I have organized a CYCLING trip to Andalucia in March 2020. We are staying out in the sticks of the Granada Province outside Alhama de Granada. There were some pros and cons to this location being so far off the beaten path, but the ease of cycling from the B&B ultimately won out to the convenience of being in a large town or city. Making this disclaimer because I know a lot of people do not recommend being outside a city. But cycling from the middle of nowhere is so much more enjoyable.

I have a lot of ideas for day trips - either on the bike or in the car, but I was hoping to come here for additional suggestions and opinions. We are folks who like food, drink, and outside activities. We like historical sites as well, but are not the type of group to spend a full day in a museum (I have seen many people stating you need a full day in the Alhambra, for example).

Some things I've considered:
- Day trip to Granada (Alhambra is only absolute must-see so far on the list; also thought a "foodie tour" might be fun) - in car
- We'll be seeing Alhama de Granada from just being in the area. Was also wanting to check out the "Roman Villa" in Salar - on bike
- Montefrio, Moclin, and/or Olivares (gorge hike, castles, etc.) - on bike and foot
- Frigiliana, Nerja - probably in car
- Antequera and El Torcal - on bike/foot or car/foot

Also, we are flying in/out of Malaga (bad flight choices in to Granada for us). On the way from Malaga to the B&B I was thinking it would be nice to make a stop for a meal and to get some provisions. Any recommendations on towns that might be good to do this?

Any other suggestions or things you might recommend?

Some people claim you need two days in the Alhambra, and you have to go at night for some reason, even though you can't really see architecture as well at night. I'm with you, and of course you don't HAVE to spend all day there, I probably was there four hours, I guess, that was enough to see everything I wanted for sure.

I think people recommend staying in a city for sightseeing and public transit, but not related to those doing cycling trips, which is a different issue.

I'm not following you on the idea of going to Antequera by bike or foot. It's 80 km away. I haven't been there, but I know it's a main rail hub in that area to get to Alhambra from Seville. But I think that's a good idea to visit that city, it's not too huge and has some items of interest, I always like visiting cities about the size.

I'd suggest you look at Nerja for a day trip, down on the coast. It's about 70 km away.
Information about Nerja, Costa del Sol | Andalucia.com

Sorry, that was confusing on my end! I meant we plan to hike at El Torcal so whether we drive or bike there it will also involve hiking in the area.

If you haven't already done so, I'd urge you to consult the Michelin Green Guide for the area.

Reserve your tickets for the Alhambra well in advance!

I think Christina means that some people (like me) suggest two nights for Granada so one has a full day for the Alhambra, and a 3rd night if one wants to see others of Granada's gems. I'm really glad I saw the Alhambra during both the day and night, in part because during an evening visit, one can hear the fountains and (in season) smell the evening-blooming flowers and see how the place looked to its inhabitants at that time of day -- all in the company of a much smaller number of visitors than are there during the day. That's a recommendation I commonly make when people ask for input on itineraries. I didn't think that's what the OP is asking.

I would reserve more days to fit it all in