# Cerca de Málaga

From Málaga almost all the routes climb inland. To the north, Antequera, El Torcal and the Caminito del Rey; to the north-west, Ronda, Setenil and the Genal valley; to the east, the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada, and beyond, Grazalema, Carmona and Cazorla for sleeping away.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/malaga/getaways

## Planes de un día
- [Antequera: dolmens, Alcazaba and Torcal](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/antequera/itineraries/sunday-with-menga-viera-and-alcazaba.md) (50 min en coche): The dolmens before they close at 15:00, the Alcazaba above the vega, lunch at the El Torcal restaurant after the road reopens and the Green Route among the rocks.
- [Caminito del Rey and lunch in El Chorro](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/caminito-del-rey/itineraries/walkways-and-suspension-bridge-sunday.md) (1 h en coche): The first Caminito slot, 8 km of walkways and the suspension bridge, lunch with a view of the gorge in El Chorro and the afternoon at the reservoir.
- [Priego and Zuheros: Baroque and a cave](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/priego-de-cordoba-and-the-subbetica/itineraries/zuheros-cave-and-fuente-del-rey.md) (1 h 30 en coche): The Barrio de la Villa and the Adarve, the Asunción and the Fuente del Rey in Priego, lunch in Zuheros and the guided visit to the Cueva de los Murciélagos in the afternoon.
- [Genal: Copper Forest and Ronda](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/autumn-in-the-copper-forest.md) (1 h 35 en coche): A morning going from village to village through the Genal chestnut groves as they turn copper, Benito Gómez's tapas in Ronda and the Tajo at sunset. An hour and a half from Málaga.
- [Ronda: bridge, Arab baths and tapas](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/ronda-puente-nuevo-arab-baths-and-tapas.md) (1 h 35 en coche): The bridge first thing, the Arab Baths before three, the Mina stairway down to the river, tapas at Tragatá and the bullring with the sun going down.
- [Setenil and Ronda: streets under the rock](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/setenil-de-las-bodegas/itineraries/setenil-and-ronda-day-trip-from-seville.md) (1 h 48 en coche): A morning in the streets of Setenil that run beneath the rock, lunch in the village and an afternoon in Ronda, 20 minutes away, with the Puente Nuevo and the monuments pass.
- [Setenil: mills and streets under the rock](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/setenil-de-las-bodegas/itineraries/setenil-mills-walk-and-cave-streets-from-malaga.md) (1 h 48 en coche): An easy walk along the valley, past an olive mill, two flour mills and a waterfall, then Setenil's streets under the rock and lunch in the village. Good with a dog.
- [Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira on foot](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/alpujarra-three-poqueira-villages-on-foot.md) (1 h 50 en coche): The circular trail linking Pampaneira, Bubión and Capileira, Alpujarran cooking with its own garden produce and the afternoon at the Capileira viewpoint. An hour and a quarter from Granada.
- [Capileira, its museum and Trevélez](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/capileira-and-trevelez-high-alpujarra-day-trip.md) (2 h en coche): The streets, museum and viewpoint of Capileira, the winding road to Trevélez and an Alpujarran lunch with the village's ham. No long routes, an hour and a half from Granada.
- [Mulhacén from Alto del Chorrillo](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/mulhacen-from-alto-del-chorrillo.md) (2 h en coche): You leave Granada at dawn, ride the National Park minibus up to Alto del Chorrillo and climb Mulhacén with the Nevadensis guides. On the way down, a stroll round Capileira and dinner.
- [Carmona: necropolis, alcázar and mill](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/carmona/itineraries/necropolis-and-alcazar-sunday.md) (2 h en coche): The Roman necropolis first thing, the Alcázar tower before it closes, the museum, lunch in a former mill and the vega from the Parador.
- [Grazalema: Zahara, the pass and the Majaceite](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-grazalema/itineraries/zahara-puerto-de-las-palomas-and-majaceite-river-trail.md) (2 h en coche): A mountain Sunday without permits: Zahara castle above the reservoir, the viewpoints on the Puerto de las Palomas, trout in El Bosque and the Majaceite trail.
- [Sierra Nevada: slopes, Borreguiles and Mirlo Blanco](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/skiing-by-bus-from-granada.md) (2 h 10 en coche): A day at the highest resort in Spain: slopes from 8:30, lunch at the foot of the slopes at Borreguiles and, for non-skiers, the Mirlo Blanco. 40 minutes from Granada by car or on the Tocina bus.
- [Sierra Nevada without skis: snowshoeing at 3,100 m and a table in Cenes](https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/snowshoeing-to-the-veleta-and-lunch-in-cenes.md) (2 h 15 en coche): A morning snowshoeing with a guide on the north face of Sierra Nevada, up to the Posiciones del Veleta, and a Sunday lunch at the Ruta del Veleta, in Cenes de la Vega, on the way down.

## The sea in front and the sierra behind

Málaga has the sea in front and the sierra behind, and the getaways head for the sierra. Three roads share out almost all the plans. The A-45 climbs north over the Puerto de las Pedrizas to [Antequera](/en/spain/andalusia/antequera) and continues towards Córdoba; at Antequera it joins the A-92, which leads to Granada, and is also the way to [Priego and the Subbética](/en/spain/andalusia/priego-de-cordoba-and-the-subbetica). The A-357 leaves along the Guadalhorce valley towards Ardales and the [Caminito del Rey](/en/spain/andalusia/caminito-del-rey) and, with the A-367, reaches [Ronda](/en/spain/andalusia/ronda), gateway to the Serranía, to [Setenil de las Bodegas](/en/spain/andalusia/setenil-de-las-bodegas) and to the [Sierra de Grazalema](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-grazalema). The A-7 runs east along the coast and, via Órgiva, climbs to [La Alpujarra](/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra).

Without a car there are two exits that work. The Renfe regional train reaches El Chorro in about 45 minutes and drops you beside the Caminito shuttle, so you can do the whole route without driving. Antequera can be reached by high-speed train or Alsa bus, and the centre is toured on foot; El Torcal, however, has no public transport.

## The Antequera dolmens, free with an EU ID card

**Under an hour** is Antequera (50 minutes): the Menga and Viera dolmens, free with an EU ID card, the Alcazaba and the Collegiate Church, and in the afternoon El Torcal, once the road reopens.

A little further, **between one and one and a half hours**, are the Caminito del Rey (60 minutes), eight kilometres of walkways over the Gaitanes gorge, and Priego and Zuheros (90), with the Fuente del Rey and the Cueva de los Murciélagos, which can only be visited with a reservation.

**Between an hour and a half and two hours** is the Serranía: Ronda and the Genal valley (95 minutes), Setenil (108) and the three Poqueira villages in the Alpujarra (110). At the edge of two hours, [Capileira and Trevélez](/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/capileira-and-trevelez-high-alpujarra-day-trip), Zahara and the Majaceite river in Grazalema and the necropolis of [Carmona](/en/spain/andalusia/carmona/itineraries/necropolis-and-alcazar-sunday), all three at 120.

What goes beyond **two hours** already calls for a night: [Sierra Nevada in two nights](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/sierra-nevada-ski-snowshoe-weekend-from-granada) (130 minutes), [the Sierra de Cazorla](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-cazorla/itineraries/sierra-de-cazorla-borosa-weekend-from-jaen) and [Cabo de Gata](/en/spain/andalusia/cabo-de-gata/itineraries/cabo-de-gata-weekend-kayak-from-almeria), both at 170, and [Doñana and El Rocío](/en/spain/andalusia/donana-and-el-rocio/itineraries/donana-el-rocio-marshes-weekend), a little over three hours away.

## The Caminito closes on Mondays, and sometimes for wind or rain

From October to May is the season for almost everything leaving Málaga: the Caminito, Antequera, Setenil and Grazalema are designed for those months, and in July and August they are not recommended. The Caminito closes on Mondays and can close for rain or wind; in the hot months, take the 9:00 slot.

In winter, from December to April, the snow is a little over two hours away: a [Sunday of skiing in Sierra Nevada](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/skiing-by-bus-from-granada) or a [snowshoe climb to the Veleta](/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-nevada/itineraries/snowshoeing-to-the-veleta-and-lunch-in-cenes), setting out early by motorway to Granada.

In spring, with the countryside green, you walk the Alpujarra and tour [Ronda on a Sunday](/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/ronda-puente-nuevo-arab-baths-and-tapas), from the Puente Nuevo to the Arab Baths, which close at 15:00 on Sunday.

In summer it is best to go up: the [Poqueira villages on foot](/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/alpujarra-three-poqueira-villages-on-foot), setting out early, or two nights in the [Alpujarra](/en/spain/andalusia/la-alpujarra/itineraries/alpujarra-white-villages-weekend), in Capileira, at almost 1,500 metres.

In autumn, from the end of October to November, the Genal chestnut trees turn from yellow to copper. They can be seen on a [Sunday in the Copper Forest with tapas in Ronda](/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/autumn-in-the-copper-forest) or on a [two-night weekend](/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/ronda-genal-copper-forest-autumn); the valley roads are narrow, and on November Sundays, busy.

## The Caminito del Rey by regional train to El Chorro

- **Without a car, in a day:** [the Caminito del Rey on a Sunday](/en/spain/andalusia/caminito-del-rey/itineraries/walkways-and-suspension-bridge-sunday). Regional train to El Chorro, shuttle to the start, the walkways downhill and lunch at La Garganta, next to the station. Tickets only on the official website.
- **50 minutes away:** [Antequera with one night](/en/spain/andalusia/antequera/itineraries/antequera-dolmens-and-el-torcal-weekend). On Saturday, dolmens and Alcazaba; on Sunday, the guided Ammonites Route through El Torcal and lunch at the Torcal Alto.
- **Towards the Serranía:** [Setenil along the Mills route](/en/spain/andalusia/setenil-de-las-bodegas/itineraries/setenil-mills-walk-and-cave-streets-from-malaga). The valley in the morning, before the cave streets fill up, and lunch in the village. If you prefer to sleep there, [Ronda with one night](/en/spain/andalusia/ronda/itineraries/ronda-weekend-from-malaga).