On the road in southern Spain: the stages of an adventure trip

Free, choosing the next destination by opening the map, wandering with a spirit full of curiosity and the desire to know new places. These are the trips on the road , those that will forever be kept among the memories as the most fun and carefree.

They can be done in many places in the world, but one of the most fascinating destinations is undoubtedly the south of Spain , touching four very different cities , but united by the warmth that you breathe in these places, by a lively culture, by intense flavours and by an intriguing history that can be seen at every step.

You can start from Italy and travel to the next destination already by car, or choose to reach one of the cities of Spain by plane and then rent a vehicle. The tour described has been done and starts from Malaga, reaches Granada, moves to Valencia and ends in Barcelona.

Spain is a constant discovery, a place of great beauty, where you are welcomed and feel at home. A place that immediately brings to mind carefree moments, extraordinary scenery and the desire to have fun.

Discovering it on the road is something magical, because it allows you to see it change before your eyes: the landscape follows one another and changes, allowing us to perceive the vastness of the spaces, the different places, the changing nature.

First stop: Malaga, sea, culture and history

Malaga and its surroundings are all to be discovered: let's start from this great city, which is an inebriating mix of different eras and different dominations. From its foundation in the 7th century BC by the Phoenicians, who had created a colony here, to the probable passage of the Greeks, the Carthaginians, the Romans, who made it a confederate city, and the arrival of the Visigoths in the 5th century. Then it was the turn of the Arab empire and then the Christian one. A rich past that can be "read" by walking through its streets and discovering some of its symbolic places.

Among the wonders to see is the Roman theatre built in the 1st century and used until the 3rd: part of the materials with which it was built were reused by the Arabs to build the Alcazaba , also a must-see in the city and in the same area. It is a fortress palace built during the period of Islamic domination, first as a fortification and then as the seat of the city government. The Gibralfaro castle , on the other hand, dating back to the 14th century, was built for defensive purposes for the Alcazaba and allows you to admire the city from above .

Then there is the city cathedral , built in the first half of the 1500s, the house where Pablo Picasso was born (can be visited) and the museum dedicated to him. Also not to be missed is the port area where an evocative botanical garden called Parque was created or the Centre Pompidou which is located in the city port and is a truly interesting building. Unmissable beaches such as La Malagueta, which is very close to the center and very large. Or it is worth leaving the city and heading to places like Nerja , a truly picturesque location with a beautiful terrace overlooking the sea, known as the Balcon d'Europa, from which you can enjoy a fabulous view. The beaches are something magical.

Lively nightlife, lots of places to taste tapas, Malaga is not even too far from Gibraltar for those who want to go further. It is worth stopping here at least two days: one to discover the city and one to dedicate to the sea.

Second stop: Granada, the incredible soul of this city

About an hour and thirty minutes by car, immersing yourself in the interior ofAndalusia , you reach Granada, an incredibly fascinating city where you can still feel the pulsating influence of Arab domination.

Situated at the foot of the Sierra Nevada, it was particularly important during Islamic rule, becoming a key city from a commercial point of view, while under the Nasdrid Sultanate it was a lively centre for the economy, culture and society.

Its center is a collection of breathtaking masterpieces , where you can feel the soul of the city's past, the various dominions that have followed one another and that have shaped it, creating a place of great beauty and charm. Among the unmissable destinations is obviously the Alhambra , built in 1232, divided into different areas and of very large dimensions. Beautiful to visit, discovering the rooms, the courtyards, the gardens and the water that flows between canals and fountains, it is made up of La Alcazaba (the oldest part), the Palacios Nazaríes and interesting buildings such as Palacio de Carlos V. Also unmissable is the villa and gardens of the Generalife , the summer residence of the Nasrids

Also not to be missed are the Corral del Carbon, El Banuelo or Arab baths, the Palace of the Madraza , the city cathedral and the Albaicin district , where you can get lost in the narrow streets and which together with the Alhambra and the Generalife have been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Granada, or at least the most important points, can be visited in about two days.

Third stop: Valencia, a city projected towards the future

The third stage is further away and to reach it you have to travel a long stretch of road. But it is worth it. From Granada it is best to leave early in the morning to reach Valencia after about five hours of travel. A city that seems to be projected into the future , even if it does not lack an interesting historic center full of attractions. Like other locations in its past there have been different dominations such as the Roman one, they were the ones who founded the city, then the arrival of the Visigoths, the Arabs and then the Aragonese.

An urban center with many souls: the historical one and the modern one. To follow the traces of its past you can admire the Cathedral, built on the site of the mosque and consecrated in 1238: its bell tower, called Micalet, is one of the points to reach to admire the city from above. Also very ancient are the church of Santa Caterina, the church of Santi Giovanni and that of San Nicola di Bari and San Pietro Martire with its evocative frescoes. Unmissable stops also include the ancient Loggia della Seta palace (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), Plaza de toros – a bullring built in the mid-1800s – and the Torres de Quart.

Modern Valencia bears the signature of great architects, who have created very scenic places and buildings here. Like the Oceanographic Park of Valencia , built in the park that once housed the bed of the Turia River, later diverted. In its place is the Jardí de Turia , a 136-hectare park full of wonders. The aquarium, the largest in Europe, is located inside it and in the City of Arts and Sciences , an area that was shaped by Santiago Calatrava and Felix Candela. Here you can find the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia, the Hemisferic, the Umbracle and the Museu de les Ciencies Princep Felip, just to name a few.

Valencia must be visited and explored , even better if on foot to absorb its true essence: walking in the modern park in the evening, for example, is an experience difficult to forget. Also here you must try the famous paella and you can also spend beautiful days on the beach, for example that of Malvarrosa.

Two days and then we set off again, this time towards Barcelona: the fourth and final stop of the trip.

Fourth stop: Barcelona, ​​the city that welcomes you

About four hours by car from Valencia you come across Barcelona : the last stop on the journey, a city that deserves careful exploration, cosmopolitan, lively, inebriating . As with the previous destinations, it is difficult to decide what to see and what to put off for a next vacation, because there are so many beauties that you are truly spoiled for choice.

Of course, one of its symbols cannot be left out: the Sagrada Familia , an unfinished church still under construction that bears the signature of Antoni Gaudi : a building of extraordinary beauty like the others that you encounter while walking around the city. Among the stops dedicated to the works of this famous architect are: Park Guell, Casa Milà, Casa Batlo, Palau Guell and Casa Vicens.

It is worth wandering around its streets such as Avenida Diagonal, which cuts through the city, Passeig de Gràcia, admire Plaça de Catalunya and from there go down La Rambla. Along this street you must stop to taste some specialties at the La Boqueria market , very famous, colorful and lively.

Wonderful, then, is the Gothic Quarter , a very old neighborhood full of little shops, views, but also locations where the history of the city is still pulsating and vivid. A maze of streets , which seems almost infinite, in which to get lost walking and encountering some wonders such as one of the oldest herbalists in Catalonia, the Ajuntament, the Palau del la Generalitat, the Catedral de la Santa Creu i Santa Eulàlia or the Palau Episcopal.

Finally, it is in the La Ribera neighborhood that you can admire another iconic religious building: the basilica of Santa Maria del Mar , the famous Cathedral of the Sea that is the backdrop to Ildefonso Falcones' novel. Entering it takes your breath away.

Barcelona is also beaches , just reach La Barceloneta to taste delicious dishes and enjoy a day on the coast. For a moment of relaxation in a park (there are many in the city) you can reach the Parc de la Ciutadella. Among the many other wonders to see, the Palau de la Musica Catalana and the Hospital de Sant Pau deserve a mention.

Many stages of an unforgettable road trip , Barcelona can be visited in three days: they will be very full, perhaps a little tiring, but enough to fall madly in love with this city.