toledodd

thank you

toledodd

where is your village?

Bedar

Bedar, in the mountains above Mojacar, the Province of Almeria. My husband got there in the early 60s; I came along in 1970 when #1 and I left the Costa del Sol.

sandralist

I don't know if you will find this response "interesting," but the Alhambra is one of the most important sites of history and architecture in EUROPE, not just Spain. The amount innovation in the architecture and gardens (water conservation) and its importance as center of Islamic high culture within Europe really cannot be overstated -- especially now, as the long history of relations between Islamic, Christian and Jewish peoples takes a new turn, and lives of North Africans, Middle-Easterners and Europeans are once again revealed to be enmeshed, and the entire Mediterranean bowl is turned into a stage of renewed life-and-death drama. The Alhambra is not some isolated tourist relic of the past.

If you visit the Alhambra interiors at night it is quite a serene place, but I think it is also of great interest to see the gardens in the daylight.

Cordoba also has tremendous importance to the culture of Europe, and is a place of stunning, revelatory beauty.

I would suggest you economize someplace else in your travels and give yourself an optimal experience as possible of both the Alhambra and Cordoba. I would think you can easily make up the cost of parking etc. with some minor economies in your European or other trips.

annhig

as i look into the logistics on staying in granada and having a day & night visit to the alhambra, the costs are adding up - parking for 2 days (needed for 1 night lodging) would be over 30 euro, entrance fees would be about 24 euro each and about 100+ euro for a room>>

we stayed in the Hotel Guadalupe right opposite the Alhambra and they get a discount on parking in the huge par park opposite, which might help. Also it was quite reasonably priced - €60 a night, for a large room, though this was a few years ago.

I've recommended it to quite a few here and had no complaints so far.

[I don't know your dates but booking.com are showing 2 nights there in April for €135 which seems pretty reasonable.]

I do appreciate what you say about budgetary constraints but this truly is one of the great sights of European history; it would be a shame to sell it short. I find I rarely regret the things I do, but often regret the things I didn't do.

Sassafrass

Don't know where you are from or your priorities. Do know that I finally realized that I spent lots of money, sometimes thousands, to get places, then, because they cost a few bucks, cheated myself out of experiences I would never have the opportunity to do again. I have regretted that a number of times.

If need be, I shorten the trip time and expense of hotel stays to pay for other things. I cut a day from Turkey so we could afford a hot air balloon flight in Cappadocia.

I do realize it is all personal because I wouldn't cut anything to have a Michelin starred meal, but would live on bread and water to see a site like Ephesus or Agregento or the Alhambra. I am happy with a decent sandwich while friends plan entire trips around great food and wine. Anything Disney is hell for me, but most of my family love it. So, if it seems important to you, make a way to do it. If it isn't important, then don't go, and feel no guilt about your decision.

kja

@ Sassafrass -- that's a mistake I was "fortunate" to make on my very first trip abroad. Never again! Like you, I've made it a point to do whatever it takes to find a way to see certain things that are, for me, a priority.

@ toledodd -- I think Sassafrass has summed it up well: "if it seems important to you, make a way to do it. If it isn't important, then don't go, and feel no guilt about your decision."

toledodd

thank you so much for the many thoughtful comments. i was never planning to skip the major sites in granada or cordoba, just wondering how much time to plan and the logistics. my wife and i still laugh when we think about how we passed up a club in athens in 1970 - back at our hotel we realized that we didn't go because of the cover $.25. today things are much more expensive and how many tours of sites do you really need at $50-75 each? thanks again.

dutyfree

We just did this trip this past Christmas vacation.We flew into Malaga and spent three days then took our rental car and stopped at Ronda on the way to Seville. We stayed there for four days before heading off to Cordoba for one night and then several nights in Granada before returning to Malaga.
Although we loved all the cities-our favs were Seville,Granada and Malaga for history,museums,food and culture.Cordoba was worth the stop but I would definitely put Granada above it.

annhig

I agree with duty-free - there is something about these cities that cannot be replicated elsewhere. and with a month, you can probably arrange things so that you can enjoy some time there without breaking the bank.

[and the tapas in Granada are free! - or they were when we were there a few years ago]

annhig

[I don't mean to mislead you - if you sit down in a bar and order some tapas or racciones from a menu you will have to pay, but if you are in a bar drinking, they will provide a free tapas with every drink]