Overview
The Camino Mozárabe was originally a pilgrimage route for Christians heading to Santiago de Compostela from southern Spain. Today it’s a 620km trail, and its name is derived from the Mozarabs, or Christians living under Muslim rule for 700 years. It’s divided into several sections between Almería and Santiago, and this one covers 120km between Granada to Córdoba over eight days, with some spectacular landscapes and heritage influenced by both Muslim and Roman culture and style along the way. Highlights include the Alhambra de Granada, the Mosque of Córdoba and La Mota fortress in Alcalá.
- Granada
- Alhambra de Granada
- La Mota fortress
- Baena
- Castro del Río
- Mosque of Córdoba
Please note: if you plan to visit the Alhambra, it does book up quite far in advance, so we recommend you book as early as possible at the official booking office. You also need to present ID in order to gain entry.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Granada
From the airport in Málaga or Granada, take the local bus to Granada, where you stay in a comfortable hotel in the historical part of town. You can stroll around the cathedral and old silk market or enjoy a few drinks with some tapas.
- Accommodation: Hotel Monjas del Carmen or similar in Granada
Day 2: Granada to Moclín/Tózar | 16km
After breakfast a taxi brings you to the surroundings of Pino Puente before continuing with your luggage to your next destination while you walk via Olivares to Moclin. From Moclín, cross a suspension bridge over the river and pass by tombs dug out of the rock and the remains of a defence system set up during the Spanish Civil War near Tózar. Walk up to the friendly hostel Rincón de Marcelo and enjoy the hospitality and homemade cooking of Marcelo’s wife and daughter.
A shorter hike of 9km with 700m ascend is also possible, you only walk until Moclín, where a transfer takes you to the hotel.
- Walking for the day: 16km, ↑930m ↓550m
- Accommodation: Hostal Rincón de Marcelo or similar in Tózar
Day 3: Tózar to Alcalá la Real | 10-21km
Head towards the ancient Malalmuerzo fountain, or Fuente del Malalmuerzo, close to Moclín. From here, continue toward Alcalá. If you wish, you can make today’s route shorter by starting at another point. In Alcalá, you can visit Mota fortress and the old cathedral built by the Christians within its confines.
- Walking for the day: 10-21km, ↑536m
- Accommodation: Mirador Tierra Frontera or similar in Alcalá la Real
Day 4: Alcalá la Real to Alcaudete | 11.5-25km
After breakfast, a taxi brings you to Puertollano where the walk to Alcaudete starts. If you wish to walk less, you can start in Ventas de Carrizal, making it a shorter route of only 11.5km.
- Walking for the day: 11.5km, ↑345m or 25km, ↑426m
- Accommodation: Hospedería del Castillo or similar in Alcauadete
Day 5: Alcaudete to Baena | 17km
Your destination today is Baena, an old but lively town that’s home to around 18,000 residents, that’s famous for its olive oil production. The trail winds its way through olive groves and, once you get to Baena, we recommend a visit to its Olive Oil Museum. We also recommend taking a stroll through Almadina, the ancient heart of the town, with a castle and museum. (Please note: on Mondays, the museum and monuments are closed).
- Walking for the day: 17km, ↑265m
- Accommodation: Apartmentos turísticos Baena or similar in Baena
Day 6: Baena to Castro del Río/Espejo | 21km
Continue to Castro del Río, another village famous for its olive oil as well as its furniture, made from the region’s olive wood. Your accommodation is in a traditional locally-owned guesthouse with breakfast served in a local bar. If staying in Espejo, a supplement per person will be added.
- Walking for the day: 21km, ↑240m
- Accommodation: Casa Rural La Villa or similar in Castro del Río or B&B in Espejo depending on availability
Day 7: Castro del Río/Espejo to Córdoba | 21km
After breakfast a transfer will take you to the starting point of the route. On this last stage you will not pass a village nor a fountain, so you have to take enough water and food with you. To walk into Córdoba, cross the old Roman bridge over the river Guadalquivir and pass along the Big Mosque and Cathedral before arriving at your hotel.
- Walking for the day: 21km, ↑300m
- Accommodation: Posada de Vallina or similar in Córdoba
Day 8: Departure
Your holiday finishes after breakfast. From Córdoba, you can get to Granada, Málaga, Seville, or Madrid by bus or train.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs and traditional guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria, including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms. Only the rooms in Castro del Río are with shared bathrooms (two rooms share one bathroom)
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Monjas del Carmen (Granada)
- Hostal Rincón de Marcelo (Tózar)
- Mirador Tierra Frontera (Alcalá la Real)
- Hospedería del Castillo (Alcaudete)
- Apartmentos turísticos Baena (Baena)
- Casa Rural La Villa (Castro del Río)
- Hotel Posada de Vallina (Córdoba)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days except in Baena. When no restaurant location is available on route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops. There are many local restaurants available near hotels for dinners.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded as easy to moderate. Walks can be made easier by choosing to take the optional transfers available and more challenging by opting out of the transfers and extending the routes (read more about difficulty grades).
We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We provide you with maps, and you can call our local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of January until the end of November. Easter week and December are available on request only although bookings over the Christmas period may not be possible.
The flexibility of self-guided walking holidays means there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any weekday date during the season. Note there is an obligatory supplement if the tour starts on a Saturday or Sunday.
This trip is not available to book on the following dates:
27/03/2026-04/04/2026
28/04/2026-02/05/2026
09/10/2026-11/10/2026
The weather can be extremely warm in July and August, with average temperatures between 28-31C, so it is advisable to begin walking early.
For further information, see our blog Best time to go to Spain.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airports for this tour are Málaga-Costa del Sol Airport (AGP) and Federico García Lorca Granada Airport (GRX).
By train or bus
- If you are able to travel to Spain without flying, this holiday is reachable by rail, with train stations in both Granada and Ronda. For more details, see the national rail operator, Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
- Arrival in Granada: From Málaga or Granada airports and train stations, you can take a bus to your hotel in Granada. For more information, use the Omio planner above.
- Departure from Córdoba: From Córdoba, you can get to Granada, Málaga, Seville or Madrid by bus or train. For more details, see the national rail operator, Renfe or use the Omio planner above.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in private en-suite rooms
- 6 breakfasts
- Digital information including route descriptions, GPS tracks and paper maps
- Transfers to the start of your walk each morning (excluding day six)
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece up to 20kg per person)
- Welcome meeting in hotel in Granada
- Phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Supplement if the tour starts on a Saturday or Sunday
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Hotel upgrade in Córdoba and Granada available on request
- Extra nights in Córdoba and Granada on request
- Transfer from Malaga Airport to Granada
- Supplement if staying in Espejo
- Supplement if the tour starts on a Saturday or Sunday
Spain’s legal requirement for personal information
Please note: in December 2024, the Spanish government introduced a new law making it a legal obligation for all visitors to Spain to share personal details with their accommodations and car rental companies. Consequently, as we book your accommodation for you, we are obliged to pass these on to our local partners on the ground. After booking your holiday, we will send you a form to complete requesting all the legally-required information, including: name, nationality, gender, passport number, DOB, address, phone numbers and email address. This applies to all travellers aged 14 and over. If you are travelling with people under 14 years old, you need to declare your relationship to them. We apologise for any inconvenience. For more information, see here.
