Beecher89

Hi All, we are a family of five travelling to Spain from Queensland, Australia. There are 4 adults and a 5 year old child. Our holiday starts and finishes in Madrid 20/12/18- 10/01/19. We will be in the South of Spain for 5-7 days from 23/12 and realise it is a public holiday and family time for locals. Where would you suggest we base ourselves? Considering Seville and Malaga at this stage. We will be travelling via public transport.
Thoughts on 3 bedroom accomodation and meals would be appreciated as well.
TIA
Chris

PalenQ

We will be travelling via public transport.>

Book your own train trips at www.renfe.com and get discounted tickets perhaps if book far enough in advance - much cheaper than walk-up fares - check www.seat61.com for lots on that; for general info on trains www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd say Cordoba and Granada are great stops as well as Seville and Malaga.

Robert2016

I would use Sevilla as a base for that period of time. The only major issue will be where to have lunch on Christmas and New Years days, as restaurants will be closed (with few exceptions).

Malaga would also be fine for a few days and the weather might be a bit milder then Sevilla.

Finding an apartment with 3 bedrooms at this late date may be difficult at best, but you can check Spain Select to see what they have available in Sevilla, Malaga and Madrid. An apartment with 2 bedrooms will have more options.

Robert2016

Sorry, misread your dates, but don't wait too long is you want to book a 3-bedroom apartment during the Christmas season. 10 to 12 months in advance works.

misskdonkey

Hi Chris,
we will be in Spain this Christmas, arriving from Melbourne Aust. 21/12/2017 and leaving 5/1/2018, here is some things I have found helpful. We were in Spain with our in laws March 2016, we needed at 2 bedrooms and two bathrooms, a lift or ground floor and possible balcony(FIL a smoker..) so I think you needs are a bit similar.
We used Spain Select for apartments in Madrid, Valencia, & Seville, they were all excellent apartments,the people on the ground that work for the company were great and we got our bond back promptly. The areas they have appartments are all really convenient and nice.
We rented a private apartment in Malaga (better location than SS and Barcelona,where at that time SS didn't have properties.
When you arrive at a new destination, we always get a cab.. its way easier if this is a new destination, and you save alot of mucking around. From Malaga you are in easy striking distance to Granada, and Seville is close to Jerez and Cordoba (on the train line to Madrid).
This next trip we will be there for Christmas, Christmas Eve is a big family celebration, so we will eat at San Miguel market probably, from my investigation, it looks to be open that night. Christmas Day we have booked at one of the big hotels for 'Brunch" @ 2pm!! We will be in Ronda for NYE and have booked dinner in the hotel we are staying in. A few restaurants we were interested in are closed but there is plenty of options.
Book your tickets as soon as you can (when they open online) and book accomdation early. Remember even though you are using trains as transportation, don't book an apartment too close to the station, as a general rule the areas around the stations is usually a bit dodgy just like Australia!! Happy planning

kja

With so little time, I would focus on Sevilla. YMMV.

Beecher89

Thank you so much everyone. I keep changing the towns we want to visit!
Miss Donkey your advice is particularly helpful in both my posts. The fact that you are travelling over this Christmas at same time we’re going in 2018 is awesome!
What does your itinerary look like and do you mind sharing your accomodation?
Cheers
Chris

PalenQ

Seville to me is the one city not to miss in Andalusia - then Cordoba.

Bedar

And, of course, Granada with its incredible Alhambra !

misskdonkey

Hi Chris happy to share:: this time our trip looks like this:
21/12 fly from Melbourne to Madrid with KLM
22/12 Arrive Madrid approx 7pm, taxi to Chamartin
9.30pm train to Segovia. We are staying at Hotel Condes de Castilla, for 2 nights..One day is enough, just long enough for my bloke to eat baby pork!!
24/12 train back to Madrid 10.12, staying at Hotel Preciados for 3 nights. I have booked Christmas lunch at La Rotondo at the Westin, pricey but hey its Christmas. We also have a reservation at Algarabia on the 26th, we usually go there on visits to Madrid, the sisters who run it are lovely.
27/12 we are taking the train to Malaga, 3 nights. We are staying at the Hotel Boutique Teatro Romano.
30/12 we pick up a car and drive to Ronda, New Years Eve here.
We are staying at Catalonia Reina Victoria, and dining at Azahar their restaurant on NYE.
1/1 we drive to Cordoba and drop the car. 3 nights at Hotel Viento 10. We are booked to go to the flamenco at Arte y Sabores on 3/1 in Cordoba.
4/1 we head back to Madrid on the train in the am, we will leave bags at Atocha and do a walking Civil War tour, then pick up bags and head to the airport. One night at Madrid Pullman (the only booking that includes breakfast)and home the next day.
This is the shortest trip we have done to Spain, but we have done 2 weeks before in both the UK and France. We will often take an apartment for stays longer than 3 nights, and I received an email from the lady we booked with last year in Malaga, her apartments are lovely, clean and spacious. We stayed in a 2 bedroom 2 bathroom but she has smaller and larger in the same building, I can send you her email?
We have stayed in apartments in Madrid a couple of times too, other than the Spain Select ones.We find shorter stays suit hotels better than apartments.Happy Planning Chris.

Robert2016

>1/1 we drive to Cordoba and drop the car<

You shoul check to make sure the agency is open or if there is a key drop. Just about everything will be closed on the 1st.

PalenQ

And take pictures of car after your return if just a drop box.

PalenQ

There was a recent thread how after returning car rental agency tried to collect for damages that were there when they rented. So yes pictures before and after.

If drop box maybe pop by on morning of 2nd to check everything.

misskdonkey

Thanks Robert and Pal, all checked and ready to go.
I don't do surprises!!

Beecher89

Again thank you Everyone.

At the moment our trip looks like this:
Madrid arrive 20/12
Train to Granada 21-23/12
Bus to Malaga 24-28/12
Train to Cordoba 29-30/12
Train to Seville 31-4/01
Train to Merida 5-6/01
Train to Madrid 7-11/01

We are leaning towards Malaga for Christmas so our Grandaughter (and us can enjoy the decorations!) We will be travelling as a couple except for Malaga.
We will do some day trips from Malaga and Seville.
Thoughts???
Miss Donkey, if you are interested we could swap email addresses and communicate more readily that way? I have made email friends from other travel forums and have been chatting regularly for years now LOL!

kja

Should be good!
Book your tickets for the Alhambra as soon as you can.