driving trip-malaga to madrid
Feb 11th, 2008, 10:02 AM
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
driving trip-malaga to madrid
after two weeks of renting a house in andalucia, we are travelling by car from malaga to madrid. do you have any recommendations on a route. should we travel over to alicante and valencia or travel a different direction? Thanks.
Feb 11th, 2008, 12:04 PM
#2
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 8,827
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How much time do you have to make the trip back to Madrid? The most direct route is nearly 550 km (344 miles) long.
I would plan on stopping somewhere along the way. If you break the drive up into two days, then you have several options you can explore. There is a lot to see along the way.
I would plan on stopping somewhere along the way. If you break the drive up into two days, then you have several options you can explore. There is a lot to see along the way.
Feb 11th, 2008, 12:45 PM
#3
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
dwilliams,
We could better help you if we knew how much time you have for this trip.
If it's just one day, it will be a 5 1/2 hr. drive at least, says
www.viamichelin.com
They suggest the most direct route as this:
from Málaga to Granada to Jaén to Bailén and all the way up to Madrid on the A4.
Alicante and Valencia would be a HUGE detour!
We could better help you if we knew how much time you have for this trip.
If it's just one day, it will be a 5 1/2 hr. drive at least, says
www.viamichelin.com
They suggest the most direct route as this:
from Málaga to Granada to Jaén to Bailén and all the way up to Madrid on the A4.
Alicante and Valencia would be a HUGE detour!
Feb 11th, 2008, 01:28 PM
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi sorry about that. we have one week to travel to madrid. we want to spend 2 or so days in madrid but after that we are flexible... we will have seen a lot of andalucia in the first two weeks so would like spend a day or two in each play and then drive on to the next place before ending up in madrid for a final visit and our flight home.
Feb 12th, 2008, 11:01 AM
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi again, to hopefully make it clear what help i am looking for... we would like to stay in a few places in spain on the trip back to madrid and are not sure where to stay... what to visit... i have read quite a few travel books and travel sites but struggling to narrow it down. thanks.
Feb 12th, 2008, 12:12 PM
#6
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
dwilliams,
If during your 2 week house rental you haven't made your way up to Jaén, I'd certainly make the drive up to the remains of the castle and the Parador there for the gorgeous views of miles and miles of olive groves, as far as you can see. Also Ubeda and Baeza. I highly recommend a couple of nights visiting these 2 beautiful Renaissance towns to see the stunning Vandelvira architecture. We stay at the Ubeda Parador but there are several nice lodging options in the travel guides.
From a base in Ubeda you can make a foray into the beautiful national park of Cazorla. Make it an all day outing-great scenic drives. Or you could spend a night up there (lovely parador beyond Cazorla) With a full day from Cazorla, you could make it up to the interesting town of Segura de la Villa.
http://tinyurl.com/2dcnzn
Also we love a night in Almagro in La Mancha, where Almodóvar filmed scenes from Volver. Be sure to visit the 17th century open air theater, the Corral de Comedias, on the square, the only one of its kind remaining.
http://tinyurl.com/22nj67
Again, here we've stayed at the charming former 16th century convent-Parador with its 14 interior patios but you'll find charming B&Bs there as well.
www.parador.es
www.castillalamancha.es
And don't miss the collection of windmills atop the hill outside the village of Consuegra. Follow the vista panorámica signs to drive up to them.
And off the A4 before Santa Cruz de Mudela in the tiny town of Las Virtudes you'll find an interesting, unique 17th century square bull ring, one of the oldest in Spain.
http://tinyurl.com/2cyy56
And of course, if you haven't been, I would finish off my journey with a night or two in Toledo, and also a stop from Toledo to Madrid at the highly photogenic town of Chinchón with its atmospheric, oddly shaped plaza mayor (and home of anís) and the Bourbon dynasty summer palace and gardens(18th century) in Aranjuez.
http://tinyurl.com/ynsj7d
Lots of options for a week!
If during your 2 week house rental you haven't made your way up to Jaén, I'd certainly make the drive up to the remains of the castle and the Parador there for the gorgeous views of miles and miles of olive groves, as far as you can see. Also Ubeda and Baeza. I highly recommend a couple of nights visiting these 2 beautiful Renaissance towns to see the stunning Vandelvira architecture. We stay at the Ubeda Parador but there are several nice lodging options in the travel guides.
From a base in Ubeda you can make a foray into the beautiful national park of Cazorla. Make it an all day outing-great scenic drives. Or you could spend a night up there (lovely parador beyond Cazorla) With a full day from Cazorla, you could make it up to the interesting town of Segura de la Villa.
http://tinyurl.com/2dcnzn
Also we love a night in Almagro in La Mancha, where Almodóvar filmed scenes from Volver. Be sure to visit the 17th century open air theater, the Corral de Comedias, on the square, the only one of its kind remaining.
http://tinyurl.com/22nj67
Again, here we've stayed at the charming former 16th century convent-Parador with its 14 interior patios but you'll find charming B&Bs there as well.
www.parador.es
www.castillalamancha.es
And don't miss the collection of windmills atop the hill outside the village of Consuegra. Follow the vista panorámica signs to drive up to them.
And off the A4 before Santa Cruz de Mudela in the tiny town of Las Virtudes you'll find an interesting, unique 17th century square bull ring, one of the oldest in Spain.
http://tinyurl.com/2cyy56
And of course, if you haven't been, I would finish off my journey with a night or two in Toledo, and also a stop from Toledo to Madrid at the highly photogenic town of Chinchón with its atmospheric, oddly shaped plaza mayor (and home of anís) and the Bourbon dynasty summer palace and gardens(18th century) in Aranjuez.
http://tinyurl.com/ynsj7d
Lots of options for a week!
Feb 12th, 2008, 12:42 PM
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thanks very much maribel. i really appreciate you taking the time to not only give us some suggestions but also copy some links so we can get an idea of the areas... i have forwarded your ideas to our friends so they can see as well.
Feb 12th, 2008, 02:01 PM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 7,817
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
hi dwilliams,
Forgot to mention that if you enjoy wine tourism, visiting wineries, the D.O. La Mancha has some interesting new wineries open for visits. My friend just spent a week there hopping from winery to winery (the Pago del Vicario in Ciudad Real and Dionisios stand out).
Check www.enoturismocastillalamancha.com
and click on the Ciudad Real and Toledo provinces to see these "bodegas" (wineries). Maybe some of them will be on your route back up to Madrid.
Have fun!
Forgot to mention that if you enjoy wine tourism, visiting wineries, the D.O. La Mancha has some interesting new wineries open for visits. My friend just spent a week there hopping from winery to winery (the Pago del Vicario in Ciudad Real and Dionisios stand out).
Check www.enoturismocastillalamancha.com
and click on the Ciudad Real and Toledo provinces to see these "bodegas" (wineries). Maybe some of them will be on your route back up to Madrid.
Have fun!
Feb 12th, 2008, 02:47 PM
#9
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 18
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
thanks again, maribel. you have got us excited again to finalize the plans for the last week... we were really struggling trying to figure out what route to take and where to stop... ranging from valencia... barcelona,,, etc.. all over the map. this route looks very interesting.
