When someone asks me about my favourite holiday and destination ever, I always mention Andalusia in the south of Spain. Even though my trip to for example Canada is high on the list, the roadmap through Andalusia has made an everlasting impression. This article will highlight the places we visited in a 2-week Andalusia itinerary in a detailed travel plan. Firstly, it is good to know that we visited the area around Christmas and New Year, which meant that we didn’t visit beaches and such in the area. Nevertheless, the weather was great and it was surely possible to relax on a terrace in the sun.
Andalusia is the perfect year-round destination as temperatures are also comfortable in the winter months. As mentioned, we visited Andalusia in December and enjoyed a lot of sun and temperatures around 20 degrees. Nevertheless, I personally wouldn’t visit Andalusia in the main summer months (July & August), as the cities get busier and temperatures might rise to 40 degrees.
The perfect way to get around Andalusia is by rental car. Similarly to many itineraries, renting a car gives you freedom and a road trip to the South of Spain is unforgettable. Alternatively, you can focus on the main cities in Andalusia and travel by public transport. Especially, the first part of the itinerary can easily be done by train, as direct trains run from Malaga to Granada, Granda to Cordoba and Cordoba to Seville. Unfortunately, after Seville, it gets slightly more difficult. You can still reach Jerez de la Frontera and Malaga, however, the smaller gems might have to be visited through tours.
Nerja (1 night)
Granada (2 nights)
Cordoba (2 nights)
Seville (3 nights)
Jerez de la Frontera (2 nights)
Vejer de la Frontera (1 night)
Ronda (1 night)
Visit the Caminito del Rey on the way to Malaga (2 nights)
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We started in Nerja, a smaller coastal village near Malaga as our first destination. Firstly, we drove (50 minutes) to the town and checked into our hotel straight from the airport. Afterwards, we discovered the boulevard, had a gin and tonic at El Mirador at Balcon de Europa and went for the first tapas dinner from the vacation. Additionally, we visited the Nerja Caves which are well worth a visit when into these activities.
Tip: Go kayaking with a sea kayak tour.
Hotel Tobosco Chapadril including an outdoor pool (starting at €60), Mena Plaza (€55), Villa Carmen (€65)
After a lovely night in Nerja, we drove 1 hour to our next destination. Granada was one of the highlights of the trip due to the diverse range of activities and sights in the city. Although the place is known for the famous Alhambra, the city has way more to offer. Of course, one of your mornings should be dedicated to this famous sight. Next to that, you can take in some Arabian influences and enjoy some lovely tapas (a piece of tapas comes free with every drink, can you believe that?!).
Check out my complete Granada city guide for the best things to do, see eat and drink.
Porcel Navas (€50), Casa del Capitel Nazarí (€60), Hotel Santa Isabel La Real (€150)
Next up in this 2-week Andalusia Itinerary is Cordoba, a 2-hour drive away from Granada. We’ve spent Christmas in Córdoba, although we have to admit that maybe wasn’t the best decision as many restaurants were closed or already fully booked. That aside, Córdoba is a lovely smaller city worth visiting. Firstly, the main sight is the Mezquita, which is a Mosque-Cathedral in the centre of Córdoba. Next to that, I’ve also really enjoyed just strolling around the little streets, and gardens and having some drinks with a view of the river and the bridge. Also, when heading from Granada to Córdoba, you could add a stop at Jaén.
Read more about this beautiful city in my short city guide.
Hotel Cordoba Center (€75), Eurostars Patios de Cordoba (€60), Patios del Orfebre (€50), H10 Palacio Colomera (€110)
After Granada, you can continue your Andalusia road trip with a 1.5-hour drive to Sevilla. Firstly, Seville is a lovely city with amazing tapas bars (think of the eldest tapas bar La Rinconcillo). Furthermore, there are great off-the-beaten-track neighbourhoods for a local experience. Moreover, you can’t miss out on the main tourist sights, such as the Plaza de España and Metropol Parasol. In my opinion, 3 nights in Sevilla is just right as you can treat the place as a separate city trip within your holiday.
Read everything you need to know about Seville in my Seville City Guide
Hotel Patio de las Cruces (€70), Hotel Cetina Sevilla (€90), Hotel Fernando III (€90), Basic Hotel Sevilla Catedral (€60).
After a 1-hour drive, we arrived in Jerez de la Frontera, the Andalusian city famous for its sherry. Therefore, our main activity in Jerez de la Frontera was visiting a bodega / doing a sherry tasting at Tio Pepe. Next to that, the somewhat larger city of Càdiz is only a short ride away from Jerez. Since we didn’t want to change hotels too often, we decided to stay for both nights in Jerez. Fortunately, We found ourselves a lovely hotel including a spa, where we could relax after a full day of exploring the area.
Learn all you need to know about Jerez de la Frontera in detailed guide
Soho Boutique Jerez & Spa (€65), La Gitanilla Alojamiento & Encanto Jerez (€60), Suites Alfonso X (€75), esZentrico Suites Jerez (€75)
The great pro of renting a car and doing a road trip in a certain area is of course the freedom. When driving around the Jerez / Vejer area, you can also visit Los Caños de Meca, a nice beach in the southwest of Spain. Also, Looking for a nice place to eat? Try La Breña! When driving around, you’ll also see some great countryside roads – which shows it is always worth setting Google Maps to avoid highways.
From Jerez, we drove 1-hour to Vejer de la Frontera, a beautiful white town. After some research, we decided to visit Vejer as ‘the white town’ part of our itinerary, which was a great idea. Even though there is not much to see, strolling around town rewards you with beautiful views. Next to that, you should have your dinner at the lovely restaurant El Jardin del Califa.
Read about everything you can do in this lovely village in this Vejer de la Frontera city guide.
La Botica de Vejer (€70), Casa Uva - Boutique Guest House (€85), Hotel Boutique V (€120)
One of the places I would recommend to quickly touch upon when driving to your next destination is Setenil de las Bodegas, a small village that is built under/within a cave. Actually, it is so small, that a lunch stop is good enough and it doesn’t necessarily need to be an overnight stay. Additionally, another spot to quickly pass by is Zahara de la Sierra, for amazing views and exploring a different side of Spain. Fortunately, you’ll pass both places when driving from Vejer de la Frontera to the next destination, Ronda.
Even though Ronda is a smaller village, it is well worth a visit. Ronda is mainly famous for the bridge that separates the old and the new part of the city. Because we didn’t want to rush our trip, we decided to stay in a nice apartment, with a great view. However, it would be possible to only explore Ronda on a day trip. Additionally, when staying the night, try some great tapas dinner at Tragatá.
Apartamentos Rondacentro (€80), Catalonia Ronda (€110), Boabdil Guesthouse (€65)
The perfect day trip from Malaga or your perfect stop on the way from Ronda to Malaga is the Caminito Del Rey, a famous cliff hike in Andalusia. Practically, the hike takes around 3 hours and buy a ticket beforehand based on your travel plan. Don’t forget to learn more about the hike that should be part of your ultimate 2-week Andalusia itinerary. It’s a real gem!
Click here to read the guide to hiking the Caminito del Rey
The final destination of the trip was Malaga – to finish the itinerary and travel route close to the airport. Personally, I was a little bit two-sided about Malaga. On the one hand, if I had to pick a city where I would live in Andalusia, this would be the one. However, on the other hand, I think it was my least favourite city on the trip, mainly because of the lack of unique things to see. However, what is awesome about Malaga is the fact that there is a beach including some nice beach bars and the tapas is great.
Homely Málaga Pozos Dulces 27 centro histórico (€80), Madeinterranea Suites (€105), Hotel Brö-Adults Recommended (€75)
