Tom

Looking for advice on an 10 night itinerary in spain. love to see things, but have time to soak up the local culture. any advice or changes to the following itinerary would be appreciated. <BR> <BR>Madrid - 2 nights <BR>Avila - 2 nights <BR>Seville - 3 nights <BR>Granada (Hotel La Bobadilla) - 2 nights <BR>Ronda - 1 night <BR> <BR>Disappointed we can't squeeze in a night at the parador in carmona.

Marija

Hotel La Bobadilla is about an hour outside of Granada. We stayed there last year after two nights in Granada. The hotel is luxurious and has a great pool. However, it's definitely not the place to be if you want to soak up local culture or see things, since it was not near anything and full of Americans. I would skip La Bobadilla and stay in the parador in Granada instead.

michele

Tom, <BR> <BR>I agree with Marija..stay at the parador ( if you can get a room) or Hotel America in Granada. Both are right on the Alhambra grounds. You might consider squeezing in a night in Cordoba as the Mezquita is amazing. Although Cordoba is buzzing with daytrippers, at night it's quite lovely. The Albucasis is a good hotel choice. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR>

Maribel

Tom, <BR>I agree completely with Marija and Michele regarding La Bobadilla. As luxurious as it is, it's for decompression/relaxing, but it won't be convenient for you for touring Granada. For Granada you'll want to be lodged on the Alhambra grounds. Dinner on the terrace of the Parador viewing the illuminated Palace at night is a magical, unforgettable experience. <BR>Just a few thoughts about your ten day itinerary: How about leaving Avila (northwest of Madrid) for another trip, adding El Escorial, Segovia, Salamanca and other points north to your next itinerary? If you omit Avila this time you'll have two more days for more in depth sightseeing on your adventures south of Madrid. If you haven't been to Toledo, I would urge you to add an overnight there (at the Parador) and then invert the order of Seville-Granada. There's so much of merit to see in Toledo (truly magnificent Gothic cathedral, works of El Greco) and also on the route from Toledo to Granada, you'd really enjoy, I think, the windmills and castle on the hill outside of Consuegra, the heart of Don Quijote's La Mancha, and also the perfectly preserved Renaissance town of Ubeda (a real relatively undiscovered jewel, with its ducal palace Parador) and neighboring Baeza, plus a stop at the impressive Castillo de Santa Catalina Parador in Jaen on the way from Ubeda to Granada makes a great photo op-beautiful vistas with miles and miles of olive fields. <BR>Omitting Avila would also allow you to add another night in Andalucia on your way from Granada to Seville, either at the Castillo de Monda outside of Marbella, one of the many haciendas outside of Arcos (such as the "Cortijo Fain" or even more luxurious "Hacienda de San Rafael") or the Arcos Parador itself. That would give you more time for the Route of the White Towns and even a visit to the sherry bodegas/performance of the dancing horses in Jerez, or, as Michele has suggested, use the extra night for Cordoba at either the Albucasis or the NH Amistad. (I find the modern Parador outside of Cordoba uninspiring-much prefer being in the Juderia, near the Mezquita). If you really want to squeeze in the Parador in Carmona (It's magnificent!-I've stayed there and commuted to Seville-half hr. drive), how about 2 nights in Seville and the last night in Carmona? 3 nights in the Seville area are perfect. <BR>We've done the 10 day Madrid-Toledo-Andalucia itinerary many times, and we always include Toledo and two nights between Granada and Seville to do the coastal drive past Nerja and to savor the fascinating countryside and all the "pueblos blancos" in route. From Granada we usually spend the first night in the Ojen/Monda area in the mountains above Marbella (or at times in Puerto Banus) and the second night in either Ronda or Arcos with a stop in Jerez before reaching Seville. <BR>Tom, are you arriving and departing Spain from Madrid? Have you thought of adding another night to your trip for 2 nights in Madrid at the front (to recover from jet lag) and one on the end? ...but if this is a repeat visit or not your first time in Madrid you may not want/need the extra night. Just a thought... <BR>Have a wonderful trip! <BR>Maribel

Sandra

Tom, I lived in Andalucia (Rota) for two years and have to say that if you miss the coastal towns with their pueblo blancos then you really haven't experienced Spain. I would suggest omitting Avilla and head down to Marbella. I would also skip a night in <BR>Seville and make a stop in Toledo instead. Have Fun!

Suzanne

Tom - <BR> <BR>I agree with Maribel. I would skip Avila on this trip and add a night in Cordoba and a night in Toledo. <BR>We loved Cordoba. We stayed in the Hotel El Califa in Cordoba and in Toledo we stayed at the Hotel Pintor El Greco. Both were very nice and slightly under $100. <BR> <BR>Suzanne