Quality Time In Early Retirement

One of the most difficult things about our move to Granada, Spain was leaving our family (my parents and Tara’s parents) back in Texas.  It was a blessing to have all four of them be a part of our daily lives, and there is no doubt in my mind that we would not have been able to reach our financial goals as quickly as we did without them and their support.

They were always there for us and (and most importantly) the kids.  I know our kids have and will continue to benefit greatly from the relationships they have formed with their grandparents.  Each one is unique, yet equally important as the rest.

That being said, one of the things that we were confident about was that even though we wouldn’t get to see our loved ones as often, when we do get to see them it will be for weeks if not months at a time.  Since we are early retired now we don’t have to plan our vacations in one week increments (which is typical for US employees).  And our guests can visit for weeks or even months at a time, and we can give them our full attention each and everyday that they are here (early retired!).  (Note, the biggest area currently affecting travel is the kids will be in school this year).

We recently put this idea of having more quality time during visits with our loved ones to the test when my parents (Erik’s parents) came to visit us for a month.

Walking in the Albaicin (our neighborhood) during my parent’s visit to Granada, Spain.

How was our month of quality time?

What Did We Do?

We were able to do so much that it would be next to impossible to list everything in one post.  We will go over some highlights of our month together.

Monasterio Cartuja in Granada, Spain.

Sleepovers 

We didn’t have the ideal space for them in our current apartment, but they definitely wanted to live like locals as close to us as possible in our historic UNESCO site neighborhood, the Albaicin.  Since they were able to stay for a month, from a financial perspective this was a huge perk since they were able to get a monthly discount from Airbnb.  We helped them find a place near us in the Albaicin.  They paid 850 euros total or about 28 euros per day during their trip.  They had a 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom with a living room, full kitchen, AC, washer, and access to a (shared) roof deck.  (Read Tara’s latest post here on What To Look For In An Airbnb?).

Having their own space allowed for them to be able to host the kids for sleepovers.  Sleepovers were a fan favorite for everyone when we lived back in Texas, and it turns out they are pretty great in Spain too.  This gave the kids one on one time with their grandparents in a unique setting where the kids were able to take them through the neighborhood in the evening and show them around.  Their evening strolls would often lead to ice cream or other treats, and that just made the experience even better.

Tapas

Having my parents here also forced us out of our regular routine (cooking a lot at home).  We went out for tapas multiple times per week.  We tried different places in the neighborhood, and each was great in its own way. However, over the course of their visit we became regulars at Meson El Yunque.  Tara found it because my Mom really wanted to try sangria (apparently locals don’t drink it much … mainly tourists).  Not only did the sangria (look how huge it is!) not disappoint, but the tapas and staff are fantastic.  We frequented this place too many times to count and will definitely continue to be regulars.

Sangria from Meson El Yunque (Granada, Spain).

Tapas at El Ladrillo Charico Restaurante (Granada, Spain).

Tapas at Meson El Yunque (Granada, Spain).

The experience of having tapas was something we all enjoyed doing together, and it gave my parents a new experience.  Tapas are complimentary in Granada, and with each round of drinks you get more.  We would often order 12 - 14 drinks total (6 people total) and our bill would only be around €30 total (and our bellies would be full!). That would be next to impossible back home in the US.  (Drinks are typically around €2 each in Granada … give or take.  The giant sangria is slightly more around €3.)

Mosto (“wine” for kids) and tapas at Meson El Yunque (Granada, Spain).

Nerja, Spain and Frigilina, Spain

We knew we wanted to do a beach trip with my parents.  You can’t pass that up if you live in the South of Spain! We took a beach trip to Nerja, Spain (and a day trip from there to Frigiliana), and it was well worth it.  It was probably my Mom’s favorite part of the trip (not including seeing us of course!).  Read more about our trip here … Travel: Early Retirement and Nerja, Spain. 

Nerja, Spain

Frigiliana, Spain

Great anniversary for my parents with a day trip to Frigiliana, Spain.

Sierra Nevada

Sierra Nevada, Spain

One reason why we chose to live in Granada was because of the easy access Sierra Nevada.  We didn’t explore Sierra Nevada prior to my parent’s visit, so we thought it would be a great opportunity to check it out with them (and cool off for the day in the higher elevation and mountain air).  There are many places to explore within and around Sierra Nevada, but we thought an easy start would be to explore the summer activities at the ski resort and main town (at the ski resort).  We were able to do the kids activities (including the Russian Sled). gondola, check out the ski lifts, enjoy lunch, and the pool.  Tara will give a full recap in a future post.  Maybe the next post!?

Alhambra

Ahhh, the Alhambra.  This is the biggest and most important site in Granada.  And boy is it a wonder to experience. Tara actually took my parents there for the day so they didn’t feel rushed by the kids.

They saw all of the sites, but maybe not every inch of the gardens because there is really so much to see.  

They picked a day that it was slightly cooler (and they lucked out, it was cooler in the morning!).  And they got timed tickets for early AM to avoid the heat and crowds.  We recommend getting your tickets online, and don’t forget your passport / proper identification (your tickets are digitally tied to your identification).  They started with the Nasrid Palace (which we recommend starting with since it is timed ticket).  Then they explored the Alcazaba, the gardens on the way to Generalife, and finally the Generalife.  We previously visited the Palace of Charles V on a different day so they didn’t stop in this one.  The photos really speak for themselves as far as the history and beauty of the Alhambra.  Tara started reading about the history of Granada and the Alhambra so that will help us learn even more on future visits.

Some additional helpful information for visiting the Alhambra.  If you are used to walking (and don’t have mobility issues), the walk up to the Alhambra from Plaza Nueva isn’t too bad.  It doesn’t take too long either.  We will say the hill is very steep going up to the Alhambra, but it is not as long as a walk as we experienced in Malága to visit their Alcazaba.  You can also catch a bus or taxi in Plaza Nueva to go to the Alhambra.  Like mentioned above, depending on the time of year (and crowds), you may want to get your timed tickets for early in the day (they also have night visits that we haven’t experienced yet).  We recommend you visit the Nasrid Palace first (timed ticket). Note, you need to possibly show your tickets and have your passports scanned at the Nasrid Palace, Alcazaba, and the Generalife.  We only typically had to show our tickets at the first stop.  After the Nasrid Palace you can explore Palace of Charles V for free (or come another day).  You can visit a small (but wonderful) Museum of the Alhambra on the first floor for free too.  Their Fine Arts Museum is on the second floor for a minimal cost.  If you have more time in Granada, we recommend you visit the Palace of Charles V on a separate day (including the two museums inside).

Details at the Alhambra’s Nasrid Palace (Granada, Spain).

Alhambra (Nasrid Palace) in Granada, Spain.

Next, you are near the Alcazaba so head over to this site.  If you are able, be sure to head to the very top of the Alcazaba and get a great view of all of Granada including our neighborhood, the Albaicin.

Alcazaba at the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.

Once you finish the Alcazaba you may want to regroup with a drink or snack outside.  You can get a great view of the Albaicin while you rest before your hike up to the Generalife (summer home!).  On your walk up to the Generalife, you may run across ancient bath houses (if they are open).  Be sure to go in!  No extra charge.  There are also outstanding gardens along your walk to the Generalife.  It’s hard to beat the impressiveness of the Nasrid Palace, but the gardens at the Generalife may be our second favorite.  Once you are finished, I recommend just walking back down the hill to Plaza Nueva.  There are also places to catch a bus if you need a break from walking.

Generalife Gardens at the Alhambra (Granada, Spain).

Generalife at the Alhambra (Granada, Spain).

Granada’s Sites

It would be almost impossible to list everything our tour guide (Tara) showed us / my parents on their trip.  We stayed busy almost every day with at least one adventure (a few days we took breaks, or the girls went shopping). Some of our adventures we had already done before they arrived, and some were new to all of us.  There are really so many things to see and do in Granada.  It was quite easy to plan a daily adventure (in fact, we’ve been here since April, and we still haven’t seen all the major sites even though we keep very busy with our adventures).  Here is a list of only some of the things we were able to do with my parents:

-Granada Cathedral

-Monasterio Cartuja

-Basílica de San Juan de Dios

-Archaeological Museum of Granada 

-Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte

-Parque de las Ciencias 

I’ll share a photo from each place (or two), but one (or two!) photo(s) definitely doesn’t do it justice.  Come visit Granada, and see for yourself!

Granada’s Cathedral (Granada, Spain)

Monasterio Cartuja (Granada, Spain)

Monasterio Cartuja (Granada, Spain)

Basílica de San Juan de Dios (Granada, Spain)

Archeological Museum of Granada (Spain)

Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte (Granada, Spain)

Parque de las Ciencias in Granada, Spain.

A sloth at Parque de las Ciencias (Biodome) in Granada, Spain.

Flamenco 

Another must see in Granada is going to a flamenco show.  We were excited to do our first flamenco show with my parents during their visit.  Tara wanted to go to a show for her birthday, and the show definitely didn’t disappoint.  A friend recommended Jardines de Zoraya in our neighborhood.  We chose the 8 pm show because of the kids.  There are two different time options, and there is an option to do the show with or without dinner.  This time we chose without dinner, but from what we saw on the website the food does look great.  We chose to do some tapas before the show instead.  The musicians and dancers were amazing, and we were thankful my parents could experience it with us.  We look forward to another show and taking future guests to a show! 

Jardines de Zoraya (Granada, Spain)

Jardines de Zoraya (Granada, Spain)

Shopping 

The three girls (my Mom, Tara, our daughter) did several shopping or even just looking days on their own; I think the males (in our family at least) have much less patience for this.  It also gave us a day to just hang out and rest. Some of their favorite spots included the street we call Jorge’s street (named after Sadie’s toy wooden snake she bought in a tourist shop on this street) also called the little Moroccan Street, wandering around the center, and El Corte Inglés.  My Mom got a lot of souvenirs for back home; they also did back to school shopping; and finally, Tara got a lot of ideas for Christmas.

Shopping day in Granada, Spain.  Yes, we got some new hats!

Lights in all of the Moroccan tourist shops in Granada, Spain.

Shopping day in Granada, Spain’s Center.

We didn’t explore Sierra Nevada Shopping Mall until after they left, but I am sure it will be on the list for their next visit.

Being far away from family (or even friends) is definitely not ideal, but it also changes your perspective on quality time when you are able to see each other.  Our next experience with this idea of spending large chunks of quality time with our family and friends will come durning Christmas time when we go to visit Tara’s sister and her family for a little over 3 weeks.

Arco de las Pesas in Granada, Spain.

What do you think?  What is quality family time to you?  If you are early retired and living the more nomad or travel lifestyle, what is your time like with your family?  Comment below or reach out to us at fourtakeflight@gmail.com.

Check out Tara’s latest post here: What To Look For In An Airbnb?

Want to join us on your own FI (financial independence) or FIRE (financial independence retire early) journey?  We can help.  You can reach out to us here.

-Erik

(Tara also helped fill in details and photos.)

What To Look For In An Airbnb?

As many of you know … we FIREd (financial independence retire early) this year, sold our home, purged most belongings, obtained a Non-Lucrative Visa to Spain, and moved to Granada.  Our new life has us living somewhat like a nomad, and we mostly use Airbnbs on our adventures.  What do we look for in an Airbnb?

Our neighborhood in Granada, Spain (Albaicin).

Airbnbs

Our Visa required a one year lease (Houston Consulate) which we initially found through Airbnb.  Our current approach to FIRE is to embrace the nomad life (look back here on Erik’s post about Renter’s Equity) and look towards Airbnbs when we travel.  We would definitely still consider ourselves pretty new to Airbnbs, but at this point we’ve stayed in enough of them to have some experience and opinions (Houston, Madrid, Spain; Granada, Spain; La Herradura, Spain; Málaga, Spain; Nerja, Spain) … and after reviewing 100s of housing options on Airbnb (including for future travels), I have a good idea of what I am looking for.  Do we have more to learn?  Yes, I am sure.  But here is what we know so far …

After I put in location, dates, number of people I start looking through the options.  First, I typically put in a budget. Let’s come back to that in a minute.

Then I start going through the options based on 1) Budget and 2) Location.  I sometimes “heart” and Wishlist the ones I will go back and look at more closely if the list is overwhelming.

The kitchen in our Airbnb in La Herradura, Spain.  You can see more photos here on our post and on their Airbnb link.

View from our La Herradura, Spain Airbnb.  Great location.  Quick walk to the beach!

Budget

Sometimes this can be somewhat flexible.  For example, if I notice there is nothing (or rather, no Airbnbs we would stay in) within the budget, we may up our budget (like in a HCOL (high cost of living) city like Paris).  Also I may look at ones that are $100 or so over budget just to see if they may be worth it.  Finally, I always look at the final cost which includes any extra service fees, cleaning fees, and so on.

Location

This is similar to budget as in it may be flexible.  I look at the map of the general area the Airbnb is in.  I also have a decent idea based on research of what part of the city / town we want to be in.  If I have to adjust the map to see where it is in relation to what we want to explore, not a good sign.  We like convenience so being in the center of town is usually what we aim for if possible, but not necessarily in a super touristy area.  We want to live like locals when we can.  Now sometimes Airbnbs that are not exactly where you thought you wanted to be may be okay.  I’ve found great beach towns I didn’t know about that way and great neighborhoods that have easy access to public transportation.  Staying a little further out can sometimes save money and be worth it (sometimes, but not always!).

What This Place Offers

What do I look at next?  I then look at “What This Place Offers” … what are musts for us?  Wi-Fi is a must.  I can’t believe some places don’t have Wi-Fi!  A washer is often a must (unless it is a quick stay like a few nights).  AC and Heating may be a must depending on time of year and location.  Weather and climate is a big one for us considering we moved from hot and humid Houston to Southern Spain.  We specifically chose Granada because of the climate.  Yes, it gets hot in the summer, but nothing like Houston (in our opinion!).  It also cools down at night in the summer (unlike Houston).  And we have easy access to the beach and mountains year round for possibly cooler weather or sea breezes.  With that said, looking at climate is important to us …and AC and heating, well, that just depends.  Finally, kitchen.  We prefer a full kitchen (fridge, stove (oven if possible), microwave, and other basic necessities).  Now this may vary depending on the length of a trip (similar to a washer).  But if it is a shorter trip (one or two nights), we may also just look at hotel options (although we prefer hotels with kitchenettes).

Our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain.  You can see their Airbnb listing here.

Photos

Ahhh, this is the fun part, right?  At this point I will look more closely at photos if I haven’t already.  I’ve found that few places (or at least in the minority) really stand out with great photos depicting a place … at least in our mostly budget traveler range.  It is also possible I have a high standard for quality of photos, but really it isn’t that hard to have a fantastic Airbnb and take great photos!

What gets a place eliminated for me?  For starters, bad photos.  Too dark?  Blurry?  Sideways photos?  Eliminated. If a host is too lazy to take good photos (which really is pretty easy these days! …and if it isn’t easy for them, ask a friend?  Hire someone?), I can’t image they would keep up with their place well or be a good host.  Also if an Airbnb leaves out a room in the photos (bathroom?  kitchen?) that is a red flag for us - eliminated.  Why are they avoiding certain rooms!?  There is probably a reason why …

There are some other things that bother me in photos, that may not bother everyone?  First, clutter.  Sometimes a place is so bad that it appears someone obviously lives in it for part of the time.  The fact that someone may live or stay in their place for part of the year in and of itself isn’t terrible, but I don’t want it to look or feel that way.  I’d prefer a place to be almost bare of things except necessities if possible.  When I was looking for Airbnb places in France (and specifically Paris), I saw more than a few places that had hoards of books.  Why?!  I like books as much as the next person, but most likely I am not reading someone else’s books on a trip…and I am definitely not reading 10,000 books on a trip.

What else may bother me …or cause a place to get eliminated?  Furniture / style / decor.  Okay this may sound picky, and it is not necessarily an automatic elimination.  But it can be.  It just depends on the place and all the other factors involved (for example, does it have a long list of great reviews?).  I personally like a modern / minimalist look and feel.  If a place has traditional bulky wood furniture, I tend to look at other options.  But again, this may come down to the bigger picture of the place (and what other options may be available).

What else in photos may cause a place to get eliminated from consideration?  Sloppiness.  What do I mean by that? For example, if it looks like someone didn’t even try to make the bed look nice in photos, red flag for me.  Another example might be if blankets on a couch look sloppy.  To me this comes back to the effort of a host.  If they can’t take the time to make a place look good in photos, this is probably not a good sign for the upkeep of the home and their ability as a quality host.

Ratings and Reviews

Once I have gone through the photos I look at ratings and reviews.

Ratings can be a little tricky.  The number of reviews may obviously affect a rating (10 versus 200 is a huge difference).  I tend to prefer places to be all 4.5 or higher.  I also look more closely at cleanliness.  If this is rated low or lower than the rest, I will eliminate a place from consideration.  Cleanliness is top priority for us.  

Something else I look at with ratings is if one (or more) ratings is much lower than the others.  For example, if a place / host scores 4.8 - 5.0 on everything except Communication gets a 4.1, well …that host must really struggle with communicating.  If we aren’t staying at a place for long, Communication might not be as important.  But if we are there a month?  All of the ratings are important.

Ahhh, reviews.  First, I prefer Airbnbs with 10 reviews or more (preferably much more).  But we may consider a place with less reviews if it seems exceptional.  We did book a trip for 2022 with few reviews, but the photos were outstanding.  The listing also was overseen by a property management company which was new for us.  I did some research …read some other reviews on their other properties, and I looked into their company.  I was confident with what I found so we moved forward with booking.  We shall see how it goes!  So yes …if a place has few reviews looking at reviews of their other properties may be a way to decide about staying at a place.

Generally the more reviews the better, and if we are seriously looking at a place, I will read all of the reviews (even if there are hundreds of them!).  I know I’ve found a gem when a place gets glowing reviews consistently and big kudos about the host.  This is always a good sign especially if we are planning a longer stay.

What about negative reviews?  If there are 1 or 2 negative reviews in a long list of positive ones, I am not too concerned.  There will always be someone that is negative nancy.  Obviously if there seems to be a pattern of the same complaints (one example: multiple reviews that complain about poor WI-FI), I will eliminate the Airbnb from consideration.

Our favorite Airbnb so far in Málaga, Spain.  Here is the link to their Airbnb listing.

Positives / Bonus

I’ve talked a lot about negatives and things to look for when eliminating an Airbnb for consideration.  This just helps to make it easier to look at the quality Airbnbs.  But what about the positives?  What do I look for or notice?

Now some of these are obvious and discussed above, like a great location … but some you need to look a little more closely at photos, ratings, and reviews.

I personally appreciate a place that is set up like an Airbnb…not someone’s home that sometimes serves as an Airbnb.  I notice places that go above and beyond with well thought out design and color scheme.  Are these things a must?  No, not necessarily, but they can certainly help.  My best example of this so far is the Airbnb we stayed at in Málaga.

To go along with design and color scheme …attention to detail on these items and the Airbnb as a whole.  You can really get a sense of this from photos and sometimes from reviews.  Again, my best example of this so far is our stay in Málaga, Spain.

A host that goes above and beyond  … I can sometimes see this through photos and / or through reviews.  Do they have quality photos of treats they leave for guests?  Did they take quality photos of the baby / kid extras that are available?  No, we don’t have a baby, but it tells me they care (or appear) to care about their guests and know how to be good hosts in the service industry.  This can also be seen in reviews (Did they leave treats for guests?  Give local tips?  Fix any issues that came up?  And so on …).

Ratings … if a place has a decent amount of reviews and all 5s or 4.9s and 5s, great sign!  This of course needs to be looked at with the complete picture of the Airbnb.

Finally, reviews …especially if there are quite a few reviews, you can really get a sense of a place.  Like mentioned above, if many guests are writing detailed and glowing reviews about a place and a host …I found a quality Airbnb. If numerous people talk about the quality of the home, ideal location / what they could access on foot and by transportation, and how their host went above and beyond …often there is no need to look any further for an Airbnb. I am looking for positive reviews that tell the complete picture of the place, location and access, and host.

Where will our next adventure take us (photo taken in our neighborhood…Albaicin in Granada, Spain)?

Final Airbnb Selection

After considering everything above, I get my list down to just a few places under strong consideration.  There’s been a few times (normally smaller markets …or maybe more expensive markets) where I didn’t find anything suitable for a destination.  In that case we may either adjust the budget or even change the destination.  Luckily because of FIRE our travel schedule is flexible (not including of course the kids being in school this coming year).

At that point, I look at our top choices and decide which one comes out as the number one choice.  Then I typically have a few back up ideas just in case.  

What were some of the Airbnbs we stayed at?  We would stay in all of these Airbnbs again, but for me Málaga comes out on top.  You can read more why here.

-Madrid, Spain

-La Herradura, Spain

-Málaga, Spain

-Nerja, Spain

There you have it … this is what we look for when considering Airbnbs.  What do you look for?  Any tips or tricks? Do you prefer other methods to securing housing?  What do you use?  Comment below!

Read our latest post here on a trip to Nerja and Frigiliana, Spain.  Want to join us our your own FIRE adventure? Read more how we can help you here.

-Tara

Travel: Early Retirement and Nerja, Spain

We took a little break from the blog since Erik’s parents were in town for a month (yay for visitors!), and we were busy hosting and being tour guides (and resting after all of our adventures).  During their time with us we took a 5 day (3 full days) beach trip to Nerja, Spain (which happened to fall partly on the 4th of July weekend!).

Why Nerja, Spain?  First, we live in Granada so it is nearby (one reason why we chose Granada was for the close proximity to the beach and mountains).  I also specifically wanted to not only enjoy Nerja’s beautiful beach, but we wanted to check out the Nerja caves. Additionally, I wanted to take Erik’s parents to Frigiliana, Spain, and Nerja seemed like the closest beach town to stay in.

Our walk down to the beach (Nerja, Spain).

Nerja, Spain

Blue door in Nerja, Spain.

One thing to note about this trip.  Since Erik’s parents were with us our typical cost for a family of four is obviously going to be off.  Sometimes they paid for things, sometimes we did, sometimes we split it …or sometimes it would be more money than normal (taxis for 6) and so on.  Keep in mind our spending might not be as accurate as usual for 4 people due to this factor (at least some of it).

Airbnb 

Main living space.  As you can see we just arrived so some of our things are out / seen, and you can see our Tortuga bags.  I should have cleared everything out for photos, but it is hard when you have four other people with you (Airbnb in Nerja, Spain).

Shared living space in our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain.  The kids slept very comfortably on the sleeper sofa under the AC.  Each bedroom also had AC (although ours was making a lot of noise).

Kitchen area in our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain.  Again some of our items are out.  The door near the kitchen is a 1/2 bath.

Stairs leading to two bedrooms, full bath, two outside balconies (Airbnb in Nerja, Spain).

We got a larger Airbnb (this link should go directly to the Airbnb we stayed in) this time since Erik’s parents were with us (visiting us in Spain for about a month).  It was a two bedroom (the kids slept on a sleeper sofa) and 1 1/2 bath.  I think it was a good size for 2 adults and 2 kids.  An extra full bath would have been nice, but for 5 days (two of which are mainly travel), it worked fine.  The Airbnb was two levels, and it had everything we needed and more (dishwasher, washer, etc).  The Airbnb was clean when we arrived, and it was fairly accurate from the pics on the Airbnb site.  I think some of the decor actually looked better in person.  I think some areas could be improved or updated (for example the bathroom door was a bit worn at the bottom), but those things were relatively minor.  I think the best part of the Airbnb was the amount of outdoor space.  So much outdoor space in fact, we didn’t use it all.  There was a front patio, two back patios (two levels), and two upstairs patios.  We had a fantastic view of the Mediterranean Sea that was unfortunately obstructed by large cranes for construction on luxury homes in front of us.

Master bedroom in our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain.

Our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain had 1 full bath and a 1/2 bath (not pictured).  In retrospect 2 full baths would have been ideal for 6 people.  But given that we were only there 3 full days and 2 travel days, it wasn’t a huge deal.

Erik and I took the room with the single bed and pull out bed.  It worked fine except for the loud AC.  We slept fine without the AC though.  If we were there longer, we would have asked the Airbnb host to fix it (Airbnb in Nerja, Spain).  We did report the issue to them so it could be fixed for the next guest.

Stairs down to the first floor in our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain.

What about location?  We learn something new about traveling with every new adventure of course.  Our Airbnb was priced right for two families during high season in Southern Spain, but I also believe you get what you pay for when it comes to that.  Our Airbnb was pretty great (although not my favorite so far ... that would be our place in Málaga), but the location wasn’t the best.  Why?  Wasn’t a huge deal, but it wasn’t necessarily a plus to be near a huge new construction site so maybe I could have done more research about that.  

The walk to the beach was down a steep hill.  The Airbnb reviews said 5 min, but I think it takes at least 10 min give or take which is definitely not bad but some areas aren’t necessarily picturesque (construction site, car road up and down the hill).  Once you go down, you must go up though!  I’m not opposed to the extra exercise, but more scenic or the convenience of the beach is nice too (like we had in La Herradura).  I would definitely not recommend this Airbnb for anyone that may struggle with a very steep hill.

Our Airbnb in Nerja, Spain had great outdoor space (5 different outdoor spaces …two of which connected).  Unfortunately, as you can see in the photo, there was construction going on (modern homes nearby) that obstructed a great sea view.  We also had to walk past the construction site daily.

Total Airbnb Cost: €540 (€270 Each (Split with Erik’s Parents) / $653.40 ($326.70 Each)

Bus

We used Omio to book a bus from Granada’s bus station (Estación de Autobuses) to Nerja, and we bought round trip tickets. 

Granada’s Bus Station: Avenida Juan Pablo II, 33

Nerja’s Bus Station: Parada Bus Kiosko, Avenida Pescia

It was a more interesting ride than our previous two bus rides (to La Herradura and Málaga). First, we noticed at the last minute that our destination said Maro (which was the next town over).  I didn’t think too much of it when I should have.  The weird part was we put in round trip tickets for Granada to Nerja.  And our tickets back clearly said Nerja to Granada.  When we arrived to the Maro stop the driver knew he had people getting off (us).  We were confused at first because obviously we planned to go to Nerja.  There was some confusion, language barrier, but then Erik paid the minimal extra cost for 4 adults and 2 children to ride to the next stop (maybe less than €10?).  Lesson learned … really triple check your bus tickets.

Our bus ride home from Nerja, Spain to Granada, Spain.

The other interesting part of our bus trip was it went a different route through the mountains than our bus did when we went to La Herradura in May (La Herradura is a town over from Nerja).  Very scenic, but unfortunately it made me (and our son) feel extremely sick.  I am not sure if was motion or elevation sickness or a combination of both. Luckily once we got to Nerja we were doing much better.  I tried to hydrate and just breathe slowly, and that helped somewhat.  I hydrated a lot before our ride home too, and the bus (thankfully) took a different route home (freeway) so we didn’t get sick.  Our trip to Nerja also stopped in one or two towns in the mountains (on the way back it didn’t).  I don’t know if there is a way to check for all the stops or not.  It is something I will try to look into next time we ride a bus.

Total Bus Cost: €50 ($60.50)

Note, this is €50 for the four of us not including Erik’s parents.

Taxi

We definitely used taxis more than we normally prefer.  Part of that was the location of our Airbnb …and part of that was being not as familiar with their city bus system (and also partly it was convenience).  Let’s look more closely at when we used taxis.  Was it all necessary?

Granada: Plaza Nueva to Estacion de Autobuses (And same for our return trip).

Given that it is a 30 min walk, and we were carrying items (not to mention we had a bus to catch at least on the way there), a taxi just makes sense.  Plus taxis seem to be pretty affordable in Spain.  We are starting to learn the bus system so maybe eventually we will try the bus to and from Granada’s bus station.

Nerja: Bus Stop to Airbnb (and same for the return trip).

It would have been quite a hike to walk from Nerja’s bus station (which is really just an outside bus stop) to our Airbnb…plus we were carrying items, there were hills, and we were unfamiliar with the area.  I did try to research the 1) layout of Nerja prior and 2) the city bus system, but that is not always as easy as it sounds via the Internet. And given our shorter trip (Saturday to Wednesday), we only had a certain amount of time to learn the area we visited.

Nerja: Airbnb to Nerja Caves (and same for return trip).

Similar as above.  It would have been a very long walk to the Nerja Caves.  I am not sure if a bus could have taken us there, but the most convenient option was a taxi.  There was not a taxi stand near us that we are aware of so our Airbnb host did give us a taxi number to call that they recommended.  One note about that, a few times we were able to call ..and we also used their website to book taxis (the taxi website).  Nerja taxis seemed veryyyy slow, but that may have been partly our fault.  We were recommend to book 24 hours in advance.  Not a big deal if you aren’t in a rush, but obviously more important if you need to make a bus time or flight at an airport, etc.

Nerja to Frigiliana (and same for return trip).

We also called a taxi to take us to Frigiliana.  Frigilina is close and a must see.  I’ll get into that in a bit.  The ride was quick ..maybe 15 - 20 min.  Note, there are busses supposedly that can get you there from the same bus station area that we arrived at from Granada.  But I wasn’t super familiar with the bus system, and I couldn’t find helpful and clear info online.  Also given my research buses didn’t seem to run frequently, and we still would have had to do a long walk in the heat to get to the bus station.  A taxi seemed to make the most sense.

We were able to catch a taxi back at a taxi stand in Friligina near the playground towards the front of the town. There are also restrooms nearby!

Total Taxi Cost: €95 ($114.95)

Note, this does not include any taxis his parents may have taken separately (sometimes we had to get two taxis), but this may include any taxis where they rode with us (if we got a van).

Food

To save some money (and it can be healthier), we bought groceries and mostly cooked and ate at the Airbnb.  I tried to look up close grocery stores prior, but this wasn’t as simple as it sounds.

Our Airbnb seemed to be in a residential area.  And the town of Nerja seemed fairly large.  The main center of town (where most of the grocery stores seem to be) wasn’t that easy to get to (at least not for people unfamiliar).  Yes, I looked at maps and had Google maps, but given the hills, things weren’t always easy to find.  However there was a Mercadona that we decided to walk up the hill to (near a major road), and we pretty much stocked up for our visit.  It may have been a 20 minute or so walk.

Grocery store trip to Mercadona in Nerja, Spain.

We also stopped in a smaller mini mart near the beach for a little more groceries on our last day (Erik’s parents bought the items so they aren’t included in the budget).

We ate out at least twice.  We got some American hamburgers on the 4th of July, and we had drinks and a light lunch in Frigiliana.  We also got ice cream (of course!).

Nerja, Spain

Total Food Cost: €68 ($82.28)

Groceries: €35

Eating Out: €25

Ice Cream at the Beach €8

Note, this does not include a meal out that Erik’s parents paid for.  They also bought the groceries, but it is mentioned above.

Entertainment

With beach trips, you need very little else for entertainment (for us at least!).  We had three full days and each day definitely included the beach.

Day 1

We also wanted to visit Cueva de Nerja.  This (along with being close to Frigiliana) was the main reason we picked Nerja for a beach trip.  (And I also read that the beaches were nice!).  We bought the cave tickets on their website prior, and we chose a day and time.  We bought the tickets that included the cave visit, audio guide, and museum (there wasn’t much choice to not include the last two items).

Cave Cost: €13.75 for Adults / €11.75 for Kids and Seniors 

Cueva de Nerja was amazing and not to be missed if you are in the Nerja (or Maro area …the caves are actually in Maro). The kids really enjoyed the audio tour.  I was too busy attempting to take photos and videos to do the audio tour unfortunately.  The caves were stunning, massive, and impressive.

Cueva de Nerja (Nerja, Spain).

Cueva de Nerja (Nerja, Spain).

Cueva de Nerja (Nerja, Spain)

There were other things to do at or right around the area of the caves (playground, restaurant, etc).  But we were anxious to head back and go to the beach.  If you have more time, I think it would be worth exploring more.  One odd thing is the museum wasn’t actually at the site of the caves.  I love museums, but since the kids were so excited to go to the beach, we skipped this part.  If you do want to do the museum, I recommend adding on the “train” ticket option to get you there.  That seemed like the easiest way especially if you are unfamiliar with the area.  

Photo of our touristy photo from Cueva de Nerja (Nerja, Spain).

Cueva de Nerja Total Cost: €51 ($61.71)

Note, this cost is for our family of four (not including the cost of Erik’s parents).

When we were ready to head back, we did call for a taxi back to our Airbnb.

Beach!  We did the beach every day.  Our Airbnb was closest to what I think was the biggest and most popular beach, Playa de Burriana.  And boy was this beach hopping!  There were plenty of restaurants, beach items to rent, and crowds.  We walked further down away from the restaurants, and it was slightly less crowded.  There was plenty of room for your own space.  

Our walk further down the beach to a less crowded spot (Nerja, Spain).

Nerja, Spain

How did the beach compare to our other beach trips in Spain so far (La Herradura and Málaga)?  Erik thought it was his favorite so far.  I think my favorite beach so far was La Herradura, but there were no crowds when we went so that may be part of it.  I just thought the nature and water was very picturesque there.  I think the town of Nerja was nicer though and seemed to be much larger.  Nerja had a mix of mostly sand and some rocks similar to Málaga.

Day 2

On our second full day, we took a trip via taxi to Frigiliana.  Friends of ours took us to Frigiliana during our trip to La Herradura in May.  It is definitely a must see, and I wanted to take Erik’s parents there.  It is a picturesque white washed town with colorful doors and plants. 

Look out in Frigilina, Spain.

Frigiliana, Spain

Frigiliana, Spain

Frigiliana, Spain

Frigiliana, Spain

We walked the town, took photos, and enjoyed (a very reasonable priced) drinks and lunch (with an awesome and engaging waiter) at La Taberna del Sacristán.  I highly recommend checking it out if you are in Frigiliana.  We tried to go to another place (the same place we went to with a view in May), but it was closed.  This restaurant though worked out great.

(Want to see more photos of Frigiliana?  Check out our post from our visit in May).

Cooling down with drinks (Tinto de Verano for me … Mosto for our daughter) at La Taberna del Sacristán  (Frigiliana, Spain).

Delicious bocadillo (queso y jámon) at La Taberna del Sacristán (Frigiliana, Spain).

That afternoon we went to … you guessed it.  The beach!

Day 3

The beach!

Nerja, Spain

Nerja, Spain

Nerja, Spain

There you have it.  I highly recommend Nerja and the surrounding areas for a beach trip in Southern Spain.  We definitely only were able to see a glimpse of it so going again may be a possibility.

Total Trip to Nerja Cost: €534 ($646.14)

Note, everything that is mentioned above is included in the total except for Erik’s parents half of the Airbnb.

Did you travel this summer?  If so, where?  Any beach trips?  Comment below!  We plan to do possibly one more beach trip before school starts for the kids in September.  Speaking of, check out my latest post How To Enroll Your Kids In School In Spain.  

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-Tara