bellatravel

My husband and I, both 60, are planning a 2 week trip from Los Angeles next year (fall or spring) and probably flying in and out of Madrid. Alhambra, Seville and Malaga are musts.... any other musts? I'm also considering adding Barcelona, or Tangiers, .... The latter would be closer to the itinerary, but is either too much. S

Robert2016

I'd consider skipping Tangiers (and Barcelona) altogether and simply enjoy Andalucia (Sevilla-Jerez-Granada-Ronda-Málaga). There will be more then enough to keep you busy.

If you want to visit Morocco, then you should plan it as a separate trip, concentrating on Fez (http://www.bloomberg.com/news/photo-...s-travel-guide), Marrakesh, Agadir, Safi and Casablanca.

Bedar

Another must is Cordoba, right between Seville and Granada. I'd forget Barcelona. Too out of the way. Save it for another trip, perhaps combined with the South of France? Believe you can get a shipt to Tangier from Malaga. Check it out.

StCirq

I agree completely with Robert. Ditch Tangiers - it's OK once you've seen the actual marvelous country of Morocco, but as a fly-by "introduction" to the country, it sucks and won't reveal a whole lot about what Morocco is really like. I would add Essaouira to to Robert's list of places to visit in Morocco.

And Cordoba, for sure.

Barcelona is too far out of the way. Sometimes I don't think people read maps or understand distances and the wear-and-tear of travel. Or how much there is to see once you arrive someplace, after you've gotten oriented and figured out the local logistics.

Mimar

Agree to dropping Tangiers. I don't think Barcelona is such an outlier. And it's a really interesting city, easy to reach by train or plane.

You could fly into Barcelona, out of Seville or Granada or Malaga. Or vice versa. You don't mention Madrid as someplace you want to see.

Open jaws flights, such as I am suggesting, are called multi-city on airline websites and should cost about the same as round-trip -- while saving you the time and cost of backtracking.

If you go in the spring before Easter, you can see the Santa Semana (Holy Week) processions in Seville. Really a sight to see.

PalenQ

Madrid. Alhambra, Seville and Malaga are musts.... any other musts?>

Yes to Cordoba -could be a day trip from Seville or a half-day stop en route Seville to Madrid.

Are you going by car - if so driving to and from Madrid is a long haul but bullet AVE trains do it in just a few hours -so even if renting a car for Andalusia consider bullet training from Madrid and back. Barcelona is a long train ride so fly there if you want it and then take the bullet train to Madrid.

For lots on Spanish trains check wwwrenfe.com (official site of Spanish Railways); www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

buy AVE tickets way in advance to nab nifty discounts over full fare.

bellatravel

Thanks for the suggestions, will look into them ... We will see Madrid, too, as we're flying there, maybe 2 days; I would like to fly in or out of Barcelona, but as it's not non stop to LA, not sure that would work so well... I've been to Barcelona, but not my husband and feel a little guilty him not seeing it. Tangiers was recommended by Rick Steeves as a good short trip in his guidebook from where we will be in the south... Since we're looking at possibly spring 2018, Holy Week is an option.. though my impulse is to stay away from crowds... but now it's looking like it might be worth it... Not sure...

StCirq

<<Tangiers was recommended by Rick Steeves as a good short trip in his guidebook>>

It's Steves, and yeah, well.....

kja

Cordoba's Mezquita is, IMO, one of the world's gems (not just Spain's), right up there with Granada's Alhambra.

You can't see it all with just 2 weeks. I'd give Andalusia at least 10 days, and if flying into and out of Madrid, spend the rest of the time in Madrid. JMO.

I would strongly encourage you to consult some good guidebooks. IME, RS's books skip too much, and make too many nonsensical recommendations, to be worth their cost. Again, JMO.

You'll see some wonderful things no matter what you decide!

Bedar

Lots of people here like to dump on Tangier, but it is a delightful city for a taste of Morocco. It will make you want to return for an extended visit which you won't have time for this trip. They also like to dump on Rick Steves, but they are just jealous of him and his empire. Before they would have been jealous of Arthur Frommer. I like to dump on Balcelona which I find way less interesting than Madrid. Everyone has his druthers, but I feel we know Spain well after living there for 20 yrs and in Morocco for 5 yrs.

kja

@ Bedar: I am not jealous of RS. I am sad and angry for every traveler who has been steered poorly by his guidebooks. And I was never jealous of Arthur Frommer, whose guidebooks (in contrast) offered much of value.

Bedar

People should go to their libraries to compare the different guidebooks before making up their minds which to buy. Personally I like the Blue Guides, but they are not for everyone. RS is more like a starter's book, but so what ?

MmePerdu

Regarding Tangier:

1. Please note that everyone who said "skip it" also misspelled it. That says something, I think.

2. I agree, of course, completely with Bedar's assessment of Tangier as a delightful place.

The good news is the fewer who go the better, making it less crowded for the rest of us. Definitely not a bad thing. The Tangier medina was, I think, the least crowded of all I've spent time in.

I encourage the OP to consider it but the advice to make Morocco the focus of an entire trip is also good advice.

kja

@ Bedar -- I agree that people would do well to compare different guidebooks. And I have no objection to "starter" guidebooks -- if they are clear about what they are and are not covering and at least make an attempt to provide advice that makes sense, is not insulting to locals, and doesn't promote rude behavior. My experience of RS guidebooks is that they fall short on all counts.

I hope we can avoid turning this thread into an argument about RS. We've offered the OP some thoughts on her proposed itinerary and we've offered some comments about how to move forward. 'nuf said, IMO.

thursdaysd

I am not going to get into the RS dispute, except to say that I have used his books on occasion, and even taken his tours. However, I do disagree with the suggestion to make a side trip to Morocco, which deserves a separate trip. There is more than enough to see in southern Spain without adding a whole other country and culture.

I would add Toledo to the must-see list, especially if you can be there during a festival. I think the Alhambra is single best sight in Spain, so Granada would be a must, and I rather liked Ronda, but I had more time in Spain than you do. Personally, I prefer Barcelona to Madrid, but I am a big Art Nouveau fan.

If you click on my name you will find my Wanders South TR, the last part of which covers Madrid and Barcelona.

StCirq

I am SO not jealous of RS. Why would I be? I live in Europe and he does not, and for whatever it's worth I think I know a good bit more than he does about traveling here. I don't care if he runs tours here or not - so do I. I fundamentally disagree with his recommendation to see Tangier as an introduction to Morocco - it's not. It's an introduction to the dreks of Moroccan culture. Go to Morocco, for sure, I love the place, but don't go out of your way on a trip to Spain to hurry over the water to get a slurried-up version of an entire culture in a few hours. As I said earlier, save it until you can savor it,the real thing, not Tangier, and spend the extra time in Spain.

neckervd

How would a trip to Tanger look like?
Day 1:
Sevilla dp by bus 9.30 - Tarifa ar 12.25, dp by catamaran 13.00 - Tanger ar 13.00 (only if the bus is not late, otherwise Tanger ar 15.00).
Day 2:
Tanger dp 12.00 - Tarifa 14.00/15.45 - Malaga ar 18.15
As said above, Tanger is the less interesting among the bigger towns of Morocco.

november_moon

You could easily spend the 2 weeks in Andalucia, but combining it with Barcelona would work well.

BTW, I am jealous of RS. I wish I could build an empire around travel. Plus, he looks awesome in khaki.

bellatravel

Wow, I had no idea RS would strike such a nerve. I visit the library and get all the guide books, I happen to like his for the writing, and funny, upbeat style ... The rest are a bit serious... that said RS steered me away from Bordeaux on one trip, (doesn't even write about it as he doesn't like it as I recall). I went anyway and was pleasantly surprised ...
Back to Spain... I'm back on track to Madrid and Andalusia - Seville, Cordova, Alhambra, maybe Toledo and a White Hill town, as we're doing trains and buses, will limit our choices... still think that gives me a few extra days.... hmmm

kja

You can see Ronda without a car. Sevilla, Cordoba, Grenada, and Ronda would easily fill 9 days. Toledo is easily worth 2 full days, IMO. I was glad I had 4 full days in Madrid. You can fit all that into 2 weeks, but not necessarily very easily -- it really depends on your interests. If you have to shortchange something, you might keep in mind that Madrid is the easiest for most of us to reach (and so the easiest to include in a subsequent trip).