TravelerKaren

We want to spend 5days in Seville, 2 or 3 in Cordoba and 3 in Granada. From Granada we will be going to Malaga (bus only from what I've seen) where we plan to pick up a car to see Ronda and other white villages in area. We will be coming into Madrid. Which order would you suggest visiting these cities and best way to get there. Seems like a lot of differing opinions on bus and train.

CathyM

Are you going to spend time in Malaga? If so then I'd probably go from Madrid to Cordoba by train, then Cordoba to Sevilla by train, rent a car in Sevilla and explore the white villages then head to Granada (drop off car). From Granada bus to Malaga then take the train from Malaga to Madrid. Or do in reverse. If you're not going to spend time in Malaga (I highly recommend) then rent the car between Sevilla and Granada and then take the bus or train from Granada to Madrid. No need to go to Malaga just to pick up a car. If you haven't already purchased your airfare then you may want to look open jaw flights - flying into Madrid and returning home from Malaga.

aliced

We picked up the train from Madrid continuing to Cordoba where we spent two nights (just right), then continued to Seville where we spent 3-4 nights (just can't remember); we picked up our car leaving Seville and drove east, stopping at Jerez de la Frontera for a night (wish we'd picked Cadiz), then lunched at Arcos de la Frontera, and arrived for 2 nights in Ronda, then to Granada for 2-3 nights. We then dropped off our friends at Malaga airport and we continued down to heavenly Marbella. We loved the train which we used Barcelona-Madrid-Cordoba-Seville. So quiet, fast, comfortable, relaxing. Our Ronda hotel had onsite parking underneath; Granada was under major construction and finding our hotel, in a pedestrian zone, was not easy. We loved the Alhambra but Granada not so much. Ronda & Arcos, Jerez, very quiet esp. on a Sunday. You will not need a car in Cordoba, Seville or Granada but off course driving to the Pueblos Blancos you will; driving very easy. So there you have my 2 cents. You didnt mention how long you had to spend driving in the south, you could cut a day off Seville & Granada IMO.

TravelerKaren

Aliced: It sounds like you had the car while in Granada. How did you park? Everything I've been reading indicates it is a BIG hassle to park there. Sounds like we are allowing too many days in Granada.

CathyM: I can't find any car rentals that allow drop of car in Granada unless we go to the airport. Do you know if this is correct?

ribeirasacra

Car rental drop off at the train station too. It just depends on what company you hire from.
Loads of public car parks but these are always underground and spaces can be quite confined. So it you are not a driving a huge car you will be ok.

aliced

Yes, we did have to park in Granada; once we located the hotel (disadvantage of pedestrian-only hotel address: GPS keeps you driving in circles....), we did find a parking garage and walked (1-2 short blocks) to hotel. Of course, we didn't need it in Granada, nor in any other city. Same thing in Marbella, parked it in the closest underground garage, then walked to hotel 1 block away, again hard to find because on tiny alley off plaza (aren't they all, beginning to think). The Malaga airport was very easy for rental drop-off as we had to connect there for flt to Madrid. We had a 7-passenger Citroen which was great for the four of us plus luggage and parking it was ok.

kimhe

Spend at least one day/night in Málaga when you're already there as CathyM wisely suggests. One of my favourite cities in the country after some 25 years of intensive travel in the country. Could go on and on with tips, but here are a couple of quite recent articles that should give you an indication: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/journalis...pleasures.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/200...el?INTCMP=SRCH

Egbert

In Granada find the first parking garage and leave the car. You can drop off cars at the airport, train station or at the Hertz rental car office in downtown Granada. However trying to find it will make it very clear why driving in Granada is a major hassle. I made that mistake.

TravelerKaren

Aliced & Egbert: Thanks for advice on car parking in Granada. We need to think about whether to keep the car for onward travel or to drop it at airport or train station and then take bus to Malaga.

Kimbe: Thanks for the links on Malaga.