, Paris, Stockholm and Venice.

• With the completion of the highway 10 years ago Maro got separated into 2 parts. A 65 meter pedestrian bridge now reconnects the centre to the caves (las Cuevas de Nerja) and the surrounding urbanization.

• The director of the popular television show Verano Azul (that put Nerja on the map in the eighties in Spain) will receive a Goya Award for his complete work.

• Sebastián García Grout broke the Spanish golf record for the lowest score for a round of golf. The 28 year old pro hit 13 birdies with a total of 58.

December 2009

• Nerja takes action against bars and discos that produce too much noise. The town hall is acting according to new laws and has already shut down two bars in the Tutti Frutti square.

• The extension of the boulevard between Torrecilla Beach and Playazo in the western part of Nerja has finally been completed.

• Bodegas Aragonesas from Malaga will produce a special new wine – called ‘Nove’ - which is low in alcohol and calories. They will produce 25,000 bottles a year and will be priced at € 4.50 a bottle.

• Just like Nerja, Malaga will also get its own marina with some 600 moorings. The 121.000 m2 project should be ready by mid 2011.

• Airplanes that land at Spanish airports will be required to make ‘green landings’ which should reduce emissions and noise.

November 2009

• According to a survey of the comparison website uSwitch.com Spain has the best quality of life based on 17 criteria such as price level, health, working conditions and climate.

• Malaga considers opening its shops on Sundays and holidays to become more attractive to cruise tourists. About 83.000 visitors a year come to town on these specific days.

• Due to an extensive upgrade of the rail track it will become possible to drive from Malaga to Valencia by AVE high speed train within 4 hours. It will take about 30 months to complete the project.

• On the 31st of October Maro for the first time celebrated ‘Maroween’. This party is a combination of Halloween and the traditional yearly chestnut celebration in Maro.

October 2009

• 10/2009 - Because of the crisis the Spanish gouvernment subsidises holiday trips to the Spanish costas for 55-plus people to stimulate winter tourism. The trips are being offered by travel agency Marysol and start at 365 euros all-inclusive.

• 10/2009 - This month the Picasso museum in Malaga welcomed its 2 millionth visitor since its opening in 2003.

• 10/2009 - A photo of Frigiliana is put on the cover of National Geographic’s Spain 2010 calendar. National Geographic - by the way - will also open a retail outlet in the new Malaga airport terminal.

• 10/2009 - This year the Spanish jet ski championships will be held on Burriana Beach in Nerja on the weekend of October the 17th.

• 10/2009 - On the 15th of October the new underground car park in west Nerja has been opened (next to the boat of the television series of Verano Azul). It offers 273 car spots. The next project that follows, will be a car park on Burriana Beach.

• 10/2009 - Because of the crisis the Nerja Feria has been limited to 4 days this year and there’s also a cutback on the fireworks budget. The Nerja Feria 2009 was from 9 until 12 October and on the 8th and there was a children’s day with 50% discount.

• 10/2009 - The Nerja Town Hall requested the Junta de Andalucia to extend the planned train track to Nerja. This track should connect the western and eastern part of the Costa del Sol in the Malaga province.

• 10/2009 - On the 27th of September a cleaning sweep has been organised along the river Rio Chillar to remove litter.

• 10/2009 - If it would be up to mayor José Alberto Armijo if there will be a golf course with urbanisation and 5-star hotel in Nerja. The course would be situated in the La Coladilla area close to the Nerja Caves. Earlier plans didn’t make it, but now a new plan will be proposed.


September 2009

• 2009/08 - The new Malaga Airport terminal will open before Easter 2010. The 320 mln airport will be third in line after Madrid’s Barajas and Barcelona’s El Prat with the capacity of 9000 passengers and 72 flights an hour (double from the current situation), 179 check-ins and 48 gates. There will be 21 food-outlets and the airport will get a link to the AVE high speed train.

• 2009/09 - Torrox will get a new 4-star hotel next to the Colina del Sol school. Two old appartment blocks with 100 flats will make place for the hotel with some 30 luxury suites.

August 2009

• 2009/08 - The long expected survey of the Environment ministry about the new marina between Nerja and Torrox and its effect on the environment, is finished and seems to be positive. With this survey a green light will be given to the construction of this sports harbour with 508 berths on the Vilchez beach, which will create a huge economical impulse for both towns. Other options for the location were El Playazo in Nerja and Calaceite in Torrox.

• 2009/08 - A new LIDL supermarket will be opened in Nerja end of 2009. The location is situated on the way to Frigiliana, before the crossing with the highway and will have it’s own car park.

• 2009/08 - The new water plant in East Nerja is still scheduled for 2012. It’s being discussed to increase the future capacity to 100.000 houses.

• 2009/08 - The new sound wall between Nerja-Maro and the highway (152 metre) has been completed.

• 2009/08 - The Lobo wolf park in Antequera has got 2 new litters of young wolfs.

• 2009/08 - A new police telephone number has been opened for foreigners and residents to report serious crime and fraud on the Costa del Sol (900 554 440).

• 2009/08 - The beach La Caleta in Nerja-Maro gets a new footpath which will be ready soon.

• 2009/08 - The new heath care centre of Nerja (Centro de Salud) will be built on the east bank of the Rio Chillar, behind the Mercadona supermarket. The town hall will spend 1 million euros to upgrade the area and to create a new roundabout.

• 2009/08 - Plaza Cavana (where the tourist’s train stops) will get an upgrade of 350.000 euro. The project will take half a year and begins after summer.

• 2009/08 - In 2011 Malaga aims to have 34 museums to attract more city-break tourists. In 2008 3 million tourists already visited the city. Before the end of 2009 several museums are to open: Museo de las Cofradias (brother ships), a flamenco museum, a bull fight museum and a glass museum. Before 2011 also a harbour museum, a car museum and a nature museum are planned. In 2010 the most important museum will be opened: Thyssen, a art museum with paintings of famous Spanish artists.

• 2009/08 - Torrox approved selling land for building a new, innovative theatre with 500 seats in the Calaceite area (7 mln Euro), the biggest theatre on the Eastern Costa del Sol.

• 2009/08 - The number of cruise ships that chooses Malaga as a destination rises quickly. In 2011 Malaga expects 1 mln of cruise toerists and lots of tours even choose Malaga as the starting destination because of its good services and infrastructure.

• 2009/08 - Spain pumps one milliard Euro into tourism, for example to promote the country in new markets like China and Japan. Tourism is 11% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and 1,5 mln people work in this sector. Spain is the third most visited country in the world, after France and the United States.

• 2009/08 - With 275 liter water per year the inhabitants of the Malaga province use 34% more water than the rest of the Spanish.


July 2009

• 2009/07 - The Axarquia will get 2 new cycling routes. One will run from Rincon de la Victoria to Nerja. The other from Torre del Mar to Zafarraya. This used to be an old train route which will be transferred into a Via Verde or Greenway.

• 2009/07 - Nerja will propose to the Junta de Andalucia for an artificial reef made out of old boats to attract divers and protect the sea beds from fishers fishing with drag nets.

June 2009

• 2009/06 - This summer police will have extra controls to ensure all riders of motorcycles and moped wear helmets. Besides the usual fine, bikes will be immobilised until the owner can show he’s got a helmet.

• 2009/06 - The new underground car park (close to the boat of Verano Azul) is almost ready and will contain 278 parking spots (2,4 mln euro). The square above will also be renovated (300.000 euro).

• 2009/06 - The highway between Granada (A44) and the Mediterranean coast is finished. The old single carriageway road was 73 km, which has been shortened by 15 km to 58 km. The last 10-km stretch is the most expensive highway of Europe (142 mln euro). The total construction of the highway has taken 20 years to complete.

• 2009/06 - Nerja wants to restore the old footpath between Burriana Playa and Balcon de Europa. In 2001 it was closed because of safety reasons.

• 2009-06 - The caves of Nerja (Cuevas de Nerja) were discovered 50 years ago so to celebrate this there is a performance of Jose Carreras and other artists during the yearly Music and Dance festival in the caves where it is said the acoustics and setting are spectacular.

• 2009/06 - The first metro in Malaga (between the Renfe train station and the Carpena sports stadium) will be inaugurated in 2011.

• 2009/06 - The 19th century Àguila-aquaduct in Maro will be restored. In the old days it was used for the transport of water to the sugar factory.