To all the experienced Spain travelors, <BR> <BR>My husband and I and our 3 year old son will be vacationing in Spain from Feb 11 - 21, 2000. We are thinking about staying in Madrid for 3 days, in Seville for 3 days and Granada for 3 days. What do you think about this plan? We will take the AVE to Seville from Madrid. How is the flight back to US (via Madrid) from Malaga? How long does it take to take the train or bus from Granada to Malaga? We have been to Madrid before (10 years ago!), but have never been to the southern part. We plan on taking lots of day trips. In reading this forum, the Hotel America in Granada sounds great. We would appreciate any suggestions for Seville and Madrid. <BR> <BR>Regards, <BR>Mach

Mach, <BR> If I were making your trip, I would take away a night from Granada (two days will suffice) and spend that night in Arcos de la Frontera or in Ronda in route from Seville to Granada (if you can do this portion by car). If you do a search on either of those towns, you'll find plenty of information on the advantages of doing the "ruta de los pueblos blancos" or the white hill town route from Seville to Granada. It allows you to see the beautiful Andalusian countryside, and these whitewashed villages perched on hilltops are truly memorable. <BR> The 2 and 1/2 hr. AVE ride from Madrid to Seville will be a treat-comfortable, fast and easy. <BR> You have two options from Malaga to the US. You can either fly to Madrid and connect on a US carrier or the much maligned Iberia or take the Air Europe flight non-stop from Malaga to JFK. Other Fodorites can relate to you their experiences with Iberia from Malaga to Madrid (or do a text search on Iberia-there are very strong opinions out there!) <BR> The train from Granada to Malaga takes takes four hours because it requires a change in Bobadilla. If you go by bus it is quicker, cheaper and easier-there are 14 departures per day (from the bus station on the Carretera de Jaen, 3 km north west of the city center), and the trip takes only 2 1/2 hrs. I much prefer the comfortable bus. <BR> If you could give me an approximate budget for your lodgings in Seville and Madrid, I'd be very happy to e-mail you a list of my recommendations (or you can also do a text search, as there have been numerous suggestions lately regarding hotels in Seville and Madrid). <BR> Happy searching! <BR>

Dear Maribel, <BR> <BR>Thank you for your advice. After leaving Madrid, we want to spend the last 6 days of our trip in Andalucia; however, we don't know what would be the best iternary. We cannot be moving around a lot because of the 3 year old child. All we know is that we want to see the white towns + the Alhambra. Is is possible to see the Alhambra on a long day trip from Seville? That way, we could simply stay put in Seville, and see the different towns, including Ronda and Nerje, on day trips. Also, we would be able to take the AVE back to Madrid to catch our flight back to the US within the same day. Is this too ambitious? Our budget for the hotel is approximately $100/night. We prefer charming old places vs. modern ones. <BR> <BR>Regards, <BR>Mach

Hi Mach, <BR> A day trip to Granada from Malaga is perfectly feasible (I've done it several times) but from Seville it would unfortunately be much too ambitious. How about staying in Seville for 4 days and doing day trips to the white towns and Ronda (but not Nerja because it's simply too far) then drive from Seville to Granada and stay put there for two nights? You could fly from Granada back to Madrid on the morning of day 7 to catch the flight back to the U.S. I believe that Air Europa still has a Mon-Sat flight that departs Granada at 10:15 a.m. (I will check to make sure). The price last year was 10,000 pts., certainly more expensive that the AVE, but more convenient than the overnight Granada-Madrid train. The driving distance from Seville to Granada is 247 km. and should take you about 3 1/2 hrs. <BR> Another option, a more hectic one I think, would be to drive from Seville to Malaga (2 1/2 hrs) and use the Malaga area as your base for 2 days for day excursions to Granada and Nerja (only 52 km. from Malaga) then take a morning flight from Malaga to Madrid the day of your departure for the U.S. (same price on Air Europa). <BR> Hope this hasn't confused you! <BR>

I suggest you only stay 2 nights in Granada and try to stay in the Hotel America. This charming looking hotel puts you within the Alhambra grounds themselves!!! <BR>4 nights in Sevilla is good, but believe me there is so much to see in Sevilla. Try to stay in Las Casas De la Juderia in the Santa Cruz area. The best location <BR>if you want I can email you pics of the hotel in Sevilla <BR>

Mach, Just a note that the Hostal America closes for the season Nov. 8, but I don't know when it reopens again-I believe in March but not sure.

I am planning to fly to Malaga from Paris on April 14th, spend 3 days in Southern Spain, going to Garnada and Cordoba and then take a ferry to Tanger.... <BR> <BR>Can you suggest any hotels in Malaga (about 30 us dollars) also, <BR> <BR>in Garanda and Cordoba, same price. <BR> <BR>finally, do you know if it is possible to bet good fares for one way flights to Paris from either Rabat or Casablanca... then I do not have to come back to Malaga <BR>