#ROADTRIP 7 Days in Andalusia (Mediterranean Coast)
Visit Andalusia in 7, 10 or 15 days in a campervan VW California. Discover our road trip selection in Andalusia and take advantage of our suggestions, good plans, favourites.
Day 1: Nerja.
Start from the agency VanBreak to the east of Malaga driving along the coast, direction, the beautiful city of Nerja. The centre of the city is very enjoyable, you cannot miss the “balcon de Europa” and its unobstructed view of the Mediterranean. To spend the night, we recommend you the heights of the beach las Alberquillas or the beach of La Herradura.
Frigiliana: an unmissable White Village
Take advantage of the opportunity to visit the white village of Frigiliana, un small hidden paradise, situated at 7 km north of Nerja. Frigiliana is today considered as one of the most beautiful white villages of the Costa del Sol. With its narrow streets and the simplicity of its whitewashed houses, Frigiliana is a relaxing stop.
Our favourite: eating a good paella in the Bola Marina restaurant on the beach of Cantarrijan in front of the sea, delightful.
Day 2/3: Cabo de Gata
Breakfast on the beach before leaving for the natural park of Cabo de Gata in the east point of Andalusia. Cabo de Gata is probably the only coast area of the Mediterranean remaining completely virgin. The park is, by the way, protected and declared reserve of the biosphere by the UNESCO since 1997.
Cabo de Gata: Nature, Beach and Desert
This area of Spain is really fabulous, the setting is arid, and you simply feel like you are on the other side of the world. There is even a famous desert, the one of Tabernas where many Spaghetti Westerns have been filmed… A good place to spend the night? The playa of la Fabriquilla. It is also a good starting point for nice trips in Kayak if this interests you: http://www.happykayak.com/
Our favourite: A “Happy Kayak” excursion for an unforgettable trip in kayak + snorkelling to discover many fish species that populate this natural park.
The most beautiful beaches of Andalusia
This natural park is composed of many splendid beaches. Here you have some examples: Playa de Mónsul, Playa de los Genoveses, Playa de la Media Luna. Attention, to reach these 3 wonderful beaches, there is a fee of 5€ for entry to the car park and it is not possible to stay overnight. Therefore, we suggest you two nice spots to stay the night without any problem and in front of the sea in your California Campervan: Playa del Arco and Playa el Playazo de Rodalquilar which is really perfect. Moreover, you can practice activities like snorkelling, paddle surf – available for rent (watch the demo)- and bathing.
Our favourite: the small village of la Isleta del Moro.
Days 4/5: Granada
We recommend parking in a covered car park in the outskirts of the city centre because the streets of Granada are very narrow, maybe the narrowest of Andalusia. This way, you can walk around in the streets, discover many squares, each one more charming than the one before, and enjoy this particular atmosphere that reigns in the city.
The majestic Alhambra
We recommend, of course, visiting the majestic Alhambra on the heights of the city. It is the most visited site of Spain before the Sagrada Familia of Barcelona, that’s why you must anticipate the ticket purchase online on the website “www.ticketmaster.es”. Plan for a visit of around 3 hours. Because of its mix of cultures, the architecture is simply extraordinary. Depending on the season of your visit, you will see the snowed summits of Sierra Nevada bordering the city. A viewpoint you cannot miss is the “balcon de San Nicolas”. The gypsy district of Albaicin is also very enjoyable. In many bars of the city, if you order a beer, you will receive a tapa for free, an old tradition unique and proper to the city of Granada. You can stay the night in a camping close to the city centre: camping Motel Sierra Nevada.
We recommend spending 2 days in Granada to have enough time to enjoy quietly the Alhambra and have one day to visit the city.
Favourites: the Nazaries palaces and the Gardens of the Alhambra. The district of Albaicin, paseo de los Tristes and the plaza Nueva. Listening to Flamenco in Sacromonte. Where to eat: warm and authentic setting: Bodegas Castañeda.
Day 6: Antequera / El Torcal
Next stop of your road trip on board your campervan Vanbreak, the city of Antequera and the nature park of el Torcal.
Antequera is like living a unique experience. Situated at the intersection of all the roads of Andalusia, and longer preserved from the mass tourism, this beautiful city gets its originality from a mix of Moorish, Roman, Muslim and Baroque architectures. A real open-air museum, on a crossroads of civilizations. Enjoy the archaeological wonders of more than 5000 years as well as the dolmens site of Antequera (Dolman de Viera & Dolmen del Romeral).
Natural site of El Torcal: Beautiful and Mineral
The Nature Site of El Torcal extends on almost 20 km. Crossing El Torcal is like going back in time, as its rocky formations are the result of a several hundred million year process. The erosion created many caves and shaped the Dolmens. A walk outside of time in a surprising setting. You can spend the night close to the “centro de visitants El Torcal Alto”. If you have kids, they will surely appreciate a visit to the “Lobo Parc” to see the wolfs.
Favourites: hiking in search of fossils. Guided visit of the ammonites’ itinerary.
Day 7: Malaga
What better to finish your road trip than discover the capital of the Costa del Sol: Malaga. This city on the rise offers you a big diversity of activities.
Malaga : The queen of the Costa del Sol
To make parking easier, opt for the car park of the port “Muelle Uno” to get to the city centre – under the Pompidou centre- The promenade along the marina and its high summer activity shows how dynamic this city is. Cross the “Parque de Málaga” to reach the heart of the town from Calle Larios, admire Constitución square and cross the very typical bar El Pimpi, admire the famous Roman Theatre. Then, head for the “Terraza de la Alcazaba”, the most beautiful roof top in the city, where you will have an unobstructed view of the fortress of Alcazaba, with a cocktail in your hands. The Alcazaba can be visited in more or less 2 hours for 2€, a mini Alhambra. You will have a splendid high view of the whole city.
Malaga also has 2 interesting cultural places: The Picasso Museum (painter’s home city) and the Pompidou Centre. For the first night’s stay, we suggest the beach of la Herradura next to the restaurant La Gaviota, which is situated east of Malaga, just after Nerja. It is around 1h15 ride from Malaga. This is a spot you have to opt for out of season. In July and August, you have to choose more isolated spots or in land, the white village of Frigiliana is a perfect example (a typical Andalusian village North of Nerja).
Favourites: In Malaga, drinking a cocktail on the roof top of the San Juan hotel in the middle of the historical centre. Taking a walk in the exotic garden “el paseo del parque”. Savour some grilled sardines (espetos) in the “chiringuitos” (beach bars) of la Malagueta.
Check Out
Once you arrive to Alhaurín de la Torre, you can clean your campervan in the petrol station situated at less than 10min from the agency: Petrol Station Hidrocarburos Alhaurín
