Nerja – Roaming About

This is the last blog of three about our six weeks in Andalusia, Spain. The first one covers Ayamonte and Sevilla – and a side trip to Cadiz – while we stayed in El Rompido for two weeks (you can find it here) and the second one focuses on the pretty white villages in Málaga province. Read about them here.

Andalusia in Spain

Sights around Orgiva in Granada province

Órgiva

The funky cottage we booked in Órgiva was the accommodation we had looked forward to the most. And while it was indeed super pretty and unique—with a few inconveniences—our fear of being cold in the mountains during the first half of March turned out to be justified. Whenever we were home, we needed either the gas heater or the smoky wood stove on.

(As always, click on or hover over photos in galleries to read their captions.)

Living room and kitchen

Our colorful, tiled cottage

Our bright bedroom

The smaller (cold) cottage on the property of our colorful cottage would make a great writer’s retreat.

We tried to be conservative using this gas heater.

Even Maya is chilled, rolled up in a ball.

Our separate, unheated bathroom

The shower was in a separate, unheated building, which made washing up… less than pleasant. Have you ever taken a hot shower with low pressure and felt the water turn cold by the time it reaches your feet? (The opposite is true as well, when you take a cold shower and the water feels lukewarm by the time it gets down.) Add in patches of skin remaining dry from uneven water flow, exposed to chilly air, while you awkwardly turn in circles trying to get clean… That was our daily experience. Going outside to pee in the middle of the night was less uncomfortable.

Our sunny cottage

The driveway goes through a creek.

Side of the cottage that faces the entrance to the fenced yard

Finally a nice day in the garden

We loved having a big yard with many nooks.

Looks cool and comfy, until everything is soaking wet and moldy from the rain

This place would be amazing on sunny days, or in spring and autumn. One positive of visiting in winter was that the closed windows kept out the constant barking of dogs at night.

This video will give you a great feeling of our special cottage and garden.

Órgiva had been marked on our map as a potential place to live someday. It didn’t take long to cross it off the list. While there are a few cute alleys, the overall vibe felt a bit rough—more struggling hippies and noticeable homelessness than we expected.

Church of Orgiva

Pretty display of the area

Police station

Cute and colorful corner

Strolling Orgiva’s few narrow streets

On a better day, Mark, Maya, and I went for a long walk along the stream and into the hills. Despite having to take multiple steep detours due to the swollen river, we enjoyed peaceful moments and decent views.

Walk in nature with my companions

Spring is in the air!

View from the top of the hill

Lanjarón

This neighboring village—also on our list—left a much better impression. It’s relatively small, clean, and less touristy than Órgiva, with beautiful views and great access to hikes into the river canyon.

Lanjeron in the valley with a snowy peak behind it

Viewpoint over Lanjeron – Maya jumped up without any reason….

Senior men on a bench across from the senior couple’s statue

Cute entrance to a patio

Mark and I are too tall for these entryways.

Tiny dwelling under a staircase

There are plenty of trails in the surrounding mountains, one of which Mark and Maya explored while I took it easier. During our stroll through town, we came across castle ruins perched on a hill. Of course we had to climb up.