8 days in Andalusia-what do you think?
 

I will be traveling from Portugal to Spain for 8 days in mid-Sept. Trying to decide how to spend my time. I have been to Spain before, but did not get to Andalusia. The Alhambra is a must for me.

Having trouble figuring out how to structure my time and what order to do the trip. Would love your advice. Here's what I have so far:

Day 1-Faro to Sevilla
Day 2-Sevilla
Day 3-Cordoba
Day 4-Granada
Day 5-Granada
Day 6 Granda to Ronda? Suggestion for another town?
Day 7 ?
Day 8- to Sevilla in the evening
Day 9-Sevilla to Lisbon (morning)

Sounds like a good plan. Mid September can be very hot, and I would perhaps spent day 7-8 in genuine and 3000 year old Malaga city by the Med before taking plane from Malaga to Lisboa in the morning on day 9. "Malaga-Spain's best kept Secret": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/de...pt-secret.html

I agree with Kimhe to spend some time in Malaga. Since Malaga and Seville both have airports, you may want to rejig you itinerary a little bit so you don't need to enter Seville twice. Perhaps as follow:

Day 1-Faro to Sevilla
Day 2-Sevilla
Day 3-Seville (day trip to Cordoba - this avoids a hotel change)
Day 4- Either another day in Seville or go to Ronda, depending on what time you arrive in Seville on Day 1. I would prefer to stay in Seville because you have very little time in Seville at the moment give your day trip to Cordoba)
Day 5- Seville to Granada
Day 6 - Granada (day and night tour of Alhambra)
Day 7 - Granada to Malaga
Day 8- Malaga
Day 9- Malaga to Lisbon (morning)

Thank you so much Piccolina and kimhe for the suggestion to include Malaga and for rearranging my itinerary. So smart to minimize changing hotels. I'm gone for 35 days on this trip so there will be a lot of hotel changes. If you think of any other sites or activities that are must see in these cities, please let me know. Thanks so much!

This site is great and fairly updated about Sevilla: http://www.exploreseville.com/

I would of course recommend to see real deal flamenco in either Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba or Malaga. The following venues stages only great artists and could be an excellent intro to this powerful and beautiful art so important for Andalucia:

Casa de la Memoria in Sevilla: http://www.casadelamemoria.es/
La Casa del Flamenco in Sevilla: http://www.lacasadelflamencosevilla.com/
Paña la Plateria in Granada, Thursdays and some Saturdays: http://www.laplateria.org.es/
Arte y Sabores in Cordoba: http://www.flamencotickets.com/arte-...res-de-cordoba
Kelipe in Malaga: http://www.kelipe.net/inicio.html

Thanks kimhe. So appreciate all the information. Flamenco will be a must too.

I'm thinking that this will be the new itinerary. I'm adding Ronda as a day trip from Malaga. Do you think that is the right way to do it. Also, I know there routes that are better by bus then train. If you have thoughts about that, it would be much appreciated. I'm just starting to investigate that.

Day 1-Faro to Sevilla (Bus)
Day 2-Sevilla
Day 3-Sevilla (day trip to Cordoba - this avoids a hotel change)
Day 4- Sevilla to Granada
Day 5- Granada (day and night tour of Alhambra)
Day 6 -Granada to Malaga
Day 7 -Malaga
Day 8- Ronda
Day 9- Flight to Lisbon (morning)

I think Ronda as a daytrip is good. One nighters aren't so great. Ronda is very quiet at night. A lot more nightlife, great restaurants etc. in Malaga.

Thanks Egbert. Super helpful. I agree, one nighters are exhausting.

It sounds like you want to spend a lot of time in Granada, but it isn't that far from Malaga, you could just do it as a day trip from Malaga, actually, I did. But I didn't want to spend as many hours as it sounds like you do, 4 or so were enough for me. I did a bus tour company but they spent some time in Granada itself, not just Alhambra. YOu can just take the regular bus, also, which takes about 90-120 minutes each way. On the other hand, the bus station is a bit outside of town, so then you'd need a taxi or something when there. Which is why I did the day bus tour for convenience.

It's just you have so little time in Seville, but I'd just rather spend time there than seeing the Alhambra, while you may have that as a special interest.

Thanks Christina. That's a great perspective. When I was planning this trip, I wanted to see a few things I hadn't seen in my many trips to Europe. One was the Alhambra. I was hoping to see it both day and night. I'm planning one full day in Granada and the other two as travel days. I'm just researching my travel between cities and am going to try to get to Sevilla early as possible from Faro and leave later to travel to Granada, getting maximum Sevilla time. I hope this will be enough Sevilla time.

Lisa - sounds like a great plan to get to Seville early and leave as late as possible. You really just need one full day in Granada to see the Alhambra for the day and night tour. The rest of the town, IMHO, is decent but nothing like Seville. Be sure to book your tickets in advance for both the day and night tours!

Bon voyage!!

Thanks Piccolina for all the great info.

Agreed about fitting in Malaga and so close to Granada,you can do the Alhambra in a day trip from Malaga.

Malaga has the added benefit of having a beach too and in September you may be glad of a cool sea breeze to escape the city heat, also a great way to spend a quiet afternoon after all the sightseeing.

This mighthelp:

http://malagatravelguide.net/locatio...g-malaga-city/

We were in Andalucía in early September last year as part of a 3-week trip to other parts of Europe. We didn't think the heat was oppressive, as long as you work in a siesta. We did 2 days Sevilla, 2 days Ronda, 2 days Granada and 1 day Córdoba en route to Madrid, where we spent 5 days visiting our son. We were thrilled to stay in Granada (could have stayed longer), and would not have wanted to do the Alhambra as just a day trip.

We included Ronda for relaxation, but the whole trip was fairly relaxing. Details in my trip report (skip to the middle):
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...uca-madrid.cfm

I didn't go to Malaga but I really liked Granada, so I'd hesitate to take time away from it. There are other things to see there besides the Alhambra. We stayed on Albaicin, the old Moorish quarter opposite the Alhambra and with a great view of it. (And of the snow-covered Sierra Nevada beyond, but this was in early April.) There's the Gypsy quarter, Sacromonte, just beyond Albaicin. And in the town we visited the Royal Chapel with the tombs of Ferdinand and Isabella, the cathedral, an old caravanserai (kind of like a motel for camels and camel drivers), the old silk market (now a tourist market), and the Arab baths. I'd say Granada deserved at least two days/3 nights.

I love the Alhambra and the Generalife gardens but found Granada to be gritty compared to lovely Sevilla. Have never been to Cadiz but all the locals we met told us to visit Cadiz next time to throwing that into the mix for you.

Thanks everyone. Great advice. Crosscheck did you do Sevilla to Ronda to Granada? Or another route? Thanks.

Yes, Train to Sevilla from Madrid. Then, after 2 days in Sevilla, rented a car and drove to Ronda, then Granada and then Córdoba. Dropped of the car in Córdoba and took the train back to Madrid.

You will find various reports from us Andalucia visitors on Fodors. DW and I were ourselves there last October. We talked about history, bullfighting, cuisine. There is much history such as the Alhambra, and architecture such as La Mazquita Mosque in Cordoba, and artistic culture as with flamenco (I knew kimhe would show up).

Also marvel at the stretches of sandy beaches and the green olive hillsides and mountains. Mention was made of staying in Albaicin area of Granada which brings to mind a new book by travelers who did stay there and wrote much on culture, history...Granada by Stephen Nightingale. Check for other books too.

Thanks for the recommendations Ozarksbill. I will review your trip report and will check out the book you mention. Looking at an Airbnb in the Albayzin with a great view of the Alhambra.