El Caminito del Rey:After leaving Ronda, we drove east to El Caminito del Rey, which was my favorite part of the trip. Here's a little history:
When the train tunnel was being blasted through the mountain and a dam was being built in the gorge, the workers built a small 3-foot wide concrete walkway along the cliffside to get to work. It was eventually abandoned and crumbled half away. Adrenaline junkies would hike/climb it even though half of the path was condemned and illegal to hike. After videos like
THIS ONE (seriously...you should check it out) were posted online 20+ years ago, other daredevils flocked to it and several died trying to hike it. Eventually, a safe boardwalk was built over the original walkway about 5 so years ago and it's now a tourist attraction for normal people. It was truly gorgeous and exhilarating. It had been a true bucket list item for me for years.
When we visited in 2019, it was obvious that they were still trying to figure out the whole "tourst attraction" part of the business. Finding good detailed info online about visiting the place was relatively impossible. Their website at the time looked like something I made at A&M in the late 90's. But I just took a peek at it, and it's obvious that they've expanded a few things like extra trails, picnic places, visitor's center, etc.
You must book your ticket online in advance because they only allow a certain number of people on the boardwalk each half-hour. You'll understand when you see it. If you can work El Caminito del Rey in, you won't be disappointed.
Granada:
I freaking loved Granada!!! This is one of the places I wish we'd spent more time in beyond just our 2 days and 3 nights. Another night or two would have been just fine. Huge muslim population, but not in the bad way that many westerners may think.
Other than the main tourist attraction of the Alambra, the best part about Granada is that as long as you're ordering tapas, you get free beer. They're small beers, but they're free, so who cares. Tapas bars everywhere, each with their own specialty and atmosphere. Just hop around and hit 3 or 4 in a night. Every city in Spain is kind of like this, but Granada is different (better).
Alhambra - The godfather of all moorish alcazars. Carve out most of a day to see it. Book your ticket online ahead of time. Take the train or bus up to it. Don't walk. It's the #1 thing to see in Andalucia. I could fill up a page or two talking about it, so just go see it for yourself instead.
Basilica de San Juan de Dios - Sizeable but not the biggest cathedral in Andalucia by any means, but it is one of the more ornate. What sets this one apart is the all-access hands-on behind-the-scenes experience. There isn't an inch inside or out that you can't crawl around in, including those places only priests go in most cathedrals that tourists didn't even know existed. I highly recommend it even if you've seen every cathedral in Europe, because you've never seen one in this way. It was another highlight of the trip.
Centro Federico Garcia Lorca - If you're a fan of the playwright, he was born and died in Granada. There's a museum to him and his works along with an attached theatre and several statues around town. My wife is a theatre teacher, so we spent a little time here, but I doubt it's for most people.
Hike along the river up to the hill across from the Alhambra as evening approaches and eat at the top. It's beautiful.
Tons of other plazas, parks, and sites to see. Like I said earlier, we could've spent an extra day or two easily just hanging out.
