Will be in Marbella from May 12 to May 19...what are the best four or five day trips to take from here? We don't mind a bit of drive for one or two of them. There are so many good choices on this board but I'm not sure how far some of them are from Marbella. Thanks?

1. Ronda

An absolute "must" and only about an hour north.

2. Gibraltar

Not everyone's cup of tea, but lots of history and I guess worth one visit. About and hour west.

3. Málaga city

Usually overlooked but well worth a day out. About half an hour east.

4. "White villages"

Plenty of them. Buy a map and plan a round trup when you get there.

5. Granada

A bit further - probably 2 hours from Marbella, maybe a bit more. But The Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens are stunning. The city itself is one of my favourites.

6. Nerja

Probably 90 minutes east of Marbella, but worth the drive ... because you can buy me a gin & tonic when you get here!

Hope this helps!

[ 05-02-2001: Message edited by: davej ]

I'd also go to Estepona...and perhaps Gaucin and Casares (perhaps included in the white village "tour").

betharita, http://www.Andalucia.com should help you find information about the suggestions of davej and Carole Chiaro. Have a great time!

Saludos, MadridMan

Thanks Madridman for everything but especially the Andalucia.com. That's a great site! I leave in less than 48 hours!

My husband and I just returned from Spain having spent 4 nights in Marbella. We also rented a car and drove to Ojen and Mijas (on the same day) - two beautiful white villages less than 30 minutes from Marbella. Mijas is where we spent most of our time and if you are in the market for a leather purse, this is THE place to buy one - great prices and selection.
We drove over the mountain to Ronda for dinner one night and wished we had spent more time there.

The drives up into the mountains are absolutely spectacular - I felt sorry for my husband who was doing all the driving and couldn't enjoy the scenery as much as me!
Puerto Banus was an interesting place - yachts, beautiful stores, lots of cafes along the water, and TONS of great bars and pubs!