We'll be in Andalusia 14 days in February 2026. We have lodging in Cordoba, Granada and Sevilla as our bases. We want to include a day trip to Caminito del Rey. We prefer to take trains and buses, unless renting a car is more advisable. Which one of those three towns would be closest to Caminito del Rey? Would it be better to add a 4th base?
Posted by
Palm Springs area, CA. USA (winters)🌴☀️ Nomadic (Spring thru Fall)
3824 posts
I think many people do the Caminito from Ronda if you wanted to add it to your itinerary. You can also stay at La Garganta hotel right near the Caminito in El Chorro. We landed at Malaga airport and took Daytrips.com ride to El Chorro where we overnighted at La Garganta.
Posted by
6125 posts
This is the official site, where you will need info on ticketing: https://www.caminitodelrey.info/en
All three of those locations are two hours away by car, likely hopeless by public transport given access is scheduled, so I would build in another stop somewhere close, whether you intend to rent a car or book a private driver.
Someone posted fairly recently about the private transfer they used, so hopefully they will chime in if you cannot find it with a search. ETA It was Tammy, posting at the same time!
Posted by
NC
655 posts
For us, Caminito del Rey was a highlight of Andalucia! Access is timed and reservations, well in advance, are necessary. We drove from Malaga, did the hike, then visited Ronda briefly (uncomfortably crowded and touristy) and spent the night in the nearby white village of Arriate (where we had an exceptional meal at Taberna Malacana). We enjoyed walking at our own pace and apart from a group. If that is your preference, recommend that you choose to stay closer to Caminito del Rey than your three base cities so that you have that flexibility versus a rushed day trip.
Posted by
OP
24 posts
Based on the forum replies, we're thinking of:
Stay in Cordoba (3 nights), then train it to Granada.
Stay in Granada (3 nights), rent a car in Granada, drive straight south, then to Malaga via the coast.
Stay in Malaga (1 night), drive to Caminito del Rey next morning
Drive to Ronda or nearby town after Caminito and stay 1 night
Drive to Sevilla, drop off car and stay in Sevilla (4 nights)
Any thoughts? We will be traveling February 2026, so the heat will not be an issue, nor do we foresee swimming in the ocean, but still want to see the coast.
I do rely quite a bit on this forum as I've done my research here before traveling to Europe in the past and have received very good advice and recommendations. Thank you for that!