brook33003

Hello helpful Fodorites,

We are visiting Spain next February with our two daughters, age 11 and 8. We plan to spend 3 or 4 days in Barcelona and then fly to Granada. We'll have 4 days in the Andalucia region before flying back to NYC from Seville.

We are looking for recommendations about how to handle the Andalucia portion of our trip. We are most excited about seeing the Alhambra, but we are also interested in visiting Seville. Can we manage this without changing hotels in different cities? Is a day trip from Granada to Seville an option? Should we base ourselves in Granada or Seville?

I am also happy to take suggestions about hotels or apartments in Granada and/or Seville.

Thank you for your help. We've done plenty of research on Barcelona, but I'm finding the Andalucia portion of our trip confusing.

Koorb

Christina

I don't understand your plans, if you are flying into Granada and flying back from Seville, you have already decided to change hotels, haven't you? I don't understand how else you could do that. I guess you want about 2 days in each place.

Seville is pretty far from Granada for a day trip. I've done a day trip from Malaga to Granada and enjoyed it a lot as I wasn't that interested in spending days viewing the Alhambra, so one day was enough and it save a lot of time and trouble logistically. But Seville is a lot farther away.

IN theory, yes, you could do it, the bus_train option takes about 3 hours each way (from Granada to SEville) and involves 2 changes. I think just taking a bus the whole way would be easier and wouldn't take much longer, about 3.5-4 hours. But you see that doesn't leave you much time in Seville, maybe an afternoon, even if you don't mind getting back in Granada very late at night. YOu can't really do that with two young children.

DO you already have your plane tickets purchased? Becuase if so, I don't see what choice you have, you have to move to Seville for the last couple days.

Sassafrass

You say 3 or 4 days in Barcelona and 4 for Andalucia, so you will keep 4 for Andalucia no matter what, and cut Barcelona to 3 if you have to?

Travel is going to take a good bit of your time and it is winter, so not long days.
Change or add as you please, but do lay out your itinerary to include travel.

Day 1, depart (US?)
Day 2, arrive Barcelona, (AM?) get to hotel, etc. 1/2 jet lagged day walking sightseeing.
Day 3, Barcelona, 1 whole day
Day 4, Barcelona, 1 whole day
Day 5, morning flight to Granada. Walk around Granada. Book tickets ahead for evening at the Alhambra
Day 6, Alhambra in the morning, travel to Seville in late afternoon. Hotel, dinner.
Day 7, Seville
Day 8, Seville
Day 9, depart for home

kja

I agree that with the time you have, something has to give! I like Sassafrass's plan, except that if the Alhambra is your highest priority, I wouldn't shortchange it, and for me, that would mean 2 nights in Granada so I had the better part (if not all!) of the day for the Alhambra.

Have you considered skipping Barcelona on this trip, and "just" visiting Sevilla, Granada, and magnificent Cordoba? Just a thought...

Or skip Andalusia. (I would pick Andalusia in Feb. rather than Barcelona. Maybe that's just me.) Plenty to see in and around Barcelona to fill the time you have.

Good luck!

kimhe

Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla sounds like a great tour!

With two kids 8 and 11 years, I wouldn't spend too much time in Alhambra. They will most probably be totally amazed at first, but after max a couple of hours (remember to also visit the wonderful Generalife gardens up here), I'm quite sure they want to move on. You can add to the Alhambra experience with a lunch or dinner in one of the restaurants in the Albayzín district with fabulous views of Alhambra. Albayzin is the old Moorsih quarter on the hill just over the small Darro valley and river from Alhambra: http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/314

The Mirador de San Nicolás in Albayzín: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/gr...or-san-nicolas

Some restaurant and tapas bar options in Albayzín: http://theculturetrip.com/europe/spa...aicin-granada/

And the fabulous flamenco dancer Sara Baras will for sure put you in the Albayzín and Alhambra mood: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZVKVPuy2MNo

Perhaps see some of the finest local flamenco artists in Casa del Arte Flamenco? Located close to central Plaza Nueva at the start of the Cuesta de Gomérez leading up to Alhambra. Only top of the shelf artists perform here. No food, no drinks, only flamenco for some 60 mins and only 15€ entrance, about a third of the price in the more touristy tablaos (flamenco restaurants). http://www.casadelarteflamenco.com/g...-flamenco-show
https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attracti...Andalucia.html

If you go to Sevilla, the queen of the cities in Andalucía, you should definitely make it more than a day-trip. http://www.exploreseville.com/
http://devoursevillefoodtours.com/10...lle-with-kids/

ribeirasacra

Do not forget the hours of darkness are quite long at this time of year.

Egbert

I would skip Barcelona

martamorales

Hii!!

Don's stay just one day in Sevilla! Personally I liked much more than Granada. In Granada, an afternoon for the Allambra (that you must buy in advance), and the morning walking around is enough in Granada.

And 3 days in Barcelona is also a good idea.

Bedar

Skip Barcelona.

brook33003

Thanks for your thoughtful comments, everyone. I am surprised by the consensus that we should skip Barcelona -- but you seem to know what you're talking about!

I guess, then, that we would fly into Madrid and then take the train south. Would that make sense? We are coming from NYC.

Bedar

Yes, that makes sense. Congrats !

Christina

I thinl there is only one person who dislikes Barcelona a lot on this thread, and another who said that was a suggestion--I don't agree with that at all so don't see the consensus.

I like both Madrid and Barcelona, one isn't any better than the other. But it is easier to get from Madrid to Seville, of course. But if you were going to fly from BCN to Granada, seems a toss up to me.

It's your choice, decide on which you'd rather see, it appears originally it was Barcelona. Actually I think a lot of people may like Barcelona more than Madrid, actually. I think kids would, but that's speculating.

In February, the weather in Barcelona has an avg of 57F high and 42F low. Madrid is just a little colder but not much, but it is typically sunnier in Barcelona in February.

Sassafrass

Ok, I am going against the grain here for a couple of reasons which may/may not be important to you.
First, overall travel time from a hotel in Barcelona to a hotel in Granada won't be much more travel time than from hotel in Madrid to hotel in Granada, so that, IMHO, is moot.

The important thing for me - weather. Madrid is the highest Capital in Europe and is usually just enough cooler than Barcelona to make a difference in comfort when walking around outside. Even more important, Madrid averages only 2 hours of sunshine in February, so is grayer and gloomier. Barcelona has a bit over 6 hours of sunshine a day, and for me it is much more pleasant to be walking in sunshine than gloom. So, Barcelona, warmer and sunnier, Madrid, colder and gloomier.

I would also want to go to Madrid when I could take some day trips to Toledo, Segovia, etc.

indyhiker

I'm not sure I understand why people are arguing over Madrid versus Barcelona. If I understand the OP, she/he was planning to drop Barcelona in favor of more time in Seville/Andalucia and would presumably just fly in and out of Madrid. Maybe I'm wrong, but if that's their plan, it makes sense to me given the time of year and the total days of their trip.

Bedar

Silly Sassy - You made typos with your calculator with regard to the hours of sunshine in both cities. Do your math again.
The real point here is that the OP only has 8 days in which to get an idea of Spain. Going to Madid and Andalucia will give them that. Granada, Seville, and Cordoba are glorious as is Madrid. They are from NYC so the weather is inconsequential in Madrid. this is part of the best time to travel to Andalucia ! Barcelona is better in summer when one can go to the sea to try to escape the cruise people, pickpockets, and drug dealers.

brook33003

Indyhiker, you are correct. The plan B I am thinking of is to fly from NYC to Madrid, and then immediately travel to Seville and the rest of Andalucia. Spend 8 days in Seville, Granada, Cordoba, then fly out of either Seville or Madrid. Sound good?

kja

With a plan to spend all your time in Andalusia -- which I think is very wise -- I would consider flights that include going on to, and starting in, Andalusia. I think that would me switching planes (but not airports) in either Madrid or Barcelona. Maybe a train would be the best way, but I would at least price out my options. Just something to consider!

kimhe

<I am surprised by the consensus that we should skip Barcelona -- but you seem to know what you're talking about!>

No consensus, and no, they don't. New York Times does ;-)
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2...isit.html?_r=0

Barcelona is also fabulous for kids:
http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/wv3/...with-kids.html
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/b...-articles/1436
http://mylittlenomads.com/travel-kids-barcelona

Egbert

Barcelona is a great city but I can only take so much Modernisme. I can't stand La Rambla. The Madrid to Andalucia route is so much easier logistically. I would fly in to Madrid, go right to Seville for as long as you can, Cordoba as a daytrip or for two nights, Granada for two nights, Malaga for a night (probably the best weather in Europe in Feb.) and high speed train back to Madrid for as many nights as you want, visit Toledo as a daytrip if you can, kids like the medieval atmosphere, swords, armor, etc. Madrid has amazing museums.

kja

FWIW, I agree that Barcelona is a great city, and I, for one, couldn't get enough Modernisme!

My recommendation, based on the time the OP has available, was to choose between Andalusia and Barcelona. And based on the time of year, I noted that I would go to Andalusia.