Hi,

We will be coming to Seville in April and will be spending 2 nights there. We will be renting a car and going to Granada to see Alhamra. After that we will have 3 days to get back to Seville. What will be the best car route back to Seville? via Malaga? via Ronda? via Cardiz? Which city should we stay overnight? What day trips an we do? Please advise on what is must see in this region.

Thanks

From what I´ve read, Rhonda is a beautiful city to stay in while exploring Analucia. In fact, I´ll be at a b&b there this coming weekend. I´ll post my impression of the area later.

April should be beautiful. Tulips are just starting to open in Madrid this week, so the scenery should be lovely in a few weeks. Happy planning.

I was in southern Spain this time last year and am returning in July. I recommend Ronda because it's an unbelievably beautiful place. Malaga is also breathtaking but I come from a beach town so it wasn't such a big deal to me. However, I have to admit that I had the best time in Sevilla. When I go back in July I plan to take the train from Madrid to Sevilla and then rent a car there so that I can drive to where I want on my way up to Barcelona. Wherever it is that you decide to go in Andalucia, I know you're going to love it! Have a great trip!

Great choice. See if you can find the Michelin Green Guide at Borders or Barnes & Noble. They have a good recommended route. Also, Karen Brown's 'Off The Beaten Path' is good, and you can find that on her website. In any case, Jerez de la Frontera and Ronda are highlights. In Ronda, we stayed at the Hostal/Hotel Espanola - not expensive, good accomodations, and near anything you want to do. Park in the underground parking after following signs to Centro, and forget the car. Look at Rick Steves advice for what to do while in Ronda.

Have a great time, and enjoy the ride! I'd go directly to Granada, and then make my way back through the White Towns (Pueblas Blancas). OH, get a Michelin map for Southern Spain - you won't regret the $8 investment.

Andoact

For an overnight stay I would DEFINITELY choose Ronda over Málaga.

Winston

I have spent numerous weeks in the city of Málaga and find it to be fun and entertaining. It is not really a tourist city though. With just a few days, I would HIGHLY recommend Ronda, Los Arcos, Jerez, the white pueblos through Grazalema. Cadiz is ok but not a favorite and there is also El Puerto de Santa María where you can tour the Osborne Bodega. Jerez has the incredible horse show.

Ronda is a place that is fun to stay and walk around the little streets. We stayed at the San Miguel Hotel and our room actually overlooked the gorge. It was wonderful. We also really enjoyed the bullfighting museum and the prehistoric caves located a few miles outside of Ronda. It is a great place to spend a night before wondering on toward Jerez.

Antequera, 30min drive from Granada very interesting place...in fact there are so many interesting visits you could make it hard to choose the best to make the most of your visit..there are hidden tresures beyond the tourist path..just take any road and discover for yourself what an amasing country this is..come and enjoy.

In Ronda there is Restaurante at Sol Y Sombra 7.
The specialy is leg of lamb. You get the whole
leg! on a platter. Meaning, it is real lamb.
It is an elegant restaurant, but the prices are O.K. Cadiz was my favorite place, surrounded by beautiful beaches and great sea food. The old
part of town goes back to the Phoenecians, nice place to get lost in.

From Granada I have gone south on N323 towards Salobrena, the coast, and then continued on N340 towards Malaga passing little lovely towns like Almunecar, Nerja, Frigiliana , last two my all time favorites on the coast close to Malaga.

N323 south from Granada provides excellent views, scenery, quite curvy roads and Mar Mediterraneo in the background, there is a small challenging road off 323, turning at Puerto del Suspiro del Moro a little west and south towards Venta del Fraire and Otivar and Jete, crossing over Sierra del Chaparral mountain range, hooking up with N340 just east of Almunecar.
Quite a road, if you can make it there, you can make it anywhere!!

N340 offers also nice scenery between mountain ranges and the sea, the new highway was not ready beyond (east) Torre del Mar when I last drove there, but I prefer smaller coastal roads right by the water anyway!!

All I can say about Ronda , it's a must!!

Salobrena always looks enticing from the road, but we are going to spend 4 days in Almunecar...which has a small town pace complete with ROMAN RUINS!!! Ole! Not many Americans go there...It is always THE favorite place for my students. There is a cooking school there, too...EL Horno de Candida...for great dining.