Granada to Malaga, most scenic route!
 

Hi Everyone,
The first week of November we will be driving from Granada to Malaga where we will stay the night before flying to Lisbon. We have all day to make the drive. Any suggestions which route is best: inland or along the ocean? Anything really special to see along the way? Any small towns that are nice to visit along the route for lunch or just roaming about? Don't need to stay on main route, small back roads are fine also. Should we just head straight for Malaga and roam around there? Thanks for the suggestions...Michele

Consider taking in the Nerja Caves and the white cities along the coast on your way

Only about an hour is needed for the caves, time well spent

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caves_of_Nerja

From Granada head in the direction of Motril. When you hit the sea, hang a right and head for Malaga. Stop in Nerja for lunch and a stroll about.

Frank...thank you for the info about the caves. We will pick up our car in Seville and visit the white villages on our way to Ronda. We plan to visit Pileta Cave. Do you have an opinion on which cave, Pileta or Nerja has the best cave paintings?

Thank you Bedar..will definitely stop in Nerja for lunch and a stroll. The aqueduct looks like a great photo op also.

From Granada, go down to the Med through the scenic A 4050 road known as the "Moor's Sigh" (Suspiro del Moro). http://www.holavalencia.net/2010/02/...and-almunecar/

The name of the road comes from the legenedary sigh of Boabdil, the last emir of Granada, when he at the mountain pass known as Puerto del Suspiro del Moro (The Moor's sigh pass), in 1492 for a last time had a look back upon the city now lost to the so called Catholic Monarchs. His mother shall then have said: "You cry like a woman over a city you couldn't defend as a man".

When you hit the coast, you are not far from the spectacular and huge Nerja Caves, lived people here 30 000 yeas ago: http://www.cuevadenerja.es/index.php?lenguaje=en

Have lunch in beautiful Nerja, and from here it's fourty mins driving to Málaga city. Photo of Nerja: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

Plenty of fabulous restaurants in Nerja, from no fuss traditional Spanish to high end. A couple of lunch suggestions:

- Have the freshest fish and seafood in La Marina. You don't find much better traditional freidurias/marisquerías in all of Andalucia. Very popular and local atmosphere: http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gu.../marina_en.htm

- Go for the famous paella at Ayo's, right on the Burriana Beach. Eat as much as you like for 6,50€. Sunday lunch at Ayo's is a highlight of the week for many nerjeños, and on a Sunday it's not uncommon that they serve some 2000 plates of paella here: http://www.ayonerja.com/chiringuito_en.html

- Want high end? Go to Oliva or Fusion Food & Lounge.
http://www.restauranteoliva.com/eng.html
http://www.fusionfood.es/

... and here is the Nerja photo: https://www.flickr.com/photos/trondjs/3735908317/

If I was you and if you feel like getting off the beaten track then head for the sierra.
Take the A402. Some spectacular scenery.
The time allowed should be around 3 hours plus stopping time. Eat somewhere in like the town of Alhama de Granada.
http://turismodealhama.com
Monuments
http://turismodealhama.com/monumento...ico-de-alhama/
Nerja is not very quaint the other side of the coin to this town is something like this: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerjanews/...ches-and-bars/
The very Spanish named Coach and Horses ;-)
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...ch-and-horses/
It can be very tacky in places.

And plenty of genuine tapas bars in the old town in Nerja. Some of my favourites:

La Puntilla: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html
El Cangrejo: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...Andalucia.html
Los Bilbainos: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html
El Velero: http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...Andalucia.html

Typical old town street in Nerja: http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/131879/629455

And perhaps go and see the close by "lost village" Acebuchal. http://www.spain-holiday.com/Frigili...e-lost-village
http://eastofmalaga.net/2014/12/22/t...-el-acebuchal/

Like ribeira, I wouldn't recommend Coach & Horses, but I've had tasty English breakfast in El Rincon de Encarni in Nerja ;-) http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

And 3000 year old Malaga city is fabulous in itself, I visit all the time: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...pt-secret.html

Perhaps go to El Pimpi at night, an institution in town:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQ60p6dyFEs
Here anything can happen:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDkSs-gOx1Q

And start the next day with chocolate con churros in Casa Aranda, one of my favourite cafes in all of Spain. Just off the fine Atarazanas food market: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

definitely the route south through the mountains and down to the sea is the way to go - the other is pretty boring.

As ribeirasacra - the Zafarraya pass route.

Bookmarking. Doing this stretch from Malaga to Granada

Thank you everyone...will definitely take the route south. So many great food options in Nerja. Probably tapas as we have a reservation at Hotel Villa Guadalupe in Malaga for dinner. Better get an early start...so much to see along the way...thanks again for all the ideas.

Nerja has always been crammed with the English and now by one Norwegian, Kimhe. We have never stopped there except for a bottle of water, whatever. But, this trip between Malaga and Almeria we're going to eat at La Marina which he has been touting for years ! Will let you know how good it might be.
Unhappily all towns along the coasts have been developed for tourism, Spain's biggest moneymaker. No more quaint, off-the-beaten-path places. Such is progress. Sure glad we traveled the coasts during the Dark Ages. Nevertheless, we like the coasts and will be seeking out the old road, N-340, for this trip, not the new motorway.

I am so glad to find this thread! I am planning a trip for next April to this area and am getting so much great info. Thanks to ALL of you!
Good luck with your planning michelle_d

<Nerja has always been crammed with the English and now by one Norwegian, Kimhe> :-)

Nerja has seen it's fair share of tourism since the 1960's (after the discovery of the caves in 1959), but it has retained much of it's Andalucian small town charm, especially in the Old town. Here you find the best and most genuine tapas bars as well (see above).

But if you want to combine fabulous tapas with a stroll on nearby and famous Balcon de Europa, there is no better place than El Pulguilla. A great variety of seafood and meat tapas are grilled on the spot, and they come free with every glass of whatever in the bar area. Going back in September, and can't wait to have the squid, the conchas finas, the besugo, the lamb-skewer and take in the great atmosphere. Don't be put off by the cram packed conditions and noise here at lunchtime, very popular with the locals and service is efficient and friendly. A mystery how they keep track of who ordered what tapas with their drink...
http://www.yelp.com/biz/bar-restaura...ulguilla-nerja
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...Andalucia.html

If you want a <quaint, off-the-beaten-path place> close by, I can highly recommend Maro just outside Nerja and just below the caves. Beautiful little village with 800 people and some five laid-back bars and restaurants. Total relaxation in the little bar/restaurant om Plaza de las Maravillas.
http://www.absoluteaxarquia.com/areas/maro.html

And Bedar, glad to hear you'll be stopping for a meal in La Marina in Nerja! I especially recommend the vieiras, the navajas, the conchas finas and they always serve a delicious and simple rosada frita here. You know what to expect, not a fancy place but no fuss and high quality. Order media raciones and shellfish by the unit to taste a good variety.

Their menu is very similar to more famous La Cueva in Torre del Mar, and the atmosphere is also much the same: http://www.freidurialacueva.es/carta.html

Hi Michele
We havent been to the Pileta caves, but it looks interesting. The Nerja caves came in above expectations for us, and in November I wouldnt expect big crowds in Nerja in case you decide to visit the city for lunch

There are better and more authentic small towns in Andalusia then Nerja. Granted this town does not have the very high-rise developments associated with some other Spanish sea results, but it is still can have the very "expat/kissme quick/picture menus" feel to it.
I only pointed out one very small part of how the town is like this with the one photo. There are many more if you care to research the videos and photos of the town on-line.

Besides it does not fit in with the question for the most scenic route between Granada and Málaga.

Kimhe, The problem with both Torre del Mar and Nerja is that they are so close to Malaga that one won't have time to build up an appetite for lunch. But, perhaps we'll stop in both places. We always have the taste and room for conchas finas !! Malaga is the only place to get them y hay que aprovechar !!!