THEAndalusia it is Spain par excellence. This region concentrates everything that is typically Spanish: the conviviality of tapas, the passion of flamenco, the rite of bullfighting, the sacredness of the solemn processions of Semana Santa, the unbridled joy of the ferias and lots and lots of sun.
A holiday in Andalusia it is a dream gift that you have to give yourself at least once in your life: to live it to the fullest, the ideal is to make a round a slap, moving between various locations.
Organize a tour in Andalusia it may not seem easy given the breadth of the region and the impressive amount of things to see and do among beaches, traditional villages, historic cities, Arab architecture, Roman ruins, natural parks, trekking routes ...
But precisely this variety and richness are sources of great enthusiasm and joy: with the right information, you can decide stages of your itinerary in Andalusia it will not be a source of anxiety but on the contrary a very pleasant activity that will make you feel like you are already on vacation.
Below you will find all information to organize a tour in Andalucia on your own: means of getting around, best period, costs, city of departure, must-see attractions, recommended itineraries, useful tips and more.
How to get around in Andalusia
If your holiday in Andalusia is not a weekend in a single city or a lazy beach holiday where the only transfers are from the hotel to the nearest beach, we strongly recommend that you rent a car.
Traveling by public transport in Andalusia it is technically possible but in reality very difficult. Only the most famous locations can be reached by bus, and trains are even more scarce. Many lines are only in operation in the summer or maybe only on weekdays.
Getting around Andalusia by bus or train forces you to plan each stage with extreme care and to give up many of the most beautiful places; also you will have to waste a lot of time waiting for the means. Much better the rental car, thanks to which you can go wherever you want, when you want.
When to go to Andalusia
Despite the torrid temperatures that can put a strain on your endurance (reaching 40 ° is quite frequent and in the central hours in the hottest cities there are also peaks of 50 °), the months of July and August are those with the highest influx of visitors. This leads to higher prices for flights and hotels.
Due to the sweltering heat and higher prices, it is not recommended to visit Andalusia in July and August; on the other hand, if you travel in the summer you can count on many popular festivals, including the famous Feria de Malaga, which will add charm and fun to your holiday.
I best months to visit Andalusia are May-June and September-October. During these times the temperatures are warm but not stifling, the prices drop and you will find fewer tourists around.
Another recommended time to visit Andalusia it is Easter week: you can attend the solemn celebrations and live an exciting experience like a local. If you choose this period, book well in advance because the Andalusian Semana Santa is internationally famous and attracts many visitors.
How long does it take to visit Andalusia
Andalusia is a very large region: consider that it takes more than 4 hours to move from the easternmost city (Almeria) to the westernmost city (Huelva), without stopping and without detours inland.
The ideal length of a holiday in Andalusia depends a lot on your interests; the good thing, however, is that the region is so rich in attractions that if you have little time available you can limit your itinerary to just one area and still have plenty to see and do.
Another way to optimize your time is to do a linear rather than circular itinerary, i.e. arriving at one airport (for example Malaga) and departing from another (for example Seville). This saves you the time to travel to your departure airport. The disadvantage is that a more expensive solution, because to deliver the rental car to a location other than the departure one you will have to pay a surcharge.
In general for a tour of Andalusia it is recommended at least a week. This is the time it takes to calmly see 2 or 3 main cities and villages and attractions along the route that connects them. If you have a couple of days more, you can add another city and a little sea.
From two weeks on, you can take it easy, spend more time on little-known attractions and fully enter the Andalusian lifestyle.
Where to start a tour of Andalusia
The recommended cities to start a tour of Andalusia are Malaga and Seville because they are the ones that offer the most low cost flights. You can also find flights to Granada, but they are less frequent and the offers are generally less advantageous.
How much does an Andalucia tour cost
The good news: Andalusia is not an expensive destination, in fact it is one of the cheapest regions in Spain.
Prices go up in the big cities and in the high season (Easter week, July-August and in Seville for the Feria de Abril), but once you leave the popular tourist routes you can sleep in delicious casas rurales and have a feast of tapas and cerveza spending very little.
When calculating the budget of the holiday, take into account how many museums and monuments you intend to visit: some have a low price or are even free, but for the most famous ones such as the Alhambra, charge an entrance ticket of 10-15 euros. .
As for the roads, however, the cost is very low because you almost never have to pay the toll. The only ones toll motorway sections in Andalusia I'm:
- AP-4 Seville-Cadiz
- AP-46 Alto de las Pedrizas-Malaga
- AP-7 Malaga-Estepona
- AP-7 Estepona-Guadiario
For each of these there are free alternatives with state and regional roads, obviously a bit slower.
Which places to visit during a tour in Andalusia
What kind of tour do you want to do? Before starting to plan the itinerary of your Andalusian tour, think locally about the type of experience you want to do and choose the stops accordingly.
To help you in your choice we have listed below the most famous places in Andalusia divided by type:
- city: Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga.
- white villages: Ronda, Antequera, Alcalá del Valle, Setenil de las Bodegas, Olvera, Zahara de la Sierra, Arcos de la Frontera.
- Beach resorts: Marbella, Torremolinos, Tarifa, Fuengirola, Bologna, Conil de la Frontera.
- nature and trekking: Sierra Nevada, Caminito del Rey, Sierra de Grazalema, National Park of Doñana, Natural Park of Cabo de Gata-Nijar.
- food and wine tourism: sherry triangle (Border Sherry, The Port of Santa Maria, Sanlucar of Barrameda).
Our interactive map can give you another help in establishing the stages of our itinerary: at a glance you will have all the must-see attractions in Andalusia.
Recommended itineraries
Not sure where to start to create your Andalucia tour? Here are some proposals for car itinerary in Andalusia, designed for those who want to see the best of this magnificent region.
Classic route of Andalusia
The classic itinerary that we propose is a complete tour of central Andalusia that touches the main cities and the most beautiful villages. It takes ten days to walk it all, stopping in each city long enough to calmly visit all the cultural attractions.
Here are the tappe: Malaga and city beaches (2 days), Ronda and Antequera (1 day), Granada (2 days), Cordoba (2 days), Seville (3 days), Malaga.
Sea and culture itinerary in Andalusia
Our sea and culture itinerary in Andalusia allows you to combine relaxing days on the beach and visits to villages and cultural attractions.
It takes place in the provinces of Malaga, Seville and Cadiz and a week is enough to cover it all. With a little more time you can make stops to visit the villages along the way.
Here are the tappe of the itinerary: Malaga: visit of the cities and city beaches (2 days), Antequera and Ronda (1 day), Seville (2 days), El Puerto de Santa Maria (1 day), Tarifa (1 day), Malaga.
White Towns Itinerary
To get to know the most authentic Andalusia, concentrate your tour in the fascinating hinterland, dotted with characteristic villages with traditional white-walled houses. Small independent worlds, where life passes slowly and time seems to have stopped.
La Route of the White Villages is an on the road itinerary that takes you to discover about twenty of the most beautiful towns in Andalusia. To walk it takes a couple of days, but we recommend taking more time to savor the magical atmosphere of these places.
For detailed information on the itinerary and the attractions to visit at each stage, visit our in-depth page Itinerary de los Pueblos Blancos.
Useful information for visiting Andalusia
To fully enjoy your tour of Andalusia, without any anxiety or stress, there are a couple of things that you should know before leaving.
Opening time
One factor that should be taken into account when planning a tour of Andalusia is the orari di apertura of shops, restaurants and museums. Because?
Andalusia seems to have its own time zone, and in fact it is a bit like this: the time is the Spanish one, but from a geographical point of view, thinking in terms of meridians, it should have the same time zone as London .
Add to this the scorching summer temperatures that make any activity in the middle of the day practically impossible.
Result? Andalusians get up late, take a long siesta in the afternoon and finish work very late. If you leave the house at 9 in the morning it is possible that you still find deserted streets and closed bars; likewise don't try to enter the shop at 3pm. On the other hand, the light lasts a long time and you will have no problem finding a restaurant open at 10 pm.
Petrol station
The second very important factor to consider when taking a road tour of Andalusia is the refueling. Never travel with little petrol because it is not uncommon, especially in the hinterland, to find long stretches of road without a petrol station.
Driving in Andalusia
Driving in Andalusia it is generally easy. All major cities and seaside resorts are easily accessible thanks to excellent road links fast scrolling.
The situation is a bit different for the inland villages, which can be reached by following winding and sometimes steep secondary roads. It will take you a little more attention, but driving the narrow streets of the hinterland is one of the most beautiful experiences you can have in Andalucia. Enchanting landscapes will flow before your eyes and you will be able to see hidden gems that tourists on organized tours will never be able to see.
We advise you not to use the car to drive inside the villages. The historic centers have very narrow streets, parking spaces are few and sometimes close to very steep climbs: it is better to leave the car at the hotel and walk around. The same advice, albeit for different reasons, also applies in large cities.
Before booking the rental car it is advisable to pay attention to the clauses of the.. It is always good to choose comprehensive insurance that covers all damage in the event of an accident.
