Verano Azul – Blue Summer – was a Spanish television series directed by Antonio Mercero that first aired in 1981 and follows the adventures of a group of youngsters aged between 9 and 17 years while on a summer holiday in Nerja.
There were 19 episodes and the series attracted a viewing audience of around 20 million in Spain. It was originally broadcast on TVE1, the only network available in Spain at that time, between October 11th 1981 and February 14th 1982.
The series is widely credited as putting the town of Nerja well and truly ‘on the map’.
Parque Verano Azul is named after the TV series and houses a replica of the fishing boat from the series, ‘La Dorada’.
In addition, all the pathways in the Parque Verano Azul are named after the characters from the series, ceramic plaques showing both their screen and real names.
The Parque Verano Azul is along calle Antonio Ferrandis ‘Chanquete’, named after the actor who played the part of the old seawolf ‘Chanquete’.
The promenade at Burriana beach is the Paseo Antonio Mercero, named after the director of the TV series. There is a sculpture of his director’s chair on the promenade.
Main characters:
Bea (Pilar Torres)
Desi (Cristina Torres)
Javi (Juanjo Artero)
Pancho (José Luis Fernández)
Quique (Gerardo Garrido)
Piraña (Miguel Ángel Valero)
Tito (Miguel Joven)
Chanquete (Antonio Ferrandis)
Julia (María Garralón).
Miguel Joven still lives in Nerja and is involved in tours of the town with a ‘Verano Azul’ theme.
Maria Garralón and Antonio Ferrandis were the only cast members to pursue a career in films and television, and very successfully. Antonio Ferrandis died in 2000 at the age of 79 years.