← Trips Andalucía · 16–23 Nov 2026

16 – 23 November

Andalucía

Seven days, one car, Málaga to Málaga

Málaga · Granada · Córdoba · Sevilla · Ronda · Gibraltar

Ronda, seen from above. Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Timing

November

Average high in Seville is around 20°C in November, versus mid-30s in August. Low season: cheaper hotels and rental cars, shorter queues at the Alhambra.

~20°C daytime

Cool enough to walk all afternoon, warm enough to eat outside.

Sunset ~18:15

Short days — mornings start early to fit the day in before dark.

Low season

Cheaper car and hotel rates, no Alhambra queues.

Route

One loop, no doubling back

Fly into Málaga, go inland to Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla, then south through the mountains back to the airport. Around 950 km total, longest single drive 2h15.

Satellite image of Andalucía with the route marked from Málaga through El Chorro, Granada, Córdoba, Sevilla, Ronda and Gibraltar back to Málaga Málaga El Chorro Granada Córdoba Sevilla Ronda Gibraltar / La Línea

Satellite imagery: Esri, Maxar, Earthstar Geographics. Route is schematic — follows the general road corridor, not the literal driving line.

Málaga

One night. Land, collect the car, sleep.

Granada

Two nights. Alhambra and the old town.

Córdoba

One night. The mosque.

Sevilla

Two nights. The full day.

Ronda

One night. Arrive for sunset.

Gibraltar sits on the way home from Ronda, so it costs no detour.

Tue 17 Nov · morning

Caminito del Rey

A walkway a metre wide, bolted to the wall of a gorge above the Guadalhorce river. Closed for fifteen years after a series of fatal accidents; reopened in 2015 with new railings.

7.7 km, one direction

Shuttle bus to the top, walk back down to the car.

About three hours

Lunch in Ardales after, then on to Granada.

Glass floor and rope bridge

Not for anyone nervous about heights.

The Caminito del Rey walkway bolted to a cliff face above the Guadalhorce gorge

Photo: Gabirulo, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

17 – 19 Nov · two nights

Granada

The last Moorish kingdom in Spain, handed over to the Catholic Monarchs in 1492.

The Patio de los Leones courtyard inside the Alhambra, Granada

The Alhambra

A full morning. Nasrid Palaces entry is timed — arrive on time.

Photo: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0

View of the Albaicín quarter of Granada from the Alhambra

The Albaicín

Old Moorish quarter; Mirador San Nicolás faces the Alhambra.

Photo: Ввласенко, CC BY-SA 3.0

Cave houses of the Sacromonte district in Granada

Sacromonte

Cave district; flamenco in the local zambra style.

Photo: Eunostos, CC BY-SA 4.0

19 – 20 Nov · one night

Córdoba

Red and white horseshoe arches inside a mosque that a cathedral was later built into the middle of.

The double-tiered horseshoe arches inside the Mezquita of Córdoba

The Mezquita

Free entry 08:30–09:30, Mon–Sat. Early, no queue.

Photo: Benjamin Smith, CC BY-SA 4.0

Ruins of the palace city of Medina Azahara near Córdoba

Medina Azahara

Ruined palace city outside town. Timed slot required.

Photo: José Luiz, CC BY-SA 3.0

The Roman bridge over the Guadalquivir river in Córdoba

Roman bridge

View back across the river at dusk.

Photo: kallerna, CC BY-SA 4.0

20 – 22 Nov · two nights

Sevilla

The city that gets the full day: Real Alcázar, the Giralda — a former minaret — and dinner around half past nine, in line with local hours.

The Jardín de las Damas gardens inside the Real Alcázar of Seville

Real Alcázar

Working royal palace; book the earliest slot, busy on Saturdays.

Photo: Martinvl, CC BY-SA 4.0

Plaza de España in Seville, its curved colonnade reflected in the moat canal

Plaza de España

Go at golden hour for the light.

Photo: Carlos Delgado, CC BY-SA 4.0

Calle Betis, a riverside street in the Triana district of Seville

Triana

Across the river — better prices, fewer tourists.

Photo: CarlosVdeHabsburgo, CC BY-SA 4.0

22 – 23 Nov · one night

The white villages, and Ronda

Mountain roads through the Sierra de Grazalema, three villages on the way, then a town split in two by a gorge a hundred metres deep.

Houses built under an overhanging rock shelf in Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil

Streets built under an overhanging shelf of rock.

Photo: Andrei Dimofte, CC BY 2.0

Zahara de la Sierra, a white village on a crag above a reservoir

Zahara de la Sierra

White houses on a crag above the reservoir.

Photo: Gzzz, CC BY-SA 4.0

The Puente Nuevo bridge spanning the deep gorge in Ronda

Puente Nuevo

Time the arrival for sunset over the gorge.

Photo: CEphoto, Uwe Aranas, CC BY-SA 3.0

Grazalema gets the most rain in Spain — drop it if wet.

Mon 23 Nov · last day

Gibraltar

Leave the car in Spain, walk across the border, land in Britain. Outside Schengen — a real border crossing both ways.

The Rock of Gibraltar seen from La Línea de la Concepción

Cable car up

Walk down through the caves and tunnels inside the Rock.

Photo: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0

A Barbary macaque on the Rock of Gibraltar

Barbary macaques

Europe's only wild monkeys — and bag thieves. Zip everything.

Photo: RedCoat, CC BY-SA 2.5

Passports, not ID cards. Back across the border by 16:45, hard rule.

16 – 23 November

The whole week

DayWhereThe day
Mon 16MálagaLand at quarter past eight, collect the car, sleep
Tue 17Caminito, then GranadaGorge walk in the morning, Alhambra at sunset
Wed 18GranadaAlhambra, Albaicín, cave flamenco
Thu 19CórdobaMountain road north, dusk on the Roman bridge
Fri 20Córdoba to SevillaMezquita at opening, Plaza de España at golden hour
Sat 21SevillaAlcázar, the Giralda, late dinner
Sun 22White villages, RondaSetenil, Zahara, Grazalema, sunset on the gorge
Mon 23Gibraltar, then homeThe Rock, then the nine o'clock flight

Status

Left to book

  1. Caminito del Rey — 17 Nov, official site, sells out weeks ahead
  2. Alhambra — 18 Nov, nominative tickets, matching passports
  3. Real Alcázar — 21 Nov, earliest slot
  4. Medina Azahara — 20 Nov, timed slot
  5. Rental car — full-to-full fuel, mostly manual
  6. Hotels — 5 bases, all need parking
  7. Seville flamenco + Saturday dinner

Zagreb → Málaga, 16 November, 17:00 · Málaga → Zagreb, 23 November, 21:00