cd75

My husband and I have 8 nights for Southern Spain and I'm trying to figure out where we should go. We definitely want to spend time in Granada and Sevilla and like the idea of driving along the coast. We'd also like to see some white towns. We like to get to know a city and enjoy just walking around and seeing sights.

Here's what I have so far. Should we spend 2 nights in Ronda so we can take day trips to other white towns and only spend 3 nights in Sevilla? Or, do we need 4 nights in Sevilla so that we have 2 1/2 days there? any suggestions for white towns to see?

Day 1= arrive in Granada in the afternoon after flying from US
Day 2= Granada
Day 3= Alahambra/Granada
Day 4= rent a car and leave Granda for the coast. Drive through Marbella, Malaga, etc. and end up in Ronda for the night.
Day 5= Leave Ronda and make our way up to Sevilla by night. Stopping in some white towns like Jermez.
Day 6= Sevilla
day 7= day trip to Cordoba
day 8= Sevilla
Day 9= fly to Barcelona at 1:30pm.

Thanks for your help!

owlwoman

Sounds like a nice bit of time for the South.

We stayed two nights in Granda, which was plenty of time for us, once you see the Alahambra, imo, there wasn't much more to see. We then drove to Malaga and stayed at the Parador (Gibralto) for one night, wish we had two nights there, it's beautiful. We then drove to Arcos via Ronda (had lunch in Ronda) and stayed in the Parador there for one night, So you could stay in either town. I thought Arcos was more charming than Ronda.

Then we went onto Sevilla for 3 nights, stopped in Cordoba on the way back to Madrid.

The one mistake we made was not dropping the car off in Sevilla. Since you are flying to Barcelona, I highly recommend you dump the car once you get to Sevilla and just take the train to Cordoba for a day trip, especially with 4 days in Sevilla.

Whatever you decide, it's a beautiful part of Spain which we really enjoyed.

mrsgo

A day trip, via hydroplane from Tariffa, is an option. Morrocco! the casbah! the gypsies! You will see the Rock of Gibraltar.

Mocat

We are planning a similar trip in May except we will begin in Malaga. We had heard that driving is a nightmare & dangerous and the various sites are difficult to find. I would love to hear thoughts about driving in southern Spain. THanks - Mo

artlover

I agree with owlwoman--2 nights in Granada is plenty. Maybe stop off in Nerja and do some white villages from there. I liked Tariffa, but other places nearby even more--Vejer de la Frontera, Cascares, Frigiliana (just minutes outside of Nerja).

josele

I find your itinerary OK. There is a lot to see in Granada besides the Alhambra.
Driving Granada to Ronda via Velez-Malaga, Malaga city and Marbella is about 4 hours non-stop. Driving is easy most of the way, and signs are clear. The obvious choice would be driving south from Granada to Motril,but I find there is some trouble/works on the coast road from Motril to Nerja-Frigiliana, so I fear you'll have to skip this part, and drive Granada to Alhama de Granada to Viñuela (and the reservoir) and Velez Malaga, and then the Highway.
Once past Marbella and right before SanPedro you have on the right the road to Ronda, safe, picturesque and a bit scary.
I suggest staying the night in Ronda.

Leaving Ronda you may visit Grazalema-Zahara and Arcos, but not Jerez, which is a big city, and not in the hills.

One more thing: Malaga city Parador name is Gibralfaro. There is another one calle Parador del Golf outside the city near the airport.

Viajero2

Anybody that tells you that all there is to see in Granada is The Alhambra needs to spend some time with a guidebook....

As Josele stated, plenty to do in Granada, including the Cathedral where Queen Isabel, King Fernando and their daughter are buried and a great adjacent museum. Some of the best souvenir shopping can be found in Granada with some great leather purses and belts.

As far as the ride into Morocco: BEWARE!. If the poster is referring to Tangier, go if (you must!) in a tour. DO NOT GO BY YOURSELVES. Nasty town with very, very aggresive merchants and peddlers and for what I have read, not representative of Morocco.

Try to get to Ronda early and leave with enough daylight. A bit treacherous mountain ride if dark/rainy.

What time of the year are you going?

bilboburgler

I still don't understand what anyone sees in Ronda (its a gorge right). Herez is probably too far away. I do recommend Cordoba, Seville, Grenada and Malaga( the fruit market has to be seen as do the odd art museum) White towns are ok.

In Cordoba you often find that the restaurants make their own wines out of the sherry grapes.

Viajero2

Judging by the spelling of the cities on your post and the nature of your comments on Ronda, I can tell that reading a Spain guidebook prior to your travel wasn't high on your priorities.....

Chele60

Mocat ~

We didn't drive right on the coast, but we drove throughout Andalucia (and Extramadura and La Mancha as well!), and did find driving to be a "nightmare" or "dangerous." Quite the opposite, actually. The roads/highways in Spain are well-marked and the other drivers are courteous. It does help to be armed with a good map/road atlas and to have some in the car who can navigate well. We also discovered that people in the towns along the way were very helpful when we did get lost. Granted, some of the smaller towns had narrow streets, but calm and patience and a friendly local helps the situation along!

The only 2 places we encountered real stress while driving was when we entered Seville (no where to really turn around, parking nightmares, and - hate to say it - really rude drivers) and Madrid (drivers were fine, parking is dicey, and seems chaotic).

As far as sites being difficult to find, it depends. It depends on how you use your resources, I think. For example, we did not stay in Granada but were coming in from Antequerra early in the morning to see the Alhambra. I had been told parking was a "nightmare" and it was best to park below the hill and take a bus/taxi to the Alhambra. This did not appeal to either of us, since our luggage would be in the car. We checked with the staff at the hotel in Antequerra, and assured us we would have no difficulties and to follow the exits off the highway. We did, and were literally "dumped" into the parking lot for the Alhambra! Almost at the front door! (I kept thinking I was at the wrong place because everyone kept telling how "difficult" parking would be!) It was simple, and the best resource used was a hotel desk clerk.

So, if driving you will want to know which sites you want to see and know where they are on a map. Then, check with people: hotel desk clerks, restaurant staff, gas station attendants, people who live there. They are helpful and friendly. Most sites in the big cities (Seville, Toledo, Madrid) you will need to find a parking garage. But some places might have parking available or there might be street parking - it's not difficult to find out!

I know I was hesitant to drive through Spain. I thought it would be dangerous, too. My S/O was the one who insisted on getting a car from 2 weeks, and I'm so glad he did! We were able to see so much more of the country and the people that way!

cd75

Thanks for all your comments. My husband was thinking about going to Morocco, but I was hesitant and after some of your comments, I think we'll cross it off.

We also heard that it's best to pick up a car on our way out of granada and drop it off when we get to Sevilla, so thanks for confirming.

Reading guide books actually was high on my list to do before we leave on Feb 10 and was planning on reading them after the holidays. Thanks again for your thoughts!

bilboburgler

I think Tangier can still be a bit "Bakshesh" like (though even here it has calmed down a lot) but the rest of Morroco is very friendly and no pestering at all in the other major cities so don't give up on the country