Hi all I will be going to Spain this April for the first time, we will be in Andalucia for two weeks flying into Sevilla and out of Malaga. I have my itinerary all planned out and was just going to use trains and busses to get around. But we decided to rent a car after we leave Sevilla and drive it to Granada to drop it off. In between I was planning spending one night in Arcos and two nights in Ronda. I was just wondering what are some other interesting things we should see while driving around that area? Any recommendations and can’t miss things ?
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6792 posts
Good choice to rent the car to allow you to include a few of the white hill towns. Also a good choice to spend the night - the towns are better after the day-trip crowds disappear. One bit of advice: as much as Arcos is lovely (and it is), don't drive that car up there; park it in the lot at the base of the hill and take a taxi up to the high town. Once you're up there you will be glad that you left the car below. It's a lovely area, you will enjoy it!
Posted by
Washington DC
28120 posts
Two other towns people often try to see are Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra. There are others, but you certainly don't need to see all of them. Ronda and Arcos are a lot larger than Grazalema and Zahara; they can keep you busy for quite a long time.
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
AEN86 - You may want to stop in the pueblos blancos town of Antequera. It has a moorish fortress called the Alcazaba. It has a beautiful church and it's very close to Málaga too. You can also venture off to the town of Grazalema and the drive through Parque Natural de la Sierra de Grazalema is stunning.
Posted by
Sevilla
1297 posts
Acinipo is fairly close to Ronda and might be worth a detour arriving or departing.
I'd agree Antequera is the obvious stop driving from Ronda to Granada. There's a lot to see, but you might just stop outside the centre to visit the dolmens. Antequera is a good stop for lunch too.
Loja would be another option.
I recommend you take the internal route rather than the coastal one to Granada.
Posted by
Oregon
650 posts
I suggest Setenil de las Bodegas. It's a semi-troglodyte white hill town not far from Ronda. One the the streets includes natural tunnel, and many of the houses and some shops are built out of shallow caves. It's really built into both sides of a steep valley rather a hilltop. There's a public parking garage tucked under town with an elevator up. It won't take you more the an hour or two, the town itself in the sight. Google images should give you a pretty good idea what to expect.
Posted by
OP
Illinois USA
26 posts
Thank you all for your responses I really look forward to it and am gonna look up these towns in my guidebook k bought the Michelin map to help guide me as well. I really am excited to see the cities and the sites there but I love seeing small towns and nature as well and like it for maybe a change of pace. This is my first time to Spain as well as Europe so very excited for the trip
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
Well AEN86, you will definitely enjoy Andalusia. It is the pearl of Southern Spain. The architecture, flamenco, moorish palaces, roman ruins, gorgeous beaches, cuisine, and pueblos blancos. Bar none, the best part of Spain. It captivated my heart when I first visited the area 5 years ago and I have been returning every year since then.
Enjoy your trip!
Posted by
OP
Illinois USA
26 posts
Yes I cannot wait it was the area of Europe that I wanted to visit most so my wife and decided to go their I am so excited to go now just getting everything finalized
Posted by
New York, NY
1586 posts
Believe me, you will have a blast. Just take it all in and indulge yourself in Andalusian culture. You will create some great lifetime memories touring that region of Spain. I make it a ritual to return every year that's how much i love that place. I am even thinking of purchasing a retirement home in one of those pueblos blancos towns, lol.