Region

Andalusia

Base in Seville 3 nights, add Granada 2 and Córdoba 1; skip the Costa del Sol resorts unless you want a beach week.

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Key facts · Spain

Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct
Visa: Depends on your passport
Currency: Euro (EUR, €)
Language: Spanish (castellano)
Plugs: C · F · 230 V
Time zone: CET (UTC+1, summer UTC+2)

Month by month hereIn detail ↓

Rules in force · 9Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…

Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
Iberia ↗Plan meals on the Iberian clock: Spanish kitchens serve lunch from about 13:30–14:00 and dinner from 20:30–21:00; Portugal eats an hour or so earlier. Early evenings are for tapas or petiscos, not full meals.
Iberia ↗Inland Spain and Portugal (Seville, Córdoba, Madrid, the Alentejo) pass 40 °C in heatwaves from late June to August: sightsee before 11:00 and after 18:00, and keep July–August for the coasts and the green north.
Iberia ↗Andorra and Gibraltar have their own border and customs rules and are reached only through Spain (or France for Andorra); read their pages before adding them, especially if you hold a limited Schengen visa.
Spain ↗Spain is in the Schengen area. Check the entry rules for your passport on official sources; the EU's Entry/Exit System registers non-EU visitors at the first Schengen border, and further pre-travel authorisation rules are being introduced.
Spain ↗High-speed trains have airport-style baggage screening at the station and boarding gates that close a few minutes before departure: arrive early.
Spain ↗Carry your passport or ID: police may ask for it, and hotels must register every guest's document.
Spain ↗The Alhambra in Granada and the Sagrada Família in Barcelona sell timed tickets that sell out weeks ahead in season; book on the official sites before you fix your dates.

Andalusia is Spain's south: eight provinces, 87,268 km2 and 8.4 million people, with Moorish palaces, white hill towns, olive plains and two coasts. The AVE high-speed line links Madrid to Córdoba, Seville and Málaga, so the classic loop is a train trip, not a driving trip. Sleep in Seville for the big three cities, add Granada for the Alhambra, and treat the coast as a separate holiday.

Where to sleep

6 places in this region

Sleep base

SevilleCity guide
Alcázar, cathedral, flamenco; flat and walkable, 36 °C (97 °F)+ in July–August.Alcázar, cathedral, flamenco; flat and walkable, 97 °F (36 °C)+ in July–August.
Best Mar–May, Oct–Nov
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Seville →
GranadaTrip line
Alhambra and Albaicín; free tapas with drinks in many bars.
Best Dec–Feb
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Granada →
CórdobaGuide: planned
Mosque–Cathedral; one night is enough outside patio season.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
MálagaCity guide
Airport hub, city beach, Picasso museum; good first or last night.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Málaga →

Day trip

CádizCity guide
Old town on a peninsula; 1 h 40 by train from Seville.
Best Apr–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Cádiz →
RondaCity guide
Gorge town between Seville and the coast; awkward without a car or bus.
Best Mar–Jun, Sep–Oct
JFMAMJJASOND
Open Ronda →

Plan the nights

How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags

Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags

Night sequences

5 nights: Seville 3 + Córdoba 1 + Granada 2 (train between all three)
7 nights: Seville 3 + Córdoba 1 + Granada 2 + Málaga 1 for the flight home
10 nights: Add Cádiz or the Costa de la Luz for 3 beach nights

Seville and Córdoba hit 40 °C (104 °F) in July and August; shift sightseeing to before 11:00 and after 19:00.Seville and Córdoba hit 40 °C (104 °F) in July and August; shift sightseeing to before 11:00 AM and after 7:00 PM.Seville and Córdoba hit 104 °F (40 °C) in July and August; shift sightseeing to before 11:00 and after 19:00.Seville and Córdoba hit 104 °F (40 °C) in July and August; shift sightseeing to before 11:00 AM and after 7:00 PM.
In Granada and Córdoba, people offering you a sprig of heather then reading your palm and demanding money are a known nuisance — decline and walk on.
Pickpocketing is a real risk in Málaga, Seville and Marbella; keep bags zipped in crowds.
Alhambra tickets are timed and often gone weeks ahead in April–May and September–October.

Day-trips door to door

To	From	Door-to-door p50	Last return	Note
Córdoba	Seville	50 min	check	AVE about 45 min; Mosque–Cathedral needs a timed ticket in spring.
Granada	Seville	160 min	check	No high-speed line on this leg; train or ALSA bus, both around 2 h 30–3 h.
Cádiz	Seville	105 min	check	Regional trains roughly hourly; the old town is a 20 min walk from the station.
Ronda	Seville	150 min	check	Bus is usually simpler than the train; a car makes the white-town loop possible.
Nerja and the Costa del Sol	Málaga	60 min	check	Coastal trains and buses run late in summer; resorts are built-up, not villages.

Bags between cities

Left-luggage lockers exist at the main stations (Seville Santa Justa, Córdoba, Granada, Málaga María Zambrano); day-use prices are low but capacity is limited in summer.

When to go

Months and weather

Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate

Seasons at a glance

From each city's month table

Pick a month to see where to go.

Only good-now countries

Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table

Country	JJan	FFeb	MMar	AApr	MMay	JJun	JJul	AAug	SSep	OOct	NNov	DDec
Seville	ok	ok	go	go	go	ok	×	×	ok	go	go	ok
Granada	go	go	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	ok	go
Málaga	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Cádiz	ok	ok	ok	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Ronda	ok	ok	go	go	go	go	×	×	go	go	ok	ok
Spain (country-wide)	go	go	go	go	go	go	ok	ok	go	go	go	go

Go: the good monthsFair: workable, mixedPoor: heat, rain or hazeAvoid: storms, floods, closuresno data yet

Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.

Climate strip

Month by month

Zone	J	F	M	A	M	J	J	A	S	O	N	D
Seville and the Guadalquivir valleySeville, Córdoba, Jaén	cool	cool	ok	best	best	hot	hot	hot	best	best	ok	cool
Granada and the Sierra NevadaGranada, Alpujarras, ski resorts	cool	cool	ok	best	best	ok	hot	hot	best	best	ok	cool
Costa del Sol and Costa de la LuzMálaga, Marbella, Cádiz, Tarifa	ok	ok	ok	best	best	best	hot	hot	best	best	ok	ok

best: dry, mildok: workablecool: jacket, greyhot: short walking windows

Seville and the Guadalquivir valley: Inland heat: July averages about 36 °C (97 °F) by day and August nights stay near 21 °C (70 °F); rain is rare June–September.Inland heat: July averages about 97 °F (36 °C) by day and August nights stay near 70 °F (21 °C); rain is rare June–September.
Granada and the Sierra Nevada: Higher and cooler than Seville; Sierra Nevada skiing is usually December–April, Europe's southernmost resort.
Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz: Mild winters, sea warm enough to swim roughly June–October; Tarifa is windy year-round, which is the point.

March–May and October–November are the best months for the cities; July–August is coast weather, not sightseeing weather.

Getting in and passes

Arrival times and regional passes

Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes

Get in

Door-to-door p50, 2026 estimate

From	To	How	p50	Note
Madrid	Córdoba / Seville / Málaga	AVE high-speed train	1 h 45 / 2 h 30 / 2 h 35	Book ahead for cheaper fares; Seville and Málaga are on separate branches from Córdoba.
Barcelona	Seville / Málaga	High-speed train via Madrid, or direct flight	5 h 30+ by rail; ~1 h 40 by air	Flying is usually the sensible choice on this leg.
Málaga (AGP)	Málaga centre / Seville	Cercanías train to centre; AVE or bus onward	12 min to centre; ~2 h to Seville	Spain's third-biggest international airport and the main low-cost gateway.
Seville (SVQ)	Seville centre	Bus or taxi	~30 min	Smaller airport; fewer long-haul links than Málaga.
Lisbon / Algarve	Seville / Huelva	Bus or car on the A-49	~4 h 30 from Lisbon by bus	Cross-border rail is slow; buses are the practical option.

Regional passes

Verdict first

Renfe AVE / Avlo tickets

buy

Buy fixed-date tickets early; prices rise sharply close to departure. Avlo is the cheaper low-cost option on some routes.

Interrail / Eurail Spain pass

check

Only pays on several long legs; AVE seat reservations are extra and can sell out.

ALSA bus

buy

The workhorse for Granada, Ronda and the coast where trains are slow or absent.

Rental car

check

Worth it only for white-town loops and national parks; city parking in Seville and Granada is expensive and tight.

Eat and move on

Regional food and where to go next

Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next

Regional food

Where and when it works

Dish	Where	Timing / trap
Gazpacho and salmorejo	Seville, Córdoba	Cold tomato soups; salmorejo is thicker and topped with ham and egg.
Pescaíto frito (fried fish)	Málaga, Cádiz	Order by weight; cheapest at lunch, and the fish is fried to order.
Jamón ibérico	Huelva, Jabugo, everywhere	Huelva province is the classic source; bars slice to order.
Rabo de toro (oxtail stew)	Córdoba, Seville	Slow-cooked and rich; a lunch dish in most tabernas.
Espinacas con garbanzos	Seville	Spinach and chickpea tapas; a reliable vegetarian plate.
Tortilla de patatas	Everywhere	Ask whether it has onion; some bars serve it runny in the middle.
Piononos and pestiños	Granada, Seville	Sweet pastries; convents and old bakeries sell them boxed.

Go next

Madrid and Central Spain

AVE ~2 h 30 from Seville

Toledo and Segovia as day trips from the capital.

Madrid

AVE ~2 h 30 from Seville, ~1 h 45 from Córdoba

The usual arrival and departure hub for an Andalusia trip.

Valencia

Train via Madrid, or drive the A-7 coast

Paella and beaches; a long detour unless you have a car.

Green Spain

planned

Flight to Bilbao or Santander

Cool, wet north — the opposite holiday; fly rather than train.

Balearic Islands

planned

Flight from Seville or Málaga

Easy add-on if you want a second beach week.

Canary Islands

planned

Flight from Seville or Málaga

Year-round warmth; one hour behind mainland time.

Planning aids

Built from this guide's own data

Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…

Region in numbers

Where to sleep: 4 bases
Day trips: 5, 50 min to 2 h 40
Nights suggested: 5–10 nights
Ways in: 5 listed
Best months: Apr, May, Sep, Oct (all zones)

Going in…

Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.

Pick a month.

Plan your trip to Spain Up to Spain

Deep dive

Photos, reading and every source

Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources

Sources

officialAndalusia Tourism (regional tourist board)
officialJunta de Andalucía
officialRenfe — Spanish national rail
officialALSA — long-distance buses
officialAena — Spanish airports (Málaga, Seville, Jerez, Granada, Almería)
officialAEMET — Spanish state meteorological agency
secondaryWikivoyage: Andalusia, revision 5314628 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

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