Our Andalusia on a budget trip was long in the making. At least since 2017, but I’d been wanting to go even before that.
For years I’d save Instagram posts and collect information about all parts of Andalusia, but it was always out of reach. The offers we’d see from travel agencies would amount to 3-4k Eur for 7 days. In addition, they didn’t include everything we wanted to see. Another thing was that we wanted to visit Andalusia in late summer. But that’s still high season there, meaning prices are high as well.
In late 2022 we agreed that we might be able to go if I could make it cost 3k for 14 days. Also, we decided to add Caceres, because we have a friend there. And, we had to make it our only vacation that year that was not a long weekend.
At the beginning of 2023, I figured I might make it cheaper if we flew somewhere else in Spain and then took a train/bus to Andalusia.
Early Planning makes traveling on a Budget easier
We set the date as September 23rd.
Traveling to Andalusia on a budget, or anywhere for that matter, requires planning a lot in advance.
I kept checking different airlines at different times for a couple of weeks in April. The option to drive to Vienna, then fly to Madrid, and then take a bus to Granada seemed the cheapest. All this cost us 580 euros for two people. On the contrary, one ticket to anywhere in Andalusia from a nearby airport was 560 euros per person at least.
We flew with Ryanair, 330 euros for two with 20kg luggage included. Two Alsa bus tickets from Marid to Granada were 50 euros. We needed around 200 euros to get from Bosnia to Vienna and back, including gas, tolls, and vignettes.
Aside from Andalusia, we also decided to visit Caceres which is kind of halfway between Sevilla and Madrid. The initial plan was to make Caceres our first stop. From there, we would go to Sevilla, Malaga, Granada, and everything in between.
Checking all the main attractions we wanted to visit, I realized that Alhambra would not be open for the 2 days we were planning to spend in Granada. Logically I turned the whole trip around.
In the end, our Andalusia on a budget plan looked like this:
Vienna – Madrid – same day to Granada
Granada – 2 nights
Malaga – 4 nights (day trips to 1. Marbella, Torremolinos, Ronda, and 2. Cordoba)
Sevilla – 3 nights (day trip to Cadiz and Jerez de la Frontera)
Caceres – 3 nights
Madrid – 1 night
Plans are there to be Changed
At this point, and this was approximately 2 months before the trip, I started booking accommodations. I managed to find a room in Granada for 80 euros for two nights, from the 24th to the 26th. It was basic, but knowing how much we would have to spend on accommodation in Malaga and Sevilla, we compromised. The breakfast was included and it was close to the main bus station. The accommodation had the most important, a private bathroom and a bed. Not the most comfortable one, but for that money we didn’t expect it.
In the meantime, I found out that on September 24, there was a football match between Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. My partner used to be a hardcore Real Madrid fan and he had never seen their match live. It was so out of our budget but also a one-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I managed to find tickets on footballticketnet.com, and the cheapest tickets were 115 euros. That was not too much, but then there was a 70 euro booking fee as well. Solution; some other things will be adjusted.
I am not a huge football fan but this experience was worth every cent.
Another thing we had to change because of the game was the time we were leaving Madrid. The game was at 9 pm, and the last bus from Madrid to Granada was at 2 am.
Madrid on a Budget, kind of…
Our one day in Madrid looked like this:
We landed at 9am, and went directly to the Mendez Alvaro station from the airport by metro. There we deposited our luggage for 5 eur/day per suitcase and bought sim cards. At 11 a.m. we headed to the city center on foot.
We wandered around a bit and visited some major landmarks and streets like Gran Via, Puerta de Sol, Plaza Major, Plaza de Espanja, and Royal Palace. At 13:30 we had a tour at Santiago Bernabeu stadium. The tour was underwhelming due to the stadium still undergoing renovations. For 25 euros per person, it felt like a rip-off.
After the tour, we went back to the city center by metro again. We sat for a drink and some tapas, and then went to the supermarket to stack on beer and snacks. The next stop was Retiro Park, to chill and rest before the match. We took the metro to the Metropolitan stadium, and after the game, we went to the Mendez Alvaro station. The luggage storage there costs 5 euros per suitcase for a whole day.
All these metro drives cost us 8.50 euros per person with a Madrid Metro Tourist Pass. We bought them at the airport. There is an area with several ticket machines, most of them for regular tickets and two for tourist tickets.
Knowing the day in Madrid was going to be long, the Real Madrid Stadium was the only thing we booked. We just wanted to roam around, enjoy cheap wine and tapas, and focus on surviving almost 24 hours without sleep.
Adventuring and Adapting in Andalusia
When we reached the station a little before 1 am, we were dead on our feet. We had 5 hours ride before us, expecting to reach Granada at 7 am on September 25. The room we booked was from the 24th, but I wanted to make sure we could enter the room before the usual check-in time. So I contacted the owner and let them know that we would not arrive on the 24th, but instead very early on the 25th, and they confirmed it wouldn’t be a problem, but it was.
I called the number I found on the booking app, and at first, they declined entrance before 11 a.m. After a few threats to call the police, the man told us that someone would come soon to let us in the room.
Granada
The shower washed away any anger and irritation, and we fell asleep. At 11 we got up, grabbed breakfast, and decided to walk to the city center. It took us around 40 min to reach the city center which prompted us to take the bus to Alhambra. The way there was steep and we were a bit late.
We booked Alhambra General tickets, which include Nasrid Palaces. While the rest of the complex you can visit whenever during the day, you can enter the Nasrid Palaces only at the time you reserve when booking. I was tripping that if we were late we wouldn’t be able to get in, but it was all good even though we were 15 min past our booking time.
Alhambra took us a solid 3.5 hours. After all those hours of walking around, with a few short breaks to rest and soak up the surroundings, we felt hungry for more. We just couldn’t get enough of it. I think we saw every corner of Alhambra, but I will not shy away from visiting again if the opportunity arises.
The next day we were leaving for Malaga. We chose the bus at 13h because we wanted to have time to sleep in and not be in a rush, but also because it takes cca 90 min to reach Malaga, and our check-in was at 15h. We usually use public transportation when going to and from stations, but in Andalusia, the difference between local transport and Uber would be 3-4 euros, so we would often splurge. In Granada for example, public transport would cost us 3-4 euro for two of us, and Uber took 7 euros.
Hello, Malaga
We entered the apartment, quickly took a shower, and didn’t waste any time. There was a beach nearby and we wanted to take a walk along the coast to Malagueta, the most famous beach in Malaga. The busy old city area is nearby, so we decided to check where El Pimpi is and to move our dinner reservation for half an hour.
From there we took a bus back to the accommodation and went to the nearby supermarket. The amount of stuff we managed to buy for less than 30 euros was crazy. Let me say it involved wine, soda, beer, fruits, and stuff for breakfast like ham, mozzarella cheese, bread, fresh vegetables, and 3l of water. This made our Andalusia on a budget plan much more feasible.
The restaurant I booked for dinner, El Pimpi, I stumbled upon a couple of years ago reading something about Antonio Banderas. He is one of the investors/owners, and his Malaga penthouse is nearby. Nuff said. I wanted to think there was a tiny chance of seeing a glimpse of him. Prices are reasonable, the food, service, ambiance, interior design..everything about that place is so cool.
I strongly recommend booking in advance, at least during the summer season. Not sure what things are like during the off-season, but I wouldn’t risk it. Full and satisfied, we took a short walk to the nearest bus station and back to the apartment. When traveling on a budget, we rarely visit any restaurants of this type. But, considering the prices this didn’t make our Andalusia on a Budget adventure more difficult.
Road Tripping from the Coast to the Mountains
Now, remember when I said we had to give up on some things to buy tickets for the football match? Initially, we wanted to rent a car in Madrid, but considering the cost of not only renting but gas, tolls, and parking for all those days, we opted for buses and trains instead and only rented the car for two days in Malaga so that we could make two road trips; the first one to Torremolinos, Marbella, and Ronda, and the second one, to Crdoba the next day.
I booked the car online, 80 euros, full insurance, no mileage limit, no deposit and it was a Fiat 500 Cabrio. The transaction is done on the spot when picking up the car. Only…we arrived there and they told us they only accept credit cards, something I didn’t see when I booked. My bad…couldn’t blame them, yet…I was pissed. At them, at myself, at the world…and on top of that, we were already running late.
After bursting into tears and crying for 10 minutes, I collected myself, found another nearby car rental agency, Wiber Rent-A-Car, checked the prices, and decided to call them. I knew in advance that in most of them, at least 24h reservation is necessary. I hoped if I called them and explained, they might feel sorry and give me the car. It worked!
Not sure if it was because they allowed that usually or my sobbing touched them, but they even offered to send their pickup service to bring us to their offices. Unfortunately, they didn’t have the Fiat 500, so we settled for Ford Puma. It was also 30 euros more expensive. Well, it was what it was…we’ll save on something later, I guess.
Torremolinos & Marbella
After that hiccup at the start of the day, the rest went smoothly. I found a parking garage close to a beach in Torremolinos, so we left the car there for 2 eur per hour, brought our sandwiches, drinks, and towels, and headed for the beach. It was windy and still a bit cloudy, so I opted out of a morning swim, but my hubby, of course, didn’t miss the chance. After an hour or so we took a walk to the old city, picked up some magnets, roamed around a little and marveled at the tiny alleys, shops, and restaurants, and then headed back to the car.
The drive from Torremolinos to Marbella is why, among other things, I wanted a Fiat Cabrio for this trip. That drive was something else; on the left side, the view of the most beautiful parts of the Andalusian coast, palm trees everywhere, colors, blue sky and sea, and Spanish music on the radio…simple perfection.
In Marbella, we struggled a little to find free parking, but after 20 min we found a spot that was close to the coast and yet close enough to the main roads so that we could exit to city easily. We debated a little if we should go right or left along the coast, and decided to go left. Google Maps said there was some public beach there, so there must be some bars as well.
There was of course. Playa del Cable, which is several kilometers long, and 20-30 meters wide. All sand…nothing else. There were a few bars, but it was far from the busy beach area we expected. The beach was mostly empty, except for a few couples, one older, sitting in fishing chairs close to the sea, soaking up the sun, another walking a dog, and a few more people in the distance. The “bar” was a tiny structure and 5 tables around it with a couple of sun umbrellas. It was full, with only one table empty, so we decided to grab a drink there before going further.
After 1 glass of wine for me, two beers for my hubby, and some tapas & olives (all 5 euros), we headed back to the car, unloaded some of our stuff, and decided to go to the right this time. After a short walk, we reached a bit different area, a not-so-empty beach, mostly rock with pebbles instead of sand. The bar there was busier and lauder, there was natural shade and the water seemed inviting.
We chose a spot under the trees close to the bar. It was less loud and free. We took out our snacks and drinks, took a couple of swims, and chilled for a bit. Luckily there were also showers, so we rinsed the salt off and headed to the old city, which we realized was right above the beach.
Both Torremolinos and Marbella are charming! Vibrant bars and restaurants, souvenir shops, flower pots against white walls, and music coming from every corner were all so inviting.
Chasing the Sunset
From Marbella, we had approximately an hour’s drive to Ronda. I knew it’s gonna take us a bit more, because the scenery was just breathtaking, and it was a shame to rush through the area. Also, the change of scenery from one place to another is one of the most dramatic I have ever seen, with Marbella being coastal and Ronda 700 above sea level, situated in a canyon. Two completely different sights, atmospheres, and vibes…astonishing.
Ronda
Ronda was everything I hoped for and more. No photo does it justice. Drooling over the photos of that place for years, I knew that it was most beautiful during the golden hour. We arrived a little before 19h and the sunset was around 20h. We were lucky to find parking almost in the city center, for 2 euros per hour. One thing to note: Ronda is difficult for drivers. Roads are narrow and it is crowded. We first wanted to park at the edge of the city, but we were getting tired and there were still things to see as well as the drive back to Malaga.
After the initial wandering and exploring, we sat on a bench to regroup. As we were getting tired, we decided to watch the sunset from the Puneto Nuevo bridge. However, we opted out of the viewpoint that was further away and offered a spectacular view of the Puente Nuevo bridge. I told myself we are leaving it for the next time because Ronda is very high on my “to visit again” list.
Not so much on Budget
The drive back to Malaga was less scenic because it gets completely dark quickly after the sunset, but enjoyable due to the really good Spanish roads.
In Malaga blue parking zone spots along the streets are free overnight, from 8 p.m. until 9 a.m. We were lucky enough to find a spot 5 minutes walk from our apartment.
As I couldn’t sleep I finally caught a moment to go through the contract with the car rental. I realized that we don’t have unlimited mileage but rather a 165 km limit per day. That day we drove around 250km. I check Malaga – Cordoba distance – 160 km. Great. It’s at least 250 km over the limit, and it was 0.17 cents for every extra km, so cca 45 euros. At that point, the car was cca 70 euros more than planned due to my mistake. I was pissed but promised I wouldn’t let this ruin even one moment.
Another day, another Andalusia on a Budget Adventure
The drive to Cordoba is 90 min and once you leave Malaga it’s all olive fields until Cordoba. Literally. We parked in the neighborhood close to Cordoba Roman Bridge, which is also the entrance into the old part of the city.
The only thing on the itinerary was the old city and Mezquita. There were other interesting spots, but we wanted to make the day as chill as possible. This second part wasn’t easy.
We took a walk around and visited some most important landmarks nearby. After a while, we found ourselves in front of an interesting landmark, a tower of sorts. It caught our attention, and as it was close to Mezquita and the entrance was 5 euros per person, we decided to check it out.
It’s a structure of three connected towers called Torres de los Leones, which are a part of the Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs. The garden, the fountains, and all the water bodies around make the place one of the most photogenic I have ever seen.
The Amazing Mezquita
We barely managed to leave the place around 3:25 and rushed to Mezquita. The history of the structure is so interesting, but the structure itself is breathtaking. No picture could do it justice. The pillars, the colors, the contrast between Islamic and Christian elements, the size of it…for me, indescribable. The atrium, Patio de los Naranos, does not disappoint either. The view of the bell tower, which used to be a minaret, showing occasionally between the branches of palms and Orange trees, is just as beautiful from every corner.
On our way back to the car, we once again went over the Roman Bridge which, by the way, was featured in Season 5 of Game of Thrones. At the very end, there were a couple of Arab artists selling ornamented pieces of paper with personalized writings in Arab calligraphy. Aside from the usual magnets, this seemed like a great souvenir. It was 5 euros for a big one (size) that had our names written on it.
From Cordoba we went to Malaga airport to return the car, so we tanked the car at the gas station close to the rental agency, and filling up to the top was close to 60 euros, for roughly 600 km. Since our limit was 330, we had to pay 47 euros for the extra kilometers. Back in the room, we showered and had a few drinks with dinner on the balcony, and talked about how much we were looking forward to the next day when the only thing we had planned was the beach.
Malaga Beach Day
And the beach it was. In the morning, we first went to Malagueta by bus, walked around a little looking for the best spot and in the end decided to rent sun beds and sun umbrellas, because there was no natural shade anywhere, at all. The set cost 13 euros per day. It was September 30, 29 degrees Celsius, the beach was full…but I couldn’t bring myself to dive in. The seagulls are everywhere in Malaga and their feathers too, including the sea.
Once again, my hubby wouldn’t let himself be discouraged. I used the opportunity to drink a couple of sangrias, read a little, scroll a little, and see how we stand financially. We were halfway through our trip, leaving for Sevilla tomorrow, and I was surprised to see that even with this car incident and the occasional Uber splurge, we were still not over our budget, and that was mostly due to low prices in Andalusia.
After a few hours there, we took a bus back to our area, went to the supermarket to buy stuff we needed for sandwiches tomorrow and a few more things. We left those in the room and headed to the nearby beach. It was calmer, cleaner, and colder. After enjoying a beautiful sunset, we went back to Malaga city center for a goodbye walk and maybe a quick drink.
Until next time, Malaga
At this point, we were halfway through our Andalusia on a budget adventure.
The train for Sevilla was at 9 am, and the goal was to be in bed as early as possible. In the morning we took an Uber to the Maria Zambrano train station as it was once again a 3 eur vs 7 eur dilemma during the morning rush hour and crowded buses.
Malaga has left a huge impression on me and, the next time I come, I want to spend a few days only in Malaga to explore and learn more about its history and culture. The food and wine are amazing, so I guess the rest is even better.
For now, let’s see what the rest of our trip will bring 😀
About Sevilla, Cadiz, Jerez, Caceres, and our last day in Madrid before flying back to Vienna, you can read in the 2nd part of our Andalusia on a Budget Pt2.
If you are inspired to start planning your own trip, check out this article:
Travel Planning Made Easy: Tips for a Perfectly Organized Trip
