A road trip through Andalucia: the best itinerary

Bienvenido!!! 10 days, 1568km in one of the most interesting and distinct regions in all of Europe. The Moorish occupation that lasted eight centuries created a unique culture, one of passion for life and music. Are you ready to follow us on our journey? Here you`ll find our itinerary, our tips and more. With our without a Van, you will be prepared.

Things to know

☀️ Best time to visit Andalusia? We opted to take this trip towards the end of May to enjoy the cooler weather and avoid the large crowds (we even had to purchase an additional blanket to stay warm during the nights). May is also the month when Cordoba celebrates the vibrant « Festival de Los Patios ».

🏕 Wild Camping in Spain? In Andalusia, you can’t go wild camping unless you need to recharge your driving skills. You have to find a campsite or a parking area that permits overnight parking for motorhomes. However, we discovered some incredible spots using Park4night and left without a trace, as if we were never there. Remember, the number one rule of wild camping is to always respect and take care of nature! 😉

Before we start, you’ll find a summary of this itinerary here, which you can download onto your phone and take with you wherever you go.

Day 1 : Cordoba

A unique confluence of Moorish, Jewish, and Christian cultures. One day is enough for the « must-see ».

– Famous for its incredible Mosque-Cathedral, this UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most breathtakingly beautiful building and one of Spain’s most famous landmarks. TIP: The site opens to visitors at 10am, be there on time for the best chance of seeing it without hordes of other tourists.

– Jewish Quarter, no adresses to recommend, just take the time to explore the tiny streets, the white and blue facades. Stop by Calleja de las Flores, a little street with flower pots on the walls. This place is very touristic but still very charming.

– Take a patio tour, some habitants take part in the competition of « Los Patios de Córdoba » and open theirs patios to everyone. (Tip: Free – every year between 1s and 13th May).

Here are some more cool things to see:

– Visit the Roman Temple

– Stroll across the Roman Bridge

– Visit Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs and their sumptuous gardens.

Day 2 & 3 : Granada

– Visit the famous Alhambra Palace (remember to book the visit). It is the most visited monument in Granada, and even in Spain! This UNESCO World Heritage site, also called “Red Palace”, was built in the 13th century by Moorish rulers to serve as their residence.

It includes 3 « must-see » parts: the Nasrid Palaces, the Generalife and Alcazaba.

1. Take a leisurely walk through the charming Albaicin neighborhood, perched atop a hill and offering stunning views of the Alhambra.

– Don’t miss out on visiting the Cathedral and the Royal Chapel during your trip.

– If you’re up for more exploration, head towards the Sacromonte neighborhood, located to the North-East of Albaicin. This unique area is renowned for its cave dwellings, known as « cuevas, » and has a rich gypsy heritage.

Day 4 : Torcal de Antequera National Park – El Chorro

Camino del Rey – also known as the King’s Walk or Pathway in Spain, is an 8-kilometer walking trail (3-4 hours to complete). The old Caminito del Rey used to be one of the deadliest hikes in the world until it had repairs to make it tourist-friendly and way more safer. 😅 The walkway hovers over 100 meters from the ground along the large cliff face. At the end of the walk, a bus bring the visitors to different parking spots.

TIP: Book your ticket for the Caminito in advance. We recommend you to park to Ardales. The bus takes cash only and runs very regularly.

Being far from the cities was such an amazing and needed recharge. We definitely recommend you this trail despite the fact that it is touristic.

Oh yeah and if you are scared from the height, Timmie can give you some tips. 😉

El Torcal, located 160km away from Granada, is renowned for its breathtaking limestone formations that have been shaped over millions of years! The park is accessible at all times and admission is free. You have the option of selecting from various routes (1.5km, 3km, or 7km). We opted for the shortest one as we were looking for a place to stay overnight at El Chorro. The hike was relatively simple, and the sight of the peculiar rock formations was simply amazing!

We wrote a complete article about this amazing place, just here!

Day 5 : Caminito del Rey – Ronda

TIP: Book your ticket for the Caminito in advance. We recommend you to park to Ardales. The bus takes cash only and runs very regularly.

Being far from the cities was such an amazing and needed recharge. We definitely recommend you this trail despite the fact that it is touristic.

Oh yeah and if you are scared from the height, Timmie can give you some tips. 😉

Ronda – Ferdi and us were super excited about finding this super cool spot for the night by the famous bridge of Ronda, the Puente Nuevo! Well, this was definitely not an easy road! Some magic also disappeared a little when we saw couple of others camper vans around us. So the early birds that we are woke up for the sunrise to fully enjoy the calm of this place and visit the rest of the city. We stayed for half of the day and it was plenty enough.

Cool things to see:

– Plaza de Toros – The Bullring

– Baños Arabes – Arab Baths

– Palace of the Moorish King and the Water Mine

– Mirador de Aldehuela and Balcón del Coño Viewpoints

Day 6 : Setenil de las Bodegas – Zahara de la Sierra

Setenil de las Bodegas, located in the province of Cádiz, is known as one of the charming white villages nestled in the Sierra de Grazalema. What makes it unique is that many of the houses are built into the cliffs, giving it a troglodyte feel. While our visit was enjoyable, it’s important to keep your expectations in check as there isn’t a lot to do here. However, the streets are undeniably picturesque, and it was quite a treat to capture photos without any crowds in sight.

Zahara de la Sierra is a charming village among the Pueblos Blancos, known for its picturesque beauty.

If you’re searching for a postcard-worthy destination, this is the place to be. The village sits atop a hill, surrounded by stunning turquoise waters. The Nasrid Castle and Torre del Homenaje are the most famous landmarks, and it’s definitely worth the hike up to see the ruins and the city center. Don’t forget to visit the Plaza Mayor and the Church of Santa María de la Meza.

Day 7 & 8 : Sevilla

Well if you are traveling with a van, don’t lose your time and park outside of the city center, this will spare you some misadventures…

For this stay we decided to book 2 nights in the heart of the city at Hotel Sacristia.

Great location, great accommodation and for a great price.

For this two days we picked this sight seeing :

– One of Seville’s most popular attractions : The Royal Alcazar.

Plan at least 2 hours to visit it. The palace is a stunning mix of Moorish, Renaissance and Mudéjar architecture. It is considered one of the finest examples of Mudéjar art in existence. Outside, you’ll find one of the most beautiful palace gardens in the world!

Tip: You can access the Banos de Maria de Padilla from the gardens. This is an extraordinary underground vault with massive stone archways and a pool that was once used for bathing. Definitely Timmie’s favorite spot !

We recommend buying tickets in advance. Expect long queues so if you can, go at the opening hours.
> Tickets cost 14.50 EUR (You can skip the line with a Guided Tour)

Las Setas De Sevilla: The Metropol Parasol

It is a curious monument and offers a modern side to the city. You can take a lift up to the top and, from here, enjoy the view over the city. It’s also the largest wooden structure in the world! Tickets here!

Parque Maria Luisa and Plaza de España

Before hitting the largest plaza in all of Europe, we took the garden paths of Maria Luisa, an oasis of tranquility. Located inside the María Luisa Park, the Plaza was built in the 1920s, and every corner tells a story. Check out the 52 benches and tiled murals, each representing a province in Spain. The entrance is free so if you want to avoid the crowd, go early in the morning. It is what we did and it was incredible to have this place for ourselves.

Due to a lot of tourists in the main touristic attractions we decided to explore the neighborhoods of Sevilla and get lost in the streets.

But if you are patient enough here are the some cool places to see:

– Visiting The Seville Cathedral & The Giralda Tower (Unesco)

– Plaza del Cabildo

– Visiting Torre del Oro

– Visiting Casa de Pilatos