Roadtrip 2022: Cordoba, Seville, Cadiz, Malaga

During one of the hottest Spanish Julys on record, we set off from our house in Alhaurin el Grande on an Andalucian road trip. Our original plan had been to catch the train, but forest fires in the Sierra de Mijas put a giant spanner in that.

Cordoba

The only way out of town was to pack up the car and drive. 200 kilometres and a couple of hours north, the scenery en-route was a blanket covering of olive tree farms. It was a Sunday, the roads were blissfully quiet, but when we arrived, so too was Cordoba. Whilst we parked for free and checked into our hotel (Soho Boutique Cordoba) we also quickly realized that nothing was open! Rooftop pool it was then.

Cordoba is famous for its great mosque, La Mezquita. Sat in a courtyard of orange trees, ‘The Great Mosque’ as it’s also known is one of the world’s greatest Islamic buildings, but with a cathedral also built inside. We only had 24 hours in this beautiful old city, but visiting La Mezquita was an absolute must. It is as stunningly beautiful as it looks in the pictures but you can only appreciate its marvel and scale once you visit. So go! Book it now!

The rest of our time, we explored the pretty Spanish streets, the bars, the restaurants and courtyards full of shade and flowers. In 42 degree heat, a shady courtyard is your best friend, and we had friends who were staying in Balcon de Cordoba, that had the most perfect little courtyard you ever did see.

Seville

Then in a flash, it was time to move on. Back in the car to drive an hour and a half south west to Seville. Where it was hotter. In fact, “Zoe,” the world's first named heat wave, hit Seville just a few days after we visited. But, heat aside (just make sure you have aircon), it’s lush. It’s special, and charming, and has a wonderful vibe that I just wanted to wander around and soak in for days. And that’s largely what we did. We didn’t pay to go into any of the big tourist destinations, we just walked the beautiful streets and soaked it all in. We stayed in a lovely little apartment (with rooftop pool) right in the heart. We ate tapas, we drank wine (some faves: Robles Laredo, Plaza de San Francisco; Calle Conteros) . Before I’d even left, I wanted to go back.

There’s so much written about where to go and what to see in Seville, I don’t need to repeat it – aside from saying you MUST visit Plaza de Espana. And, so that I don’t forget, and because it satisfied so much when we were incredibly hungry, here’s a shout out to the guy who made us ‘Empenadillas con sabores de Sevilla’ in la Plaza de Jesus de la Pasion. It. Hit. The. Spot.

Cadiz

A literal breath of fresh air from the steamy cities of Cordoba and Seville, it was wonderful to see the sea when we arrived in Cadiz. Definitely my favourite accommodation of the trip in the lovely Tandem Torres de Cadiz Suites (another roof top pool). And in Cadiz, we did more wandering, ate more ice cream and were wowed by the cathedral square. Such an immense, imposing sight that appears out of nowhere after gently exploring the narrow side streets.

For me, Cadiz isn’t as beautiful as Cordoba nor Seville, but it has its fair share of pretty squares, has lots of history and we got to see an epic sunset over the Atlantic to finish our trip. I’m really glad that we went.

Back to Malaga

Malaga is a seriously underrated city. Most people who fly into Andalucia never even visit – they land at the airport and move on. But it really is lovely, and it’s got everything. Shopping, art, history the harbour, the beach, and obviously, more food and drink!

We’ve been to Malaga plenty. We’ve done the hop on hop off bus, the Castillo de Gibralfaro and the Alcazaba. Nowadays, we like to take a slow walk through streets, often ending with a stroll through the Parque de Malaga past the municipal buildings, spotting the green parrots (not the scientific name!) along to Muello Uno for some people watching and una ceveza. I’d also recommend a sunset cruise around the harbour and bay area, as it’s a lovely way to see the city.

Road trip done

After a lovely few days away, we got back in the car for our journey home. Massively happy with the trip we’d done, the sights we’d seen and the food and drink we’d had. Back to our work-in-progress house in the Spanish hills that was hopefully still standing after the fires…

For all the pictures, follow @kdonov77 and @theweekendwandereruk on Instagram