Highlights
- Get authentic cultural experiences, like flamenco and ancient baths, in Seville
- Visit the charming mountain villages in the Las Alpujarras region
- Hike in two national parks: El Tocal with its rocks and Doñana with its beaches
- Taste traditional tapas in both Seville and Málaga
Brief Itinerary
| Day | Highlights | Overnight |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Arrive in Seville, Tapas & Flamenco Experience | Seville |
| Day 2 | Seville Guided Walk with the Cathedral & Alcázar, Ancient Baths | Seville |
| Day 3 | Drive to Jerez de la Frontera, Doñana National Park Visit | Jerez |
| Day 4 | Food Market & Local Culture, Drive to Ronda, Live Spanish Guitar Show | Ronda |
| Day 5 | Drive to Granada, El Torcal National Park, Evening Tour of the Albaicín | Granada |
| Day 6 | Granada, Alhambra & Generalife Gardens, Taste of Granada Walk | Granada |
| Day 7 | Drive to Las Alpujarras, Self-Guided Hiking in Las Alpujarras | Las Alpujarras |
| Day 8 | Drive to Málaga, Treasure Hunt in Málaga | Málaga |
| Day 9 | Taste of Málaga Tapas Walk, Self-Guided Beach Day | Málaga |
| Day 10 | Depart Málaga |
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Seville, Tapas & Flamenco Experience
Welcome to Seville! After picking up your rental car from the airport, you'll drive to your accommodation in the city center. Take some time to settle in, then enjoy a cultural experience with a local private guide, combining tapas and flamenco in Seville. You'll stroll through one of the city's charming neighborhoods, watching an authentic flamenco performance and tasting traditional tapas and wine. This activity allows you to dig deep into Spanish culture from the very start.
Flamenco was born in Andalusia, so Seville's historic Jewish Quarter and Triana districts are excellent places to experience a genuine show that locals love. You'll start by strolling through one of the neighborhoods, learning about architecture and history from Romans, Arabs, Christians, Muslims, and more, ending at an authentic theater for your flamenco show. Afterward, enjoy a typical Spanish evening with new friends, conversation, tapas, and wine at two family-run taverns.
Day 2: Guided Walk with the Cathedral & Alcázar, Ancient Baths
In the morning, you'll meet your guide and start with a quick, guided walk through Seville, focusing on its charming historical center. Here you'll learn about the city's 2,000 years of history, stopping at many essential monuments that tell Seville's unique and diverse story. Highlights include strolling through the Jewish Quarter and checking out the picturesque Plaza de España. Then, you'll visit Seville's most important monuments: Seville Cathedral and the Royal Alcázar.
Skip the long lines and enjoy a personalized experience that digs deep into the city's history and cultural heritage. Start at the cathedral (the world's largest Gothic cathedral and a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and climb the bell tower, La Giralda, for incredible city views. Then make your way to the Alcázar, a royal palace commissioned for King Peter of Castile, replacing the original Moorish fortress and offering one of the country's best examples of Mudejar architecture.
Day 3: Drive to Jerez de la Frontera, Doñana National Park Visit
Though a drive from Seville to your next destination of Jerez de la Frontera typically only takes about an hour, you have the perfect opportunity to visit one of Andalusia's hidden sites. Doñana National Park is home to one of the most picturesque wetlands in Spain, plus lots of beaches, hiking routes, cycling paths, wildlife, and educational centers. If you want an active experience besides hiking and cycling, you can also spend your time horseback riding, kayaking or canoeing, and wildlife watching.
After spending time in the park, you'll continue your drive to Jerez de la Frontera and settle into your accommodation. Afterward, enjoy a self-guided walk through the city. Upon booking, you'll receive all the information you need to make the most of your evening in the city. Some highlights include tasting sherry and visiting cultural gems like the Jerez Cathedral, Alcázar, and the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.
Day 4: Food Market & Local Culture, Drive to Ronda, Live Spanish Guitar Show
Before leaving Jerez de la Frontera, spend your morning experiencing its local culture and food scene. Your guide will take you through the preserved historic center, declared a historic-artistic site, stopping to visit iconic buildings and monuments. One of your stops includes the city's main food market, Mercado Central de Abastos, to learn about local gastronomy and taste a few delicacies.
Next, continue your road trip and consider stopping at a few famed white villages—charming hilltop towns with lots of culture and history. The official "Route of the White Villages" passes through too many towns to complete in one day, but upon booking, you'll receive all the details to maximize your time. Some possible stopping points include villages like Arcos de la Frontera, Zahara de la Sierra, and Setenil de las Bodegas. Read more about the route between Jerez de la Frontera and Ronda here.
After settling into your accommodation in Ronda, you'll enjoy a live, traditional Spanish guitar concert with Ronda Guitar Music. You'll listen to the relaxing sound in a beautiful venue at Casa Don Bosco, a modernist-style mansion built at the beginning of the 20th century. This historic house provides exceptional acoustics and impressive views over Ronda and its cliffs—an atmospheric backdrop to a top musician's strumming of Spanish guitars.
Day 5: Drive to Granada, El Torcal National Park, Evening Tour of the Albaicín
Today's destination is Granada, but check out the details for a drive between Ronda and Granada here. You have the option to make a few stops, including El Torcal National Park, known for its unique rock formations. You'll have to choose between two routes, both stopping at the unique lookout point at Mirador del Guarda Forestal and in the beautiful town of Antequera. One adds the infamous Caminito del Rey hiking trail and the other stops at the incredible rock formations in El Torcal.
You can always enjoy the route and its scenery. Still, if you're interested in hiking, you can brave the Caminito del Rey, a route following a 2,000-foot (700-m) high path along the Guadalhorce River's canyon. If that's a little too intimidating, make your way to El Torcal and enjoy a gentler trek through this World Heritage Site, filled with picturesque karst formations dating back to the Jurassic Era.
Once you arrive in Granada, you'll enjoy a relaxed exploration of the Albaicín district, Granada's former Moorish quarter. Your guide will show you how this medieval Islamic city within a city has kept its identity in the modern age, explaining its social history and character in an anecdotal style. You'll stop at five different viewpoints (many with stunning vistas of the Alhambra Palace), admire churches, enjoy the cobbled streets scented with flowers and gardens, and end with a drink and tapas with your guide.
Day 6: Granada, Alhambra & Generalife Gardens, Taste of Granada Walk
Chat with a local specialist who can help organize your trip.
Today is about the city's fascinating history, starting with a walk and private visit to Granada's Alhambra and Generalife Gardens, the second-most visited monument in the country. A professional guide will cater the tour to your interests and lead you through the city's old Arabic Quarter with charming stone streets detailing its history. Enjoy stopping at several viewpoints and historic buildings.
Then, head into the complexes and the Nasrid Dynasty, steeped in thousands of years of history. Walking through palaces, courtyards, halls, chapels, and gardens, your guide will explain how Granada, once the last bastion of Al-Andalus (the Iberian Peninsula under Muslim rule), maintained these landmarks throughout history, even when transitioning from the Moors to the Christians.
Day 7: Drive to Las Alpujarras, Self-Guided Hiking in Las Alpujarras
Today's drive takes you from Granada to the Las Alpujarras region, a beautiful and culturally rich area with numerous villages and hiking trails. Your destination is the town of Capileira. Although the route takes about 1.5 hours, curving around the Sierra Nevada mountain range, driving into the park, and stopping atop Veleta, a mountain peak with an observation deck, is recommended. There are also a few eateries at the top and many hiking opportunities.
But you don't need to stick to Veleta for hiking, as the area has many trails. Most recommended hiking routes start from or near the villages of Capileira and Bubión, though there are a few other options. After booking, you'll get all the information needed to enjoy a hike in Las Alpujarras, whether you prefer an easy loop with views or a more challenging trek, such as the Three Bridges hike along the Poqueira River.
Day 8: Drive to Málaga, Private Treasure Hunt in Málaga
On the final stretch of your road trip, you'll drive to Màlaga, usually a two-hour journey. But you can take advantage of your route by stopping in Trevélez, one of the most charming villages in Las Alpujarras. Enjoy the town's historic sites, including a 17th-century church and hermitage. You can hike around the village or stroll through the streets and enjoy the vistas. It's also a great spot to have some regional tapas.
Next, continue to your accommodation in Málaga and get ready for a fun evening discovering the city in a unique and fun way. You'll start with a private treasure hunt through Málaga using a GPS device, an adventure kit, and plenty of clues to help you move around the city. You'll visit important sites and look for hidden clues to solve puzzles at each location, while a helpful guide and book provide interesting facts and cultural information. In the end, you'll be able to open the secret treasure box!
Day 9: Taste of Málaga Tapas Walk, Self-Guided Beach Day
On your final full day in Spain, start by genuinely embracing Málaga's food scene with a proper tapear (tapas walk). Enjoy experiencing one of Spain's most popular customs, bringing people out on the street as they enjoy drinks and bites of shared food with friends. With your guide leading the way through Málaga's picturesque and historic center, you'll watch this custom come to life (and enjoy it yourself), revealing Spain's lively and flavorful history.
Now, it's time to enjoy one of the best perks of the Costa del Sol: its beaches. You'll find a few options for municipal beaches in the city's center, including the popular Playa de la Malagueta. For other nearby beaches, the city has a fairly user-friendly bus line that hugs the coast to the north and a metro line that covers the south.
But if you'd like to experience some of the beaches along the Mediterranean Sea, consider using your rental car. As a self-guided beach day, we'll detail all the options so you can choose which beaches are best for you. Some are better suited for families, whereas others are great for couples or offer more privacy. A few recommended options include Marbella's beach resorts, Nerja with its idyllic coves and inlets, and the beaches within the Cliffs of Maro, a nature preserve.
Day 10: Depart Málaga
It's time to catch your flight out of Málaga Airport. The journey from the city center to the airport takes about 15 to 20 minutes, but give yourself plenty of time to return your rental car and get through security. Safe travels!
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