Hotel Anacapri in Granada is very nice, and in a great location. Since Granada is your last stop, I would guess that you would return your car when you arrive in Granada as you won't need it in the city. Otherwise, parking is about 15 euros a day near the hotel, though I doubt you would want or need the car while in Granada.

Thank you, thank you, all Fodorites for your help.

Josele, in Malaga I'm deciding between Room-Mate Lario, AC Malaga Palacio and Hotel Vincci. We will drop- off the car there.

In Ronda we have San Gabriel.

In Granada I'm also checking Fontecruz.

RoomMate Larios is in the very center of Malaga (Plaza Constitución-calle Larios), in the pedestrian-only area. AC Malaga Palacio is very near, 5 min walk, off the pedestrian area, but with great views to the sea (make sure you ask for rooms with view to the harbour). Vincci is a long distance (several miles) away from the city center, unless you mentuion brand-new Vincci at Pasillo Santa Isabel, which is a street by the river with heavy traffic. I'd opt for any of the other two.
The San Gabriel is a nice place very well located in the old town.

Just a brief note to inform that I have been this week to El Tapeo de Cervantes and it really deserves the top rank in Tripadvisor. Actually we were the only locals, as it was a quiet wednesday night (aw, the crisis...). It was lucky for us, as the place is really narrow, a few tables with tall stools, and the counter, suitable for tapas. These were really good and varied. Tapas 2,50 to 3,00 eur. but big enough to share; big medias raciones to share too. Some main courses. Check the website: www.eltapeodecervantes.com with photos. Wine list, bottles or by the glass, and tapas / specialties of the day. We were four, ate too much (as always) with bottle of house ribera, 60 eur, tip included.
It seems you can make a reservation.

Wow looking at the menus of the places kimhe and josele mention makes me hungry...

By the way, I found out in another forum we're going to be in Sevilla on some of the last days of the Flamenco Bienal. Some tickets have sold out but these shows will take place while we are in Sevilla:

Clasicos del siglo XXI: Eva Yerbabuena Ballet Flamenco

Raices del Alma por Esperanza Fernandez

Al Compas de Soler por Rafael Campallo

Bailar, Vivir…Fuentesanta la Moneta

An Ca’ Paula Manuel de Paula invites El Funi- Lo jondo del Futuro

Any recommendations?

Eva for sure.
If it wew me, I would go to all ..but realistically any one of them iis fantastic. It is after all the bienal.

On my way out to work. I amsure Kimhe will reply, otherwise will need to check back tomorrow..

http://www.flamenco-world.com/notici...na22032010.htm

The Newsweek Special Issue: 100 PLACES TO REMEMBER BEFORE THEY DISAPPEAR, features one of the "pueblos blancos": Zahara de la Sierra.

Agree with amsdon, Eva Yerbabuena is fantastic. Here she is in one of my all time favourite flamenco clips on youtube (although flamenco live is a completely different world):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IW3mZNprq0

Fuensanta la Moneta was quite recently awarded the Flamenco Hoy best bailaora/female flamenco dancer prize of 2009 by a jury of some 50-60 Spanish critics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=soZ2t...eature=related

Hello my Fodorite friends,

I'm back to continue refining the trip. We already have all our hotels. We also have many recommendations of places to eat in Malaga. We still need recommendations for the other towns.

Which route should we take on our way from Sevilla to Ronda? Is there a town or restaurant that we should stop at?

We'll visit Jerez one of the days. Which cherry wine tour do you recommend? Should we make reservations?

I guess I've asked too many questions already but I appreciate your kind help greatly. Looking forward for my trip.

I meant sherry wine- jerez.

From Seville to Ronda, the road should be to Utrera (worth a visit) and continue to El Coronil, Montellano and Puerto Serrano, then you reach A-382 towards Algodonales and Ronda.
Restaurant: I was recommended La Posada de Montellano (in Montellano, obviously), www.laposadademontellano.com Though I could not go, it looks nices and have found good reviews.

I very much doubt Zahara de la Sierra might disappear.

hi anav,

i know that maribel has made some great recommendations for accommodation in Granada, but in case they have problems with the large number of people you have, i will [again!] mention the place we stayed at which was the hotel guadalupe, right opposite the alhambra [and its giant car park, where the hotel gives you a discount] which we found to be very reasonable and comfortable at a good price.

your trip looks like a lot of fun, and you will definitely enjoy andalucia. we only stayed in Malaga for one night, but would love to go back and stay longer [great bars and tapas] and stayed 2 in Granada, where we really liked the town itself, as well as the touristy bits. just behind the main square is a street full of tapas bars, including our favourite "la pulperia" which does what it says on the tin!

incidentally, have you booked your alhambra tickets yet? please don't miss out on going at night as well as during the day, as it is a lovely experience, especially in October, when the gardens in the evening should be delightful.

have a great trip!

In my opinion, Sevilla has got one of the absolutely best tapas scenes in all of Spain. Lots of very informed recommedations on the azahar-sevilla.com site.

These are sure bets:
Eslava, fabulous tapas and a great restaurant next to the bar:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/

El Rinconcillo, the oldest bar in Spain, from 1670. Try the Espinacas con garbanzos (spinach with chick-peas, a Sevilla-speciality and surprisingly tasty):
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...l-rinconcillo/

Cervecería Giralda, excellent tapas just by the Cathedral in a former Moorish bath-house. Fabulous grilled goat-chesse and solomillo al whisky, salmorejo (a thicker version of the tomato7vegetable soup gazpacho)etc.: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...ceria-giralda/

Casa Cuesta, traditional in the Triana area, across the river (in C/Castilla, 1): http://www.casacuesta.net/index2.htm

Enrique Becerra also comes highly recommended:
http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletap...rique-becerra/

And last, but not least; Abantal is arguably the best restaurant in town these days:
http://www.abantalrestaurante.es/

Thank you for your help.

Josele, La Posada de Montellano is a great idea- also a perfect place to stop on our way to Ronda. I also took your suggestion from you Pueblos Blancos report and wrote to Restaurante El Rosalejo in order to secure a reservation for Sunday.

I also doubt that Zahara de la Sierra will disappear- the Newsweek states that "increasing temperatures and decreasing precipitation could put the area at risk of desertification." I guess it's trying to make us all conscious of our responsibility towards our plant and resources.

Annhigg, thanks for the idea of visiting the Alhambra at night- and reminding me I have to book those tickets. We're staying 2 nights in Malaga as well as Granada thanks to the suggestions of the Fodorite friends.

Kimhe, wow, I'm taking note of all those places in Sevilla.

Oops, I meant planet!

Kimhe, we made reservations at Abantal in Sevilla and plan to go to the tapas places the other evenings.

Josele, we reserved lat a Posada de Montellano for lunch on our way to Ronda.

Annig, I tried to make a guided tour reservation at the Alhambra at their site and was sent a message that they could confirm mid september.

I found out that the Andalusian Horses show at the Real Escuela Andaluza in Jerez only has exhibitions on Tuesdays and Thursdays. We were planning to visit Jerez on Monday and do the Domecq Sherry Tour. We depart Ronda on Tuesday to go to Malaga. The other alternative would be to go Jerez on Tuesday and drive from there to Malaga. Is the detour too much?

Ronda, Jerez, Málaga would be quite much of a detour. I would have sticked to the original plan.

Annig, I tried to make a guided tour reservation at the Alhambra at their site and was sent a message that they could confirm mid september.>>

anav - where did you try to make that reservation? i could see no reference to "official guided tours" on the official website though you can get something to run off your mobile.

here's the link to the english version of the official website:

http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/ind...5d637b1e38d/0/

there you will find a link to the on-line ticket service - also in english - where you can book both day and night-time tickets this way. i strongly recommend getting both.

Annhig, I was using:

http://ALHAMBRADEGRANADA.ORG/.

It seemed so strange to me that they would not confirm yet.
I see now that the official site has no guided tours. Thanks.

Kimhe, I read that we could visit the Real Escuela on Monday when there's no show and visit the facilities, stableyard and maybe see a training in session. Someone also mentioned visiting Sandeman which is right next to Real Escuela.

anav - those non-official sites are so tricksy - there is nothing to tell you they aren't official apart from the fact that they don't tell you that they ARE official.

the official sites always tell you that they are.

You all have been so helpful!

I bought the train tickets from Madrid to Sevilla in Renfe with a discount! We also got a private bus to take us from Cordoba to Sevilla: http://www.autocarescarrera.es/

The Alhambra-patronato site is doing some updating so I will try again tomorrow.

Do you have recommendations for restaurants or tapas in Cordoba (1 night),
or Granada? I've read good reviews of Almocabar in Ronda and plan to go there. Any tapas place recommendations in Ronda?

This is our schedule. Will take AVE from Madrid to Cordova, bus the next day to Sevilla. Rented car out of Sevilla to go to Ronda and do day trips from there. Return car as soon as we arrive at Malaga. Take bus from Malaga to Granada. Fly out of Granada.

3,4-Madrid
5-Cordova
6,7,8 -Sevilla
rent the car or mini-bus with driver
9,10,11-Ronda - visit Grazalema, Zahara, Arcos, Jerez.etc
12,13 Malaga
14, 15 Granada
Depart from GRANADA the 16th

I'm thinking about stopping in Antequera on our way to Malaga. But then, I also think about spending that morning enjoying Ronda since the other days we spend there we will be doing day trips. What do you think?

Josele, I saw that you have the London Exhibition in October! Looks beautiful! So you won't be in Malaga on the 12th and 13th?

I made reservation at Tapeo de Cervantes. It's safer that way since we are a large group.

I will continue working on details today.

Anav, I'll be in London those days. Opening on the 12th. Would have loved to meet you.
Good point in making a reservation at Tapeo de Cervantes, it is a quite small place. I did not know reservations could be made.
You do not pass Antequera driving from Ronda to Malaga, unless you want to make a big detour. The usual road is towards Campillos and when approaching to Teba, turn right towards Ardales. It is well advertised.

Your trip is almost an exact duplicate of ours last winter, except we sadly missed Malaga.

Ronda definitely deserves at least a full day.

And I'd take the train, not the bus, from Cordoba to Seville.

I bought the Alhambra tickets on-ine. No problems.

I'm not having luck buying from Alsa the tickets from Malaga to Granada. I even tried with PayPal and it went through and then I received a credit back. Also tried calling them but can't get throught. Any recommendations?

NanBug, I fine-tuned this trip here, with a little help of my Fodorite friends. I will take your advice and stay in Ronda. The bus to Sevilla is private, they will pick us in the Cordoba hotel and drop us in he Sevilla hotel.

Josele , we also would have loved to meet you, next time.

In Sevilla, besides the Flamenco Bienal, which Peña or Club Style Flamenco venue would you recommend? We prefer an informal place were you can experience the Cante Hondo and feeling of the dance.

I would highly recommend intimate Casa de la Memória in the Santa Cruz district. The real deal, great talents and up-and-coming artists, and not seldom some of the best in the world perform here such as Pastora Galván, Rafael Campallo, Adela Campallo, La Choni etc. The program changes every day, but it always include both song, guitar and dance. No dinner, drinks etc. as in the traditional tablaos and just 15€ entrance fee (as opposed to the 30€+ in the flamenco restaurants (tablaos), which also can be great). Get your tickets early as the patio is small and seating is very limited.

I'm going myself on Friday to see Pastora Galván (who stages her own show "Pastora" some days later in Teatro Lope de Vega) and on Monday to see Adela Campallo (one of the greatest promises until she was seriously injured in a car accident five years ago, but now she's back). In between it will be very much Bienal...

Pastora Galván is one of the most spectacular traditional female flamenco dancers, but I love this "flamenco nuevo" clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCAlpG8Dv4

Adela Campallo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1gCAlpG8Dv4

Both are from Sevilla.

Casa de la Memória homepage with detailed program (the Oct program not set yet): http://www.casadelamemoria.es/

tripadvisor reviews:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalusia.html

Listen to kimhe.

We had, perhaps, one of our best travel moments in Spain at Casa de la Memoria last year. Unforgettable, goosebumpy, made me cry. It took my breath away.

Definitely order tickets ahead of time and get there at least 45 minutes before the show to grab a good seat.

thanks again, kimhe.

Nanbug sats to get there 45 mins in advance, which would mean about 20.15 as the advertised start time is 21.00.

from my limited knowledge of spain, that seems very early!

We arrived (mid-week, in January)around 20:20 and ended up getting the last seat in the front row, on the very side. We could barely see the guitarist.

I would get there at 20:00 to be assured a seat.

thanks nanbug.

looks like a late supper that night. [or normal time, for spain!]

You're welcome. It'll be a late dinner, but I think the show ended at 21:00, so you won't be too past your bedtime. ;)

It's a bit of a drag to wait in line that long (I think they opened the doors around 20:40 or so), but the show is totally worth it. Loved the atmosphere, too. Just wonderful. Have fun!

thanks, nanbug.

we'll try!"

Thanks so much, Kimhe, annhig and NanBug. Enjoy your shows, Kimhe. Definitely will reserve soon and go there early! It's great to know I'm in for an excellent show!

All excited-leaving today! I will report later.

Thank you for all your help, fodorite friends!

Boy voyage! Have a fun, safe trip... and please report back! :)

If possible, I would strongly recommend to go and see Pastora Galván in Casa de la Memória on either Friday the 8th or 15th. Just some days ago she delievered what will stand as one of the absolute top performances - perhaps the very best -during this Bienal. At least you'll get a taste of her genious, and you'll get an up-front experience of one of the greatest flamenco dancers alive.

Here's the October programme:
http://www.casadelamemoria.es/eventos.htm