Excursions & day trips from Carihuela

If you want to taste the atmosphere of Andalusia, Mijas is a lovely place to visit while you are in Carihuela. When you think of Andalusia, you picture white houses with blue details. You will find exactly that in Mijas. This charming little town lies half an hour's drive from Carihuela and can also be reached by public transport. The historic old village sits 400 metres above sea level, and the road to Mijas is entertaining in itself. From the winding road up, you have a lovely view if you are on the bus.

Once you arrive in Mijas, you walk straight onto the square. If you go further into the village, you end up in all kinds of narrow streets that are symbolic of Andalusia. You can also be driven around in an electric tuk-tuk. When you are in Mijas Pueblo, do not forget to visit the chapel.

Many people land at Málaga Airport, and that is often all they see of Málaga during their holiday in Carihuela. While you are in Carihuela, you should really spend a day in this wonderful city. You can take the bus to Málaga, but the metro from Torremolinos or Montemar is a lot faster. We recommend taking the metro from Torremolinos, which takes you all the way to the terminus, Málaga Central.

Once you are in Málaga, there is so much to see and do that one day is really not enough. There are plenty of sights and shopping centres, and the old centre and the harbour are definitely worth a visit too. Sights you must not miss are Málaga Cathedral, the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro. If you are a football fan, a tour of Estadio La Rosaleda (the stadium of Málaga CF) is highly recommended.

If you want to go a little further afield and see something beautiful, a day trip to Ronda is a good option. We recommend leaving for Ronda early in the morning so you beat the crowds. Ronda is one of the most remarkable places in Andalusia. It is built around an enormous gorge, through which the Guadalevín river flows. The gorge divides the old and new parts of Ronda, and you can cross it via the Puente Nuevo. From the Puente Nuevo you have a magnificent view 100 metres down into the gorge, which alone is reason enough to visit Ronda.

But there is of course much more to see: the Cuenca gardens are certainly worth a visit, and the view as you descend into the gorge at Plaza María Auxiliadora is also stunning. And while you are in Ronda, be sure to visit the palace Casa del Rey Moro as well.

If you fancy visiting a completely different Spanish city, Córdoba is also a great place to go. The city lies in the Guadalquivir valley and is best known for the Mezquita, which you should definitely visit! Córdoba is one of the oldest cities in Europe, and you can tell when you visit. There are many sights to see in Córdoba, such as the Torre de la Calahorra and the Roman bridge.

In Córdoba you can also visit a real Spanish riding school, which is a wonderful thing to see! The historic centre of Córdoba is impressive too, and the shopping is good as well. You can do it as a return trip in one day, but you can of course also book an overnight stay so you can spend an extra day in Córdoba.

If you really want to see something beautiful, you should book an excursion to Granada and visit the Alhambra. You can also go under your own steam, but do order your tickets online in good time if you want to see the Alhambra, as only a limited number of places are available each day. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Granada lies at the foot of the Sierra Nevada and is a typically Spanish city. It is a lovely place to visit if you really want to see something completely different.

The Nerja caves (Las Cuevas de Nerja) are also well worth a visit. They were discovered by chance in 1959 by a few boys who were hunting for bats. The Nerja caves stretch for about 5 kilometres, with a total area of 35,484 square metres. The caves are known for the world's longest and largest stalactite, the longest of which is no less than 33 metres!

You can visit the Nerja caves every day except 1 January and 15 May, the feast day of Nerja's patron saint.

Admission

Adults €10, children aged 6 to 12 €6 (including audio tour)

Opening hours

September to June: 9:00 to 16:00. July and August, and on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday: 9:00 to 18:30.

Much closer to home, you can visit the Molino del Inca. This botanical garden is one of the most important in all of Spain. With more than 500 trees and all kinds of colourful flowers, it is a real attraction that, if you love botanical gardens, you should not miss during your holiday. There is also a special Japanese garden, and you can admire exotic birds.

Admission

€1

Opening hours

Closed on Mondays. Tuesday to Sunday 10:30 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00.

Address

Los Manantiales, 29620 Torremolinos, Málaga

You can book day trips and excursions at the special booking offices in Carihuela (Calle Carmen Montes) and Torremolinos. You can of course also join an excursion offered by the tour operator, or simply go under your own steam.

Source: Carihuela.tips