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This southern Spain 14-day itinerary is designed for visitors who want the full picture — Andalucia’s great cities, white villages, Atlantic and Mediterranean coastline, and mountain landscapes.
Southern Spain 14-Day Itinerary: Key Planning Points
Fourteen days in southern Spain is the trip you’ll talk about for years. Long enough to move slowly, go deep in each place, absorb the rhythm of a region that rewards patience — and still cover the Golden Triangle, the coast, the white villages, and a corner of Spain that most visitors never reach.
This southern spain 14-day itinerary guide covers everything you need to know for your trip.
Use this southern spain 14-day itinerary resource to plan each stage of your visit to Andalucia.
This itinerary takes you from Seville through to Almería and back via Málaga. You can reverse it, shorten it, or use it as a framework to remix. The bones are solid.
The 14-day route
Seville (3 nights) → Cádiz (2 nights) → Ronda + white villages (2 nights) → Córdoba (1 night) → Granada (3 nights) → Almería + Cabo de Gata (2 nights) → Málaga (1 night)
Days 1–3: Seville
Day 1 — Arrival. Settle into your neighbourhood (Triana or Alfalfa are best). Evening tapas crawl in Triana — Bar Las Golondrinas, Casa Cuesta, bar-hop along the waterfront.
Day 2 — Alcázar and Cathedral. The Alcázar at 9.30am (pre-booked), La Giralda, Barrio Santa Cruz. Evening: flamenco at Casa de la Memoria (pre-booked). Dinner at El Rinconcillo.
Day 3 — Italica and the real Seville. Morning bus to Roman Italica (9km north, 30 min). Back by 1pm. Afternoon in the Museo de Bellas Artes and the Macarena district — far less touristy than Santa Cruz. Try La Azotea for tapas in the evening.
Days 4–5: Cádiz
Drive or train southwest to Cádiz (1h 30min drive, 1h 45min train from Seville).
Day 4 — Old Cádiz. The Barrio del Pópulo Roman quarter, the Cathedral and its golden baroque dome, the Torre Tavira camera obscura. Lunch at the Mercado Central de Abastos — the best food market in Cádiz province.
Day 5 — Jerez day trip. Train or drive 45 min to Jerez for the morning. González Byass bodega tour and sherry tasting, lunch at La Carboná, back to Cádiz for the afternoon. Beach at Playa de la Caleta if the weather allows.
Days 6–7: Ronda and the white villages
Drive north from Cádiz through Arcos de la Frontera (brief stop, 1h 15min from Cádiz) to Ronda (1h 30min from Arcos). Total drive: ~2h 45min.
Day 6 — Ronda. The Puente Nuevo gorge, the walk down to the Camino de los Molinos viewpoint below the bridge. Plaza de Toros. La Ciudad old town. Sleep in Ronda — the town after 7pm belongs to you.
Day 7 — White village circuit. Day loop from Ronda: Setenil de las Bodegas (20 min — the rock-overhang village), Olvera (45 min from Setenil), Zahara de la Sierra (35 min from Olvera via the mountain road — stop at the Puerto de las Palomas pass), Grazalema (20 min from Zahara). Back to Ronda for dinner.
Day 8: Córdoba
Drive Ronda → Córdoba (2h 30min via A-45). Or take the train from Antequera (40 min drive from Ronda, then 45 min AVE to Córdoba).
Arrive by lunch. Afternoon at the Mezquita-Catedral (enter 4pm when the afternoon rush subsides). Evening in the Judería. Sleep in Córdoba — one night is enough.
Early start Day 9: free Mezquita entry 8.30–9.30am before heading to Granada.
Days 9–11: Granada
Drive Córdoba → Granada (2h 15min) or train (2h 15min via Antequera).
Day 9 — The Mezquita + arrival. Free 8.30am Mezquita visit (if you stayed in Córdoba), then drive to Granada. Arrive early afternoon. Albaicín walk, sunset at Mirador de San Nicolás.
Day 10 — Alhambra. The centrepiece of the whole 14 days. Book the Nasrid Palaces 2–4 months ahead. Morning slot (8.30am). 3.5–4 hours inside. Afternoon: recover, Sacromonte caves. Evening: tapa libre on Calle Navas.
Day 11 — Granada and surroundings. Options: Sierra Nevada (45 min drive, hiking or summer skiing), Alpujarras villages (1h, guided or by Alsa bus), or a slow day in Granada — the Museo de la Alhambra (free with your Alhambra ticket), the Cathedral and Capilla Real (Columbus’s tomb and the royal sarcophagi), the covered market at Alcaicería.
Days 12–13: Almería and Cabo de Gata
Drive Granada → Almería (2h 15min on the A-92). This is where 14-day travellers pull ahead of the 7-day crowd — Almería is genuinely extraordinary and genuinely unvisited.
Day 12 — Almería city. The Alcazaba of Almería — the largest Moorish fortress in Spain after the Alhambra, and almost completely ignored by tourists. The views from the walls across the city and the Mediterranean are superb. The old centre (Centro Histórico) has an excellent tapas scene. Gambas rojas de Garrucha (red prawns from Garrucha port, the finest in Spain) for dinner.
Day 13 — Cabo de Gata Natural Park. Drive 40 minutes east to the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park — volcanic coastal landscape, black rock beaches, turquoise water, no hotels or development inside the park boundaries. Playa de los Muertos is one of the most beautiful beaches in Spain. Playa de Monsul was used in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. The park road around the cape offers extraordinary views at every turn.
Optional: drive through the Tabernas Desert (north of Almería, 30 min) — the only true desert in Europe and the location of hundreds of Spaghetti Westerns.
Day 14: Málaga
Drive west from Almería to Málaga (2h 15min via the A-7). A final half-day in Andalucia’s most underrated city:
- Picasso Museum (he was born here — the museum is excellent and housed in a beautiful Renaissance palace)
- Alcazaba (the Moorish fortress, smaller than Granada’s but charming)
- Atarazanas Market for a last lunch
- Playa de la Malagueta for espetos (grilled sardines on bamboo skewers) on the beach
Fly home from Málaga AGP.
Transport summary
| Leg | Option | Time | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seville → Cádiz | Train | 1h 45min | €18 |
| Cádiz → Ronda | Car (rent from Cádiz or Jerez) | 2h 45min | — |
| Ronda → Córdoba | Car or train via Antequera | 2h 30min | — |
| Córdoba → Granada | Train or car | 2h 15min | €28 |
| Granada → Almería | Car | 2h 15min | — |
| Almería → Málaga | Car | 2h 15min | — |
Car hire recommendation: Rent from Cádiz for Days 6–14 (9 days). This covers the white villages, Córdoba, Granada, Almería, and Málaga without any airport drop/pick-up complications. Budget €350–€500 for 9 days.
Budget estimate (per person, excluding flights)
| Category | 14-day total |
|---|---|
| Accommodation (mid-range) | €840 |
| Transport (trains + 9-day car rental) | €400 |
| Food | €500 |
| Attractions | €200 |
| Miscellaneous | €160 |
| Total | ~€2,100 |
More itinerary options
- Shorter trip: 7-Day Andalucia Itinerary or 10-Day Andalucia Itinerary
- Without a car: Andalucia Without a Car Itinerary
- White villages deep-dive: Pueblos Blancos Guide
Useful Resources
For official travel information about Andalucia, visit Andalucia — Spain Tourism.
Related reading: Andalucia 7-day itinerary, renting a car in Andalucia.
