celeste

We will be basing in Nerja and will make a day tour to Granada and would like to stay there as long as possible i.e., leave Nerja 7:30 a.m. and leave Granada for Nerja about 7:00 P.M. We have a rental car available but do not know the driving condition between Nerja and Granada. Please advise on whether it is preferable to drive or bus. Our concerns if we drive are: difficulty in parking, in driving around a busy city, and driving back to Nerja at night. Advantage of course is flexibility. Does anybody know how extensive public transportation is between Nerja and Granada? Please share your valuable experience and comments. Thanks.

marija

The drive between Nerja and Granada is easy. The road is good. I believe the trip took less than two hours. There is parking at the Alhambra. Park your car there and don't move it until you're ready to leave. You don't want to drive in Granada.

Colleen

Marija is right - the roads are good. The drive takes 90 minutes, but remember that you have to drive INTO Granada to get to the Alhambra. When we drove, we had a rental car and dropped it at the Hertz office, and luckily we picked the correct exit and found the office on that road. I guess your decision will depend on how much city driving you're up to!

celeste

We would like to try to avoid driving within the city. Marija, how hard is it to drive within the city as compared, for example to New York City or any US major city? Coleen, do you know a place where we can park and just take the bus or train into Alhambra? Appreciate any info. Thanks.

Maribel

Celeste,
I did the Granada-Nerja drive in late June, and was suprised by the heavy construction on part of the route. (We've done the drive several times). They're making it much more direct to avoid the slower going, curvy mountain pass-a laborious project that should take some time, a yr. or more. It took us about 1 1/2 hrs. with plenty of traffic, trucks, heavy machinery, etc. but it's not at all a treacherous drive. It was actually quite pleasant with wonderful scenery. Our friends, first time visitors really enjoyed the drive. However, as you approach Granada, please, please follow the "circunvalacion" highway (a beltway) that will take you directly up to the Alhambra, avoiding the city entirely. Please don't go into Granada proper, as it is a true maze that will trap even very experienced drivers (such as my Spanish husband) for hours! This "circunvalacion" route, clearly marked by signs (blue?) indicating "La Alhambra" takes you up and around, and there will be a huge parking lot at the site in front of the main entrance, ticket booths, where you'll want to leave your car. And if you leave Nerja at 7:30, you'll arrive before the onslaught of tour busses. The payment system for extracating your car (at central machines) is a bit confusing/annoying, but there's a little white building (unmarked) nearby where an omnibudsman will be on call to help you out if the machine won't take your coins, as was the case for us.
Have a great trip.

Greg

We are thinking about staying at the parador on the Alhambra grounds. Is the aforementioned parking lot the same place we would park?

Marija

The parador has its own fenced parking lot which is adjacent to the main Alhambra lot and entered through it, I believe. Parking was free for parador guests.

Mags

DRIVE!!!!!!!!!!!