We needed a sun break in late March 2022 and decided to visit the Andalusia region of southern Spain. Our trip plan covered four areas, while maximizing use of the region’s excellent public transit. We started in Málaga, with a day of exploring in Cordoba, before heading to Granada. We capped off the trip with a few days in a rental car exploring the pueblos blancas of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
This post covers the resources we found helpful for trip planning, while subsequent posts describe our travels.
Note: When possible, we use affiliate links, which means we earn a commission when you book through them. If this information is useful, we appreciate you using them!
Planning the Trip
As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, our March spring break return to New Zealand was again not an option for 2022. With several destinations off the table, we narrowed our options to the warmer regions of Europe. Spain eventually won against the Amalfi Coast solely on the availability and schedule of flights at the time (many airlines had not yet restored their full schedules). We typically book international trips more than 90 days in advance, so I definitely felt the added stress of booking this trip at what felt like the last minute.
Because Málaga is well-connected to Cordoba and Granada by public transit (trains and buses), we only needed a rental car for the last segment of our trip. This worked out well, but did constrain our schedule a bit for arriving and departing each city.
Booking & Logistics
I booked our flights and rental car as a vacation package through British Airways Holidays (BAH), since we already planned to fly Oneworld carriers. While evaluating flight and rental car prices, I discovered that the BAH package price, including a rental car for the duration of the trip, was cheaper than booking the flights and car separately.
This gave us flexibility to use the car for the whole trip, but we ultimately decided that trying to drive in Málaga, Cordoba, and Granada was not the type of relaxing experience we desired. So, we planned our itinerary to only use the car for the second half. We picked up the car at the airport Avis location upon arrival, and then parked it at the airport long-term lot until day 4. Even with the nominal added cost of airport parking (discounted for Aena Club members), it was still cheaper than just renting the car for part of the trip. An odd arrangement, but we made it work!
I designed our itinerary around Málaga as a “base” with each half of the trip starting and finishing there. Málaga works nicely as a transit hub to other Andalusian cities. In the first trip half, we relied entirely on public transit (trains and buses) to visit Córdoba and Granada. The hike we chose in Granada was also accessible from a bus, so we really didn’t need a car. For the second half, driving made much more sense to reach the pueblos blancas (white villages) of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema. Public buses are infrequent and do not reach all hiking trailheads.
Where we stayed
Málaga: Soho Boutique Colón (Hotels.com | Booking.com)
We stayed here three times, non-consecutively: first as a quick stop between arriving from the airport and departing for Cordoba the next morning, again upon our return from Granada, and finally upon our return from Zahara de la Sierra for the final night of the trip.
- Room: Double room (no breakfast)
- Why we picked it: New (at the time) and modern with a well-reviewed breakfast. It is conveniently located just a few blocks from the C1 train from the Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) airport, and especially nice for late-night arrivals and early departures.
Granada: Room Mate Leo (Hotels.com | Booking.com)
We stayed here for 2 nights in central Granada. Due to arriving by train, we had a pleasant 20-25 walk from the station, which you could shorten by using a bus or taxi.
- Room: Standard double room (breakfast included)
- Why we picked it: Excellent rooftop terrace and views, well-reviewed breakfast (7am-noon), a manageable 15-20 minute walk to the Alhambra and Albaicín neighborhood, and centrally located in Granada.
Zahara de la Sierra: Hostal Rural Marques de Zahara (Hotels.com | Booking.com)
In the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Reserve area, we noted that Grazalema is a popular destination for walking groups, and for locals on the weekends. The nearby picturesque village of Zahara de la Sierra, clinging to its hillside with its historic castle looming overhead, ultimately won out for its unique scenery and affordability.
We stayed here for all 3 nights of our Zahara visit.
- Room: Double room with balcony (breakfast included)
- Why we picked it: Well-reviewed with an interesting (traditional) interior courtyard, a room with a balcony, and decently-reviewed breakfast.
Resources we found helpful
For trail information in this region, andaluciahiking.com was our go-to resource for Caminito del Rey and hikes around Zahara, Grazalema, and Granada with detailed descriptions, distances, and difficulty ratings.
For the Caminito del Rey, the official website (caminitodelrey.info) has essential for understanding reservation and ticketing process, along with the weather-related closure policy. This information turned out to be important for preparing us to receive the eventual cancellation email the day before our scheduled hike!
For train schedules (Málaga, Córdoba, Granada) and bookings, head straight to the source: RENFE. The Avant high-speed service was reliable and straightforward to book online.
Posts in this series
Read on to learn more about our trip, including:
- Andalusia in March: Planning a Spring Break
- Andalusia in March: Part 1 – Málaga, Córdoba, Granada, and Ronda
- Andalusia in March: Part 2 – Sierra de Grazalema
See also our day hiking packing list.
