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Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Area

Diputación de Málaga
Acantilados Maro - Cerro Gordo, Playa del Cañuelo. Axarquía

Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Area

Surface - 395 ha.
Rules - Ley 4/1989 de 27 de marzo (Estatal). Ley 2/1989 de
Natural Area > Site of Natural Heritage

The Maro-Cerro Gordo Cliffs Natural Area is a gift from nature. On sunny days, standing on one of the scenic viewpoints here, you can watch the African coast and enjoy stunning views.

You can start your walk at Balcón de Maro, in the Iglesia de las Maravillas's front yard. Maro, in the municipality of Nerja, is a tiny town which is very popular with tourists. From this village, you'll watch the meadows and the watchtower of La Marquesa, which was one of the four similar towers erected in the sixteenth century to keep watch over the sea, as pirates used to sail the Mediterranean Sea.

If you take the N-340 toward Almuñécar, you must follow the directions leading to Torre de la Marquesa or Torre de Maro. The cliffs make an amazing landscape.

Back on the road, you'll see the Sierra Almijara rolling gently down to the sea. The cliffs are impressive and the coves, beautiful. Remember: access to the coves by car or any other motor vehicles is prohibited.
Then you'll reach the road to Cerro Gordo, a spot that affords the best views of the cliffs and the coast of Málaga.

Location

On the east coast of Malaga and west coast Granada.

Principal access road: N-340.

Relief

    This 12-kilometre-long ecological enclave between the towns of Nerja and Almuñecar consists of small coves separated by ravines, cliffs and large rocks. 

    The relief of the landscape is rugged, featuring small coves interspersed with cliffs and crop terraces. The coves are small, none exceeding 500 metres, making them ideal for enjoying the beauty and tranquillity of the setting. Numerous caves are to be found beneath their waters, such as Los Genoveses and La Cajilla.

Plant Life

    The vegetation consists of patches of Aleppo pine and scrub, notably lentisk, ephedra, rockrose and rosemary, as well as one endemic species: the sea fennel. 

    Other species to be found here are the evergreen oak, the carob tree, the kermes oak and the bush germander. Almonds and olives are the main crop trees.

Animal Life

    Notable among the birdlife are the razorbill, the gannet, the storm petrel, larids such as the laughing, silver and lesser black-backed gulls and a multitude of itinerant birds of prey. Amphibians and reptiles, including the chameleon, are also to be found, while stone martens, genets, wildcats, foxes, badgers and a variety of rodents make up the mammal population. 

    The nature spot stretches out for one mile into the Alboran Sea. In this area, at depths of over 200 metres, species such as the grouper, bass, gilthead and loggerhead turtle are to be found, along with a number of corals. The marine fauna is also rich in invertebrates, especially molluscs and crustaceans, as well as being home to large numbers of fish such as the conger eel and the moray.

Event

    Agriculture (terraced crops). Tourism is also important throughout the coast, with underwater fishing the most noteworthy activity.

How to get there

Discover more about the province of Malaga

Discover more about the province of Malaga