Andalusia from Seville in 4 Days
4 Days: Seville and Andalusia
Four days from Seville adds Ronda’s gorge to the Cordoba, Cadiz and Granada trio, and it’s the first day on this itinerary that genuinely wants a car or a booked bus seat instead of a train ticket. Only have three days? Drop back to the 3-day version . Want Jerez’s sherry and horses too? Jump to 5 days , or read the full Seville, Spain guide .
Book these before you go
- Alhambra Nasrid Palaces tickets : the moment your dates are fixed, this timed slot sells out weeks to months ahead in peak season
- A guided Ronda day trip if you’d rather not drive or time a bus connection
- A rental car if you’d rather set your own Ronda schedule than follow a tour bus
- A hotel near Santa Justa station for your Cordoba, Cadiz and Granada mornings
Day 1: Cordoba and the Mezquita
An early AVE covers the roughly 140km from Santa Justa in 40 to 45 minutes, fares from around €10 to €25, check current times on Renfe . Time your visit to the Mezquita-Catedral for the free Monday-to-Saturday window, 8:30 to 9:30am, arrive by 8:15, no groups in that slot. Standard entry otherwise is about €15 adult, €12 reduced. Walk the old Jewish quarter and Roman Bridge, then take an afternoon train home.
Day 2: Cadiz’s old town and seafront
A direct train covers the roughly 99km in 1h25 to 1h40, frequent departures, no advance booking needed. Spend the day on the old town’s streets and the seafront promenade, with beach time if the weather holds, and a fried-fish lunch before your return train.
Day 3: Granada and the Alhambra
Direct trains cover the roughly 250km in 2h35 to 3 hours, fares in the €14 to €27 range. Build the day around your Nasrid Palaces slot time, about €21 for general entry, closer to €22.27 with the booking fee. Fit in the Generalife gardens and an Albaicin viewpoint before checking the last comfortable return train.
Day 4: Ronda, the gorge and the bullring
Ronda has no useful direct train, the rail route via Antequera runs a painful 3h50, so take a direct Damas bus, about 2h15, or drive, around 1h40. Either way you’re covering roughly 100 to 130km depending on the route. El Tajo, the 120-meter gorge split by the Puente Nuevo bridge, is the reason you’re here, and Spain’s oldest bullring, the Real Maestranza, is worth the roughly €9 to €12 entry with the museum included. If you drove, the pueblos blancos, the white villages, are close enough to add a quick stop on the way back if time allows.
Do you need a car for Ronda, or does the bus work fine?
The bus works fine if Ronda is your only stop that day, Damas covers the route in about 2h15 each way with no driving stress. A car only earns its cost if you want to add a pueblos blancos stop on the same trip, since public transport between those villages is too thin to rely on.
How many Andalusia day trips can you realistically fit into 4 days?
Four, and this itinerary uses all of them: Cordoba and Cadiz by train, Granada by train with a timed Alhambra slot, and Ronda by bus or car. Trying to squeeze in a fifth, Jerez or the pueblos blancos, turns every day into a rush, that’s what the 5-day and 6-day versions are for.
| Day | Distance / train time | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seville to Cordoba, 140km / 40-45 min AVE | Mezquita free window, old Jewish quarter, Roman Bridge |
| 2 | Seville to Cadiz, 99km / 1h25-1h40 direct train | Old town, seafront promenade, beach time |
| 3 | Seville to Granada, 250km / 2h35-3h train | Alhambra and Nasrid Palaces, Generalife, Albaicin |
| 4 | Seville to Ronda, 100-130km / 2h15 bus or 1h40 drive | El Tajo gorge, Puente Nuevo, Real Maestranza bullring |
Book the Ronda bus seat a day or two ahead in peak season, seats on the direct Damas route thin out faster than the train-based days on this list.