Below Spain’s well-known cities of Madrid and Barcelona lies the southernmost region of Spain known as Andalucía. From rolling hills of fertile farmland to culture-rich towns, this is one of my all-time favorite road trips! Epic hikes, historical palaces, rooftop dinners, and beautiful countryside…it’s the Spain you fantasize about when you’re in back-to-back-to-back office meetings. I spent almost a week exploring the region (6 days, 5 nights), and it was BARELY enough time.
Andalucía: Quick Overview & History
The Andalucian region is about the size of Portugal and encompasses the provinces of Sevilla, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Cadiz, and a few others. It has a long history dating back to 4000 BCE, but much of today’s culture derives from the Moorish period (or Muslim period) which lasted from 711-1492 AD. This period is referred to as the Golden Age because of the economic prosperity, architecture, and cultural development. It was eventually conquered by Christian forces and now boasts a rich mix of Muslim-Christian culture.
The region is bordered by Portugal to the west, Morocco/Africa to the south, and the Mediterranean Sea to the southeast. Although predominantly agricultural, the terrain is diverse. You can drive from the snowy Sierra Nevada mountains to the sandy beaches of Playa Granada within an hour or two. The Mediterranean climate includes mild, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Visiting during the spring was ideal because everything was green, and the temperature was perfect. I’ve heard that the summer months can be a bit unbearable, particularly for the inland towns. For that reason, the wealthy locals spend the hot summers at their beach houses!
Day 1: Malaga
I booked an early flight out of Barcelona so I would have a full day in Malaga. Notice how I said “booked”. This would be the day I finally missed a flight (it was bound to happen sooner or later…I cut it close way too often). Despite arriving at the airport in plenty of time (1:15 before departure), I hadn’t checked in online and was unable to self-check-in at the kiosk. After waiting in a ridiculously long line comparable to a Taylor Swift concert, I was “too late” and had to BUY a ticket for the next flight. Vueling, you can take my missed flight ticket and shove it up your engine.
Regardless, I arrived in Malaga at a decent hour, got my rental car, and had time to explore. The town was beautiful, the weather was great, the parking was a bitch, and I chose one hell-hole of a hostel (Feels Soho Malaga, if you’re curious).
Day 2: Caminito del Rey, Ronda
The next day I embarked super early to check out the Caminito del Rey hike, which is north of Malaga. I didn’t buy tickets ahead of time like you’re supposed to do (they sell out a week or two in advance), but I read somewhere that they have a small number of tickets reserved for walk-ins. Thankfully, I was able to get a ticket because the hike was EPIC. The trail takes you through a gorge where you scale the side of a rock cliff and get to cross a suspended bridge called the “Walkway of Death”! Luckily, I made it across and am alive today to write this post.
After the hike, on my way to Sevilla, I stopped in the mountaintop town of Ronda for some tapas and to check out the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). I’ve seen a fair amount of bridges in my life, but this one does rank up there on the coolness scale! The town itself has a small-town, charming vibe to it. It is a great place for a pitstop.
Day 3: Sevilla
What a great city. So much history, architecture, and culture! I stayed two nights at another hostel (dun dun dun), but this time it was an awesome experience! I stayed at La Banda Hostel which hosts family dinners on the rooftop and live music some nights. I met so many cool people from all over the world (shout out to Stephanie, Shaun, Axel, Rochelle, and Kelan) that were doing the same thing I was—exploring Andalucía. On top of a great stay, I was lucky enough to get a personal tour of the city from my great friend (and former Spanish professor) Ana Belen who just so happened to be visiting family that weekend. Overall, the city really offered a proper “Spain” experience.
Day 4: Cordoba, Granada
The following day I stopped in Cordoba, which was highly recommended by several people. I walked across the iconic Roman Bridge, toured the Mezquita Cathedral, and explored the Alley of the Flowers. It was cool, but for some reason, it was my least favorite portion of the trip (fine, could be due to a partial hangover).
After Cordoba, I made my way to Granada, which is situated below the Sierra Nevada mountains (being from California, I find it odd that we couldn’t come up with unique names for mountains). I opted to stay in an Airbnb so I could take a couple Zoom calls and rest up. The town of Granada is super cool, but it does have a LOT of international students and immigrants.
Day 5: Alhambra
On Day 5, I toured the iconic Alhambra palace. If it’s not on your bucket list, it probably should be. The Alhambra is a monumental complex located in the town of Granada. It is a palace, a garden, and a town all in one. I opted for the guided tour (recommend) which included the Nasrid Palace (more expensive, probably worth it, but not absolutely necessary). The tour lasted three hours and not because we were moving slow. The palace is huge!
Day 6: Malaga
After touring the Alhambra, I made my way back to Malaga and spent my final night and day in the smaller town of Torremolinos. The town was pretty quiet due to it being the offseason, but it appears to be a popular beach destination for tourists (especially the UKers) during summer months.
Final Thoughts
This was one of my favorite trips to date. Driving through Andalucía (especially during springtime) was breath-taking. I kept wanting to stop and take pictures of random fields and buildings. The trip was relatively inexpensive as well: flights (to/from Barcelona) + rental car + accommodation totaled less than 500 euros! I was able to do the whole thing in under a week, but a bit longer in Andalucía would have been ideal.
