In the hinterland of Nerja meanders a river that puts the summer heat in its place: the Río Chíllar. Not an ordinary walk, but one straight through the water. You follow the babbling river upstream, into the mountains, past smooth boulders, mini-waterfalls and steep limestone walls that slowly approach. Barefoot? Rather not. This is an adventure for hiking boots that can get wet - and legs that don't shy away from a dip.

From the starting point on Calle Mirto you walk straight into nature. The path takes you through narrow gorges (the "cahorros"), past clear pools where you can cool off, and finally to El Vado de los Patos, a natural swimming pool among the rocks. You mostly walk through shallow water - sometimes ankle-high, sometimes up to your knees. The route totals 16 kilometers round trip, but many hikers turn around earlier. And rightly so: even half a hike is magical.