Sukistar

Hello everyone!

Thanks for all your suggestions and help. I am indeed appreciative, for those who helped greatly in the other thread. As I said before, I have been to Andalucia & most of Spain many times, seen all the main sights way more than enough, and have been so curious about Santiago, the only region I have not visited before. My sister's main interest is parador as well as seeing Andalucia (this is her first time; she's been to madrid & barcelona region before). So we are trying to compromise. I am flying from NYC and she's flying in from Korea. To make it not as repeat for me, we are trying to insert Ubeda & Santiago. This is a very hectic itinerary, which we regret, but we can never have time together travelling, being in our 30s with our respective family and living in different countries, so it's kind of a rare opportunity for the two of us. We don't drive so we are relying on public transportation.

There's hardly enough time in Seville, but I am thinking maybe she could go there on her own before I get there so she gets to see it more. Neither Cordoba, which I love, but I am thinking we could spend the day there but don't have to sleep there, since Jaen parador nearby is incredible, and she really wants to sleep there.

So I came up with the new itinerary:

Feb 26: I fly into Barcelona from NYC, then a flight into Seville and meet my sister. Sleep in Seville.
Feb 27: Morning in Seville, Ave to Cordoba, spend the day, then an evening bus to Jaen Parador for sleep.
Feb 28: noon bus to Ubeda, spend the day and sleep at the parador.
March 1: 11 am train to Granada, spend the day and then sleep at the parador.
March 2: alhambra, then an 8 pm flight to Santiago, check into Santiago Parador late.
March 3: spend the day in Santiago, sleep at the Parador.
March 4: a morning flight to Barcelona to connect to NYC.

Does this seem doable? I was going to drop Ubeda, but then someone wrote that Ubeda is worth it. One can't see everything, but this is a hectic trip anyway, rather than the kind where one stays in Seville for one week, which we cannot afford, unfortunately.

I would really appreciate your input. This itinerary was so hard, I couldn't have done it alone, and thanks again.

Robert2533

Interesting itinerary, now if you would only add another week or two it might make sense and you might even be able to enjoy the experience.

Based on your schedule, you'll be spending your time traveling from place to place and not having the time to enjoy anything, let alone relax a little.

You should rethink this adventure and pick to places to spend some time. Sevilla would be a good place to use as a base. From there you can easily visit Cordoba, Jaen and Ubeda. Granada is a stretch and might require a move.

Save Santiago for another trip.

lincasanova

you will certainly need to be on time everywhere... but it seems this trip is full of special dreams you would like to try to fulfill.

30 yrs. ago i used to bounce all over the place myself.

i hope you have time and light to stroll this magnificent town..
www.ubeda.com

have fun and you will enjoy the paradors. be sure to get breakfast included. sometimes nowhere nearby to go for it. (jaen, ej.)
do you know about the special offers? 5 night card, etc? you are sooooo lucky to get into the granada one.

congratulations!

i donīt know if i would skip cordoba .. and spend some more time in sevilla. weatehr permitting, at least take a carriage ride first think to be sure you have an overall idea of the city.

cruiseluv

Hi Suki,

I am not going to try to talk you out of your itinerary. I don't think even when I was in my 30's I would have attempted it but obviously you know yourself and your sister and you seem to have the energy to do it.

Lincasanova has given you a good idea, suggesting the use of the Tarjeta 5 noches for the Paradores. Go to the Paradores website and see if the dates work for the Pardores where you are staying( some Paradores black out certain dates).

Have a great trip! And please, post back after.

Sukistar

Thanks, I am uncertain about the hecticness also as you can see about this itinerary. The most sensible thing would be to drop Santiago. But then it's every town I have visited five times over in the past few years except Ubeda, which I could also give up. But then I keep getting told Ubeda is the stuff of the dream! So I will keep pondering since I haven't bought the internal flights yet. In the meanwhile, I found a very useful sight myself about the buses in Andalucia, at least connects Ubeda with elsewhere, some buses seem to be express. In case someone needs this info later.

www.alsinagraells.es (bus)

Thanks!

lincasanova

if you are going in low season.. why not play it by ear, as far as ubeda and jaen go? ubeda is a lovely town, but so are sevilla ( you really need a few more hours there AT LEAST)and the alhambra in granada.

unless you are going a holiday week, you should have no problem getting rooms somewhere at the last minute if you want to leave two nights open.

donīt drop santiago if you really want to see it.
it IS beautiful and worth a trip.

what decisions. it is hard to take anything out as you have chosen top monuments and world heritage sites.
so.... just too bad you donīt have some more time.

i think if you keep cordoba (????)i would take the bus to cordoba (if it stops at same station as you will depart from) so you can check your bags at the "consigna" ( stored bags)which i assume they have.

Sukistar

Thanks! That's exactly what I will do. Leave those two (ubeda and jaen) until the last minute. Then decide. Yes, that makes perfect sense, and I wouldn't feel so anxious about the time constraint. Thank you very much fodorites! I will report back when I return!