Thanks Egbert - in the past few days I've done a lot of investigation into parking in all 3 cities and feel more comfortable with the subject now and it will be a consideration for our choice of accommodation and location. We've spent a lot of time with a car in Italy dealing with ZTL zones and off site parking so our eyes are wide open!

Mainly I've spent the last 3 days looking into our time in Granada which I have totally fallen in love with - good grief I thought 15 days was a good amount of time!

Elizabeth, I highly recommend Casa Morisca, our charming boutique hotel in Granada, which did include parking. #2 on TA. All the other hotels near the Alhambra required you to park in a lot downtown then take a taxi. We normally don't like changing rooms, but when we found out we could get the Mirador room for one night, we grabbed it. It is small and quaint, but has full-on Alhambra views from several windows.

http://www.hotelcasamorisca.com/en/rooms/mirador

We then changed to a deluxe room which had a Juliet balcony and a street view and that was excellent as well. Great location, walking distance to everything and parking right outside (you won't be using your car while in town).

Thanks crosscheck - I'd noted this hotel and will now have a closer look!

> any reason to do it counterclockwise?

Cars run on the right hand-side in Spain. E.g., closer to the sea.

I prefer a round trip. So, if I were you, I would take a route of
Madrid-Sevilla(-Cadiz)-Gibraltar-Malaga-Granada-Cordoba-Toledo-Madrid. I love a great view of the Tajo valley along N-V (via Merida).

Sevilla-Cadiz would be a long drive and a possible long queue for the bridge (similar to Gibraltar). You can take a detour, but I would stay this area at least one night. There are Jerez, Sanlucar, and white villages (e.g., Arcos...) nearby. You can try to drink a Jerez, if you stay.

If you were not a large city lover, it would be worth while to look through these. You do have nights and a car.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Towns_of_Andalusia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpujarras

If you stay in the old quarter of Granada you will have to send the hotel the license plate number of your rental car so that you will be allowed to enter the area. There are automatic barricades set up to restrict traffic to residents, taxis and city buses.

MALAGA SUCKS! I'm sorry but this city is not worth 3 days of your time. It's completely invaded by annoying British tourists and has very little to offer. Yes there are some cool historical sights but not worth 3 days, they have a ginormous disbanded gypsy population there which makes it a little dangerous. I was there for a day and no longer, not worth your time or money. I lived in Sevilla for 5 months, stay a week or longer if you can. Granada and Cordoba are excellent trips from there that cannot be afforded to miss!!

All the other hotels near the Alhambra required you to park in a lot downtown then take a taxi. >>

When we stayed there a few years ago, the Hotel Guadolupe, which is right opposite the Alhambra main entrance, provided us with discounted parking in the Alhambra car park, which is huge.

Catalina - i agree with others here that I'd like to spend more time in Malaga but then perhaps, being annoying British tourist myself, that is only to be expected.

Málaga Sucks? I don't think it's indicative. Actually, Málaga is quite nice, but I can't say the same about you or your position.

Huge difference between three thousand years old and genuine Malaga city itself and the tourist destinations west of the city.

A few of my Malaga favourite places right in the heart of the city.
The old Atarazanas food market: http://www.sarahmelamed.com/2012/11/...overed-market/

Casa Aranda, perhaps my favourite cafe I've in all of Spain after nearly 30 years of intensive travel in the country: http://www.casa-aranda.net/

The nights at El Pimpi, an instituion in town: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzLkFsVJdhc

Traditional restaurants such as El Cortjo de Pepe and Azahar. Very relaxed, very affordale and very serious about their food:
http://cortijodepepe.com/el-local.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=--IKmr0JXUo

And you have of course all the sights and museums. I also very much recommend the area a little outside the city center towards the Plaza da la Victoria area and up C/ Cristo de a Epidemia with lots of great and local atmosphere bars, cafe/terraces and restaurants.

Wot, no fishn'chips, Kimhe?

annhig,

Well, perhaps a cod croquette here and there, and you always have the cod "capirote" at Nerva. With some patatas bravas this might do the trick :-) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nxFN3wZKFWI

are those bread rolls, kimhe? with various fillings?

I love the faces on them!

annhig,

yes, the bread rolls made to look like the guys in the cofradias/brotherhoods during Semana Santa with their characteristic capirotes (nothing at all to do with the KKK, rather quite the opposite): http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capirote

oh yes, of course, THAT'S what they are!

If you spend 7 weeks in Spain and Portugal, you could spend a bit more in Andalucia. At least 5 days more. I think. It's incredibly beautiful and you shouldn't minimize the time.

I'd honestly like to spend 3 weeks in Andalucia and the rest in the rest of Spain and then probably 7-10 days in Portugal max.

I also love Malaga, but then again I am one of those nasty Brits. It certainly isn't overrun by tourists and there are some parts rarely touched by tourists. I do dislike Gibraltar immensely especially when there are other places much more worthy of a visit.

Hi Elizabeth,

We traveled to Portugal in fall of 2013 and had a wonderful time. Oh, the food! Prawns as big as your arm!

I also spent quite a bit of time in Spain (semester during college, a month 5 years ago) and love it there. I know you'll have an incredible time. I'll go back thru your thread and see if I have any information you might find of use.

I actually came to this thread because I came across your old visit to Africa blog via this post:
http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...aserengeti.cfm

I felt a little odd writing you out of the blue but was curious if you still had the guide information for Felix. I don't want to hijack your thread, so will be asking for this information on the Tanzania board if you'd care to reply.

Happy Traveling and Thank you!

Here is my post. Thank you!

http://www.fodors.com/community/afri...th-vehicle.cfm

I'll reply on Africa thread.

Bookmarking -- thanks Elizabeth_S