Seven days is enough for the four Andalusian cities that matter most (Seville, Córdoba, Granada and Málaga) plus a trip to Ronda, with no car and no silly early starts. The trick is the order: west to east, sleeping in each city rather than doing out-and-back day trips, with the two critical tickets bought before you leave home.
The route at a glance
| Day | City | Plan | Overnight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seville | Alcázar, Cathedral, Santa Cruz, Plaza de España | Seville |
| 2 | Seville | Triana, the river and flamenco | Seville |
| 3 | Córdoba | Morning train, Jewish Quarter, patios, Roman bridge | Córdoba |
| 4 | Córdoba → Granada | Mezquita first thing, train to Granada, Albaicín | Granada |
| 5 | Granada | Alhambra and a Sacromonte cave show | Granada |
| 6 | Granada → Málaga | Avant to Málaga, Alcazaba and the Malagueta | Málaga |
| 7 | Ronda | Day trip, back to Málaga | Málaga |
Getting between cities
| Leg | Train | Indicative fare | Car |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seville → Córdoba | AVE or Avant, about 45 min, 25+ departures a day | from about €12 booked ahead; €30-40 last minute | 1 h 30 |
| Córdoba → Granada | Direct, 1 h 30, few departures a day | from about €23 | about 2 h |
| Granada → Málaga | Direct Avant, 1 h 18 | from about €18 | 1 h 30 |
| Málaga → Ronda | No direct train; bus 1 h 45 to 2 h | from about €10-12 | 1 h 45 |
Book trains on Renfe's website as soon as your dates are fixed: cheap fares disappear as trains fill, and Córdoba-Granada has few services, so plan day 4 around the timetable. Between Granada and Málaga there is also an Alsa coach (1 h 45, about €13, 20+ a day) if the train is full. The stations in Córdoba, Granada and Málaga are 15-25 minutes' walk from the centre.
What to book, and how far ahead
| What | Official price | Book |
|---|---|---|
| Alhambra (timed Nasrid Palaces) | €22.27 | 3-4 weeks; up to 3 months in high season |
| Real Alcázar, Seville | €15.50 | 1-2 weeks; the 9:30 slot goes first |
| Seville Cathedral and Giralda | €13 online | a few days |
| Córdoba Mosque-Cathedral | €15 (free 8:30-9:30, Monday to Saturday) | a few days; the free hour can't be booked |
| Trains | see table above | 2-4 weeks for good fares |
| Flamenco or cave show | €22-30 | 2-3 days; weekends fill up |
Days 1 and 2: Seville
Day 1, morning. The Real Alcázar at 9:30, the first slot (open 9:30-17:00 October to March and until 19:00 April to September): 2 h 30 including the gardens. Opposite, the Cathedral and Giralda (1 h 30), open Monday to Saturday 10:45-19:00 and Sundays from 14:30. If you'd like both explained without queuing, with a guide just for your group:
Lunch in El Arenal, five minutes away, not on the terraces facing the Cathedral. Afternoon: the Santa Cruz quarter and then, 20 minutes on foot through the Murillo gardens, Plaza de España as the sun drops. Evening: an intimate flamenco show at Casa de la Memoria (one hour, from €24).
Day 2. Cross the Isabel II bridge into Triana: the market, Calle Betis and tapas on Calle Pureza. In the afternoon, Casa de Pilatos (€12) or the Fine Arts Museum (free for EU citizens), and sunset by the river. The hour-by-hour version is in Seville in 2 days.
Where to stay in Seville: El Arenal (by the Cathedral, quieter and slightly cheaper), Santa Cruz (picture-postcard, more touristy) or Triana (more local, 15 minutes from the centre). Staying by Santa Justa station saves a walk to the train but you lose the atmosphere.
Day 3: Córdoba
Morning. Train at around 9:00, in Córdoba by 9:45; 20-25 minutes' walk to the old town. Start with the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (€7; gardens only for now while the rest is restored) and wander the Jewish Quarter: Calleja de las Flores, the Synagogue and Plaza del Potro.
Lunch: salmorejo and flamenquín in a tavern in the Judería or San Basilio, away from the streets right around the Mezquita.
Afternoon: the patios of the Palacio de Viana (€8.50 patios only) and, at sunset, the Roman bridge with the floodlit Mezquita behind. If you'd rather see the patios with someone who knows the owners, the private patios tour of the Axerquía includes three courtyards.
Where to stay in Córdoba: the Judería or San Basilio, five minutes from the Mezquita. Sleeping here is what makes day 4's trick possible.
Day 4: the Mezquita and the train to Granada
8:30 — Mosque-Cathedral. Monday to Saturday from 8:30 to 9:30 entry is free for individual visitors, with no groups: the best hour of the day, at no cost. For the full visit with commentary, go at 10:00 with a €15 ticket or the skip-the-line guided tour (from €32); privately, the Mezquita and Jewish Quarter tour (from €260 per group).
Midday: train to Granada (1 h 30). Afternoon: drop your bags, walk the Carrera del Darro and head up into the Albaicín on the C32 minibus from Plaza Nueva (€1.60) or on foot via Cuesta del Chapiz (25 minutes). Sunset at the Mirador de San Nicolás, then free tapas with every drink on Calle Navas.
Day 5: the Alhambra
8:30 — Alhambra. The whole day revolves around your Nasrid Palaces time: there are only 30 minutes' grace, and it's a 30-45 minute walk from the entrance to the palaces. Alcazaba, Nasrid Palaces and Generalife take about 4 hours. If tickets are gone, the guided tour with entry included (from €49) has its own allocation; privately, the skip-the-line tour just for you (from €278 per group).
Afternoon: the Royal Chapel (€7), with the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, and the Cathedral. Evening: a zambra in a Sacromonte cave, €22-30 with a drink. The detail is in Granada in 1 day.
Where to stay in Granada: the centre between Plaza Nueva and Gran Vía (five minutes from everything), the Realejo (more local) or the lower Albaicín (Alhambra views, hills and higher prices). Avoid the station area and Camino de Ronda.
Day 6: Granada → Málaga
A slow morning in Granada (the Realejo or the Cartuja monastery, €7) and the direct Avant to Málaga after lunch: 1 h 18. Afternoon: the Alcazaba and Gibralfaro (€5.50 combined), the Roman Theatre from outside and the Cathedral (€10 with audio guide). Evening: sardine espetos on the Malagueta or in Pedregalejo.
Where to stay in Málaga: the historic centre or Soho, 15 minutes' walk from María Zambrano station. The Malagueta if you want the beach on your doorstep.
Day 7: Ronda
Bus from Málaga bus station (1 h 45 to 2 h, about eight a day; fewer direct services at weekends) or a tour. The Puente Nuevo over the gorge, the bullring, the old town and the walk down to the viewpoints; back to Málaga in the evening. All the options are in Ronda from Málaga:
- Group tour: Ronda and Setenil de las Bodegas, from €34.
- Private with pick-up: private day trip to Ronda, from €580 per group; for 4 people that's about €180 each.
Málaga airport is 12 minutes from the centre on the C-1 commuter train (€1.80), so you can fly out on the evening of day 7 or the morning of day 8.
With a car: pick one up in Granada on day 6, drive to Ronda (about 2 hours), stay the night (it's another town once the day-trippers leave) and on day 7 drive down to Málaga through the hills (1 h 45) to drop it at the airport.
Indicative budget per person
| Item | Per person, 7 days |
|---|---|
| Trains and buses | €75-110 |
| Tickets (Alcázar, Cathedral, Mezquita, Viana, Alhambra, Royal Chapel, Alcazaba) | €85-100 |
| Flamenco and cave show | €45-60 |
| Food (tapas and the odd restaurant) | €250-350 |
| Mid-range accommodation, sharing a double | €50-90 a night (€350-630) |
| Total | about €800-1,250 |
Granada is the cheap city for food, as tapas come free with drinks. Seville and Málaga are the priciest nights.
With children, or in summer
- With kids: swap Córdoba's patios for the Alcázar gardens, and in Granada take the minibus up to the Alhambra. Under-12s go free at the Alhambra but need a named ticket. More ideas in Seville with kids and Granada with kids.
- June to September: outdoors until 13:00, indoors or a siesta from 14:00 to 18:00, back out at 19:00. In Seville and Córdoba this is non-negotiable.
Common mistakes
- Buying Alhambra tickets once you're in Andalusia: in high season there are none.
- Doing Córdoba as a day trip from Granada: 4 hours on the road in a day; from Seville it's 45 minutes.
- Hiring a car for the whole route: you'll pay €25-30 a day to park it in cities and use it for two days.
- Planning trains without checking frequencies on Córdoba-Granada.
- Trying to squeeze Cádiz, Ronda and the white villages into the same week. If they appeal more, drop Málaga and sleep in Ronda.
In a nutshell
Four cities linked by trains of under 90 minutes, two tickets booked well ahead and a night in each place that deserves one: that's how a week in Andalusia is enjoyed rather than endured. With a spare day, add Cádiz and Jerez from Seville; see day trips from Seville.
