Home Europe Spain Best trips from Malaga - inland

Best trips from Malaga - inland

března 04, 2025
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března 04, 2025


In my introductory article about Malaga, I detailed where to rent a car, where to stay and what to see. Now where to go next? How to spread your time? Will it be worth it? Of course, no one can give you the exact answers, but... I've written down my top places in Andalusia, including a bunch of photos, links to accommodation and the main attractions, which might be at least a small hint. Unfortunately/unfortunately, I've collected so many travel tips that I've had to sort them - thus the categories INLAND, which we'll look at below, and COAST, which you can find here. May it be of use to you! :)


1. El Torcal de Antequera

A nature reserve about an hour's drive from Malaga, providing the perfect opportunity for a day trip. It is situated at an altitude of 1,339 metres above sea level, so there is no shortage of beautiful panoramic views of the surrounding countryside. In our case, the peak was enveloped by thick clouds. Rain, fog, wind like crazy and visibility barely a few steps.... anyway, in good weather there are beautiful limestone rocks of different sizes and shapes to see. You will be pleased to know that you can admire this whole natural kingdom for free.

You leave your car parked at the visitor centre and it's up to you to choose your route. There is one shorter (green = 1.5 km circuit) and one longer (yellow = 3 km circuit). The last option is to take the orange trail to the top of Alto Torcal, which is 3.6 km in one direction. For more information about the park or the trails, visit the official website in either Spanish or English.

Even though we had probably the worst possible weather, we were lucky to find wildlife that didn't mind the rain in the least. In a few dozen minutes we saw a herd of Spanish ibex, a fox and a pair of quail. We didn't come here for nothing :)


We found accommodation in the village of Villanueva de la Concepción, which is just below Torcal. In low season we got €32 per night for this nice apartment - Apartamentos Villa Torcal. Another good starting point is definitely Torcal de Antaquera and for example:


2. Caminito del Rey

One of the things you can't miss in Andalusia, especially if you are of a more adventurous nature. Although the trail isn't nearly as dangerous as it used to be, it still has something going for it and is definitely worth it. I've published comprehensive information in a separate article - see My Dream Come True - Caminito del Rey.



3. Ronda

A beautiful town built on a rock massif about 1,5 h away from Malaga. I already knew from the photos I googled that this was one of the places I simply HAD to visit. The shacks here are literally stuck above a steep ravine that reaches up to 120m deep. Breathtaking views? Guaranteed!

The most frequented spot in Ronda is the monumental Puente Nuevo stone bridge connecting the two districts. Its massive pillars span the El Tajo River, which flows through this deep canyon. It's more of a stream than a river, but that's not really the point. What's important are the views. The adjacent park, Jardines de Cuenca, provides an excellent spot with views directly over Ponte Nuevo, where we walked basically alone in early February.

Since 2024, the Desfiladero del Tajo scenic trail has been newly built, where you can also see the waterfall flowing under the bridge. It's not particularly long and you pay €5 to enter. Just be warned that the rules for entry are very similar to those at Caminito del Rey, i.e. you must wear a helmet, no children under 8, no pets, no strollers, etc. All info can be found on the official website here.


Another great vantage point is the Mirador de Ronda (la Sevillana), where there is an observation deck with a gazebo. From here, you won't be able to see the famous bridge, but you'll have a great view of the surrounding area and the houses stuck on the cliff in the other part of the Ronda.


On the way to this viewpoint, you'll pass the oldest bullring in Spain (1784) - it looks like a small coliseum and has a statue of a bull in front of it. Well you just can't miss it :) During the tour you will walk through the whole arena, including the "backstage" where you can see, for example, the special cubicles from which the bulls were let out for the fights. In the stands there are permanent displays with lots of information about bullfighters and examples of their period outfits.

The arena also includes a hall used to dressage the horses of one of the oldest riding schools in Europe, the RMR (Real Maestranza de Caballería de Ronda). It has a very long tradition (16th century), but even today it still trains professional riders. Admission to the Toreador arena will currently set you back €9 (€11 with the audioguide), but in any case you can find the current price list and opening times here.
RMR:

Accommodation - overnight stay in Ronda was again solved by apartment type of accommodation - Apartamentos Nueva 13. Its main advantages were that we were literally a few meters from the Ponte Nuevo bridge + easy self check-in and of course the price - €32/night. Overall, there is plenty of accommodation in Ronda and the price is not terrible. Check out these for example:

night walk:


4. Setenil de las Bodegas

Still about 20 minutes drive north of Ronda lies this unusual village hiding houses under rock overhangs. Even passing through one of the local streets you will have to pass under a huge boulder. You can probably tell that Setenil is not a hidden gem, on the contrary it is very popular and well visited by tourists, but in the off-season the atmosphere was really nice. The cafes and restaurants were gradually opening up, there were only a few groups wandering the streets and somehow nobody was in a hurry, crowded, etc..

Practical - one of the few cities where we paid parking fees (only €2). I guess you could find a non-paid one, but we didn't want to hang around unnecessarily, then walk down the stairs with the stroller, etc... So when we came across "Parking" signs, we followed them.

Now what are the places you should not miss in Setenil? The most famous of the alleys are definitely the Cuevas del Sol and Cuevas de la Sombra, which you will recognize from the photos circulating on the internet. Less well known are Calle Herreria or Calle Jaboneria. Plus, I recommend climbing the steps to the Mirador del Carmen lookout, where you can enjoy the view of the whitewashed shacks and especially the Castillo de Setenil de las Bodegas.


5. Cueva del Gato

Caves in the oldest nature reserve in Andalusia - Sierra de Grazalema, where I had originally planned more trips, but unfortunately there was not enough time. Generally this karst area is not that touristy, but that doesn't mean there's nothing to see. On the contrary. Apart from the Cat Cave, the Cueva del Hundidero, Cueva de la Pileta or the impressive Garganta Verde gorge are definitely worth mentioning, as well as many other hiking trails.

The accessibility of Cueva del Gato - well, I'm not going to lie, I chose the easiest one to make it realistic to do with kids and preserving all nerves. The cave is located just outside the village of Benaoján, you can type Parking Cueva del Gato into google maps straight away (you pay 1€). From there you are only about 400 meters and one footbridge away. You can't get into the cave as such, because this unique cave system includes 25 underground lakes that you would have to swim across and after 8 kilometers you would (maybe) come out/swim in the Hundidero cave. However, you can at least enjoy the beautiful shade of the lake that the waterfall flowing out of the cave falls into, and of course the view of the entrance to the hidden labyrinth :)


6. Zahara de la Sierra

This is my personal discovery of 2025, a very cool town, one of the many typical white Andalusian towns = pueblos blancos. Its location is perfect, I'd say, as a 13th century Moorish castle towers over the houses and the vast Embalse de Zahara dam lies below the village. Oh, the views! Luckily there are a number of viewing terraces and platforms to enjoy from. For me, I recommend at least these "miradors": the Arco de la Villa, the Currin, the Alamada de Lepanto and the Altillo. These are all just short detours from the main street. 

Accommodation - we spent the night here in Casa El Zumaque for €63. The house is totally cool, close to everywhere, parking and amenities too, just a note that the owners are a nice older couple and only speak Spanish so you don't get to chat much :) Alternatively, take a look at Casa Rural Candeles, which I had booked originally, but in the end we preferred our own kitchen and more space, but I really liked this guesthouse both in appearance and price. In general, the prices at Zahara de la Sierra are very nice, and you can definitely fit in under €80 a night.


7. Gaucín

If you drive to Ronda/Zahara from the coast, you can stop in a few more white villages. Gaucin is not as touristy as say Mijas or Frigiliana (see article here), meaning you won't find as many restaurants, cafes and souvenir shops, which we didn't mind at all. Our goal was to kind of blur the journey from Manilva, so a walk in the white streets was a good diversion for everyone involved, and besides the white houses you can also check out the castle.



8. Granada

In our last tip, we'll move a little further east of Malaga to one of the most beautiful cities not only in Andalusia, but in Spain as a whole. I don't usually dissect the history in my articles, but here it's a bit more complicated. How else can I explain that Granada is dominated by a huge complex of Moorish palaces and fortresses, with the old Islamic quarter of Albayzín spread out below? 

Granada became the last Muslim centre in Spain and was even one of the richest cities in Europe in its heyday. Until 1492, when the last Moorish inhabitants were expelled by the Catholic rulers. However, the city's Arab appearance remained and can still be seen today.

Alhambra = the aforementioned complex towering over the town, which literally translates as "red castle" because of its reddish walls. It is made up of many parts, so allow plenty of time for this visit. An hour really won't be enough :)

Be sure to buy your admission ticket well in advance, because especially in high season you may not be able to get here anymore. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, so there is a lot of interest in visiting it, and the daily visitor limits run out pretty quickly. Another important piece of information to mention - you need to bring your ID! So make sure you don't forget your passport/ID, for example at your accommodation or in the car.

The full entrance fee will set you back €18 as of 2025 and includes the Nasrid Palace, the gardens, the Alcazaba Fortress and the Generalife... so basically everything. Because of the Nasrid Palace, you have to choose your time of visit as they only allow small groups of people into this part and the time slots are very strictly controlled indeed. If you miss your half hour time slot, you're just out of luck. I know this for a fact, because we were the ones who were late :) Lest you think we're complete denialists, it wasn't our fault, but we got stuck on the highway due to a traffic accident that paralyzed traffic in that direction for several hours. Some things you just can't control...

The good news is that if you don't want to go to the palace at all, you can get a ticket for only €10. Both versions are available online at this official website. Be warned - they take some small administrative fee for processing, so the amount will still rise slightly. If it's sold out, you could try agencies like GetYourGuide, which offer guided tours with an audio guide or directly with a guide.

Either way, the Alhambra is definitely worth a visit. From the walls and towers, you have a beautiful view of the whole of Granada, and with good visibility you can even see the peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Plus, the gardens and the Generalife are perfect for strolling, relaxing and just enjoying the perfectly manicured trees, shrubs and fountains on the terraced lookouts.

On the other hand, you no longer need an entrance fee to walk around the city. Right in the centre, the Plaza Nueva and the Cathedral de Granada are the biggest attractions. There are plenty of restaurants, cafes, modern shops and more, but if you want to soak up a bit more of the Arab atmosphere, head to the Albayzín district, which, like the Alhambra, is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The narrow streets are teeming with Oriental souvenirs (read trinkets) and food. You can walk through this district to the popular Mirador San Nicolás lookout, where you will have a perfect view of the Alhambra.

Accommodation - It will take you at least an hour and a half to get to Granada from Malaga, so consider spending the night here instead of just taking a detour. We stayed in Hotelito Suecia for nice €30, which was a great choice for walking access to the centre and the Alhambra complex. We left our car parked in an alley near the guesthouse, but it was rather lucky. Otherwise, (free) parking is quite a problem in Granada, so plan ahead for that. Other places to stay:

I've got more great Malaga trips focused on the coast here - Trips from Malaga vol. 2 - coastal edition. And of course the rest of the articles from Andalusia that might help you in your planning are then available here:


If this information has helped you to save some time or money or both, you can "invite me for a coffee" and contribute to the running of Travel with Donuts :) account number / QR code: 1257951017/3030





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