Wind down the window, decide whoâs going to be the non-sherry-drinking driver and stick some flamenco on the sound system; the caminos of AndalucĂa are calling in the same way they once called Roman legionnaires, sighing Moors and 19th-century romantics dreaming of Carmen and Don Juan.
Immortalised in operas and depicted in Goya-era works of art, AndalucĂa often acts as a synonym for Spain, a land of troubadours, bull-fighters, operatic heroines, and Roma singers wailing sad laments.
Olive oil and Renaissance architecture make improbable bedfellows on this romp through AndalucĂaâs northeast.
DON'T MISS
Zuheros
A spectacular white village in CĂłrdoba province thatâs off the pueblo blanco circuit. Visit it on Trip
Cabo de Gata
A slice of arid coastline that the developers forgot to dig up. Fortunately, itâs now protected in a natural park and sports abundant flora and birdlife. Explore it on Trip
El Torcal
Craggy moonscape that characterises the uplands overlooking the town of Antequera; weird and wonderful even by Andalucian standards. Visit it on Trip
Orchidarium
Europeâs largest orchid collection is protected in a glass dome in the Costa del Sol beach town of Estepona. Meander through it on Trip
Sendero del Acantilado
Cliff-top path linking tuna-fishing town of Barbate with the hip, beach town of Los Caños de Meca on the Costa de la Luz. Hike it on Trip
Follow the Mediterranean coast northeast out of MĂĄlaga and youâll be contemplating far more than just beach umbrellas. Roman ruins, heavyweight art, and fabulous festivals also pepper this surprisingly cultural coastline.
TRIP HIGHLIGHTS
7 DAYS
1095 KM / 680 MILES
GREAT FORâŠ
BEST TIME TO GO
March to June is sunny, but not too hot, and there are plenty of festivals, including Las Fallas.
ESSENTIAL PHOTO
The chameleonic Sagrada Familia changes every time you visit.
