Gibraltar (United Kingdom)
1h25 with highway, 120 km
Gibraltar is a British Overseas Territory and headland on Spain's south coast. It's dominated by the Rock of Gibraltar, a 426m-high limestone ridge.
Important: Gibraltar is "owned" by the United Kingdom. You need your PASSPORT to enter.
From the top of the rock, you can see Africa!
1 Day in Gibraltar
1. Go park your car here (anyway you cannot go any further with a car you RENT)
Parking lot, Av. Príncipe de Asturias, 6, 11300 La Línea de la Concepción
2. Walk to Gibraltar Passport Control Station
Av. Príncipe de Asturias, 11300 Gibraltar
3. Choose to visit the "rock" with a Guided Tour in minivan
Frontier / Gibraltar International Airport Terminus, Gibraltar
NOTE: Don't take a BUS. Buses are too big to go to the top of Gibraltar's Rock. You will see EVERYTHING if you take the minivan.
The guided tour (minivan) can drop you in DOWNTOWN -or- it can bring you back where you started.
You will see:
- Europa Point
- St Michael's Cave
- Top of the Rock with Skywalk & Monkeys
- Great Siege Tunnels
- Moorish Castle
4. Visit the town
5. Return to the parking lot by walking through the airport
Ronda
1h25 with highway, 110 km
Ronda is a mountaintop city in Spain’s Malaga province that’s set dramatically above a deep gorge. This gorge (El Tajo) separates the city’s circa-15th-century new town from its old town, dating to Moorish rule. Puente Nuevo, a stone bridge spanning the gorge, has a lookout offering views.
1 Day in Ronda
1. Go park your car at one of these places (and forget it)
Parking La Merced, C. Carlos Cobo Gómez, 2, 29400 Ronda
Parking Plaza Del Socorro, Pl. del Socorro, 29400 Ronda
2. Walk around ...
3. Don't miss (must see)
- Mirador de Ronda
- Mirador de Aves
- Puento Nuevo (bridge)
- Mirador de María Auxiliadora (beautiful park)
4. Go down on trails
Best photo shot of Puente Nuevo. You start going down on trail from Mirador de María Auxiliadora.
- Mirador Puente Nuevo de Ronda
- Mirador de Aves
5. Go visit old Arabic town - Muralla (Castle)
Continue walking on C. Manuel Montero up to Plaza Duquesa de Parcent
Go join Murellas del Carmen
You need to go down on C. Escalona, turn right onto C. Armiñán, then turn left onto C. Goleta.
You will see the following if you follow this path
- Murellas del Carmen
- Puerta de la Cijara
- Puente San Miguel
- Puente Viejo
- Jardines De Cuenca
- Mirador De Cuenca
You can also visit La Casa del Rey Moro and Arab Baths Archaeological Site
Granada
1h30 with highway, 140 km
Granada is in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's known for grand examples of medieval architecture dating to the Moorish occupation, especially the Alhambra. This sprawling hilltop fortress complex encompasses royal palaces, serene patios, and reflecting pools from the Nasrid dynasty, as well as the fountains and orchards of the Generalife gardens.
1 Day in Granada
1. Go first (early morning) visit the Alhambra
It is one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world, in addition to containing notable examples of Spanish Renaissance architecture.
This is protected by UNESCO and it is very popular. This is why you need to start there. If you can buy the ticket the day before, this is better.
There is a big parking just next to Alhambra.
Parking Alhambra, C. Real de la Alhambra, 18009 Granada
Don't miss
- Gardens
- Nasrid Palaces
- Generalife
- Alcazaba
The average duration of the visit oscillates around three hours.
2. Take your car and go into the old town of Granada
Go park your car at one of these places (and forget it)
Parking San Geronimo, C. Compás de San Jerónimo, 8B, 18001 Granada
Parking Público Gran Capitán, C. Gran Capitán, 10, 18002 Granada
Parking, Pl. Sor Cristina de la Cruz de Arteaga, 3, 18001 Granada
Walk up to Plaza Bib-Rambla where your journey will start ...
You will see the following if you follow this path- Plaza Bib-Rambla
- Alcaicería (The Arab Market)
- Granada Cathedral (must see)
- Capilla Real de Granada (Royal Chapel) (must see)
- La Madrasa (The Prayer Room) (must see)
- Plaza Nueva (The New Square) (must see)
- Calle Calderería Nueva (New Caldereria Street)
2 Days in Granada
Granada is very big. There are much more to see. The following web site shows many places where you can stop in old Granada.
The following is a list of beautiful places to see not far away from downtown. Example: Albaicin (Arab distric), Sacromonte (Gypsy quarter)
Note: In Sierra Nevada National Park, you can do trek, safari, etc.
Córdoba
1h50 with highway, 176 km
Córdoba was an important Roman city and a major Islamic center in the Middle Ages. It's best known for La Mezquita, an immense mosque dating from 784 A.D. In Córdoba summer temperatures often reach more than 40 Celsius degrees. Out of Córdoba there are the world's largest olive plantations.
1 Day in Córdoba
1. Go first park your car at this place (and forget it)
Parking Centro Historico, Av. de los Custodios, 2, 14004 Córdoba
2. Visit the old fortified town
Walk to the corner of Avenida del Alcazar and Avenida del Corregidor (Estatua de San Rafael).
You will see lot of beautiful things if you follow this path (our proposal):
Walk on Avenida del Alcazar and head over to the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (castle). It is protected by UNESCO.
Go back on Avenida del Alcazar and go toward Torre de "La Paloma".
Continue on Avenida del Alcazar and admire Roman Bridge And The Calahorra Tower.
Go to Puerta del Puente. It was once one of the city's main gates.
Continue on street Pl. Del Triunfo and turn left on C. Corrigidor Luis de la Cerda.
Turn right on C. Turrijos. You will see the Mezquita-Catedral, also known as the Great Mosque.
Go in through the Puerta del Perdón and follow the path towards the Patio de los Naranjos.
** Don't forget to visit the Great Mosque (mandatory) **
From the Mosque, walk down to the Calleja de las Flores.
Walk in the small streets up to Plaza de la Corredera.
You can also admire the Templo Romano.
Don't forget to see the following street …
Calle Cairuan - Paseo de la Muralla, C. Cairuan, 14-18, 14004 Córdoba
About the Mezquita-Catedral (Great Mosque)
Islamic mosque which was converted into a Christian cathedral in the 13th century. It is protected by UNESCO. It is a "MUST SEE".
2 Days around Córdoba
1. Go visit Caliphate city of Medina Azahara
Carretera de Palma del Río, km. 5.5, Córdoba
You can find at the north of the city the ruins of Caliphate city of Medina Azahara.
It is an archaeological site of a city built in the mid-10th century CE by the Umayyad dynasty as the seat of the Caliphate of Córdoba.
It is protected by UNESCO.
Only 15 minutes (using car) from old town of Córdoba.
2. Go see Real Monasterio de San Jerónimo de Valparaíso
Carretera Palma del Río, Km. 5.5, Córdoba
It is usually CLOSED TO VISIT FOR PUBLIC. There is a TWO WEEKS PERIOD every year when visits are allowed, which is organized by the archaeological site of Medina Azahara.
You need to check the calendar.
Only 8 minutes (using shuttle) from Caliphate city of Medina Azahara.
3. Terminate your journey with Castillo Almodovar del Rio
C. Castillo, 14720 Almodóvar del Río
Castillo de Almodóvar del Río (Hisnu-l-mudawar; "the round castle") is a castle of Muslim origin in the town of Almodóvar del Río. Previously a Roman fort, the current structure is of Moorish origin, in the year 760. During the Middle Ages, it underwent several renovations and reconstructions.
Only 25 minutes (using car) from Caliphate city of Medina Azahara.
This castle was used for "Game of Thrones" serie (Tyrell family's castle).
PROPOSAL
If you want to be 2 days around Córdoba, stay one night in an hotel in Córdoba.
The Castillo Almodovar del Rio is 30 minutes away (west) from Córdoba and 2h15 from our studio.
Something you can do is going to the castle in the morning and then coming back to our studio and stop in Antequera to see El Torcal (which is 1h from our studio).