Being the birthplace of flamenco, tapas, and many other wonders of this world, I’ve set my sights on Andalusia for a long time. When pulling the trigger, it soon became clear that this was going to be a trip centered around driving. And not in a bad way.
Public transport isn’t bad in the south, but things can get pretty sparse very quickly when going in-land. Given all the villages and national parks around, renting a car was a must.
Touching down at Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) is always a welcoming experience, especially compared to the usual chaos of Stansted and Edinburgh. It borders on stressful, but there’s an energy in the air. Because the holiday is only just starting, we roll with it.
Because there was no need to catch a bus or look out for a man holding a sign with my name on it, things were done at my pace, which can often be a bit slow. The plan was not to head straight to the hotel, but instead to see the sunset from Nerja, the balcony of Europe. It was a last minute change of plan, but why not.
If you have ever rented a car in Europe, you know it can often be a minefield of hidden insurance costs, some upselling, and long queues.
Instead of being packed in with the other kiosks, CarGest, one of the car hire Malaga airport options, is slightly out of the way. We went with it because of the selection of the cars, and while it was initially a concern that you had to get an airport bus (allbeit free and regular), it meant there was no queue while signing the documents.
The first merge onto the highway can always be a little bit tense, especially in Spain. But it was also exciting, because we knew we could head straight to Nerja and park there in our nice small hatchback.
Forget the aircon - we rolled down the windows to get a breeze of the sea air. The humidity was welcomed, and the sunset was everything we expected. We stayed a bit longer to star gaze then headed straight to the hotel.
Getting off the main highways at any opportunity was important to us. It meant we could improvise, stopping off for food at the most unlikely of spots. It’s also very, very quiet when you get into some of these lesser known villages, especially during siesta time. We had castle ruins to ourselves on a number of occasion because of this, though English was rarely spoken.
One of the highlights was of course the drive up to the Pueblos Blancos. The white villages and winding roads had some incredible views as they ascended into the mountains, if not a little daunting at first.
I took the car through the Sierra de las Nieves, stopping at viewpoints (miradors) whenever we felt like taking pictures. The zoom on smartphones is now getting to the point where I’d stop to capture the eagles that were in and around the valleys.
The car meant that we could strike a balance between the big attractions and the spontaneous local spots that don’t show up on Google Maps. Granada has many Ventas, which are traditional country inns, and these ended up being a cheat code to good food.
Later in the week we drove to the cliffs of Maro, which I hadn’t heard of before. I found a secluded cove that required a drive down a steep, narrow track that a bus could never think to pass. The beach was nearly empty and the water crystal clear. Because always left the snorkel gear in the boot, it meant we could always pounce on these opportunities.
Going with CarGest meant that we started the trip smoothly, which is super important to a holiday as it sets the mood. The vehicle itself was fine, though I’m sure they’re all the same at other options. The real benefit was that it felt no-nonsense, and I knew they wasn’t going to claim I scratched something when I hadn’t.
This trip would have been good without a car, I’m sure, but it would have been totally different. We certainly wouldn’t have seen the sheer variety of things we did inside a week, and because Andalusia is so diverse, that was important to us. If we spent the week in Malaga, it would be nice as there’s plenty to do - perhaps go to the theatre, head to some nightclubs - but it’s not what we wanted from the trip.
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
Supriyo Khan
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