Trip ideas · Andalusian cities loop from Malaga

Andalusian cities loop from Malaga: a One-Week Road Trip by Fly-and-Drive

Checked 8 October 2026 against each tourism board's, city's and operator's own page · skynomad

Day by day

Most hours at the wheel in a day No limit3 hours4 hours5 hours6 hours

Kilometres and hours are motorway estimates between the cities named, without stops or traffic. Where you sleep in a smaller place nearby, the real place and its distance are given.

1. Day 1

   Arrive in Málaga No long drive

   Arrival airport city; pick up hire car, old town and Alcazaba Source

2. Day 2

   Málaga → Granada 136 km · about 1 h 45 driving

   Alhambra and Albaicín (book Alhambra tickets ahead) Source

   

3. Day 3

   A day out from Granada No long drive

4. Day 4

   Granada → Córdoba 211 km · about 2 h 25 driving

   Mezquita-Catedral and, in early May, the patios festival Source

   

5. Day 5

   Córdoba → Seville 149 km · about 1 h 50 driving

   Cathedral, Real Alcázar, Holy Week and April Fair city Source

6. Day 6

   A day out from Seville No long drive

7. Day 7

   Seville → Málaga 210 km · about 2 h 35 driving

   Cliff-top town on the way back to Malaga airport Source The place itself: Ronda, about 100 km from malaga (unverified route-planner estimate).

8. Day 8

   Return the car in Málaga No long drive

Why go in April and May

• Seville Holy Week (Semana Santa) – Andalusian public holidays 2027 fix Holy Thursday and Good Friday: Holy Thursday 25 Mar 2027, Good Friday 26 Mar 2027 (processions run the whole week before Easter). Source
• Seville April Fair (Feria de Abril): 2026: 21–26 April 2026. 2027 dates not published yet. Source
• Córdoba Patios festival: First half of May (2027 dates not published yet). Source

What to watch for

• Málaga low-emission zone (ZBE): restricts vehicles not registered in Málaga with no label or label B; B-label fines waived until Dec 2026. Spanish hire cars normally carry a DGT label (In force since Dec 2024; B-label sanctions expected from Dec 2026). Source
• Granada low-emission zone (ZBE): non-Granada cars need a DGT label (B, C, ECO or 0); unlabelled cars only to public car parks (Sanctions from 1 Oct 2025 (press release 14 Mar 2025)). Source
• Holy Week makes Seville busy and expensive; processions close central streets (21–28 Mar 2027 (Easter week; holidays 25–26 Mar)). Source
• April Fair: city full; fair runs Tuesday–Sunday about two weeks after Holy Week (2027 dates not published yet). Source

What the week costs to drive

Not included: hotels, food and parking; the hire car, and any one-way or cross-border fee. For your own car and exact days, use the trip cost calculator.

The rules on this route

Driving in Spain

Use this route in my plan to get every vignette, zone, kit rule and deadline for these countries in one checklist, with dates. The speed limits and sign words pages can then show only these countries.