Pick up your car at the airport (following the instructions you'll get before your flight) and hit the road.

An ancient stone fortress that protects the Spanish city of Málaga like a giant crown.

Imagine standing on the ramparts where real soldiers stood guard hundreds of years ago. The castle was built so cleverly that you could see every approaching ship from it. If dangerous pirates were approaching the coast, the guards would immediately raise the alarm!

• Tickets can be purchased at the machine right at the entrance (by card or cash) or in advance online.
• Every Sunday from 2:00 PM until closing time, admission is free. 

The Alcazaba Fortress looks like a fortified palace with massive walls, but inside it hides beautiful gardens with orange trees, splashing fountains, and secret courtyards. Come and see what's behind its mysterious gates!

The path inside leads through many gates that turn at right angles. Why? The soldiers built the palace as a hideout and a labyrinth. Enemies would get tangled up inside, and the defenders could drop things on them or pour water from above!

• Tickets can be purchased at machines right at the main entrance, or online.  
• Set aside about 1 to 1.5 hours for the tour of the palace courtyards and gardens itself.

The Roman Theatre is a huge semicircular amphitheatre located right in the city center below the walls of the Alcazaba fortress. For centuries, it was hidden underground and nobody knew about it!

• Entry to the entire archaeological site is completely free. 

On Plaza de la Merced, there's a bronze gentleman sitting on a marble bench who looks like he's just stepped out of an art studio for a moment – it's the famous painter Pablo Picasso! Pablo is sitting right among the people, waiting for you to come and sit next to him! 

Just a few steps from the bench where Picasso sits stands a large white house – and it is right there that this famous painter was born. 

Today, this house is a museum called Museo Casa Natal de Picasso. It is a place where you can explore what the childhood of the world's most famous artist was like, and what toys and secrets are hidden inside the house.

When you look at the cathedral from the outside, you'll immediately notice something strange. It only has one tall tower! It was supposed to have two, but the builders ran out of money many years ago, so they never finished the second one.

Once you step inside, you'll feel like a dwarf in a kingdom of giants. The ceiling is so high that you could fit an entire apartment building under it!

A giant rock towering out of the sea turns into one big monkey playground! It's the only place in all of Europe where wild monkeys don't live in zoo cages, but jump freely over people's heads. They're great pickpockets! Just rustle a bag and a monkey will snatch a biscuit right out of your hand in a flash. That's why you should watch your luggage. The monkeys can unzip and open all backpacks and handbags very easily. Don't smile at the monkeys with a wide grin and don't show your teeth. In monkey language, that's a sign of aggression and a challenge to a fight.

• On Gibraltar, you pay with the Gibraltar pound (GIP), which has the same value as the British pound (GBP). In 99% of places (including nature reserve entrances and shops), you can easily pay by card, so you'll hardly need any cash. They sometimes take euros in shops, but at a bad exchange rate.

• EU citizens can enter Gibraltar with only a valid identity card. So, a passport is not a requirement.
• The official Gibraltar Cable Car is undergoing extensive reconstruction and is closed (reopening is planned for 2027).

A historic lighthouse located on the southernmost tip of Gibraltar. This iconic red and white cylindrical lighthouse, standing 20 meters tall, was first lit in 1841 and serves as a key navigation point for ships passing through the strategic Strait of Gibraltar. Its giant lamp has been shining every night for nearly 200 years.

On a clear day, you can see a completely different continent across the sea – the wild mountains of Africa (Morocco).

Right by the lighthouse, there's a great modern playground where the kids can play while you watch the sea.

Right next to the lighthouse stands a beautiful, glowing mosque that looks like it's straight out of an Aladdin fairy tale.

Kids can explore a giant historic cannon that once protected Gibraltar from pirates and enemies.

Dolphin Adventure in Gibraltar is the best water expedition you can imagine! It's a ride full of splashing water, wind in your hair, and most importantly, meeting the cheeriest creatures on the planet – wild dolphins. You'll set sail into the open sea of the Strait of Gibraltar, where the dolphins live in complete freedom. You are a guest in their home! As soon as the captain slows the engine, the real magic begins. Dolphins love people, and once they see the yellow boat, they start showing off! They purposely swim right in front of the bow and race to see who’s faster. The water is so clear you can see every move they make. Very often, you can spot huge moms right next to the boat teaching their cute little dolphin calves how to swim.

• The entire cruise in the Strait of Gibraltar lasts approximately 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes.
• I highly recommend buying tickets online in advance!
• On the open sea, there is a strong wind and the temperature feels cooler. Even in the hot summer, pack a light windbreaker or sweatshirt, as well as sunscreen, sunglasses, and a cap.

Millions of years ago, dinosaurs swam here and the sea splashed about. Today, it's the densest stone labyrinth you can imagine! If you look closely at the ground, you can find imprints of prehistoric shells.

Wild ibex patrol the rocky peaks, and giant vultures will circle over your heads.

• Entry to the nature park itself and the Torcal Alto visitor center is completely free.
• Parking at the top by the visitor center is free.
• While you'll find a small bistro at the Torcal visitor center, we recommend bringing plenty of your own water and a snack in your backpack for the trail.
• There are two routes here:

1. Green route (1.5 km): The easiest circuit, taking about 45 minutes and perfect for smaller kids. The terrain is rocky and uneven, though, so forget about a stroller.
2. Yellow route (3 km): A moderately difficult route that takes you deeper into the rock labyrinth (approx. 1.5 to 2 hours of walking).

From the mysterious rocks, we'll head deeper into the wilderness. We're entering a kingdom where people go to talk to wolves!

This park serves as a research and breeding center. You can't observe the wolves on your own; entry is only possible as part of guided tours (available in English and Spanish).

Turn on your headlamps and get ready for a journey into the depths! You're entering giant caves that were discovered by a group of boys thousands of years ago while they were looking for a secret entrance and hunting bats.

A fascinating underground world, ideal as a morning stop. The caves maintain a constant temperature of around 19–20 °C, which is a nice way to cool off in the summer.

• Buy tickets online in advance
• The route is about 1 km long, has many stairs, and can be slippery due to moisture. Sturdy footwear is a must.

We'll climb from the underground high into the mountains. The snow-white town of Frigiliana shines on a steep cliff there. The old historical center is strictly for pedestrians. Don't try to drive into the steep, winding alleys.

To wrap things up, we have the ultimate highlight – the massive Alhambra palace complex, towering over Granada against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

You’ll sneak into the sultan’s secret chambers, where a marble fountain guarded by twelve stone lions stands in the middle of the courtyard. Legend says that if the lions come to life, magical water will flow from them. You’ll wander through a maze of hedges where water sprays from hundreds of fountains.

One of the most visited palace complexes in the world.

• Tickets for the Alhambra sell out weeks or even months in advance. Buy them exclusively through the official portal.
• Watch out for your time at the Nasrid Palaces: When booking the main tour, you choose an exact entry time for the Nasrid Palaces. You must stick to this time strictly (0-minute tolerance); you can visit the rest of the area (Generalife gardens, Alcazaba fortress) anytime before or after.

You'll come face to face with the largest crocodile in all of Europe! His name is Paco, he weighs an incredible 600 kilograms and measures over 4 meters in length. He’s a real monster!

You'll get to watch these giant lizards being fed. You'll see, and more importantly hear, the terrifying force of their jaws snapping shut when they catch their prey.

• Crocodile Park 
• Parking is available right at the entrance in a large, free car park.
• The whole park is quite small, so the tour will take you about 1 to 2 hours.

You'll head to the cliffside town of Ronda, which is literally split into two halves by a giant gorge. It's held together by just one huge stone bridge!

The main symbol of Ronda is the monumental 18th-century stone bridge, Puente Nuevo (New Bridge). The bridge connects the old Moorish quarter (La Ciudad) with the newer part of town (El Mercadillo).

Ronda is the cradle of modern Spanish bullfighting. The local Plaza de Toros de Ronda, opened in 1785, is one of the oldest and most beautiful in all of Spain.

Casa del Rey Moro and the Water Mine

This palace offers a fascinating descent to the very bottom of the gorge. Inside the rock, there is a secret staircase carved with over 300 steps, built by Moorish rulers in the 14th century. At the bottom of the gorge, you'll be treated to a magical view of the flowing river from the water level.

Welcome to the town of Setenil de las Bodegas, where people don't build houses under the sky, but drill them right into the belly of a giant rock!

The locals were very clever. Instead of building a roof, they simply used the overhangs of giant rocks. The rock forms both their ceiling and back wall. In these cave houses, it's pleasantly cool in the summer and warm in the winter. The rock acts like a giant thermostat that keeps the temperature steady.

The word Setenil comes from the Latin "septem nihil" (seven times nothing), which refers to seven unsuccessful attempts by Christian armies to conquer this fortified town from the Moorish rulers. The epithet de las Bodegas (wine cellars) was added later, when the cool rocky spaces began to be used extensively for storing wine and growing olives.

Don't forget to be at the airport at least 2-3 hours before your flight. Return the (refueled) car and head to your gate. Have a safe flight home.