Marking the western boundary of the municipality, the huge promontory of Cerro Gordo is taller and wilder than its sister, the Punta de la Mona which stands on the other side of the bay of La Herradura. And a lot less developed. The end of the peninsula has been declared a municipal park that's protected against development. A walkway to the head of the promontory and the old watchtower has been marked by volunteers so you can take a short hike and enjoy the magnificent views, probably the finest of any along the Costa Tropical. A small restaurant, taking advantage of the panorama, sits in the saddle where the old road winds around the headland. This is where to stop and take the path to the point. Today, the old road has been bye-passed by a tunnel which passes straight under the mountain.

Development has been mostly restricted to the eastern flank of the hill below the old road that leads down to the beach and La Herradura. Once on the other side of Cerro Gordo, the coast is protected, both as a maritime reserve and on land. Between here and Maro, a small village outside Nerja, there is hardly a building, just watchtowers, the occasional farmhouse and rugged cliffs. Way below, at the foot of the mountain, there's a small beach, known as Cantarriján, completely out of the way, but popular in summer (see Beaches).

On top of Cerro Gordo there has been reasonable development over the years with a number of luxury houses built and a couple of prestigious urbanisations still under way. Much further expansion is restricted by the terrain and bordering natural area. And, needless to say, the views from here are quite dizzying.

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