Nine Days in Andalusia: Our Journey Through Southern Spain

In October 2016, my wife and I travelled to Andalusia for nine days. We chose autumn deliberately. Southern Spain can be intensely hot in summer, while October promised more comfortable temperatures, fewer crowds and enough daylight to explore.

We flew into Seville, used it as our first base and travelled by train and bus to nearby destinations. Later, we moved our base to Málaga so that we could reach the Costa del Sol, Granada, Nerja, Frigiliana and Ronda. It was an ambitious itinerary, but it showed us how much variety southern Spain holds within a relatively compact region.

Every photograph in this article was taken with my Sony A6000 and the Sony SEL18200 18–200mm lens. I owned and used this combination for years. For a fast-moving journey involving cities, mountains and coastal villages, carrying one versatile lens made life much easier.

Our nine-day Andalusia itinerary

• First base: Seville
• Second base: Málaga
• Places visited: Seville, Caminito del Rey, Córdoba, Frigiliana, Granada, Málaga, Nerja and Ronda
• Transport: trains and buses rather than a hire car
• Camera: Sony A6000
• Lens: Sony 18–200mm F3.5–6.3 OSS

We booked our flights and accommodation in advance, but I would not claim that one fixed booking window always produces the lowest price. The useful part of our approach was having two bases and planning the longer day trips before departure. Current routes, opening times and entry requirements should always be checked again. The official Andalusia tourism website is a practical starting point.

Seville: our first base

Seville immediately felt like the right place to begin. The historic centre gave us grand monuments, quiet courtyards, lively streets and places where we could stop for food after walking all day. We covered a remarkable amount on our first day, although the city itself deserved much longer.

Real Alcázar of Seville

The Alcázar was one of our favourite places in Seville. The palace complex mixes architecture from different periods, while the gardens create a calmer world behind the walls. Tiles, arches, carved surfaces, water and greenery gave me a constant supply of photographic details.

Seville Cathedral

Seville Cathedral was imposing in a completely different way. Its immense Gothic structure dominates the surrounding streets, yet the details reward a slower look. Together with the Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias, it forms part of Seville’s UNESCO World Heritage ensemble.

Torre del Oro

Beside the Guadalquivir River, Torre del Oro offered another side of the city. The weather was not ideal for polished travel photography, but I photographed it anyway. Not every journey gives perfect light, and a photograph can still succeed as an honest record of a place and a day.

At that time I was also uploading photographs to stock agencies including Shutterstock. The changing weather reminded me that pictures made for personal memories and pictures intended for commercial licensing do not always follow the same rules. I have written separately about my real experience as a Shutterstock contributor.

Metropol Parasol

Metropol Parasol, also known as Las Setas de Sevilla, was one of the most unexpected sights. The huge wooden structure rises above Plaza de la Encarnación like a group of connected mushrooms. Its modern form contrasts sharply with Seville’s older architecture, yet it has become part of the city’s identity.

Plaza de España after dark

We reached Plaza de España after nightfall, and that became one of the most romantic parts of our Seville visit. The lights reflected in the water, the building curved around the square and boats moved along the canal. It was a very different experience from seeing the plaza in bright midday sun.

After walking across the city, we ended the day with local food and drinks. Our general habit was to move a few streets away from the busiest tourist concentrations and look for somewhere that felt comfortable rather than chasing a supposedly perfect restaurant.

Caminito del Rey

Caminito del Rey was the most dramatic outdoor experience of the journey. The route follows the walls of the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes, with elevated boardwalks above the gorge. Its history includes an older, deteriorated path, but that is not the route visitors walk today. The restored attraction reopened in 2015 with controlled access and safety measures.

We were given protective helmets and required to wear them on the route. The height and exposed sections still make the walk exciting, but it should not be described as an uncontrolled extreme adventure. Visitors now need to follow the official rules, wear suitable footwear and reserve entry in advance. Current information and tickets are available from the official Caminito del Rey website.

The landscape, more than the height itself, stayed with me. Rock walls enclosed the gorge, the walkway revealed new angles at every turn and the Sony zoom let me switch between broad views and distant details without changing lenses in a confined space.

Córdoba by train

We reached Córdoba by train from Seville in under an hour. It was one of the easiest day trips of the holiday. The historic centre carries visible traces of Roman, Islamic, Jewish and Christian history, and the contrast between these layers is central to the city’s character.

The Mosque-Cathedral was an obvious reason to visit, but walking across the Roman Bridge and through the surrounding streets made the day feel complete. We also found a small fish restaurant that served one of our favourite meals of the trip. I no longer remember its name, so I will not pretend to give readers directions to a business that may have changed or closed since 2016.

Moving our base to Málaga

For the second part of the journey, we moved to Málaga. This made day trips to Frigiliana, Nerja, Granada and Ronda more practical. Changing accommodation once was a small inconvenience, but it saved us from repeatedly making very long journeys from Seville.

Frigiliana: white streets above the Costa del Sol

Frigiliana is around six kilometres inland from Nerja. Its old quarter climbs the hillside through narrow lanes, steps and whitewashed houses. Blue sky, red roofs, painted doors and flowers created strong colour contrasts everywhere we looked.

We did not need a list of attractions here. Wandering was the attraction. The maze of streets slowed us down and made the village feel removed from the busier resorts on the coast.

Granada and the Alhambra

The bus journey from Málaga to Granada was one of our longest day trips, taking roughly two hours each way, but the changing Andalusian landscape kept it interesting. Granada sits close to the Sierra Nevada and feels distinct from the coastal destinations.

The Alhambra was our main reason for travelling there. The complex combines palaces, fortifications, courtyards and gardens, and it deserves more than a rushed visit. Its Nasrid architecture and position above the city make it one of the defining places in Andalusia.

Anyone planning the same trip should reserve Alhambra tickets through the official channel well ahead of time. Visitor procedures and access arrangements change, so an old travel story should never replace current booking information.

Málaga: a city we genuinely loved

Málaga was more than a transport base. I loved its combination of historic streets, hilltop views, gardens, restaurants and relaxed evening life. We visited the old centre, walked through parks and climbed towards the Alcazaba. Even in October, the vegetation looked rich and colourful.

We deliberately kept about two days near the end of the holiday for Málaga itself. I like to finish a busy trip with time to slow down, eat well, try the local beer and enjoy a city without watching the clock. Those quieter days helped the journey feel like a holiday rather than a collection of transport connections.

Nerja and the Balcón de Europa

Nerja shared some of Frigiliana’s whitewashed character, but it felt more coastal and developed. The Balcón de Europa was the highlight for us, providing broad views over the Mediterranean from the old town.

The area is also known for the Caves of Nerja, although this article reflects what we personally saw rather than claiming every nearby attraction as part of our visit. For photographers, the old streets, sea views and strong southern light create many possibilities. My guide to travel photography explains how place, people and atmosphere work together in this kind of visual story.

Ronda above the gorge

Ronda was the final town we visited outside Málaga. Its position above the deep El Tajo gorge makes it unlike anywhere else on our route. Buildings appear to reach the edge of the cliffs, and the landscape becomes part of the town rather than simply a background.

Puente Nuevo is the image most visitors associate with Ronda. Seeing the bridge crossing the gorge made its scale much clearer than photographs had suggested.

Ronda also has historic Arab baths, old palaces and one of Spain’s best-known bullrings. Bullfighting remains a controversial tradition, so I would present the bullring as part of the town’s history rather than recommend attending an event.

Was our nine-day Andalusia itinerary worth it?

Absolutely. It was a busy route, but two bases made it manageable and public transport allowed us to concentrate on the destinations rather than driving. Seville delivered monumental architecture and evening atmosphere; Caminito del Rey brought dramatic nature; Córdoba and Granada revealed layers of history; the white villages and coast changed the pace; Málaga gave us room to relax; and Ronda provided an unforgettable final landscape.

Would I plan it exactly the same way today? I would probably add several days. Nine days were enough to see all these places, but not enough to know them deeply. I would give Seville, Granada and Málaga more time and keep at least one completely unplanned day.

What remains most important is that this was our real journey. The photographs are not generic illustrations collected afterwards. They are the places my wife and I stood, walked through and remembered. To continue with our other first-hand trips, visit the GottaPics Travel Blog.