Must-Visit Cities on Your Round Trip in Andalusia august 16, 2024 – Posted in: Spain, Travel – Tags: Andalusia, Attractions, City Guide, Hiking, History, Holiday, Itinerary, Round Trip, Shopping, Spain, Vacation

Top Cities to Explore on Your Andalusian Journey

Planning a round trip in Andalusia? It’s good to know that Spain’s southernmost region has a city for every mood and every type of holiday. Whether you’re into beach vacations, historical excursions, or challenging hikes in the mountains, Andalusia has it all! Plus, the cuisine varies from city to city, with each region boasting its specialties. So, if you want to taste it all, you’ll need to explore different parts of Andalusia.

We certainly wanted to taste it all and see all the wonderful sights in Andalusia. In March 2023, we spent three weeks traveling around Andalusia. We had previously visited the regional capital Seville as well as Cadiz and Cordoba. We were so fascinated by Andalusia’s culture and history that we wanted to embark on a more extensive round trip in Andalusia. This time, we started in Seville and traveled counterclockwise; up into the mountains and out along the coast. Read more about the trip here: Ultimate Guide to an Andalusia Round Trip: Top Tips and Must-See Cities

It’s difficult to find a comprehensive article about Andalusia, especially one that details what each city has to offer and whether one should visit one place over another. We can’t help with the latter, but we’d love to provide an overview of the cities in Andalusia that we’ve visited. You can read it here, and the article is continuously updated as we’re far from done exploring Andalusia!

Andalusia – Much Larger Than You Think!

The region of Andalusia is covering an area of 87,268 km². The area stretches from Ayamonte in the west to Mojácar in the east. So, it’s not just a quick drive around the corner to see the Alhambra in Granada if you’re in Seville. Even if you have a car, that trip takes three hours.

There’s so much to see everywhere, and you definitely won’t be able to see it all in just a couple of weeks. Therefore, a bit of planning is required before you go. Start by deciding where you’ll land. Ryanair, for example, flies to both Malaga and Seville, and in our experience, it’s almost always cheapest to fly to Seville.

Getting Around Andalusia

Once you’ve landed, it’s easy to get around. We’ve put together a guide to public transport in Andalusia, which you can read here: How to get around Andalusia by bus and train.

You can use this guide to decide which cities you want to visit – or if you want to go somewhere entirely different. We also started with a very rough guide, where we wrote down the city names along the route we had chosen. Then followed some research on the various attractions the cities offered. From there, we could estimate how much time we’d need in each city – or if it should be put on the maybe list.

An Overview of Cities in Andalusia

Andalusia is often considered by many to be “the real” Spain. This is where you come to experience traditional flamenco and enjoy a sherry with a small tapa. You can experience this in other parts of Spain as well, but there is a special *duende*, a passionate way of life here, that we simply can’t get enough of!

As you can see below, we have visited quite a few cities in Andalusia by now. However, this list is constantly being updated as we are far from done traveling around the region.

We hope that the descriptions of the various cities, each with its own attractions, can help you choose where to spend your holiday. And if you come to love Andalusia as much as we do, just start working through the list!

Seville

We start in Seville, the capital of the region. Seville is a city we keep returning to because it embodies everything we love about Andalusia. Here, you can go on a Tapas Tour and hop from tapas bar to tapas bar with all the locals. Or you can enjoy the view from the beautiful Guadalquivir River down to the old Moorish tower, Torre del Oro.

One must-see is Plaza de España, one of the attractions we visit every time we are in the city. However, Seville is best enjoyed when you just sit down at one of the city’s many squares and soak in the lively atmosphere and the fantastic vibe of the city. Read all our articles about Seville – click here!

Carmona

Just east of Seville lies Carmona, one of the white villages. It’s about a 40-minute bus ride from Seville, making it perfect for a day trip from Seville to Carmona. The town was one of the main cities along the Roman road Via Augusta, and today, much of the Roman necropolis – the burial ground – and the amphitheater are preserved. In the Middle Ages, the town was under Moorish rule, as evidenced by the old alcazar, the town’s fortress. If you’re looking for a good lunch in this charming little town, be sure to visit the traditional food market in the small steep streets. Read about Carmona – click here!

Cordoba

In the northern part of Andalusia lies Cordoba. The city boasts an impressive history with influences from Romans, Moors, and Jews, and its cuisine is filled with delicious specialties that you won’t find elsewhere, even in Andalusia. Many tourists come to Cordoba to see the magnificent mosque-cathedral, La Mezquita. However, there is plenty more to see in this historic city, which was once the capital of the Caliphate of Al-Andalus, after which Andalusia is named.

It’s worth booking a few extra days because the beautiful old town deserves to be explored slowly, with strolls through the labyrinthine streets and a hike to the old palace city, Medina Azahara. Read all our articles about Cordoba – click here!

Granada

If you love history, culture, and delicious food, Granada is the city for you! Located just southeast of Cordoba and about an hour and a half drive from Malaga, most tourists come to visit the magnificent Moorish palace, Alhambra, but there is so much more to see in this beautiful, ancient city.

Granada could easily rest on its laurels and showcase its fine history alone, but it is also a city with broad boulevards, an ever-evolving cuisine, and plenty of vibrant nightlife. In other words, a fantastic vacation awaits you! Read all our articles about Granada – click here!

Malaga

Every year, around 350,000 vacation-loving Danes land in Malaga – plus all the other nationalities. Malaga is therefore a true tourist city, for better or worse. Here you’ll find everything your heart desires, from shopping and neon lights to happy hours. However, Malaga also offers interesting sights, including the Roman theater and two Moorish forts.

It’s also in Malaga that both the start and end stages of the Gran Senda hiking trail are located. You can explore the trail on foot or by mountain bike, and there is plenty to see. Finally, Malaga is a city where you can eat really well – if you keep your eyes open. And of course, there are the lovely beaches, which are likely what most people come for. Read all our articles about Malaga – click here!

Nerja

Nerja is a charming little coastal town on the Costa del Sol, about an hour’s drive from Malaga. It’s easy to get there by both car and bus, so if you prefer beach relaxation in a small town over Malaga’s vibrant nightlife, Nerja is perfect for you!

The small seaside town of Nerja is essentially just cozy. It has everything that most people look for in a great charter vacation. There are winding little streets with plenty of shops and restaurants. Many tourists know Nerja from a visit to the village of Frigiliana or the caves, but the area is actually worth a longer stay. Here, you’ll find the most beautiful sandy beaches, which will surely delight both children and adults. Read all our articles about Nerja – click here!

Cadiz

Cadiz is an ancient port city in the southwestern part of Andalusia. The city is right on the Atlantic Ocean, which means both beautiful sandy beaches and lots of seafood on the menu. The traditional food market is a natural centerpiece in a city where good eating is a way of life.

Although Cadiz is a small city, it has always had its place in history. For example, it was from here that Columbus set out on his first voyage to the Americas. The city was originally founded by the Phoenicians, and a must-see is the underground museum with the remains of Phoenician and Roman cities. Later, the Visigoths and Moors took over, and it was under Moorish rule that Cadiz was visited by Nordic Viking ships during their early raids on Spain in 844. Read all our articles about Cadiz – click here!

Jerez de la Frontera

A trip to Cadiz can be enhanced with a visit to the sherry town of Jerez. In addition to a sherry tour with a visit to one of the many bodegas, or wineries, you should also experience the atmosphere of the town square and visit the old Moorish fortress, Alcázar de Jerez. Read all our articles about Jerez – click here!

Ronda

Many tourists come to Ronda just for a day trip to see the beautiful Puente Nuevo bridge. But it’s truly a shame because Ronda has so many other wonderful things to offer! The water mine and the well-preserved Arab baths are major attractions in themselves. However, the greatest experiences we had were early in the morning when we hiked through the surrounding landscape before the other tourists awoke. To the sound of birds chirping and the river’s gurgling, we traversed mountains and valleys on a rarely beautiful trek. Read all our articles about Ronda – click here!

Ayamonte

In the first three months of 2024, we stayed in the charming little town of Ayamonte, located right at the border between Spain and Portugal. Ayamonte is about the size of Svendborg, where we come from, and during our extended holiday in Spain, we found everything we had dreamed of here. Ayamonte is for those who love the water, as both the river and the Atlantic Ocean are close by. It is also a beautiful and not very touristy town, and it is highly recommended for those who want to visit authentic Spain. Read all our articles about Ayamonte – click here!

Huelva

During our extended holiday in 2024, we also visited the nearby city of Huelva several times. The city’s exciting history includes Romans, the discovery of America, and the most beautiful sunsets from the mining bridge far out on the water. If you are staying in one of the smaller towns in southwestern Andalusia, a visit to Huelva is perfect, both for its many cultural experiences and for the opportunity to shop and eat well! Read more about Huelva – click here!

Be Sure to Visit Again!

And with these words, our tour of Andalusia concludes. This article will be updated regularly as we have many more places in Andalusia we want to visit. So remember to bookmark this article so you can find it again later.

Find a Great Hotel in Andalusia

In all our travel articles about Andalusia, you can also read our recommendations for lovely hotels where we have stayed. In Andalusia, price and quality go hand in hand, but you often get a little more for your money here. But see for yourself! You can quickly search for good hotels in the different cities in Andalusia right here. Type the name of the city you want to visit!

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