What you can see on the Nerja webcam
The live camera looks down on the Balcón de Europa: the palm-lined walkway and the round lookout at its tip, the rocks and coves below, and the coast running east towards the cliffs of Maro, with mountains falling into the sea along the horizon. It shows the colour of the sea, how many people are strolling the Balcón and, early in the day, the sun rising over the water.
Balcón de Europa webcam, Nerja
Looking down from a building beside it, this live camera frames the Balcón de Europa, the palm-lined promenade that runs out over the sea on a rocky headland in the centre of Nerja. You can see the walkway and the round lookout at its tip, the coves and rocks below, and the coast stretching east towards the cliffs of Maro, with mountains dropping into the sea along the horizon.
The big rocks in the water off the point are said to be what is left of the fort destroyed there in 1812. The camera faces the sunrise, so early mornings lay a bright path across the sea; later in the day it is good for seeing the colour of the water and how busy the Balcón is.
The balcony and the British
The headland was once a gun battery in a fortified tower. In May 1812, during the Peninsular War, British warships supporting Spanish guerrillas against the French opened fire on the forts here and destroyed them; the large rocks in the sea off the point, which you can see on the camera, are said to be the remains, and two old cannon still stand at the end of the promenade. The name is tied to King Alfonso XII, who came in 1885 after an earthquake and is supposed to have called the spot "the balcony of Europe", although local records suggest the name is older. A life-size statue of the king leans on the railing.
When to watch Nerja
Nerja runs on Spanish time, one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland. The camera faces the sunrise, so the first hour of daylight is its finest, particularly in winter, when the sun comes up later and lower over the sea. Afternoons are softer, with the light behind the camera. Winters are mild and bright, and the sea is warmest at the end of summer.
Around Nerja
The Caves of Nerja, discovered in 1959 and known for their prehistoric paintings, are just east of town. Burriana is the main beach, below the cliffs on the eastern side. Frigiliana, a white hill village, is a short drive inland, and the protected cliffs of Maro-Cerro Gordo begin beyond the caves.
Visiting Nerja
Buses link Nerja with Málaga and the coast. The old town around the Balcón is compact and best explored on foot; the steps down to the coves are steep, and the rocks below the headland are slippery when the sea is up.
