Porto, Lisbon and Seville in 10 days
 

Hello,

My husband, a friend and I are taking a trip from Porto to Malaga beginning of May. We planning to rent a car and would like to spend a day or 2 in Porto, Lisbon and Seville, but the rest of the trip would like to be more off the beaten path. We are young and have been doing fast paced long weekend vacations all around Europe so 10 days is a long trip for us. We would like to see culture and nature. Open to any suggestions on places to visit or drive through. Thanks!

Before you think about driving this route have you done some research on how much the repatriation fee for the car is?

Antequera, about an hour drive from Sevilla, could be perfect for culture and nature off the beaten path.

Known as "the heart of Andalucía" or "the crossroads of Andalucía". Almost right in the middle of the Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada, Málaga rectangle. Here you'll find dolmens (some 5000 years old burial chambers), Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and Baroque bell towers. Antequera was the first of the Granada emirate towns to fall to the Christians in 1410. http://www.wild-about-travel.com/201...ing-antequera/

I love the terrace in the corner of the peaceful Escribano square in front of the Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, the first partly Renaissance-style church in Spain (built 1514-1550). Up here it's totally peace and quiet. Next to the recently excavated Roman baths beneath and looking up on the 13th century Moorish alcazaba/fortress. Great views over unique landscapes (the spectacular Torcal limestone mountain etc.). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gi-vtfunQnM

The close by Torcal limestone rock formations. You can drive up here and do several walks, and on a clear day you can see to Morocco:
http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm

And you can walk the Caminito del Rey...
http://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/