Day trips from Málaga

From Málaga the day trips fan out in three directions, and each one takes a whole day: north-east to Granada for the Alhambra, inland to Ronda and the Caminito del Rey, and east to Nerja on the coast. Granada and Ronda are reached by bus from the station by María Zambrano, the Caminito needs a train to El Chorro station, and Nerja and Frigiliana go together because they lie only six kilometres apart. Check the hours before anything else, since the Caminito closes as early as 2.50pm or 5.20pm, depending on the season.

The Alsa coaches to Granada take about an hour and a half each way, with 24 a day from the station by María Zambrano. On that clock the Alhambra decides the day: the general ticket is €22.27, and the Nasrid Palaces can be entered only at the time printed on it. One day therefore covers the Alhambra, while the Albaicín and the evening viewpoint need a night.

GuideThe Alhambra, the Albaicín and the free tapa have a page of their own:Granada →

2 daysTwo days in Granada, built around the palace slot:Granada in 2 days →

The old town is cut by a deep, rocky gorge. The tall stone Puente Nuevo crosses it, built from 1751 to 1793 and standing about 120 metres above the bottom. There is no direct train from Málaga, so you go by bus, which takes about an hour and three quarters to two hours and leaves from the station by María Zambrano, or by train via Antequera-Santa Ana. The ride is therefore the longest part of the trip, and the rest of the day is for walking.

The Cave of Nerja runs for 4,823 metres, lies 158 metres above sea level and has three entrances. It opens every day except 1 and 6 January, 15 May and 25 December, from 9.15 to 4.30, and in summer from 9.15 to 5.30, with the last entry an hour before closing. You should buy the ticket online to skip the queue.

Frigiliana, a white village of Andalusia, lies six kilometres north, at 320 metres, with a Mudéjar quarter of steep, narrow cobbled alleys. The Festival of the Three Cultures is held there in August, and ceramic panels from 1982 describe the battle of 1569. The Alsa bus to Nerja takes about an hour and a quarter to an hour and a half, and a local line links the two places.

FoodIf the trip stops on the coast, here is what is eaten there:What to eat in Málaga →

The Caminito del Rey: a path above the river

The visitor centre of the narrow walkway, one metre wide and over 100 metres above the river, is 57.7 kilometres from Málaga. You arrive by train at El Chorro – Caminito del Rey station, where a shuttle bus runs to the north entrance from 8.30, every 30 minutes, until 4.30, so fit the Renfe timetable to it.

The general ticket is €10, ten at most per purchase, and the official guided visit, for groups of up to thirty in Spanish and English, is €18. Children under eight are not admitted, and anyone over eight carries an original ID card or family book.

Where to stayTrains and buses both leave from the streets by María Zambrano station:Where to stay in Málaga →

What can share a day

Nerja and Frigiliana, being six kilometres apart. Granada, Ronda and the Caminito do not combine with one another, since each needs its own bus or train and its own day. If you have three free days for the surroundings, Ronda takes the most time on the road, and the Caminito is best kept for a day when the ticket and the train are already fixed.

2 daysTwo days in the city, before you pick a trip:Málaga in 2 days →

Getting aroundHow to reach town from the airport and get around before you set off:Getting around Málaga →

BudgetWhat everything else costs, from the room to the tickets, is on the budget page.What Málaga costs →