First Trip to Spain - Intial planning question
 

This is a pre-planning stage question for an relatively far off trip to Spain (May 2011). We will have about 22 days (the long travel days of getting there and back to Canada are not part of the days, we'll add a day on either end). With that time frame in mind, I am trying to figure out a good itinerary. We prefer to stay in one place for at least 3-4 nights, and are hoping to visit Madrid, Marbella, Valencia, Granada, Seville, and Majorca - the focus on this trip is to explore Southern Spain. After some initial reading on some areas, I would prefer to avoid staying in the resort type of areas. Is this possible given most of the places we would like to go? Any other suggestions for a home base?
Thank you!!!

The resorts mainly flank Malaga (though Malaga itself is a lovely city), so no worries there. And you don't need a home base, just move every 3-4 days like you said.
The best way to go about your planning is to pick up a good guide book (I like Rough Guide) and then make a list like this:
Madrid 4 days
Sevilla 3 days
Granada
and so on. The gems of southern Spain are smaller towns, so make sure to balance out the grand cities with some of that.
I would not bother with Valencia or Majorca, and would instead thoroughly explore Andalucia. Even with 22 days, there are things you will miss just in that region.
Good Luck!

I agree - Valencia and Majorca are outlyers. May is an incredible time to visit. Many cities (and villages) will be having their spring Feria, the Patio festival in Cordoba (I'd spend at least a night or 2 in Cordoba if you attend during the festival), May crosses festival, etc...

My favorite guides specific to Andalucia are Rough Guide and Footprint. Lonely planet has a good one too. I always start with a "wish list" of places I want to visit, writing them down as I'm reading. Then I usually have a list that's way too long so I go back and read just the section on the city, determining if it's still in my "list". If so, then I add a comment on if it's a potential daytrip or a base city (then for how long) and give it an "A", "B" or "C". Finally I photocopy a map and start highlighting all the places I still have on my wish list, circling the daytrip places. I look for outlyers and unless it's somewhere that is an "A" or "B" I eliminate. At this point I then go back and see how many days I have if I visited all the places on my list. If it's too many, which usually it is, I keep whittling down until I have a trip that fits my pace without giving up too much on my "list'.

I'd definately consider some of these places that are a little off the main tourist track: Antequera, Osuna, Ecija, Ubeda/Baeza, Priego de Cordoba, Sanlucar, .......

CathyM and yorkshire - thanks, these are great tips!

When we visit Spain we found 7 day rentals through places like VRBO the most budget friendly. To throw my two cents in..
7 days in Madrid/ Toledo
7 Days in Granada/Cordoba
7 days in Portugal(my adlib I know) with a 1 nighter in Seville on the way
imo-forget Majorca

I back the suggestions to focus only on wonderful Andalucía in the South of Spain. Michael Jacobs' "Andalucía" is an excellent introduction that definitely will add dimensions to the trip: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Andalucia-Pa.../dp/1873429789

A couple of suggestions (besides great cities such as Sevilla, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada):

Visit the ruins of Medinat al-Zahra just outside Córdoba. This once paradice-like palace was meant to be the administrative center of the Córdoba caliphate, but was destroyed in 1010 as a result of violent power struggle shortly after it was built. Excavations started in the beginning of the 20th century.
http://www.andalucia.com/magazine/en...d4/madinat.htm

Drive up to the top of El Torcal, the unique and spectacular limestone rock formations just north of Málaga. On a clear day you can see the African coastline. Several walking tracks, from short and easy to longer and more difficult. http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm

El Torcal is just outside the city Antequera (pop. 40 000). Known as the "heart of Andalucía" with its 5000 years old dolmens, newly excavated Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and baroque bell towers. Antequera was the first of the Granada emirate towns to fall to the Christians in 1410.
http://www.andaluciacoastandcountry.com/antequera.html

You might want to check out the Alpujarras mountain region south of Granada. Would be a fanatastic time of year to take in the peace and quiet and the beautiful landscape: http://www.rusticblue.com/las_alpujarras.htm

If you are up for some beachtime, I suggest you visit Cádiz with some of the best beaches in Spain: http://www.justspain.org/spain/cadiz/cadiz-beaches.asp

I also like Nerja (pop 20 000) on the coast close to Málaga city and some 90 mins from Granada. Nerja has got all the amenities that goes with being popular with tourists, but it also remains an Andalusian town with lots of charm and character. Close to the spectacular Nerja Caves.
http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/nerja-caves/

And finally, when in Sevilla, I recommend you to experience real deal flamenco at very intimate Casa de La Memória in the midst of barrio de Santa Cruz. Performances every night with some of the most talented, up and coming artists. Sometimes some of the best in the world perform here such as Pastora Galván, Rafael Campallo, Adela Campallo, La Choni etc.
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/ShowUse...Andalusia.html

Sevilla also has got one the best tapas scenes in all of Spain. This site is excellent: http://azahar-sevilla.com/sevilletapas/category/eslava/

And if you fly in and out of Madrid, no need to rush. A great city with world class museums and fabolous atmosphere!

You could easily spend 22 days in any one of those places, so you are going to have to be selective. Plus remember that people always talk about the cities but they are the least of it: it's the hundreds of villages, mountains, valleys, forests, lakes and coastline that are the best bits of Spain (or anywhere IMHO).

Kimhe makes some great suggestions. I would add that a couple of days is enough for either Madrid (unless you just want to spend your holiday in museums and art galleries)and Valencia (where there is some great architecture, but still it's just a city).

Unless you're going for the beaches, shops and nightlife, I would skip Marbella. Granada of course is a must for the Alhambra. That will take you a full day, and then you can easily throw in another day for a few other things like the Arab Baths, the cathedral, the corral de carbon and the Tableros bridge.

The countryside of Andalucia could occupy you for a lifetime. In addition to Kimhe's ideas, what about the Tajo bridge in Ronda, Cueva de Gatos nearby, Castle of the Eagles near Gaucin (www.littlehotelsofspain.co.uk/articlegaucin.php ), the cave houses in Guadix, the Sierra Grazalema, Cabo de Gata, etc, etc, etc.All of these locations are in the eastern half of the region so they cut down travel a bit.

I'm not sure why people have dismissed Mallorca: it's a beautiful island. Try driving along the north coast to wards Formentor and pop in to a few of the little villages and coves en route. Or go walking in the Tramuntana mountains. Or see the incredibly picturesque calas on the east coast (maybe a day charter on a yacht: www.littlehotels-balearics.co.uk/vitabel.php ). And more besides.

Wow - these are some great suggestions...exactly what I was hoping for. I'll do some more research and then decide on an itinerary. Thanks so much!!!