Many people head to Spain for a relaxing week spent on the beach. The beauty of this is that you don’t really need to plan anything to do when you are there. Just let the sun, sea and sand combo take full effect and make some time to eat great food and read a book or two.
Whilst this is ideal for many, there are a few of us who want to travel further afield and experience as much as possible. So for all you adventurers out there, this is Zest Car Rental’s guide to an epic road trip from Barcelona to Gibraltar.
Due to the length of this trip, we expect that it would take around 7-10 days. This depends on how much sightseeing and exploring that you want to do in each particular place. The beauty of this trip is that it can be done back-to-front, or picked up, or jumped off at any location. Choose the bits you want to do and go with it.
Day 1-2
We start our monster trip in Barcelona. The city itself has more than enough to do to keep you entertained for the entire 10 days but that’s not what we’re about is it? We’re getting out there, remember! We do suggest you spend some time in Barcelona though because it has incredible museums, beaches and Art Nouveau architecture.
Make sure you stroll down La Ramblas in the heart of the Old Town. If one street could sum up a city, then this would be it. There are a range of cafés, restaurants and shops here which exude Barcelona’s identity. Also, make sure you visit the Gothic quarter to marvel at the medieval buildings and find time to visit the cathedral before you depart the city.
So this is the start of our trip down to Gibraltar. Naturally you would assume our first stop would be south of Barcelona, but it isn’t! If you travel for 2 hours to the north-west of Barcelona, you will arrive in Monteserrat. This might not be in the right overall direction and it’s a slight detour, but it is a fantastic place. The main sight here is the monastery. It sits on top of the mountain of Monserrat and is an incredible sight. The scenery is picture perfect and you could easily spend a day marvelling at it.
Monserrat Monastery. Photo by: Elena Kharichkina/Adobe Stock
Our next stop comes at the end of a 3 hour drive. The drive from Barcelona to Valencia is not the most scenic that you will encounter on this trip. There are however some nice towns en route and lots of opportunities for pit-stops and picnics. Tarragona is our pick of the towns to stop at on the way. You might want to get more miles under your belt before you take a break though.
Day 3-6
Valencia is on the up. Its blend of culture and cosmopolitan feel make it a great city to visit. There’s a historic Old Town, a patchwork of intruiging streets, bars and cafés and a thriving nightlife to enjoy. There’s also another fantastic cathedral to visit, but if you’re feeling a little cathedraled out then the Oceanografic is the place to go. One of the most popular attractions in Valencia, it is one of the most state of the art facilities of its kind in the world. Make sure you allow plenty of time to explore all that it has to offer.
Heading out of Valencia towards Granada takes us along the coast, before cutting inland and over the jaw-dropping Sierra Nevada Mountains. This is the longest leg of our trip and at 5 hours total driving time, you may want to take a few days over this section.
As we travel along the coast you will pass the ever popular Alicante and Murcia. Both of these cities are thriving and have lots to offer. To break up the drive it might be worth taking your time to soak up what these cities have to offer. The landscape here is great, but the most photographic backdrops are yet to come!
Travelling past Murcia you will cut inland and over The Sierra Nevada Mountains, which are snow-capped for most of the year and give you the impression that you’re in a film set. The roads here will be a lot quieter than you experienced on the coast. Again there is no need to worry about suitable picnic areas, but we would suggest you take food with you as it can be hard to find somewhere good to buy it.
Rio Turia fountain. Photo by: Sergii Figurnyi/Adobe Stock
Day 7-9
As you’ve crossed the Sierra Nevada, Granada will approach on the horizon. The majority of the driving is now complete and you’ll be primed for a relaxing evening. The surrounding area provides a dramatic backdrop to the town. Alongside the Moorish Baths, archaeological museum and the world famous Alhambra, make Granada a must visit.
When you feel like it’s time to move on from Granada, you need to get back on the road towards Gibraltar. The drive is just over 2 hours, but there are a multitude of things to see and do on the way. Make sure that you allocate some time to exploring Malaga. It has some amazing seafood restaurants that can revive any weary traveller. Also, if food is your thing, the mountain village of Benahavis, just west of Marbella, also known as the ‘dining room’ is the perfect detour.
Day 10
As you make your way past Estepona, Gibraltar will start to loom on the horizon. We would recommend that you don’t drive into Gibraltar. As strange as it may seem, there is little parking in the town and it’s expensive when you do come across it! It’s best to leave your car at an underground car park at the airport and either catch the regular buses or walk for 10 minutes into town. The town itself is a pleasant way to end your trip. There are amazing restaurants and heaps of history to uncover. A trip to the ‘Top of the Rock’ is well worth it, where you can see all the way to Morocco.
Gibraltar. Photo by: Mik Man/Adobe Stock
Driving Barcelona to Gibraltar
So that’s it. What a trip. If this is something you have done, in full or in parts, we’d love to hear from you. Have we missed anything? What’s the best thing you saw? Any driving tips? Share your experiences with us in the comments below. If this is something you are planning to do, be sure to check out our car hire rates in Spain and learn how to keep down your costs with our tips for avoiding bank charges abroad.
Nicholas Ferns from Economy Car Hire
Make sure you follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest travel tips and news. Remember to sign up to our newsletter below for the latest deals.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Want our blogs emailed direct to you? Sign up below to get updates featuring our blogs and car hire top tips. Receive the best deals on car hire straight to your inbox.
Thanks for the inspiration.
Brilliant , very helpful.
Great article, t hank you! Was this a one-way care rental or returned back to Barcelona? thanks again.
Shawn
Hi there, what is the visa situation like at the border (particularly if you intend to walk across, like you suggested?). I’m a South African planning to visit Spain and do this exact road trip during part of my holiday. My concern with Gibraltar is a) getting a visa for there and b) being able to get back into Spain. Everywhere I read, it’s made to seem like a simple stroll inside for a day and back you go. Is it because of having EU passport?
Good afternoon,
If you don’t have an EU passport, certain nationalities are required to have a visa for entry into Gibraltar. If your passport is South African, you need a visa to present along with your passport at the border. You can find out more information here – https://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/new/visas-and-immigration
Kind regards,
Jessica
Zest Car Rental
Barcelona is so remarkable I cannot wait to get back again
There’s so much to see and do in Barcelona. I have to see more next time