Life in a fishing neighbourhood

Seafood, craftsmanship, typical boats…
Immerse yourself in everyday life by the sea at Pedregalejo

Fishing villages and neighbourhoods are scattered along the Andalusian coast, with their simple, popular architecture, narrow streets, little boats docked on the beach or moored in the harbour, and plenty of fish cooked the traditional way.

In Málaga, the neighbourhood of Pedregalejo is a classic example of such settlements on the Mediterranean shore; it even has a shipyard, called an astillero in Spanish.
Astilleros Nereo is one of the oldest shipyards in Spain. Within its walls, as well as those working on the hand-crafted construction of boats, you’ll find an anthropological eco-museum on the maritime heritage of Andalusia.

Traditional boats are produced by the shipyard, such as the jábega and the sardinal [a rowing boat and sailing boat, respectively, which are typical of Málaga province], and even historic replicas, such as the brigantine Galveztown, which played a decisive role in the United States’ War for Independence. It is with good reason that this type of traditional wooden boat-building is registered in the Andalusian Heritage Catalogue.

And the vocational school run by Astilleros Nereo is one of the main reasons that this artisan profession is kept alive, allowing the most authentic types of small, local fishing boats to continue being produced. This is an extraordinary opportunity to learn how Málaga province’s most typical boats are made.

The aim of the eco-museum is to inform visitors about all the elements of the area’s traditional, folk culture, according to the project developed by the Andalusian Federation for Maritime and Riverine Culture and Heritage. This includes the food served in chiringuitos [small, beach-side bars], moraga de sardinas [a typical sardine-based stew from the province], the folklore of the coros marengos [local fishermen’s choirs] and the Cante por Jabegotes [songs traditionally sung by the jábega-boat fishermen as they work], as well as the traditional techniques of the men who still make their living from fishing.

The activities on offer include taking a trip out on a jábega boat;, courses on making fishing nets, sailing knots or ship model-making; a visit with lunch, including espetos de sardina [spit-roasted sardines] and more.