JollyD

Hi everyone,
I'm organising a trip to Andalucia and need some advise.

Here's some details:
When? The end of march/beginning of April.
Who? Young easy-going couple, food and good wine lovers. We would like to visit new places but also relax. Definitely not looking for a luxurious holiday but we'll be travelling with a medium/good budget.
Where? This is the list of the cities we are mainly interested in:
- Malaga
- Granada
- Cordoba
- Seviila
- Ronda (we have friends living here)
- Cadiz

Can anybody answer to the following questions?

1) better car or trains?
2) are 6 days enough?
3) which of the cities I mentioned would you recommend and why? Any other you would add?

Sassafrass

Six days is not enough time to visit six cities.
More info will help.
Do you have a full six days on the ground?
Where are you landing?
Where are you departing?
Are you arriving early or late the first day?
In dollars or euros, how much is medium/good budget? Some people would find good to be $100.00 per night, while, others would think $300.00 per night good.
Are you going to stay with the friends in Ronda? You could save some money for a night or two.
Seville needs two or three days. You could do a day trip by train to Cordoba from Seville.
If you are seeing the Alhambra, you need most of the day in Granada, so at least a night or two there.

You can most likely use trains for most of the trip. It depends on how your itinerary comes together.

JollyD

I'm not planning to visit six cities in six days, of course. I meant which of the mentioned cities you suggest to see in six days or so.
From my position the cheapest city where to land is Malaga, approximately in the morning/afternoon.
I'm working for a travel company and I've got good discounts for Hotels so I mainly need advise regarding what's worth visiting in just a few days and if it's more convenient traveling by car or train, which itinerary would you suggest starting from Malaga?

MyriamC

If you want to see some of the countryside and some more remote mountain villages, DO rent a car!
We drove from Málaga to Granada, thru the Alpujarras with a lunch stop in Trevélez. Beautiful scenery on the road, and a quiet little town so different from the tourist cities. Same from Córdoba to Sevilla, when we took a lunch stop in the charming little town of Carmona. Afterwards, during our 10 days stay Conil de la Frontera, we drove all over the Costa de la Luz. On our pace! We couldn't have done that without a car.
Car rental in Spain isn't expensive, and it gives you so much freedom.

nytraveler

Six days is not nearly enough - for your itinerary you need at least 12 or 14 days. We have toured the area twice by car which worked very well for us - but then we like road trips in europe and are both comfortable driving there. We find is gives more freedom to revise itineraries. But be ware many center city streets are very narrow (always park with mirrors folded in) and be sure you can parallel park in tiny spaces.

JollyD

Again, the cities in the list are the ones we are interested in but of course we need to select only some of them. That's why I'm asking for advice

yorkshire

None of those cities is any more difficult to get to by either car or public transport than the others, so just pick the ones you are most interested in. All have their appeal--but I always would choose visiting friends.

Bedar

You'll want to visit Granada, Cordoba, and Seville plus Ronda to see your friends. All can be visited by public transport, but we prefer a car.

Christina

six days aren't enough, but if you only pick a couple, sure, why not.

I think trains are better than cars, but on your list I don't think Ronda is that easy to get to (no train, some buses), so if you have to go there, I guess you'll need a car but you are going to have hassles with it the rest of your trip in all those cities.

I'd pick Sevilla, Malaga and Ronda since you have to pick Ronda--or maybe Malaga, Ronda and Cordoba. I really like Cordoba, but it doesn't fit in that well with Ronda and I wouldn't choose it over Sevilla. But you could if you want, then maybe Malaga, Ronda and Cordoba. You could fly into Malaga (which is easier than Sevilla in my experience), then rent a car when leaving to go to Ronda, then drive to Cordoba and get rid of it there. That would be a decent plan.

WomBatt

I gave you my answer on your duplicate of this on Tripadvisor.

Do some proper simple research with existing established material and you will not need to deal with guesswork like 'I don't think Ronda is that easy to get to (no train, some buses)' when there is certainly a station and the likes and agendas of people who have spent little time in the country.

MyriamC

<<but you are going to have hassles with it the rest of your trip in all those cities.>>
Not at all! Just park your car in one of the parking garages. We did so in Granada, Córdoba and Sevilla, and left our car there overnight 'cause hotels don't usually have private parking. Very convenient!

kja

IMO, Granada, Cordoba, and Sevilla are the most magnificent destinations in Andalusia. With 6 days, you could IMO have at least a decent taste of each of them (but not as much time in any as might be ideal). No car would be needed.

Supermum

I did a month in Spain traveling with my sister all by train. Would not do it any other way, so efficient and no stress. The train system is fantastic and no problems parking!! Ronda was amazing, I did not stop in Malaga but bussed it from there to Nerja, I wouldnt bother stopping in either place. Cordoba is a must to take in the Mesquita, Seville is divine, and Granada a must for the Alhumbra. I wouldnt stay in the city of Granada but in the surrounding Sacremonte hills affording stunning views of the icon, filled with caves to live in and an easy bus trip into town in a few minutes. A real shame you wont be in Ronda for the 'Ronda Romantica', the celebration the whole town is involved in on the weekend of May 15 this year...

MyriamC

"So many men, so many opinions."

JollyD

Thank you for all your answers! What about the two following itineraries (extending the trip):

A)
1 night in Malaga
1 night in Ronda
2 nights in Sevilla
1 in Cadiz
1 in Bolonia (I read there are beautiful beaches) and back to Malaga

B)
1 night in Malaga
1 night in Ronda
2 nights in Sevilla
1 night in Cordoba
1 night in Granada
1 night in Nerja and back to Malaga

Bedar

Don't think you've said when this trip will take place. I like your B itinerary, but remember that you won't be swimming (if in summer) in Nerja because of an incomplete sewage treatment plant. But, Nerja is pretty, and you could have lunch there after a look around. Not sure where you're coming from, if you'll be jet-lagged, etc., but you could gain a day for your trip by heading out for Ronda upon landing. It's not far off.

MyriamC

Yes, the beach in Bolonia is beautiful. In fact, all of the Costa de la Luz has beautiful beaches. If you want a day at the beach, pick a place at the Costa de la Luz (instead of Nerja).

IMO it would be more practical to visit Ronda at the end of your trip. You can make a nice loop doing Málaga, Sevilla, Cádiz, Bolonia, Ronda, Málaga.

Is there a special reason why you would want to visit Cádiz? It's a nice city but not very special compared to Córdoba or Granada.

Christina

What's the deal with Cadiz, anyway? Why do you want to go there so much. You just don't have time.

I don't like either itinerary, you are moving around too much, don't even bother to go to some of these places for one night, I wouldn't. LIke Malaga or Nerja. Besides, I can't figure out how you are leaving the country at the end. If you end in Malaga, I can as they have an airprt with lots of flights to other European cities.

I guess you plan to fly in/out of Malaga, is that the reason for these itineraries? If so, I can understand. But you are wasting time going from Cadiz and Bolonia back to Malaga, which I guess would take a day? At least Nerja is closer to Malaga.

kja

I would go with B, but find a way to add a night for Granada -- you really need two nights there to see the Alhambra. YMMV.

joannyc

I'd go with Plan B but skip the night in Nerja, adding that night to either Seville or Granada.