Thinking of Andalusia, one of the first images that comes to mind is the splendid Alhambra of Granada. Straight away, the mind turns to the long golden-sand beaches and the movida, a Spanish term to mean pure fun. Making real what the mind shows us in fragmented images is easy: just plan an itinerary that links Moorish Granada with seaside Malaga and its beaches.
In this article you will find our tips for visiting both Malaga and Granada, the distance and the main connections between the two cities and, while travelling from one to the other, possible routes to see the inland area with its pretty villages and the most important coastal towns, just as we did in the case of the Malaga-Seville pairing.
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How far is Granada from Malaga?
Between Malaga and Granada there are 131 kilometres (81,3 miles), which can be driven in around 1 hour and 30 minutes via the A-92. The road is smooth and crosses the inland area.
Why visit Malaga?
Malaga is the capital of the Costa del Sol, and its sun-drenched beaches make it a much sought-after tourist destination, especially in summer. Malaga’s vibrant cultural life combines with its main monuments: the city is able to offer visitors both leisure and history, art and architecture. We have covered this in detail in the article things to do in Malaga.
Malaga also has another advantage in its favour if you are planning an tour of Andalusia: an important international airport with various flight connections between Malaga and UK. We have covered this instead in the article flights to Malaga.
Among the main attractions in Malaga we find:
- Playa La Malagueta, practically in the city centre, this beach is among the most popular in Málaga and on the Costa del Sol. It offers every service you could imagine and at night it is the setting for unforgettable parties and events;
- the Cathedral of Malaga, built on the ancient Aljama Mosque at the end of the sixteenth century, today preserves the orange tree courtyard and the columned structure. Its ‘unfinished’ façade is remarkable, with just one tower, the northern one, standing at 84 metres tall. The southern tower, never completed, has meant that the church has also become known as La Manquita (The One-Armed Lady);
- the Alcazaba, an imposing fortress of Arab origin with gates, towers, courtyards full of greenery and gardens;
- the Picasso Museum, a must if you are in Malaga and love this multifaceted artist who was born right here in Malaga;
- Plaza de Toros, among the largest bullrings in Andalusia;
- Roman Theatre, testimony to the Roman presence in the city, these ancient ruins were discovered in the 1950s and have now been uncovered and restored.
Malaga deserves a two-day stay in which to alternate the pleasures of its sunny city beaches with visits to the city’s main monuments and sights. Spending a night in one of Malaga’s hotels will give you the chance to discover the Malagueño nightlife for which the city is renowned. If you really do not have time to stay overnight, I would still recommend dedicating at least a full day to it.
Tips on where to stay in Malaga
Why visit Granada?
Granada is one of the most famous cities in Andalusia, thanks to the Arab presence that over the centuries transformed its structure and shaped its soul. Its monuments (above all the Alhambra!) but above all the atmosphere you breathe in the streets of the historic centre attract thousands of tourists every year, making it a much-visited city, though no less fascinating for that.
Although the list would be longer, among the monuments and must-see places in Granada we find:
- Alhambra, undoubtedly the city’s undisputed star. Built between the 13th and 14th centuries, this complex, the pinnacle of beauty in Andalusian architecture, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1984. It covers an area of over 100,000 square metres, with palaces, patios, Moorish towers and magnificent gardens. The red stone combines with the colours of the azulejos, the green of the lush vegetation and the blue of the enchanting water features.
- Albayzín, one of Granada’s districts, with its little streets brimming with small shops and renowned squares such as Plaza de San Miguel Bajo and Plaza Larga. Certainly worth seeing in the Albayzín district are the Arab Baths and the Miradór de San Nicolás, from which you can admire the city in all its splendour.
- Sacromonte, a hillside district with typical white houses and caves, the cuevas, where the Gypsies lived. Also worth seeing is the Museo Cuevas del Sacromonte.
- Cathedral of the Incarnation, built in the sixteenth century, has a Baroque-style façade and elegant Gothic-Renaissance interiors with imposing columns and an evocative high altar.
- Royal Chapel, houses the remains of Isabella and Ferdinand of Aragon, Joanna the Mad and Philip I in a magnificent early 16th-century Gothic mausoleum.
- Madraza, the former seat of the University of Granada dating back to the 15th century. The Mudejar decorations and colours of this splendid building will leave you speechless.
Our tips for choosing a flight to Andalusia
The city of Granada (with its splendid surroundings) would deserve a 3-day stay, but if that is not possible, consider spending at least two full days in the city, one of which will be devoted almost entirely to the Alhambra.
Tips on where to stay in Granada
Malaga to Granada by train and bus
With regard to public transport, Malaga and Granada are well connected by bus: the ALSA service links Malaga bus station (Paseo de los Tilos, 21) with Granada bus station. There are over 20 departures a day. The bus is the fastest way to get to Granada from Malaga by public transport. The journey takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to 1 hour and 45 minutes depending on the departure time, but I recommend reading our page Andalusia by bus to find out more about tickets and journey times.
ALSAs coaches also connect Malaga airport with Granada bus station: in this second case, the journey takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
At present there are no direct train connections between Malaga and Granada. The only rail options involve changes in intermediate towns or combinations of train and bus, bringing the journey time to over 4 hours. Read our page Andalusia by train to find out more about tickets and journey times.
Malaga to Granada by car: is it possible?
Certainly! We recommend hiring a car in Malaga and setting off on a road trip to discover unmissable hidden corners of inland Andalusia.
How to get from Malaga to Granada: recommended itinerary
The quickest route from Malaga to Granada by car is along the A-92, which allows you to reach the Moorish city par excellence in about 1 hour and 30 minutes.
However, we want to suggest two alternative routes that allow you to discover other towns along the way which are certainly worth visiting.
1) Malaga – Nerja – Frigiliana –Salobreña – Granada
In total, it is around 170 kilometres (105,6 miles) for approximately 2 hours and 30 minutes of travel over two days.
- Starting from Malaga, the first stop on this route is Frigiliana, one of the area’s most famous white villages. You will drive along the coastal road, the A-7, to Nerja in about an hour, then head north for around 6 kilometres (3,7 miles) until you reach Frigiliana. This beautiful village is considered one of the prettiest towns in Andalusia: the white houses with red roofs, the maze of narrow streets in the old town, the hills and, in the distance, the Mediterranean Sea. A sight that will leave you speechless. Don’t forget to taste the local wine and the honey produced in the area… a sweeter souvenir to bring back to UK. For more details, read our article on what to see in Frigiliana.
- In the late afternoon, return towards the coast and reach Nerja, where you can spend the night in one of the many hotels. Nerja is a coastal town famous for its wonderful beaches. A former fishing port, Nerja is set on a promontory from which you can enjoy a magnificent view. The beaches of Nerja are many, but there is also the famous Cueva de Nerja, not to be missed and absolutely worth visiting if you love caves.
- The following morning you can take a dip in the sea and then set off again for Salobreña, a town about 30 minutes from Nerja. Salobreña is a Moorish town in the province of Granada, dominated by its imposing alcázar and characterised by white houses close to the sea. Salobreña’s main beach, equipped and suitable for families, is Playa de la Guardia, a distinctive beach because it is interrupted halfway by the promontory called Peñon di Salobreña. I advise you not to leave Salobreña too late so that you arrive in Granada in the evening: the journey between the two cities takes about an hour.
2) Málaga – Vélez-Málaga – Alhama de Granada – Granada
This is the second recommended itinerary to cover the distance between Malaga and Granada: the route is 142 kilometres (88,2 miles). The total travel time is 2 hours and 40 minutes. With the two planned stops, perhaps one in the morning and one in the afternoon, it is possible to complete the entire itinerary in a day and arrive in Granada in the evening.
- Leaving Málaga, you will follow a stretch of coast along the A-7 before reaching the first stop, Vélez-Málaga, in around 40 minutes. Vélez-Málaga is the main town of the hilly, mountainous area known as La Axarquía. If you love nature, you will adore this part of Andalusia and the route that winds through the interior between Málaga and Granada. The tower of the Castillo rises above the town and offers lovely views all the way to the sea, while the Palacio del Marqués de Beniel dates back to the early seventeenth century and is in the Mannerist style. The Barrio San Sebastián is the most characteristic neighbourhood.
- From Vélez-Málaga, continue north to Alhama de Granada. If you have time for another stop, the small village of Viñuela has a pretty historic centre and is famous for Embalse de Viñuela, a lake where you can practise water sports or take a refreshing swim. Carrying on, you will pass near the Boquete de Zafarraya, a splendid mountain pass at an altitude of around 900 metres between the Alhama and Tejeda mountains. In the village of Zafarraya, incidentally, among the rather ramshackle houses you will find the open-air ruins of a very ancient church: if you cannot find it, ask the locals… there is not much else to see! About an hour after setting off from Vélez-Málaga you will reach Alhama de Granada.
- Alhama de Granada is a little gem nestled in a gorge carved by the Alhama river. In a landscape rich in almond and olive trees, the river forms natural pools and the area has been famous for its thermal waters since ancient times. Next to the Balneario, reachable with a short detour from the A-402 along a truly surreal road, there are a couple of free pools where you can enjoy a lovely, restorative hot bath. The Balneario, meanwhile, hides some exceptionally well-preserved Arab baths, but they can only be visited during the hours when there are no treatments (usually from 2 pm to 4 pm). After your bath, head to the centre and wander through its lanes, hoping to find the churches and palaces open, or asking the tourist office when guided tours of the town take place. You can also reach the caves carved into the rock known as Las Mazmorras, or simply look out over the canyon on which the town stands from the mirador behind the Iglesia del Carmen. In the late afternoon, set off again for Granada, which you will reach in just over an hour’s drive. The city of the Alhambra will welcome you as the sun sets, with all its charm.
