Andalucía: Ronda to Cabo de Gata

5 days · 5 driving roads · 99 miles of them · best March–May, October

Five days across the south. The A-397 up to Ronda, Puerto de las Palomas over to Zahara, then east to the Sierra Nevada road above Granada, Alto de Velefique's desert hairpins, and the Cabo de Gata coast. Overnight Ronda, Granada, then San José. Summer is too hot to enjoy this; April is the month.

Getting there

⛴ Portsmouth – Bilbao — Brittany Ferries, about 28 h, several/week. Check sailings.

Worth knowing: The boat to Bilbao or Santander is the point of taking your own car; book months ahead. Ronda to Granada is a connecting morning, not a blank. Sierra Nevada's A-395 is a ski-station road — snow and a barrier in winter, coaches in summer. Velefique has no fuel. Cabo de Gata is a park with a 60 limit and goats. Fill in Ronda, Granada and Almería. Portsmouth–Bilbao is long; Plymouth–Santander is the shorter Biscay option if the dates fit.

The roads, in order

1. Ronda Road A-397 · San Pedro de Alcántara → Ronda · 30 mi · 50 min 🍽️ Venta El Madroño · 📷 Puente Nuevo · ⛽ Gasolinera Moeve Ronda
2. Puerto de las Palomas CA-9104 · Grazalema → Zahara de la Sierra · 10 mi · 30 min ⛽ Moeve Grazalema · 🍽️ Restaurante El Torreón · 📷 Puerto de las Palomas · 📷 Castillo de Zahara
3. Sierra Nevada Road A-395 · Granada → Hoya de la Mora · 21 mi · 50 min ⚠ Upper section snowbound in winter (ski season) ⛽ Repsol A-395 km 22.4 · 📷 Pradollano · ☕ Kiosko-Bar Hoya de la Mora
4. Alto de Velefique AL-3102 · Velefique → Bacares · 13 mi · 40 min 🍽️ Restaurante Alto de Velefique · 📷 Alto de Velefique · 📷 Bacares
5. Cabo de Gata Coast AL-3115 / AL-4200 · San José → Carboneras · 25 mi · 1 h 🍽️ Casa Pepe · 📷 Mirador de Rodalquilar · 📷 Playa de los Muertos

Drive it

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