When you think of Andalucia, pastimes like sightseeing, lazing on the beach or sipping on a cold drink at an outdoor café might come to mind. But your visit to Andalucia needn’t be limited to just the usual activities. See Southern Spain from a more exhilarating perspective by doing so via one of these especially adventurous things to do in Andalucia and Costa del Sol.
1. Scuba Diving
Cool off from the southern Spanish heat by doing some underwater sightseeing
With all that water lapping up against the Andalusian coast, get below the surface and experience the sea from a new perspective. Indeed, you can explore the underwater part of Spain on a scuba dive in Costa de la Luz. During the one-hour guided scuba tour, professional PADI instructors will provide you with all of the equipment and expertise needed to explore under the sea – and, of course, they’ll lead you on the immersive adventure, during which you might spy such creatures as octopus and sting rays.
2. Hot-Air Ballooning
Take Seville sightseeing to a whole new level
Below sea level isn’t the only unique angle from which you should experience this part of Spain. On a Seville hot-air balloon tour, you can spy the southern countryside from above, admiring the early morning sunlight cast about the neighboring countryside made up of rivers, forests and mountains. Finish off the exhilarating sky-high adventure with a back-on-land traditional breakfast at a local Spanish restaurant, where you can toast to your excursion (or take the edge off) with a glass of champagne.
3. Caminito del Rey
One of the most adventurous activities in the Andalucia region is Caminito del Rey, or the King’s Little Pathway. Located in Andalucia’s province of Malaga, this 7.7-kilometer path notably takes trekkers along a boardwalk that precariously clings to the bare face of a rocky gorge, 105 meters up in the sky. Though it’s not a dangerous excursion per se, it could be scary (at least for those remotely bothered by heights). If this sounds like your cup adrenaline-packed of tea, take note that you must acquire a ticket in advance in order to enter (entry is limited to 600 people per day, 50 entering at half-hour intervals), and that the 4- to 5-hour journey is linear – that is, you won’t finish where you started.
4. Dolphin Cruise
Venture off shore on a dolphin cruise
When it comes to the sea, if scuba’s not your thing, that’s OK–you can still experience the adventure of the Mediterranean waters by going on a Dolphin Cruise from Costa del Sol to Gibraltar. Of course this 1- to 1.5-hour excursion isn’t just about setting sail on the sea, but also having the opportunity to spy pods of dolphins, including bottlenose, common and striped. Suitable for up to 25 people, the boat takes you to Gibraltar itself, where guests can have free time checking out the British Overseas Territory.
5. Coast and Caves
Don’t see the coast from the inside by exploring Nerja’s caves
This isn’t just your average visit to the coast. On a Tropical Coast and Caves of Nerja Day Trip, you’ll not only see some of the south’s most beautiful seaside villages–including the castle-topped white pueblo of Salobreña, as well as 10 miles of beaches in Nerja–but you’ll also visit caves that have been inhabited by humans for up to 25,000 years. The caverns and grottoes reach deep underground, and will be a cool and adventurous respite from the coastal sand and sun.
6. Electric Bike Excursion
Being back above solid ground doesn’t mean that the excitement is over. Rather than exploring the best of Granada by foot, you can do so on a Granada Electric Bike Excursion. During this two-wheeled, two-hour outing, you’ll zip through the city’s famous old Muslim quarter, check out views from the Mirador de San Nicolas, and the go up into the cave-laced hills of the Sacromonte.
7. Four-Wheel-Drive Excursion
Set off into the Andalusian mountains to see white villages and nature
There’s yet another way to explore the Spanish south: by four-wheel-drive car. On a 4WD Sierra Nevada Safari Tour in Granada, you’ll set off into the Spanish countryside to explore the nature and white villages of the Andalusian mountains. During the five-hour excursion, you’ll pass by lakes and Spanish Civil War fortifications, through forests and the Huetor Natural Park, and make your way up to a 2,500-meter peak, where you’ll make a stop at a restaurant with panoramic views of the land all around.
8. Sightseeing Flight
Imagine having the chance to spy this beauty from above.
See the Alhambra and then take the visit upwards on a Skip-the-line Alhambra Walking Tour and Private Sightseeing Flight. Up, indeed, because after your visit to the beloved Moorish fortress (which includes the Generalife Gardens and the Nasrid Palace) you’ll then get a view from above on a 30-minute sky-high flight experience. During this trip, you can spy beyond the Alhambra, seeing other local sights such as the hills of the Sacromonte and the Monastery of Cartuja.
9. Segway Tour
Sightseeing in Malaga can be made a lot more fun if done by Segway
Experience all that Malaga has to offer in one day on a Malaga Segway Tour, you can get around easily to all of the southern city’s biggest sights — from the historic center, to the birthplace of Picasso, the seafront promenade, and even the hilltop castle. And you get to do so without the added exhaustion — but plus the extra adventure.
- Contributed by Erin Ridley
9 Adventurous Things to Do in Andalucia and Costa del Sol from Andalucia & Costa del Sol Things to Do
