If you are exploring your first driving tour, then the Andalucian region of southern Spain is a great option. This trip has become well known for many reasons, but mostly because it can be a laid back route that has much to offer. Here, we will look at some of the highlights in more detail.
Getting to Andalucia
To get to the start of the driving tour you should fly into Malaga Airport. The trip starts from Malaga, which is right on the southern coast. The great thing about getting to the area is that you will find an abundance of low cost flights to Spain with the many budget carriers that operate holiday flights. If you cannot find something suitable at Malaga Airport, then you can also look for flights to Seville.
Andalucia Driving Route
This route has many variations but the main one runs from Malaga, Ronda, Seville, Carmona, Cordoba, Jaen, Granada, through the Sierra Nevada mountain range and back into Malaga. This is why it is a good idea to get flights into Malaga and hire a car from this airport.
Driving Distances and Times
If you choose to use the conventional route, then here are the driving distances and a rough estimate of the amount of time it should take you to get from one city to another.
- Malaga – Ronda – this journey will take roughly one hour and forty minutes at just under 65 miles. To get to Ronda use the A357 and A367.
- Ronda – Seville – this journey takes roughly two hours at just under 80 miles. This journey can be done on the A-375.
- Seville – Carmona – this is a short journey at just under 20 miles, which will take no longer than half an hour.
- Carmona – Cordoba – this is another short journey at 54 miles, which will take you just over an hour.
- Cordoba – Jaen – this journey will see you hit the north-most section at Andujar. At just over 72 miles and taking less than one hour and three quarters this journey uses the A4 and A311.
- Jaen – Granada – this southern journey uses the A44 for 59 miles. This should take no more than one hour and ten minutes.
- Granada – Sierra Nevada – this is a short journey of just 12 miles taking no more than 10 minutes to get to the foot of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
- Sierra Nevada – Malaga – this journey is roughly 62 miles and should not take any longer than one hour and a half.
Accommodation in Andalucia
If you choose to do a five day driving trip through the Andalucian Region of Spain, you should stay in the following places; Malaga for one night either at the start or end of your trip, Ronda, Seville, Granada and the Sierra Nevada. If you intend to do this journey for a week, add Jaen and Cordoba as the two other destinations.
If you are driving around on a decent budget, here are some great three star hotels (or better) that you can stay in for one night:
- Malaga – Hotel Silken Puerta Malaga is a four-star hotel with some great reviews and year round deals. A double room for one night should not cost any more than £55.
- Ronda – the Hotel Parador de Ronda is a four-star hotel with some great ratings. A double room will set you back no more than £75 per night.
- Seville – the Hotel Sevilla Center should set you back no more than £50 a night for a double. This modern four-star hotel is less than a mile from the city centre.
- Granada – the Hotel Macia Real de la Alhambra is a fantastic four-star destination. At less than £50 per double per night this hotel is a bargain.
- Sierra Nevada – as expected, rooms up in the Sierra Nevada are more expensive. At £90 per double per night the Hotel La Almunia Del Valle is a great three star option.
Hopefully, this guide has given you some great ideas about how to take on your driving tour of the Andalucian Region. Remember, the best thing about a tour is you are in control of every move.
About the Author:
Martin Petersen is a travel blogger and writes for Go Travel Spain, a great source of information when planning your holiday to one of the most popular destinations in Europe.
