From Málaga to Andalusia: itinerary for a roadtrip in southern Spain

Andalusia is undoubtedly my most travelled part of Spain, although the Canaries and Valencia are a bit on its heels. However, I drove through Andalusia on my month-long roadtrip and lived in Málaga for 3 months and did some sightseeing from there. Travelling around by car is my all-time favourite way to travel though, because you can stop anywhere you like, take a detour where it looks nice and stop in places and villages that don’t get that many people.

Why a roadtrip in Andalusia

Andalusia is beautiful and unique in its mix of European and Arabic culture, which is reflected in its architecture, cuisine and dance. It is the largest region in Spain, with several cities that alone would be enough for a several-day visit. However, most places in Andalusia are not connected by high-speed trains and bus journeys are long, even if it is a direct line. In addition, there are mountains running down the centre, and sometimes it’s not quite as straightforward to drive between towns as it might seem from a map. But mostly, the places you’ll meet along the way that you’ll want to stop even just for a view are many, and it’s really worth having the flexibility that car travel offers.

Why start from Málaga

Málaga isn’t the only way to roadtrip in Andalusia, but it tends to be the most popular. Málaga may not be the largest city in Andalusia (that’s Seville), but it has the largest and busiest airport. Lots of people fly here for holidays on the Costa del Sol and it’s also the perfect place if you want to do a “no roadtrip” tour, i.e. stay in Málaga. Because it’s by the sea and also roughly in the middle of Andalusia (on the outer edge but just in the middle, so you can do trips north, east and west). Due to Málaga’s popularity, there’s also good infrastructure and plenty of options for car hire. It’s also the only airport in Andalusia with daily flights from Prague all year round.

Alternative starts of the roadtrip in Andalusia

Sevilla is the second logical choice. There are direct flights here too, but most of the year only two or three times a week. Madrid is over 400 kilometers and 4 hours from Córdoba in Andalusia, and renting a car there doesn’t make as much sense to me (unless you have time for a longer roadtrip and some dream destinations along the way). It may be more convenient to take a quick taxi to Córdoba (2 hours) or Seville (2.5 hours) and rent a car there.

Nor is Faro in Portugal, which is close to the borders with Spain and Andalusia, complete nonsense. Seville is only 200 kilometres away.

And finally, you can also drive your own car from the Czech Republic. From Prague to Andalusia you have to cover a distance of 2500 kilometers, which if you want to enjoy the trip and not just be in the car all the time is more suitable for connoisseurs who go for a month or more. Then there’s also the question of whether you’re going to do a “circuit of Andalusia” or rather do it in one direction, because you’ll want to go back home via Portugal to enjoy something else. For example, I did it this way and skipped the whole north of Andalusia (Córdoba, Seville, Jaén), which I then enjoyed properly on another visit.

The best time for a roadtrip in Andalusia

The best time to roadtrip in Andalusia is spring (March to June) and autumn (September to November). Andalusia is hot in the summer, and while it may be better for swimming, spring and autumn are better for travelling by car and exploring towns (often inland, too), when temperatures will still usually be in the 20s and the sun will be shining. In spring, the country will be pretty colourful and full of citrus. But you can do it in the winter and you’ll survive the summer eventually, I’ve tried both, so I can attest to that.

What not to forget before your trip

First and foremost , book a car to make sure you get the one you want at the price you want. You can almost certainly get one locally too, but the terms may be a little different. You’ll be doing a lot of driving, which is why I recommend having full coverage insurance (which doubles the price). I don’t buy insurance in advance and buy it directly from the company on the spot. A credit card is also usually required to rent a car.

I’m betting that you’ll almost certainly want to visit Gibraltar, which is a British territory and Britain is not in the European Union, on a roadtrip through Andalusia. And you’ll need a passport to do that here.

There are many important sights and paid activities you may want to do in Andalusia. You can usually buy tickets offline or online even a day in advance, but there are two places you need to book in advance during most of the year. One is a trip to the Caminito del Rey trail and the other is the Alhambra in Granada. I’d recommend tackling this one from more than a month in advance from home and time your trip accordingly.

Tickets in Andalusia

You won’t go wrong if you book other entrances to important places, but you can usually do that a few days in advance, especially if you’re doing a more flexible roadtrip, so you’ll have a better idea of when you’ll be there:

• Gibralfaro in Málaga,
• The Royal Palace in Seville,
• Gardens in Córdoba,
• Córdoba Cathedral.

Accommodation in Andalusia

On a rodatrip, I typically stay wherever I can find nice accommodations nearby. I tend to go on longer roadtrips in a more flexible way, so I usually book same day accommodation along the way. If you’re going for a week, it might be better to book from home and not spend time looking for accommodation along the way.

If you want to stay in the bigger cities, it has the advantage that you can go to the main sights early in the morning when there aren’t so many tourists yet, and even the Cadetral in Córdoba was early in the morning with free entry. In the evening you can enjoy the hustle and bustle of the city, visit tapas bars and have a drink. When looking for accommodation, though, ideally filter for parking straight away.

Living outside the city can often be a bit cheaper, but it has the disadvantage that you won’t have enough choice of places to eat dinner and the evenings will be a bit quieter.

Itinerary for 10 days

As for the ideal amount of time for a roadtrip in Andalusia, here’s how. Andalusia is a big region and the more time the better. Even for a month, you could make a very busy itinerary here. However, I consider 10 to 14 days to be the ideal amount of time to explore the most interesting things Andalusia has to offer. For a shorter itinerary, you’ll choose whether you’d rather go north, east or west.

Three notes:

1. I don’t know what time you will arrive, I reckon during the day and you will have time to leave Málaga. If you arrive at night, you won’t catch anything, if early in the morning, you will catch much more. I guess you can slightly adjust your itinerary here to suit your needs, leave the Málaga visit for the first or last day.
2. Itineraries are heading east. I find it better for the reason that you can drive the whole Costa del Sol on the coastal side of the road. Which is a minor detail and is more or less the only reason (you just have to opt for one side). On the other hand, going west would make sense if you’re most looking forward to Gibraltar and want to make sure you have enough time to see it.
3. I take the road outside the toll sections, but occasionally on the highway. Outside of the highways, it’s often a much longer drive, but often a nicer drive too, especially along the coast. Then in the mountains there aren’t many motorways at all, you’ll be winding along there anyway and enjoying some nice views. But otherwise, if you have time, check out the off-highway routes as well.

Day 1: Málaga + Nerja (176 km)

Route: airport Málaga → Nerja (70 km) → Frigiliana (7 km) → Granada (99 km).

Ideally, you will drive to Granada and stay there. You can also stay halfway or in Nerja and head straight to Granada in the morning. From Frigiliana to Granada you’ll go via Nerja again anyway, so you can even swap the two towns.

What to see

• Nerja – a coastal town with Balcón de Europa, views of the cliffs and turquoise sea. You can visit the Cuevas de Nerja caves.
• Frigiliana – one of the traditional Andalusian pueblos blancos (white towns). Here it is especially nice to walk alone through the streets among white houses with blue flower pots.

Day 2: Granada + Sierra Nevada (179 km)

Route: Granada → Sierra Nevada (46 km) → Jaén (134 km)

Of course, there are plenty of nice hikes in the Sierra Nevada mountains to keep you entertained. The ideal starting point for the Mulhacén is the Alto de Chorrillo, where a road leads to an altitude of about 2,700 metres. But it’s on the other side from Granada, so if you want to go here, it’s more logical to go here first and then up to Granada (there’s no direct route through the mountains, you’d have to detour and practically backtrack).

What to see

• Granada – don’t miss the majestic Alhambra Palace with its gardens, the streets of the Albaicín district and the Mirador de San Nicolás lookout overlooking the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains. Expect to spend the better part of a day in Granada if you go on the Alhambra tour as well.

• Sierra Nevada – if you don’t decide to trek from Alto de Chorrillo, you’ll go here after visiting Granada. The highest point reachable by road is the observatory near Pico del Veleta, about an hour’s drive from Granada. If you don’t want to be delayed by such a long drive in the mountains, less than half an hour from Granada there is, for example, a beautiful viewpoint at Lake Mirador del Embalse de Canales. There are loads of beautiful viewpoints and you can find accommodation and glamping there.

Day 3: Jaén + Úbeda and Baeza (67 km)

Route: Jaén → Úbeda (57 km) → Baeza (10 km)

Úbeda and Baeza are very famous historical towns in the region, but if you are not a fan of more historical shacks, consider skipping the detour here and going straight from Jaén to Córdoba (107 km), saving over 100 km of travel.

What to see

• Jaén – Jaén is a less touristy town and I think the contrast between the quite peaceful non-touristy town and the previous Granada and especially the following Córdoba is really worth experiencing. The whole area is famous for olive oil, you’ll be driving through olive groves. You can visit the Castello Santa Catalina which has great views of the surrounding area, one of Spain’s finest cathedrals in my opinion , the Catedral de la Asunción de Jaen and I wouldn’t miss the traditional local cuisine.
• Úbeda and Baeza – two neighbouring historic towns listed by UNESCO. You can visit the Palacio de Vázquez de Molina, the Sacra Capilla del Salvador church, or the cathedral and old streets of Baeza with views of the surrounding hills.

Day 4 – 6: Córdoba + Seville (284 km)

Route: Baeza → Córdoba (139 km) -> Sevilla (145 km)

I’ll leave the split between Cordoba and Seville up to you, but I’d count at least one full day on each. For me, if I didn’t split it in half, I’d give myself more time in Seville.

What to see

• Córdoba – just wandering the streets in the centre is worth it in itself. But there’s also the unique Mezquita Mosque-Cathedral, which is very pretty from the inside and the view from the tower. Probably the most absolutely beautiful are the gardens at Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, which not only overlook the city, the cathedral and the bridge, but also the royal stables. The Roman bridge is a landmark of Córdoba. For a photogenic view of the cathedral, pop into the Calleja de las Flores flower alley and for a great Andalusian meal in one of the many restaurants in the patios.

• Seville – even the capital of Andalusia has a beautiful royal palace , the Alcazar, but my favourite thing here is the Plaza de España, Spain’s most beautiful square. There’s also a great cathedral with the Giralda tower, though I liked that better on the outside than the inside. And there’s one cool restaurant next to another.

Day 7: Tarifa + Gibraltar (254 km)

Route: Seville → Tarifa (207 km) → Gibraltar (47 km)

On the way you will also pass Cadiz, where you can make a short detour. Gibraltar is realistically about half a day, remember you will need a passport here.

What to see

• Tarifa – north of Tarifa (before you get to Tarifa) are some of the nicest beaches in Andalusia. Tarifa itself has a nice centre, but people come here mainly because it’s the southernmost point of continental Europe. On the way from Tarifa to Gibraltar there are some nice viewpoints from where you can see Africa.

• Gibraltar – although it doesn’t really belong to Andalusia or Spain, everyone wants to visit it on the way. You’ll see Gibraltar’s famous The Rock, which overlooks the coast, Africa and the airstrip, which is also unique to Gibraltar. You’ll also see lots of monkeys up there.

You can stay directly in Gibraltar, but it’s more expensive than in Spain, even than in the neighbouring town of La Línea de la Concepción. But you can also go further down the coast towards Málaga.

Day 8: Marbella + Ronda (164 km)

Route: Gibraltar → Marbella (82 km) → Ronda (63 km) → Setenil de las Bodegas (19 km)

What to see

• Marbella – a seaside town with the port of Puerto Banús, with a historic centre with pretty streets full of flowers.
• Ronda – Puente Nuevo bridge over the deep gorge of El Tajo and the city on the rock is something you won’t see anywhere else in Andalusia.
• Setenil de las Bodegas – also something else, the town is partly carved into the rock, the white houses are set right under huge overhangs. You can go here for dinner, coffee or a drink literally under the rock.

Day 9: Caminito del Rey (123 km)

Route: Setenil de las Bodegas → Caminito del Rey (58 km) → Málaga (65 km)

Alternative route: Setenil de las Bodegas → Málaga (95 km)

If you don’t want to do the Caminito del Rey trek, which takes about 3 hours, skip it altogether and go straight to Málaga. You can either enjoy more time and relaxation in Málaga before flying home or spread the time out over the previous days, you might appreciate more time on the beaches at Tarifa or the Costa del Sol.

What to see

• Caminito del Rey – a suspended walkway up to 100 metres above the Gaitanes Canyon. The trail offers spectacular views of the rock walls and the river below. It used to be quite dangerous, but now it’s a leisurely walk (but it’s still at altitude, then).

Day 10: Málaga

What to see

• Málaga – you can relax on Malagueta beach. You should see the Alcazaba Fortress and Gibralfaro Castle, where you can see the whole coastline. The centre of Málaga is full of beautiful streets, restaurants and cafes.

Shorter itinerary

To shorten your itinerary, of course, it primarily depends on your preferences. As I would probably do:

Andalusia for 7 days

I’d leave out Jaén, which is a city that I found very charming, but realistically the cathedral, castle and centre can be done in 3 hours and that probably makes it a pointless detour in the time slot. I’d also skip the Caminito del Rey unless this particular trek is your dream destination in Andalusia. And I’d shorten your stay in Seville and Córdoba a bit to fit it into 2 days.

Andalusia for 5 days

With such a short itinerary, I would choose between north and south:

• Just take them: Málaga → Ronda → Setenil de las Bodegas → Tarifa → Gibraltar → Marbella → Nerja → Frigiliana → Granada → Málaga
• without Gibraltar: Málaga → Ronda → Setenil de las Bodegas → Seville → Córdoba → Granada → Nerja → Málaga
• without Granada: Málaga → Córdoba → Seville → Gibraltar → Marbella → Ronda → Setenil de las Bodegas → Málaga

Longer itinerary

I wouldn’t necessarily try to cram more places to explore into a longer itinerary, but rather slow down the pace. After all, going from place to place every day is fun if you’re doing it for a week, but if you’re doing it for two weeks, it’s pretty exhausting. Still, it gives you a few extra options:

• Cadiz and Jerez de la Frontera between Seville and Tarifa,
• enjoy more beaches on the Costa del Sol, for example in Benalmádena, Fuengirola or Estepona,
• stay in Nerja, Córdoba or Sevilla,
• take the last day or two to catch your breath right in Málaga, at a sangria in town or on the beach.