@PalenQ- kids... two 17 yr olds. And since nothing is open on Christmas driving would be something to do...I just wish it was 6 hours instead of 9! But it is still doable in one day... just not as much fun. Guess I'm going to have to get the family input :)

And maybe what you see during the car trip may be sweet too - not sure it is a scenic drive but you could stay in some rather nice towns - especially on the coast, such as Alicante - a really neat seaside town. To me as nice a town as others you are heading to.

The itinerary is:
2N Barcelona
2N Granada
3-4N Seville
a few nights somewhere else... maybe Ronda or Arco.
Then NYE either Lisbon or Seville.
Fly out of Lisbon on 1/2
Yes it's a lot but we don't plan on museums, just food, food markets, Gaudi, Flamenco, Alhambra, and adventure/experience

Of course still in the planning phase so it is all subject to change!!

Here is the problem.
If we leave BCN on the 23rd and drive to ?Valencia? or Murcia, spend the night. Then we end up in Granada late morning on the 24th. So...
If we plan to stay for 2N, we would have to see the Alhambra that afternoon.
1. Is there time to see it in the afternoon?
2. What would we do for food because it would be too late to shop, and "everything is closed late 24th to the 26th"

Do you already have the plane tickets? If not, how about reversing the itinerary?

unfortunately yes... we have the tickets

1. I spent a full day at the Alhambra -- literally, from about 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and then from 8 to 10 p.m. Most people do not spend that much time there, but I wouldn't have given up a minute! You might not have the option of an evening visit when you plan to be there. And of course, there is FAR more to Granada than just the Alhambra, even if it is it's most brilliant star.

2. Surely you can buy some things that would last for a day or two? Bread, cheese, fruit, dried meats and nuts, some vegetables....

Two nights is very little for Barcelona if your aim is to see Gaudi's sites and flamenco while jet lagged. And if you are interested in Gaudi, you might also want to make time for one or two of the buildings by Domènech i Montaner, perhaps the Palau de la Música Catalana and/or the Hospital de Sant Pau.

Ronda and Arco may be worth visiting, but I, personally, would not give up time in Barcelona, Granada, Seville, or Lisbon to fit them in. Truth in advertising: i skipped Arco and haven't yet been to Lisbon.

I enjoyed Ronda, but I certainly wouldn't prioritize it over Granada. I consider the Alhambra the single best sight in Spain, and the evening tour is magical.

Giving the "few nights" to Barcelona would surely simplify things, and in the unlikely event you run out of things to see in Barcelona there are worthwhile day trips.

[Lisbon is one of my favorite cities.]

The Alhambra was truely interesting when I was younger and we managed to spend the night in the palace overlooking the city, but would now only include it as one of several outstanding sites one can experience in Spain.

@ Robert: I don’t know whether to envy you for having seen so many other places that you thought equally awe-inspiring, or whether to pity you for having become jaded enough to have forgotten the joy of seeing the Alhambra.

Having been to th Alhambra at least a dozen times over the years, the last time a year ago last winter, I don't feel jaded, but it's not the same as it was even a few years ago. Too many people gathering at the gate like an invading horde, most with no understanding of what that place was all about. Something to mark off their bucket list? Probably.

Luckily Granada isn't a cruise port, but then again it could be, what with all of the ships docking in Malaga.

@ Robert: So your point is about how the number of tourists have changed the experience? I can understand that. Even though I'm a tourist, there seem to me to be WAY too many places that are opening their doors to more tourists than can be reasonably accommodated. It is, IMO, truly unfortunate. Thanks for explaining.

I would forget about the extra nights in Ronda and Arco, and add nights to Barcelona and at least one to lovely Valencia -if your decision is to drive. Once you get to Granada, you can park your car in the huge Alhambra car park [at a discount if you stay at the very reasonable Hotel Guadalupe opposite] and do an evening tour of the Alhambra. In the morning, pick a early slot for the Nasrid Palaces, tour the site for as long as you like, and then spend the rest of the day touring Granada.

The itinerary is:
2N Barcelona
2N Granada
3-4N Seville

For those places trains are best - if wanting to meander thru countryside cars are great - but I'd consider trains rather than cars, a boondoggle in cities and you can do Barcelona-Seville by train in about 5 hours on very comfy spiffy trains going up to nearly 200 mph. And unlike flying you see the Spain in between-

Yes if landing in Barcelona first day may be wasted - add another night.

Ok... We added a day to Barcelona! It is going to be hard with only 3 nights but at least I think we will be able to get a decent taste. Flying Into Malaga on the 24th. Will stay in Granada 2 nights (get the rental car here) and drive on the 26th (after seeing the Alhambra in the morning) to Seville where we will stay for 4-5 nights before going to Portugal.

One question... Can I split my Alhambra visit into 2? Like do the gardens on the 24th and the palace on the 26th? (I think I got that right. I know there are 2 parts to visit but I don't know the names of the places)

@annhig do they do night visits in December (Alhambra)

Unless things change, you cannot visit the Generalife (gardens) during the night in December. (I wouldn't expect that to change -- gardens aren't usually that interesting in winter. ;-) )You can visit the Nasrid Palace (only, not the rest of the Alhambra) during the evening, but during December, I believe the evening visit is an option on only Fridays and Saturdays, so I don't think that will work on the nights you propose.
http://www.alhambra-patronato.es/ind...5d637b1e38d/0/

You might want another night in Granada before heading to Sevilla....

@kja...I keep taking nights away from Seville! But we have not booked anything for Granada or Seville so I'll mull it over. Thanks for the link, I think I do remember seeing something about limited nights.