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Distances and some info for car drivers

Road Map

Distances in km from major Spanish cities to Granada.
Times are by private car
Albacete 363   Madrid 434 5h
Alicante 353   Málaga 129 2h
Almería 166   Murcia 278  
Ávila 534   Oviedo 885  
Badajoz 438   Palencia 674  
Barcelona 868   Pamplona 841  
Bilbao 829   Pontevedra 1057  
Burgos 671   San Sebastian 903  
Cáceres 485   Santander 827  
Cádiz 335   Segovia 521  
Ciudad Real 278   Sevilla 256 5h
Córdoba 166 2h Soria 665  
La Coruña 1034   Tarragona 770  
Cuenca 479   Toledo 397  
Girona 968   Valencia 519  
Huelva 350   Valladolid 627  
Jáen 99 50min Vitoria 785  
León 761   Zaragoza 759  
Lugo 770        


In the Spring many of the roads are lined with yellow flowers.
The above photo is on the road from Madrid about 20 km from Granada.

Note: If you are doing a tour of southern Spain there is an apartment in Seville for rent on this page.

Notes for people accustomed to thinking in miles.

To convert from km to miles divide by 8 and multiply by 5
To convert from miles to km divide by 5 and multiply by 8

So, 80 km = 50 miles. - 160 km = 100 miles

The speed limit in any built up place in Spain is 50 km/hour (31 mph)
The speed limit on an autovía (motorway) is normally 120 km/hour (75 mph)


Traveling times by car to popular destinations from the centre
The ski station in Sierra Nevada 45 minutes
Salobreña. On the coast. The nearest good sandy beach. 50 minutes
Trevelez. The highest village in europe (in the Alpujarras mountains) 1 hour 45 minutes
Lanjarón (in the Alpujarras) The first small town that you get to. 30 minutes
The Granada bus station 5 - 10 minutes
Granada Airport 15 minutes
Bailen. If you are driving down from Madrid it is where the Sevilla and Granada road split 1 hour

Some notes about hiring cars

There are a couple of car hire firms in Plaza Nueva but the staff there are not very helpful and their prices are high. It is probably cheaper and better to hire a car in an included package when you buy your airline ticket. When I investigated the prices they were actually cheaper if you book from outside of Spain.

The web page that seems easiest to use is http://www.amigoautos.com They have a pick up and drop off point in the centre of Granada and also you can also pick up cars from Granada airport.

Frequently asked questions about distances.
Is it realistic to go to Cordoba and return to Granada on the same day? Yes, Cordoba is about 2 hours or less and it would be OK by car or by bus.
Is there any time I should avoid coming into Granada by car? If it is good weather there are often traffic jams on Sundays on the road up from Motril becuase people are returning from the beach. All other times are OK. The rush hour with Granada is around 2pm and 5 pm. Driving within Granada at anytime of day is fairly slow. It is best to go directly to the place you are staying and not use your car while you are in Granada. Don't park where you shouldn't or your car will be towed away.
Is there a bus to the ski station? Yes, you'll have to get a taxi or bus out to the the bus station and then get a bus from there. There are a couple of buses that go between 8 and 9am. You can hire skis and get a lift pass at Pradollano. (the ski village)

Some tips and suggestions

If you are driving up from the coast maybe from Nerja or one on the beaches between Motril and Malaga and you are not in a hurry. Take the little windy road that comes up from Almuñecar. It very scenic and at one point it goes through a mountain pass. It's a nice alternative to the busy motorway from Granada to Motril. There are several little restaurants where you can stop and eat. A good drink if you are driving is a "vino sin alcohol" and you will normally be given a free "tapa".