Have you tried a road trip in Andalusia?
Jun 4th, 2006, 07:37 PM
#1
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Have you tried a road trip in Andalusia?
We are driving from Granada and staying over night in Ronda. The next day we are driving through Arcos de la Frontera on our way to Seville. Via Michelin gives a more conventional drive on larger highways. Mappy chooses smaller roads such as A-375 from Ronda to Arcos de la Frontera, A-367 from Granada to Ronda. How safe are these smaller roads? Your suggestions?
Jun 4th, 2006, 07:50 PM
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InMiami
The roads are good. You just follow the signs for your destination and you won't get lost-maybe a little but it's still fun.
Throughout Andalucia you'll find "Venta" signs. These are small restaurants/bars and it's great for meals. You can stop and have a coffee during the day too. They serve toast with something to spread on the toast and often make a toasted roll with a scrubbed tomato and olive oil.
Normally Venta's are cheap for meals. Usually it's "home" cooking and each day it might be different.
When you leave Ronda towards Arcos, you'll find the Ventas with lots of meals from partridge, pheasant, and other game meals.
You'll like the ride.
Blackduff
The roads are good. You just follow the signs for your destination and you won't get lost-maybe a little but it's still fun.
Throughout Andalucia you'll find "Venta" signs. These are small restaurants/bars and it's great for meals. You can stop and have a coffee during the day too. They serve toast with something to spread on the toast and often make a toasted roll with a scrubbed tomato and olive oil.
Normally Venta's are cheap for meals. Usually it's "home" cooking and each day it might be different.
When you leave Ronda towards Arcos, you'll find the Ventas with lots of meals from partridge, pheasant, and other game meals.
You'll like the ride.
Blackduff
Jun 5th, 2006, 08:39 AM
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Blackduff, now I am getting excited about our trip! Did you try driving on A-375 or A-367? My partner will be driving but I can get alittle parnoid when there are steep drop offs from the road with no side rail. What was your experience with those smaller roads? I am also looking forward to those "Ventas" !
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:24 AM
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Roads in Andalucia's Spain are surprisingly good and overall safe. Caution, however, needs to be exercised on mountain roads no matter what conditions the actual roads are( no matter what country). The only complaint I can think of is the lack of sufficient road signs; study the route beforehand, not while driving, so that you don't miss the 1-2 signs for your destination. The only warning is ensure there is good day light and/or weather conditions while on the mountains, specially around Ronda.
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:28 AM
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Hi, All
Since I will be taking the same trip in the opposite direction in a couple of weeks, I thought I'd ask another question.
We are planning to leave our rental car in Tarifa's parking lot while we take a day trip to Tangiers. Is it remotely safe to leave the luggage in the car for 6 - 7 hours, or am I really asking for it?
Any thoughts/experiences/alternatives are greatly appreciated.
-e
Since I will be taking the same trip in the opposite direction in a couple of weeks, I thought I'd ask another question.
We are planning to leave our rental car in Tarifa's parking lot while we take a day trip to Tangiers. Is it remotely safe to leave the luggage in the car for 6 - 7 hours, or am I really asking for it?
Any thoughts/experiences/alternatives are greatly appreciated.
-e
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:33 AM
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Even the smaller roads have many places to pull over and stop. Be sure to use them if you're (understandably) driving slower than the local traffic. They're used to the roads and will drive fast - and you don;t want to be holding up long lines of traffic and making people pass you constantly.
We have driven that area - all types of roads several times and had no problems - except for the above need to be aware and courteous to the locals speed.
We have driven that area - all types of roads several times and had no problems - except for the above need to be aware and courteous to the locals speed.
Jun 5th, 2006, 09:42 AM
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enroute..don't dream to find your luggage in the car when you come back 
Probably Tarifa and Algeciras are the worst places of Spain to do that. Maybe you can take the ferry in Algeciras and leave your luggage at the station lockers (I'm not sure there are..but it's quite a big station so they probably have). Another option is overnight in Tarifa or Algeciras and leave the luggage at the hotel
Probably Tarifa and Algeciras are the worst places of Spain to do that. Maybe you can take the ferry in Algeciras and leave your luggage at the station lockers (I'm not sure there are..but it's quite a big station so they probably have). Another option is overnight in Tarifa or Algeciras and leave the luggage at the hotel
Jun 5th, 2006, 10:48 AM
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When we drove through Andalucia, we drove along A-367 from Ronda to Antequera. Some would say it's not a very scenic route. I had heard "horror stories" of treacherous mountain driving with no guard rails and nails dug into the dashboard from hairpin turns on mountain roads.
Um. Gee. Not on that road. Hardly. Maybe if one takes the road from Malaga? The road is more rural, yes. But it is well taken care of and safe and once you get on it, it is pretty much dummy proof. (Do study maps before you go, though) Don't expect a hair-raising ride, though. You should do just fine. It actually makes for a nice road trip.
Can't speak for A-375. We didn't do that one.
Um. Gee. Not on that road. Hardly. Maybe if one takes the road from Malaga? The road is more rural, yes. But it is well taken care of and safe and once you get on it, it is pretty much dummy proof. (Do study maps before you go, though) Don't expect a hair-raising ride, though. You should do just fine. It actually makes for a nice road trip.
Can't speak for A-375. We didn't do that one.
Jun 5th, 2006, 11:01 AM
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enroute- when I read your post my eyes nearly popped out. Then I read kenderina's answer and I just want to second that.
Most people in parking lots in Tarifa (especially near the port) are there to take day or weekend trips to Morocco, and everyone knows that. So, if anything is left unattended, it is a guarentee that it will not be there when you get back. There are attendants, but I dare you to find them anywhere other than their little booth at the entrance, and pedestrians can enter the parking lot without problems. They are pretty big, too, which means that they have little chance of getting caught and even if they are seen, it isn't like anyone will do anything. In Algeciras I saw a guy with a hanger opening the door to a car with French license plates. I just kept walking to the boathouse and there wasn't a single security guard to notify.
Do the hotel or locker thing. Also, take very little with you to Morocco. Camera, some cash, maybe a few bottles of water (you can buy them there, of course, but I get thirsty on the ferry and that food is expensive). Take a credit card if you want to buy anything big, and do not exchange money on the ferry. The rates are better in Morocco, and in Tangier a lot of places take Euros (at a mark-up, of course).
Most people in parking lots in Tarifa (especially near the port) are there to take day or weekend trips to Morocco, and everyone knows that. So, if anything is left unattended, it is a guarentee that it will not be there when you get back. There are attendants, but I dare you to find them anywhere other than their little booth at the entrance, and pedestrians can enter the parking lot without problems. They are pretty big, too, which means that they have little chance of getting caught and even if they are seen, it isn't like anyone will do anything. In Algeciras I saw a guy with a hanger opening the door to a car with French license plates. I just kept walking to the boathouse and there wasn't a single security guard to notify.
Do the hotel or locker thing. Also, take very little with you to Morocco. Camera, some cash, maybe a few bottles of water (you can buy them there, of course, but I get thirsty on the ferry and that food is expensive). Take a credit card if you want to buy anything big, and do not exchange money on the ferry. The rates are better in Morocco, and in Tangier a lot of places take Euros (at a mark-up, of course).
Jun 5th, 2006, 12:54 PM
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Thanks all for the feedback, I'm feeling a little better about the drive. On the issue of luggage left in the trunk; we will be stopping for a few hours in Baeza on the way to Granada and then Arcos de la Frontera on the way to Seville. Can we safely leave luggage in the trunk? I am from D.C. so I know all about not leaving valuables in plain sight.
Jun 5th, 2006, 01:03 PM
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InMiami
Like DC, don't let your stuff in view. In fact, don't put them in the trunk if people can see when you do this handling. If you open your trunk to take out or put in anything, move the car to another spot.
Regarding the driving in Andalucia, check if there's bad weather. If it gets rain, be very careful driving. Many times the roads have had a built of oily surface and it's fast grease when it rains. Between Arcos and the Gibralter arrival had seven accidents.
Be careful with rainy roads.
But remember, get your foods at Ventas. They're great for bargains and good food.
Blackduff
Like DC, don't let your stuff in view. In fact, don't put them in the trunk if people can see when you do this handling. If you open your trunk to take out or put in anything, move the car to another spot.
Regarding the driving in Andalucia, check if there's bad weather. If it gets rain, be very careful driving. Many times the roads have had a built of oily surface and it's fast grease when it rains. Between Arcos and the Gibralter arrival had seven accidents.
Be careful with rainy roads.
But remember, get your foods at Ventas. They're great for bargains and good food.
Blackduff
Jun 5th, 2006, 02:31 PM
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InMiami
I lived near to Arcos, so yes, I think they're worth travelling to visit. I didn't travel to the other place.
Arcos is a small village and it's a beautiful view at the top. There's a parador hotel at the top and there's a nice great place to take a coffee or drink in the hotel.
There are a few shops for tourists and the narrow streets will give your heart to flutter. You'll have to pull in the mirrors or they're going to scrape on both sides.
Just near the village is a good restaurant-Los Cuevas-if I remember. This particular restuarant speciality is fowl. A good white wine is produced in Arcos and more important is a very good golf course. What could a person want.
Like many of the Andalucia pueblo blancos, it's very quiet. Maybe this is the main reason it's popular. If you're driving specifically to Arcos, you'll be disappointed. It's a good place to stop but it's not a real destination, if you what I means.
If you do visit to Arcos, continue to Jerez de la frontera and there's more to see and do. There are lots of bodegas to visit. There's a good school for horse training, and certainly a bunch of good restaurants.
Jerez is only a couple of kms more than Arcos.
Jerez is one corner of the triangle where all grapes are grown for sherry. Consequently, there's a bunch of bodegas who allow tourists to visit their caves. It's free and they're going to allow you take a drink of sherry.
From Jerez you can visit to Puerto de Santa Maria. This is a lovely fishing port-it's over three thousand years old. Again, the food is great. That's where I lived.
From Arcos, it's a short drive to Sevilla. That is certainly worth the drive. You can continue on small roads, keeping off of the autoroutes.
You'll enjoy and we're going to expect a good trip report. It should be fascinating.
Blackduff
I lived near to Arcos, so yes, I think they're worth travelling to visit. I didn't travel to the other place.
Arcos is a small village and it's a beautiful view at the top. There's a parador hotel at the top and there's a nice great place to take a coffee or drink in the hotel.
There are a few shops for tourists and the narrow streets will give your heart to flutter. You'll have to pull in the mirrors or they're going to scrape on both sides.
Just near the village is a good restaurant-Los Cuevas-if I remember. This particular restuarant speciality is fowl. A good white wine is produced in Arcos and more important is a very good golf course. What could a person want.
Like many of the Andalucia pueblo blancos, it's very quiet. Maybe this is the main reason it's popular. If you're driving specifically to Arcos, you'll be disappointed. It's a good place to stop but it's not a real destination, if you what I means.
If you do visit to Arcos, continue to Jerez de la frontera and there's more to see and do. There are lots of bodegas to visit. There's a good school for horse training, and certainly a bunch of good restaurants.
Jerez is only a couple of kms more than Arcos.
Jerez is one corner of the triangle where all grapes are grown for sherry. Consequently, there's a bunch of bodegas who allow tourists to visit their caves. It's free and they're going to allow you take a drink of sherry.
From Jerez you can visit to Puerto de Santa Maria. This is a lovely fishing port-it's over three thousand years old. Again, the food is great. That's where I lived.
From Arcos, it's a short drive to Sevilla. That is certainly worth the drive. You can continue on small roads, keeping off of the autoroutes.
You'll enjoy and we're going to expect a good trip report. It should be fascinating.
Blackduff
Jun 7th, 2006, 08:43 AM
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kenderina and laclaire,
Many, many thanks to you for opening my eyes on Tarifa. I have not been to Spain, with the exception of Barcelona 10 years (fabulous and uneventful crime-wise). We are re-thinking the whole Andalucia itinerary.
Again, thank you both,
-e
Many, many thanks to you for opening my eyes on Tarifa. I have not been to Spain, with the exception of Barcelona 10 years (fabulous and uneventful crime-wise). We are re-thinking the whole Andalucia itinerary.
Again, thank you both,
-e
Jun 7th, 2006, 10:56 AM
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Blackduff, thanks for your feedback, I am planning on leaving Ronda on a Sunday morning for a drive to Seville. Would you suggest a stop at Arcos or Jerez? Which is more picturesque?
Jun 7th, 2006, 11:07 AM
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I didn't mean you cannot go to Tarifa , or re-think the itinerary. It's perfectly safe everything, just the parking lots at the ports are very crowded and the security people are not able to take care of the belongings of more than a thousand cars. But other than that point, I would have no concern at all In fact, most of the tourism in that zone is family tourism, lots of kids
In fact, most of the tourism in that zone is family tourism, lots of kids
Jun 7th, 2006, 11:50 AM
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InMiami
Arcos is the most picturesque. Jerez has more going on but Arcos is great for a quick visit. Remember, drive to the very top and park the car. Go into the parador and have a drink in their patio. It's great.
Blackduff
Arcos is the most picturesque. Jerez has more going on but Arcos is great for a quick visit. Remember, drive to the very top and park the car. Go into the parador and have a drink in their patio. It's great.
Blackduff
Jun 7th, 2006, 11:58 AM
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I will be visiting this same area in November, so all of your remarks will be useful in planning my trip. As for the roads, does anyone know exactly which routes are the "dig your fingernails into the dashboard" ones? I wouldn't mind doing a little bit of driving on one of those.
