Best places to visit in Andalusia: 18 cities, villages and parks

The short answer

Andalusia’s four great cities are Seville, Granada, Córdoba and Málaga. Add Ronda and the white villages for the countryside and Cádiz for the sea, and you have the classic first trip. To see where they all are, use our interactive map of Andalusia.

The list

The cities

1. Seville. The capital of Andalusia: the Real Alcázar, the cathedral and the Giralda, Plaza de España, flamenco and tapas. See our Seville travel guide.

   

2. Granada. The Alhambra, one of the most visited monuments in Spain, below the Sierra Nevada, plus the Albaicín and free tapas. We’d book the Alhambra weeks ahead. See Granada from Seville.

   

3. Córdoba. The Mezquita-Catedral, the Jewish quarter and, in May, the flower-filled patios. See the Córdoba guide.

   

4. Málaga. Picasso’s birthplace: the Picasso Museum, the Alcazaba, the Pompidou Centre, the market, and a city beach.

5. Cádiz. One of the oldest cities in Europe, surrounded by the Atlantic. See Seville to Cádiz.

6. Jerez de la Frontera. Sherry bodegas, horses and flamenco.

7. Úbeda and Baeza. Two Renaissance towns in Jaén, World Heritage Sites, among olive groves. For hiking, add Cazorla and its natural park.

8. Almería. A huge Moorish fortress (the Alcazaba) and the gateway to the desert and Cabo de Gata.

Towns and villages

9. Ronda. A town split by a deep gorge, crossed by the Puente Nuevo. See the Ronda day trip.
10. The white villages. Zahara, Setenil, Grazalema, Arcos, Iznájar above its lake and more. See the white villages.
11. Nerja and Frigiliana. A seaside town with caves and a white village above it, east of Málaga.
12. Antequera. Prehistoric dolmens (a World Heritage Site) and the rock formations of El Torcal nearby.
13. Vejer de la Frontera. A hilltop town near the best beaches of the Costa de la Luz. East of Granada, Guadix has some 2,000 cave houses still lived in, and cave hotels to sleep in.

Nature and coast

14. Caminito del Rey. A spectacular walkway along the walls of a gorge north of Málaga. We recommend booking tickets in advance.
15. The Alpujarras. Mountain villages on the southern slopes of the Sierra Nevada.
16. Sierra Nevada. Skiing in winter, hiking in summer, 45 minutes from Granada.
17. Doñana National Park. Wetlands, birds and the pilgrimage village of El Rocío, near Seville. See our Huelva guide.
18. Cabo de Gata. Wild volcanic coast and some of the best beaches in Spain, in Almería. The Costa de la Luz (Tarifa, Bolonia, Zahara de los Atunes) is, in our view, the best of the Atlantic side.

If you only have one week

Follow our 7-day Andalusia road trip: Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, Seville and Ronda. Without a car, we suggest basing yourself in Seville and Granada and using the train. Before you go, see our pre-trip checklist.

Where to stay

We think Seville is the best base for the west (Córdoba, Cádiz, Jerez, Ronda); Granada for the east; Málaga for the coast. See where to stay in Seville.

Starting from Madrid? See our 10-day Spain itinerary.

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