jp4120

we are staying in Seville for 3 nights then getting a car and driving to Granada for 2 nights
Oct 5 Sun day 1 - on the way to Granada we are planning to stop at Cordoba - see the Mezquita and cathedral, the Alcazar, etc. -
- will we have time to stop at Ronda too? (I don't think we will)
get to Granada I guess by 7pm and check into our hotel ' El Ladron De Aqua'

Oct 6 Mon -Day 2
- go to Alhambra try to get tix in advance for early in the day
- potentially drive to Ronda in the afternoon if we didn't make it the previous day (while we have the car)

Oct 7 Tue Day 3
- potentially drive somewhere in the morning
- we have to drop the car by 12:45 at the Center Hotel in Granada but our flight back to Barcelona is not till 7pm.....any suggestions on how to plan the last day or any of the time in Granada.....I was think we would drop the car and take a cab somewhere to sightsee or eat and head to the airport around 4..but we are open to suggestions.

thanks

Robert2533

"go to Alhambra try to get tix in advance for early in the day" You should book your tickets online as far in advance as possible.

Are you actually staying at El Ladron De Agua? Not Aqua! Then you will have to notify the hotel of the rental cars license number in order to drive to the hotel. Street access in the old city is restricted to residents and hotel guests that have registered their car's plates.

Sevilla to Granada through Ronda is about a 4 hour drive, adding 1-1/2 hours to your trip. Driving through Cordoba would be nearly as long.

Doing both on the same day would make for a very long road trip, 6 hours, not including seeing the Mezquita, Alcazar, or just about anything else. Add another couple of hours for lunch.

kja

FWIW, I thought Cordoba deserved two full days and 2 nights.

And seeing the Alhambra really takes a minimum of 2 nights so you can see it during both the day (when the entire Alhambra is open and when you can use an audio-guide) and then again that night (when you can see the Nasrid Palace with only a few others); you might even want a second evening visit for the gardens. As Robert said, you'll need reservations well in advance.

Ronda is lovely, but not in the same league IMO.

Alec

For 6th Oct, there are now only 18 pre-bookable tickets for 0830 entry to Nasrid Palace and 10 more for 0930. So you should book right away at http://goo.gl/qAFyrY.
While stopping at Córdoba en route to Granada is quite feasible (have done it in the past and doing again in October in the opposite direction), you won't have time for Ronda as well, so it's either one or the other (Córdoba is easier as its on direct motorway/autovía route), though doing both Mezquite and Alcázar is pushing a bit. If you are seeing Seville's Real Alcázar and Alhambra, you can drop the Cordoban version as it isn't as impressive.
Note about letting your hotel in Granada know, as your car will be photographed and a fine sent to your rental company and eventually to you. Or they can show you a route to a parking garage without going through no-drive areas.
Day trip to Ronda from Granada isn't really on, as it's too far away and Ronda isn't on autovía but slow winding road. I suggest instead Sierra Nevada (if weather is fine) or Alpujarras, or Jaén for more history.

jp4120

correct we are staying at the El Ladron de Agua in Granada
I am changing things a bit...now 2 nights in Seville, 1 night in Cordoba, 2 nights in Granada...this will allow me to get the car a day early since its a minimum of 3 day car rental...and actually use it for more than 1 day...here is our compressed and busy trip (seems busy but prefer max of 2 nights in 1 city)
Oct 1 - stay in Barcelona
Oct 2 - fly to seville stay 2 nights
oct 4 - pick up car in Seville and drive to Cordoba ---stay one night
Oct 5 - drive to Granada but stop in Ronda first, after arriving in Granada it may be easiest to just drive to the car rental drop off (Center Hotel) and take a cap to the Ladron de Ague, since it appears I will not be using the car while in Granada it seems.

Oct 6 - go to Alhambra - drop off car if I haven't yet
Oct 7 - tour Granada more fly back to Barcelona @7pm
Oct 8 - fly back to USA 10am

Robert2533

It would be easier to drop the car off at the bus terminal or train station.

kimhe

The worlds greatest and most prestigious flamenco festival goes on in theaters all around town when you're in Sevilla.
http://www.labienal.com/en/

Good idea to stay over in Córdoba. Few other cities in Europe beats the history of Roman Corduba to the capital of Muslim al-Andalus after 766 AD, and then through Christian times after the 1236 reconquista capture and eventual steep decline. Córdoba was the most advanced city in Europe during caliphate times about 1000AD, some 500 000 inhabitants, and a great cultural, political and economic centre with 300 public baths and the greatest library in the world. http://www.theguardian.com/spanish-t...-changed-world

The video "Córdoba, life and spirit" suggests a nice Córdoba state of mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyfGdpF55Uk

mareeS55

Fit Ronda into your itinerary if you can. It's a beautiful town in a spectacular position, worth it even if just to walk for an hour. Plus, it has the oldest bullring in the country. Not far to Granada from there.

Alec

It's 178 km (111 miles) and takes about 3 hours, as Ronda is located among hills with slow, twisting access roads.

Robert2533

Driving the most direct route from Sevilla to Ronda takes less than 2 hours (128 km). The drive from Córdoba to Ronda takes a little over 2 hours. Driving Córdoba-Ronda-Granada becomes a day long experience, more than 4 hours on the road, without stops.

kja

Of course, the question isn't just how long it will take to include Ronda, but what you will miss in your other destinations if you do carve out time for it.

Momddtravel2

Ronda was a highlight in our trip to Spain - but I am not sure it would have enjoyed it as much if we did not spend the night - as it is fairly quiet after day trippers leave (at least that was our personal experience).

We drove from Granda to Ronda and Ronda to Seville - neither was too long and I had read about the twisting roads and was a little nervous but it did not prove to be too much - having said that - I am from Southern California and have drove in Mountain roads and twisting coastal roads.

Alec

No, it's nothing like Alpine mountain roads but if anyone wants to do a daytrip from Granada, it can be a tiring and frustrating experience, leaving you with little energy for sighseeing and exploration. I agree an overnight stay is a must (but usually one night is enough).

aliced

We stopped in Cordoba for a night or two, via the train from Barcelona/Madrid, then continued on to Seville. We picked up our rental car upon leaving. While accessing Arcos de la Frontera was twisting and slow, accessing Ronda from the highway was a snap. We stayed a night or two before continuing to Granada. If you can, try to turn in the rental before hotel check-in. Perhaps the heavy construction in the downtown is done since we were there in Spring 2012, but driving there and attempting to find our hotel in a pedestrian zone took longer than the drive from Ronda. You will not need a car once in Granada. Get your Alhambra tix as soon as you can, it is overwhelmingly beautiful and the gem of Granada. Loved Ronda, Cordoba, Seville (and Barcelona and Marbella!)