Fiona_Mac

We're planning a long weekend getaway for the end of April and have got as far as booking flights into Malaga. We have never been to this area of Spain before so are keen to get a good flavour of all it has to offer. However with just over 3 days we don't want to do too much travelling around so would plan to base ourselves around Seville or Granada....problem is we can't decide which. Any thoughts / hints / tips would be welcome.

bardo1

For a long weekend, I would pick ONE place.

Malaga, Seville, and Granada would all make for a lovely three days. Pick one and save the others for different weekend getaways.

You can't go wrong (unless you try to start combining them...)

danon

Seville

Jackpot

I'd choose Sevilla. The Alhambra is incredible, but Sevilla just has more to see and do. It's one of my favorite cities in the world.

igpjazz

Sevilla!

Fiona_Mac

Thanks all, Seville it is!!

CathyM

If the trip is for this year the last 2 weekends are during Semana Santa - you'll be hard pressed to find a room in Sevilla at a reasonable price.

As another posted mentioned all 3 places are great - I'd worry most at this point about finding accomodation.

kimhe

I would also back Sevilla. Semana Santa is 17-24 of April. Would most likely be a fantastic experience, but be prepared: http://www.andalucia.com/festival/easter/home.htm

Would be a pity not to at least have some hours in fabulous Málaga city when you fly in and out of here. Close to the main shopping and bar/restaurant/café area around central Marqués de Larios street, you'll also find the recently excavated Roman theater, the 8-11th century Moorish Alcazaba, the great 16th century Cathedral and both Picasso's birth-place and the new Picasso museum (2003). 10-15 mins and 15€ with taxi to the airport. http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/home.htm

Photos of spectacular Alcazaba in Málaga: http://www.google.no/images?rlz=1T4A...w=1379&bih=805

Fiona_Mac

Looks like we will miss Semana Santa as we don't fly out until the 29th. That said, accomodation does appear to be something of a challenge anyway so I'm now looking at apartment rentals.

kimhe

You have problems finding reasonably priced accomodation in Sevilla because Feria de Abril starts this weekend. Normally it would start on Monday, but because of the late easter this year, it starts in the week-end to remain an "April" fair. Prices will be sky-high.

Here are some 75 hotels in Sevilla for your dates:
http://www.booking.com/searchresults...&clear_group=1

57 hotels in Málaga (the first on the list, Don Curro, is excellent, the best location): http://www.booking.com/searchresults...839355;srpos=1

kimhe

... and about Feria de Abril:
http://www.andalucia.com/festival/seville-feria.htm
http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/spani...april-fair.htm

kimhe

Hm... guess I misled you a bit. The opening of Feria de Abril will be on Monday, it was only seriously discussed if it should start on Saturday. But the hotel rush indicates that people flock to the city in the week-end before.

Fiona_Mac

Kimhe, thanks for the update. That does explain how busy the hotels are and the prices. Looks like we will miss most of the Feria de Abril as we leave on the 3rd.

If you have any suggestions of must see sights and restaurants in Sevilla then do please let me know.

hpluss1

Sevilla. Granada is very small. It's good you're missing Semana Santa b/c during that period it's waay too crowded on the roads and nothing happens as it usually does. Both are small cities though... you could do 2 days sevilla, 1 1/2 days granada.

kimhe

Sevilla has got it all, tell me a little about your interests and I can make some suggestions. Art, history, architecture etc. If you want to experience flamenco, I have a lot of ideas. Excellent artists at Corral de la Morería. Popular with tourists, but this is the real deal. Pastora Galván was recently voted best female flamenco dancer for 2010 by Spanish critics. She has danced here regularly for a long time. http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalusia.html

Very well informed site about tapas bars/restaurants in Sevilla: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/

My favourites in town are in the San Lorenzo and Arenal districts north and north-east of the famous Santa Cruz district (Eslava, Bodegas Dos de Mayo, El Cairo, Enrique Becerra, Bodega Diaz Salazar, Mesón Serranito etc).

Great info on Sevilla in general: http://www.exploreseville.com/

annhig

Fiona - what time do you arrive in Malaga? when we did our first long weekend there, we didn't arrive until 9pm [early I know for the spanish1] so chose to spend the first night in Malaga, which we really liked. then after doing a quick tour in the morning, we picked up our hire car, and drove to Granada for the next two nights, arriving there for a late lunch. [again, i really like spanish eating hours when I'm on holiday]. that gave us the rest of the day to explore Granada, and the next day to see the Alhambra and the rest of the town.

the next day we drove back to Malaga via the mountains and the coast, with a lovely lunch on the beach at a cafe - and it was only February!

the next time, we were able to get flights to Seville itself and spent all 3 nights there - the minimum you need really.

if you can wangle 3 nights in Seville, I'd head for there. if you've only really got two, I'd go for Granada with the rest of the time in Malaga.

Fiona_Mac

Annhig, we also get into Malaga about 9pm so we are planning to stay in Malaga that first night. We had aimed to get an early train to Seville on the Saturday to maximise our time there - that would give us just over 3 days in Seville. We did think we would just pass through Malaga, but as a result of some positive comments on here I think we will spend a few hours before heading to the airport.

Kimhe, I really enjoy seeing the architecture and historical places. I'd also be interested in the art but my travelling companion would probably be less keen so as a result perhaps only 1 opportunity for that. We would love to see some flamenco so thanks for that suggestion as it's hard to identify the authentic vs the tourist version.

We also enjoy trying different Spanish foods so will be paying quite a lot of attention to planning restaurant visits too. We loved doing a tapas & cava crawl in Barcelona so hope to do something similar in Seville as a way of trying a whole range of things.

On a separate thread I've also asked for advice on City areas for apartment rental. The prices seem to vary wildly so it's difficult to understand which is the "best" area to stay in. We want to stay somewhere relatvely central but not above a nightclub

CathyM

If you enjoyed a tapas crawl in Barcelona (where tapas are not even traditional to the region) you'll be in tapas crawl heaven in Sevilla. Kimhe has provided you with excellent links for tapas and restaurants. Maribels guides are also a good source of information.

maribelsguides.com

annhig

fiona - I'm not sure if it's open, but the central market in Malaga was a real top sight for us! one of the best markets I've ever been to for the freshness of the goods and the range of items on sale - amazing [even for spain] unknown animal parts abounded.

i'm sure that you'll enjoy seville.

kimhe

Sevilla is so full of architectural joys and historical places that I don't know where to begin. Here is a list of "sights and monuments", don't miss the Reales Alcazares: http://www.exploreseville.com/sites.htm

If you want to mix art and culture, my suggestion would nevertheless be to see the Hospial de la Caridad (charity hospital). As Sevillian as it gets. If you are into chilling paintings and Sevilla golden-age history, go and see this. The 17th century repenting founder Miguel Mañara of the charity hospital was - according to himself - "the most evil man that ever lived". All the paintings he commisioned from some of the most famous golden-age arists in Spain for the hospital and it's adjoining church dealt with the theme of death and redemption. The hospital, the church, the paintings and Mañara's grave are all in Calle Temprado, 3.
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/seville/sights/411842

After midnight, go to Casa Anselma in the Triana district across the river to join into the sevillana/flamenco pulse of the city. Known by many tourists by now, but neverthelss quite genuine Sevilla night: http://travel.nytimes.com/travel/gui...fe-detail.html

Anselma herself, singing one of my favourites (from 5 mins, she brings eventuallly everybody to still): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gw1atBQq_u0