sydney_k

WE are a family of 4 traveling from LAX to Madrid then to Morocco over Dec Holidays.

This is what we have- any advise is helpful. We have 2 teens so we need 2 rooms or a suite . I think we will travel by train mostly and a driver in Morocco.

CONCERNS: the best way to get to the ferry from Seville and best way to return to Ronda

We also want the hotels to be near the center of the city /train station and close to restaurants.
We like 4-5 star properties

PLAN:
Madrid-2 nights-Westin

Cordoba-1 night-?

Seville-2 nights- Hotel Alforonso XIII

Morocco- 4 nights
Chefchaouen-1
Fes-2
Tangier-1

Ronda- 1

Granada- 2- Parador

Toledo-1

Madrid-1 close to airport

Thanks-Syd

Bedar

Is the Alfonso XIII open again ? It's been closed for renovations. The parador in Granada is popular. Do you already have reservations ?

I would have a driver from Sevilla to the ferry in Tarifa or Algeciras and then another one to Ronda.

CathyM

I can't speak much to the Morocco portion but I will say this is very fast paced for a family of 4 - 18 nights total with 6 1-nights and only one stay greater than 2 nights. This is also during the holidays when you'll be dealing with limited daylight and opening hours. You'll be spending alot of time in transit and packing/unpacking mode.

You could easily spend the entire 18 days in Madrid and Andalucia with plenty to keep you busy and much easier logistics.

If you're set on Morocco then I'd trim some locations and add time to others.

StCirq

That's an awful lot of moving around. I'd aim for more 3- or even 4-night stays. And if there's any way to eliminate the 1 night in Tangiers, I'd recommend it.

WomBatt

As indicated - this is foolishness and I strongly suggest you think again.

BigRuss

The plan is this:

Madrid-2 nights-Westin
Cordoba-1 night-?
Seville-2 nights- Hotel Alforonso XIII
--
Morocco- 4 nights: Chefchaouen-1
Fes-2
Tangier-1
--
Ronda- 1
Granada- 2- Parador
Toledo-1
Madrid-1 close to airport

I agree it is daft.

Have you booked your flights? If so, ok. If not, book an open jaw to Madrid and home from Morocco (via JFK).

If you must do RT LAX-MAD do this:

First, stay 2 nights in Madrid at the outset. The kids will like it and 2 nights gives you some time to deal with the flight effects.

Then stay 4 nights in Seville - you can daytrip to Cordoba.

If you must go to Morocco, get from Seville to Fes directly, then to Chefchaouen for a night and then use Tangier ONLY for embarking on your ferry back to Spain. Tangier is not worth a visit - it's just randomly noisy port town.

I'm not sure why you need to go to Ronda or Parador. I understand the attraction of the Alhambra - but it's only worth a night in Granada. If you want to tire out the progeny, do a night in Ronda, a night in Granada, then 4-5 nights back in Madrid with a daytrip to Toledo. You do NOT need to overnight in Toledo with Madrid a 35min train ride away and you don't need to overnight in Cordoba with Seville a short ride away.

Try to get apartments in Seville and Madrid (pt 2).

If you can fly into Madrid and out of Morocco (wherever), then go to Madrid, stay 4-5 nights with daytrip to Toledo, go to Granada for a night then cross back over to Seville for 4-5 with a daytrip to Cordoba, then to Ronda for 1-2, then to Morocco.

Bedar

OK, the Alfonso XIII has reopened. It's a great place to stay, as is the parador in Granada, if there are rooms available. Your trip is perfectly doable. I would stop in Cordoba on the way to Seville, perhaps forget Ronda which isn't terribly interesting, and return to The Palace (Westin) for two nights at the end. As someone said, there's no need to overnight in Toledo. In Fes, stay at the Palais Jamai. Your kids, and you, will love Morocco. Have fun.

StCirq

<< Your trip is perfectly doable>>

Yes, doable, but enjoyable? NO. Especially dragging kids all over hell and beyond every day. Literally almost every day.

nytraveler

IMHO you are trying to cover way too much territory and if I were one of those kids I would be complaining nonstop. You will spend a very large proportion of your trip in transit rather than sightseeing - and I don;t think you have allowed for the days (Dec 14/15 and Dec31/Jan 1) when many things will not be open.

I urge you to do some checking on the places yuo intend to be on those dates to see what i available.

We have done 2 trips to Andalusia - one 10 days and one 12 - and we still have a ton to see and do. What you want is physically possible - but I think you will find it very frustrating.

sydney_k

Thank You for all your great advice.

I will take out Toledo and Ronda.

Yes we have our txts from LAX to MADRID roundtrip already

We have reservations at the Parador and westin already.

Can we make it from FES back to Spain in 1 day?

How can we hire a driver from seville to ferry and ferry to ??. Through the hotel?

also Train tickets( how do I get them)

ANy restaurant must EATS!! we are big foodies!!!

Thanks, Syd

Bedar

I'm sure the Alfonso XIII can get you a driver. You should take the ferry from Tarifa because it goes right into the port of Tangiers. The ferries from Algeciras go into the new port of Tanger Med some 40 kms from the city. Then if you want to stay there, do so. Read "The Last Casbah" in the NYT, May 22,2011. We have always liked Tangiers, but it is full of daytrippers from Spain. Then I would get the train, go first-class, to Fes. Chaouen is a nice little town but is a side-show. It can be skipped. Yes, you can get back to Spain in a day on the train again. In Algeciras you could take the train to Granada or rent a car.

sydney_k

Thanks so much for all your great advice.

Are we able to pre purchase ferry tickets or train tickets?

Bedar

I wouldn't bother purchasing ferry tickets in advance. The train in Spain's site is www.renfe.es. Look here in Fodors for people's experiences in trying to purchase online. Some people have had success, and it's cheaper to purchase in advance. The Moroccan site is www.oncf.ma. Don't know if it's possible to purchase online or if it's cheaper doing this in advance. At least you can see what the train schedule is.

Egbert

It was a good idea to cut Ronda and Toledo. As others have said, "if you must go to Morocco..." Fly into Marrakesh for 2-3 nights, try to visit Essouira and come back. Yes you can make it to Fes and back in one day but I would not do it! It is better to enter into Tangier or even Ceuta from Algeciras, go through customs and immediately hire a Mercedes taxi for the family. It will be cheap. They can drive you to Fez and stop off in Chefchaouen for lunch. There is not much going on there. Once in Fez, hire a guide to take you through the medina, spend the night and head back to Spain. I would not interrupt a perfect and relaxing trip to Andalucia (if you follow all the advice above)by going to Morocco, it can be a little hectic and stressful but if you must I have put out a good plan A and B. You could take the train to Fes as well I find the taxi to be a lot less stressful than public transport.

jgg

We did a Spain/Morocco trip when our kids were 11 and 14. It was amazing. Then just did an Andalucia trip last March. In Cordoba I recommend Balcon de Cordoba (http://www.balcondecordoba.com/). We spent two nights there and it was a fabulous boutique hotel, with great service and wonderful breakfasts, and located literally around the corner from the Mezquita. For food there our two favorite restaurants were Tabernas Salinas (incredible - would have gone back from Seville just to have lunch again if train ticket wasn't so much) and Regadera. Be sure and eat some of the local specialties there - salmorejo, fried eggplants with honey, and marinated anchovies.

In Fez we stayed at Riad Norma. It was an excellent riad, though they did not have heat in the common areas but did in the rooms. They had portable heaters in the common rooms, which was fine for the rest of the family but I was a bit cold at dinner (we were there in late March).

I agree with others, that you maybe fitting a bit too much in, so glad to hear that you have eliminated Ronda and Toledo.

Here are some links to my trip reports which you may find helpful:
Morocco: http://www.fromhometoroam.com/catego...frica/morocco/

Andalucia:http://www.fromhometoroam.com/catego...ope/andalucia/