Andalusia in 5 days, the must-do tour

The Alhambra in Granada is not one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. We wonder why, because this site has no equivalent on the planet. Classified by UNESCO in 1984, this city within a city, both palace and garden, is one of the places you must see at least once in your life.

Rome, Lisbon, Istanbul, many cities have passed the word on to build themselves on seven hills! Granada is one of them, and the Alhambra is one of these seven hills, a city within a city, like the Forbidden City in Beijing or the Kremlin in Moscow. Here, it is fortified and protected by a 2km double wall with four gates at the four cardinal points, embellished by 30 towers. Fallen after a 10-month siege in 1492, the last Muslim kingdom in Europe was spared by the Catholic kings, who preserved this marvel from destruction.

Spain's most visited site, with 3 million visitors a year, the Alhambra receives 8,000 visitors a day all year round, and can take no more. The crowds are there all year round, so there will be the same number of tourists in July as in November! Don't panic though, the site is so big - between the Nasrid palace, Charles V's palace, the Alcazaba (military fortress) and the Generalife's gardens, the Alhambra covers 2,000 hectares! You'll find peace and quiet in some places, but less so in others, such as the emblematic Lion's Courtyard, the Throne Room and the Patio of the Myrtles. That said, a room can be empty and then fill up with a flood of visitors in the space of five minutes!

In the evening, don't miss the view of the Alhambra and Sierra Nevada from the San Nicolas viewpoint! The city becomes magical at sunset, when the fortifications of the Alhambra colour it in ochre and red.

Where to sleep?

⭐ Parador de Grenada

It couldn't be better located: set in the heart of the Alhambra, between the Nasrid palace and the Generalife gardens, the Parador occupies the heights of Granada, on a hill overlooking the old Muslim quarter of the Albaicín. This magical site is housed in a thirteenth-century convent of unrivalled charm. Facilities are limited and there is no swimming pool or spa, but that's not why you come here! The icing on the cake is the delicious Muslim-inspired cuisine!

Granada Cathedral

From the Alhambra, it's a pleasant 15-minute walk to the city centre and its cathedral. The narrow streets of the historic centre and the Albaicin quarter are particularly charming. The cathedral's Royal Chapel sums up the grandeur of this Renaissance-style building. Its stained glass dome is of great beauty and features sculptures and paintings by Alonso Cano.

Visiting the cathedral left you hungry? Then head for Calle de Las Naves, 500 metres from the cathedral, considered to be the tapas street: a meeting place for the locals! In every bar, at lunchtime or dinnertime, if you order a drink, you'll be offered one (the price of the drink includes the tapa). This feature will also tell you whether you're in a typical bar or a touristy one - only touristy establishments charge for these appetisers... It's time to head for the beautiful city of Cordoba, a 2-hour drive away.

Cordoba and its mosque-cathedral

Ideally situated halfway between Seville and Granada, Cordoba is an essential stop-off point on any tour of Andalusia. Curled up on the banks of the Guadalquivir, the former capital of the Caliphate of Cordoba is less well known than its Andalusian rivals, but can be explored in a day. The highlight of the visit is the mezquita, a former mosque turned cathedral. An emblematic monument for a city where the Roman, Muslim and Jewish heritages are omnipresent.

Where to sleep?

⭐ Las Casas de la Judería de Córdoba

Las Casas de la Judería comprises five houses, the oldest of which dates from the late 15th century, in the heart of the Judería district, a two-minute walk from the Alcázar and around ten minutes from the Cathedral-Mosque. The food is excellent and the welcome top-notch. It's hard not to fall under the spell of this traditional Andalusian house!

Before leaving for Ronda, there are still a few must-sees in Córdoba, including the gardens of the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Roman bridge over the River Guadalquivir.

On the banks of the Guadalquivir, the Alcazar of the Christian Kings, the fortified residence of the Caliphs and then the Catholic kings, is a marvel! Our favourite part? A stroll through its magnificent, harmonious gardens, punctuated by the pleasant flow of water from the fountains and the song of the birds. It was in these gardens that Christopher Columbus met the Christian Monarchs in 1492, in preparation for his expedition to discover America that same year!

Also known as the Old Bridge (built in 45 BC, after all!), Cordoba's Roman bridge spans the Guadalquivir river and links the Campo de la Verdad and Cathedral districts. It is one of the filming locations for the famous Game of Thrones series. A Roman heritage that resurfaces every time the city is excavated. Ruins can be found here in hotels and public places, much like in Rome.

👉 Anecdote: The words cobbler and shoemaker come from the city of Cordoba, whose leather was highly prized in the Middle Ages.

Ronda

It's a two-hour drive to one of Spain's oldest towns. Built on a rocky promontory, Ronda is split in two by a deep ravine, which is crossed by the Puente Nuevo, a not-so-new bridge dating back to the 18th century, suspended 100 metres above sea level! Also worth seeing: the Palacio de Mondragon, a remarkable Arab-style residence with a small museum, and the Plaza de Toros, Spain's first bullring, inaugurated in 1785. It was in Ronda that Pedro Romero laid down the rules for bullfighting.

Where to sleep?

⭐ Parador de Ronda

The Parador de Turismo takes up residence in Ronda's former town hall, overlooking the canyon, right next to the bridge. Each room at the Parador Ronda has a private balcony. Many of the rooms have views of the surrounding mountains. All have satellite TV and air conditioning in summer. There is a seasonal swimming pool.

It takes around 1 hour 45 minutes to drive to the capital of Andalusia. How can you resist the charm of Seville? The pedestrianised centre lined with orange trees (there are 80,000 of them!) and neo-Mudejar-style facades is a delight. Of course, there are Seville's must-see treasures: the cathedral, dazzling with the mausoleum of Christopher Columbus. It is dominated by the Giralda, the former minaret of the Great Mosque converted into a bell tower, which rises to a height of 98 metres. The summit offers an admirable view of the city. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Alcazar Palace and its gardens are reminiscent of the Alhambra in Granada.

Seville is home to some lesser-known but equally fascinating places, such as the Flamenco Dance Museum, housed in a superb mansion built around its Andalusian patio. Lose yourself in the maze of narrow, picturesque streets in the Juderia, Santa Cruz and El Arenal districts, wandering through small squares and flower-filled patios, and don't hesitate to cross the Guadalquivir to lose yourself in the working-class Triana district, a former stronghold of sailors and gypsies. Last but not least, you can't miss the emblematic Plaza de España!

The Spanish Steps

Built for the Ibero-American Exhibition in 1929, the Plaza de España is a vast semicircle 200 metres in diameter bordered by an impressive brick and ceramic palace, one of the wonders of the city. Its blue tiles, known as azulejos, tell the story of 48 of Spain's 50 provinces, in alphabetical order. There are also four majestic bridges decorated with ceramic tiles, spanning an inland canal.

Alcazar Gardens

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, this Muslim citadel and its Arab-influenced gardens are a foretaste of the Alhambra in Granada. Fountains, fountains, pools, sculptures and flowering trees add extraordinary charm to this enchanting place.

The Giralda

Dominated by a Moorish tower dating back to 1198, the Giralda (weathervane) is THE must-see monument in Seville and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The top of the minaret of this former mosque is crowned by a weathervane, a huge bronze figure representing the victorious Faith and giving the tower its name. This former minaret of the Great Mosque (and twin of Marrakesh's Koutoubia) has been converted into a bell tower, reaching a height of 98 metres. For a long time, it was the tallest tower in the world!

Torre de Oro

Nestling on the banks of the Guadalquivir near the San Telmo bridge, this imposing 13th-century medieval Almohad tower housed the gold brought back from the New World by the conquistadores from the 15th century onwards. But if it's called the Tower of Gold, it's not because it was used to store gold, as you might think, but because the building was originally covered in golden metal tiles!

Where to stay in Seville

⭐Las Casas de la Juderia

Las Casas de la Juderia is a unique concept, a veritable city within the city located in the old Jewish quarter in the centre of Santa Cruz. 32 patios, flower-filled gardens adorned with fountains, a swimming pool, rooms worthy of the Palace of Versailles, cobbled streets, top-flight gastronomy, a spa all in breathtaking mosaics, and even an underground gallery! That's what this unusual address has to offer, plus many more surprises! Come and discover this unclassifiable establishment, halfway between a Moroccan riad, an Andalusian village and a palace from the Arabian Nights! One of our favourites in Seville, not far from the cathedral and its Giralda, and a stone's throw from the Alcazar palace.

Just an hour and a half's drive from Seville, La Donana is one of Europe's most beautiful nature parks. Listed as a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site by UNESCO, Europe's largest wetland area can be explored by 4x4 between sand dunes, pine forests and marshes, and even in the waves on the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean!

Created in 1969, the Donana National Park covers 75,000 hectares. If you're lucky, you might spot a lynx, but in any case, you'll have the opportunity to observe pink flamingos, wild boar and deer frolicking among the marshes and dunes. At times, you'll think you're in the Sahara! Some of the dunes are up to 30 metres high, and several scenes from the legendary film Lawrence of Arabia were filmed here. In the blink of an eye, you'll move from the beaches of the Atlantic Ocean to the sand dunes, from the marshes to the pine forest, via the freshwater lagoon, with a few stops along the way for animal encounters. Grab your binoculars!