Continent: Europe

10 day itinerary for Andalucia

Andalucia is the jewel in the crown of Spain.  There are various stella attractions that help this region claim that title – the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the striking pueblos blancos (white towns), the flamenco dancing, the Sherry Triangle.  There are also natural spots that are worth the trip alone, such as the beaches of Tarifa, the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and the coastline of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar.  But it is the unique historical blend of Christian Spain and Moorish Al-Andalus that gives Andalucia the magic touch and makes it the must visit region of Spain

 

The itinerary below will give you the highlights and try to minimise the driving by having Cordoba and Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar as optional

 

I’ve listed tips below, but high level – the standout attractions are the drive through the achingly beautiful white towns of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, Seville’s Old Town with its Cathedral and Palace, and staying overnight in the sensational Vejer de la Fontera

Malaga

Malaga gets a bit of an unfair reputation because of its association with the soulless and tacky Costa del Sol nearby and, to be fair, it doesn’t help itself that its right next to an industrial port!  But, the central area in amongst the beautiful Cathedral and historic Alcazaba Castle and Roman Amphitheatre, is a pleasant centre white marble-floored spot crammed in with a great range of bars and restaurants.  Granted, its not one of the highlights of the wonderful Andalusia, but its not too bad for an evening stop over before you fly out from what is the main airport for the area as part of a 10 day itinerary for Andalucia

 

Top tip – try the Hammam Al-Andalus baths right in the city centre.  Beautiful setting and what feels like effortlessly chilled vibe.  Some of the best baths I’ve been to in the world

Ronda

Ronda is all about the dramatic gorge and how the pretty white old town, complete with one of Spain’s oldest bull rings and sensational bridge, is built impossibly around it.  Certainly worth the day trip from the likes of Seville and Malaga as the surrounding scenery is just gorgeous and, despite it being really busy with fellow day tourists, has enough to see to not make it feel overly crowded

 

Top tip #1 – if have a car, focus instead on the drive through nearby Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema.  Ronda is beautiful, for sure, but it is just one of many stunning white hilltop towns in this part of Andalucia.  Instead of spending 1-2 days in Ronda, enjoy it as part of a driving route from Ronda to Arcos de la Fontera.  The most beautiful part of Spain, one of the most beautiful places I’ve seen in all of Europe  and with far less tourists than in Ronda.  See the full travel entry here –Driving through the White Towns of Parque Natural Sierra Grazalema

Tip #2 – walk through the valley to the west of Ronda as part of a circular route that gives you great views of the Bridge.   Its a fairly simple route that you can start from anywhere, is around 6km / 3.75miles so takes only about 1.5 hours with only one moderately steep part, gives the best views of the gorge and allows you to wander through the vineyards for a very different feel.  Use google maps – start at the bridge- then walk through the pretty Old Town to Mirador del Viento for amazing views – then to Mirador La Hoya del Tajo for further great views – then walk through the vineyards to Mirador de los Pinos – then all the way along the ridge to the views from Hotel Catalonia Reina – and then back to the central area with the bridge

Tip #3 – or something more unusual, try the Bodega Garcia Hidalgo vineyard.  Only 5km from town, run by a local family and about as genuine a vineyard tour you can get

Tip #4 – where to stay.  We stayed at the Hotel Catalonia Reina which has sensational views of the nearby mountains and valleys from its wide garden balcony, but is a bit overpriced for the rooms you get.  I don’t think it really matters where you stay as everything is so close in Ronda

Tip #5 – where to eat.  La Abaceria Ronda did great tapas.  For drinks, give the Hotel Catalonia Reina’s outside area a go for great views and not rammed

Staying over night in Vejer de la Fontera

Vejer de la Fontera, with its bright white houses perched on its hill-top with views looking all across the surrounding mountains and beaches of Adalucia, is the most beautiful town in the most beautiful part of Spain.  To quote the Lonely Planet, “the jaw drops, the eyes blink, the eloquent adjectives dry up . . . this serene, compact white town is something very special”.  As you wander through the narrow, winding streets, occasionally stopping for a look out across the views or finding a hidden church or restaurant, its hard not to be left with a bit of a magical feeling

 

Top tip #1 – stay overnight and / or stay for dinner in the evening – the vast majority of tourists visit on day trips from the likes of Seville, Malaga, Cadiz etc. which can make it a little busy through the day.  Instead, give yourself the early evening to stroll through the streets when the vast majority of fellow tourists have left and have dinner in restaurants only half full, but not lacking any of that oh-so-wonderful charming experience you’re looking for

Tip #2 – stay at La Casa Califa / Hotel Plaza 18 – all the same place.  Its hard to describe this hotel as it seems to be reside on something like 10 different levels dug into the hillside and going all the way back to the 10th century.  The effect though is magnificent, with a feeling of mystique as you meander your way through the corridors and emerge to one of the levels for sensational views.  Be sure as well to try the El Jardin del Califa restaurant for superb Moroccan food

Top Tip #3 – Restaurant tips.  In addition to El Jardin, Corredera 55 was wonderful and with great views out towards the mountains.  Also worth trying is the San Francisco Gastronomic Market – 10 or so small restaurants in an arcade serving gorgeous food to be eaten in the small hall

Top Tip #4 – use Vejer de la Fontera as a base for exploring southern Andalucia.  It’s within an hours drive from the likes of Cadiz (see extra tips here – Cadiz), Jerez de la Fontera and Tarifa (The beaches of Tarifa), and only 2 hours from Seville (Historic Seville), the Malaga area (Malaga) and the sensational drive through the white towns of the mountains (Driving through the White Towns of Parque Natural Sierra Grazalema).  Far nicer option

Driving through the White Towns of Parque Natural Sierra Grazalema

Picture-perfect, bright white Andalucian towns dramatically wedged in to the rugged peaks and sharp valleys of the Parque Natural Sierra Grazalema make this one of the most achingly beautiful places in Europe, if not the world.  Being able to drive through it, as you stop repeatedly to gorp at the latest sensational vista, also makes this one of the best driving routes in the world, and, in my opinion, Spain’s premier tourist experience

Top tips:

  1. You’ll want to have a car.  There may be some organised tours, but so much of the experience is about stopping for the gorping moments!
  2. The route – follow the Lonely Planet’s route from Arcos de la Fontera to Ronda (shown in photos).  Whole route is 147km / 90 miles and takes around 3.5 hours time driving.  As you can see from the route, there are a couple of places where you can do shortcuts to reduce the overall distance if rushed
  3. 1 or 2 days?  We did this in one day (starting from Vejer de la Fontera so adding on an extra hour) and it was a long day.  Would have been more pleasant to stay overnight in one of the small villages in the park
  4. Hiking – there were some sensational hiking routes, but be aware that many of the best ones are closed June – September due to fire danger, and that you need a hiking permit outside of these dates, which is a annoying
  5. Best towns to stop at – they’re all achingly beautiful and you’ll naturally drive through them anyway, so there is no need to miss any.  That being said, Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema were the most photogenic; and Ronda (for its bridge and gorge) and Seteril de las Bodegas (for its cave houses) were the most unusual.  Ronda also has the benefit of the bull ring, which is worth a visit, and is the most developed town for accommodation options.  The pass at Puerto de las Palomas is also worth stopping at for its huge vistas, and also for the eagle watching you can do from there

The beaches of Tarifa

Tarifa’s beaches are some of Spain’s finest.  Stretching all the way from Tarifa town, the most southern point of Continental Europe, westwards to Cadiz are long, wide, fine-sand beaches that are enhanced with the dramatic backdrops of mountains behind.  Whilst they can get crowded in the weekends, the sheer number and size of the beaches means that there will always be room to find a spot away from the crowds

 

Three top tips:

  1. Top beach to visit is Playa de Bolonia.  The beach itself is super pretty, with its huge Bolonia Sand Dune to the west and various water inlets all along the beach that give that exotic feel.  But it also has the added benefit of having the dramatic views of the mountains nearby, and, for those ancient history fans, the has the former Roman town of Baelo Claudia right on the beach, complete with its surprisingly well maintained old forum and amphitheater, plus a visitor centre that does a good job of setting the context.  Extra tip – if eating in Playa de Bolonia, there are some great restaurants right on the beach, but be sure to book ahead at the weekends
  2. Visit Zahara de los Atunes beach for the drive through the wind farm.  I know it sounds a bit dull, but the huge wind farms in this part of Andalucia have been designed to fit in superbly well to the local geography and offer a really dramatic drive as you make your way from the highway to Zahara.  Zahara also offers a lot more food options than some of the other beaches and, of course, has the huge beach
  3. Tarifa town itself is worth a visit. It’s nowhere near as pretty or dramatic as the likes of Vejer de la Fontera or the various towns dotted throughout Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, but it does have a nice narrow-street old town centre to walk through, with the castle to explore and surprisingly close views of Morocco across the Straight.  It also has its own long beach stretching from the town to around 5km / 3miles to the west, which is a good option is you don’t have your own car to make it to the other beaches

Cadiz

Cadiz is the dirtier version of Seville that also lacks the stellar individual attractions.  For sure, its good fun to get lost in amongst what is supposed to be Europe’s oldest city streets and to look out at the beaches and lighthouses from the sea wall views, but Andalusia has some true gems that should rank above Cadiz in priority for your trip

 

If do go though (he writes after scathingly criticising the place!), it’s a pleasant afternoon getting lost walking through the Old City, having some sherry overlooking the Plaza de San Juan de Dios and checking out the beaches at the far west end of the Peninsular

Historic Seville

When you think of the major historic cities of the world, you naturally think of the likes of Rome, Paris, Barcelona, Istanbul, Jerusalem, Delhi, Beijing etc., but not necessarily Seville in that top bracket.  Yet it really should be – consider a few factors:

1. Huge variety of history – whilst many of the major European cities have ebbed and flowed in influence, Seville, from the time of the Romans, Goths, Muslim-rule, Catillian conquest, and through to its position as the commercial capital of the Spanish Empire in the Age of Discovery, has remained a key city – that is a serious variety of history in one place!

2. Major attractions – Seville Cathedral, The Royal Palace Alcazar and the General Archives of the Indies are all UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And then you have the likes of the Plaza de Toros (Spain’s oldest and premier bullring), magnificent Plaza de Espana and the other myriad of chrurchs, palaces and museums

3. Compact – unlike some of other major Historical Cities, the historic sites are all super close together, with most sites within 500m

4. The Old Town is magical – the old medieval lanes of the Historic area offer an Old Town that is not only pretty, but also has that wonderful combination of having a buzz, but being easily able to escape the crowds and find small deserted laned all to yourself

 

From an experience point of view, it’s acually the Old Town that makes Seville feel special . . . and very real in many ways.  As long as you can manage your expectations for fellow tourist numbers at the key attractions and avoid the intense heat of the summer, Seville is a “must visit” in what is the must visit region of Spain (Andalucia)

Salamanca’s Old Town

There are so many pretty towns all across Spain with their magnificent Cathedrals, windy Old Town streets and snapshot views straight from a fairy tale . . . but they often feel either super touristy or half deserted as they are no longer a functioning non-tourist town.  Salamanca is different because it is fortunate to have a university right in the beating heart of the Old Town.  This gives the visit a far more genuine feel and it’s actually quite magical wandering through the narrow lanes all around the UNESCO World Heritage listed Cathedral Nueva, finding local bars and restaurants full and then spilling out into the wider plazas like the Plaza Mayor.  Super underrated place to visit and one of the best Old Towns experiences you can find

 

Top Tip – as with so many Old Towns, its best just to head in and get lost in the vibe of the place, find yourself a restaurant, have a few drinks and do a steady explore to find what lurks behind the next street, rather than following a guidebook.  There is enough to Salamanca to give you this experience and I’d recommend doing so around dusk time when many fellow tourists have left and the restaurant scene starts (slowly!) to come alive

Accommodation tip – for a hotel right near the Old Town, with stunning views of the Cathedral from its garden pool and Monastery from its rooms, beautiful courtyards and generally top quality, I’d really recommend the Hotel Hospes Palacio de San Esteban.  Expensive, but great place

Valladolid

It has some nice spots like the Plaza de San Pablo, the Cathedral and the Campo Grande Park, but overall Valladolid is a far less impressive version of the nearby pretty towns of Burgos and Zamora, the wonderfully atmospheric Salamanca (see travel entry – Salamanca’s Old Town) with its Old Town and, of course, Madrid

 

I’d put it far down the list of towns to visit in Spain