Granada and Seville
Jun 3rd, 2003 | 10:16 AM
#1
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Granada and Seville
We are planning our honeymoon for mid-September. The plan is to rent a car in Malaga and drive through Andalucia making stops at Nerja, Granada, Seville, Arcos, Ronda and finally Malaga.
1. Any advice on hotels in Granda - we are choosing between the Casa del Capitel Nazari and the Casa Morisca.
2. Also, our plan was to stay five nights in Seville and several people have suggested that this may be too long. All our other stops are two nights (except for Malaga - 1 night only). Any thoughts on whether five nights is too long?
1. Any advice on hotels in Granda - we are choosing between the Casa del Capitel Nazari and the Casa Morisca.
2. Also, our plan was to stay five nights in Seville and several people have suggested that this may be too long. All our other stops are two nights (except for Malaga - 1 night only). Any thoughts on whether five nights is too long?
Jun 3rd, 2003 | 10:27 AM
#2
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 539
Likes: 0
Mimy,
We just got back from our first trip to Seville several weeks ago. We spent three nights there. Unless you really like to see a town in depth we felt that we enjoyed most of the sights in the 5days/3nights. We stayed at the Hotel Amadeus and it was wonderful! Most of the sights of Seville are within walking distance from this Hotel if you enjoy walking. There are many winding streets in this area and great tapas! Enjoy Seville it is wonderful! As a rule of thumb for us, 5 nights are just too many if we want to see several cities during a trip. I would rather take another return trip to the city and see more later.
We just got back from our first trip to Seville several weeks ago. We spent three nights there. Unless you really like to see a town in depth we felt that we enjoyed most of the sights in the 5days/3nights. We stayed at the Hotel Amadeus and it was wonderful! Most of the sights of Seville are within walking distance from this Hotel if you enjoy walking. There are many winding streets in this area and great tapas! Enjoy Seville it is wonderful! As a rule of thumb for us, 5 nights are just too many if we want to see several cities during a trip. I would rather take another return trip to the city and see more later.
Jun 4th, 2003 | 04:52 AM
#3
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 0
We also honeymooned in Andalucia in September (of 2000). It's a great time to be in Spain -- it's warm, but not unbearably hot and the crowds have subsided somewhat.
I also think 5 nights in Seville may be too much. Although, you might think about a day trip to Cordoba from Seville(or even spending a night there at the Amistad).
I'm not sure I'd spend a night in Malaga. Not much to see there as far as we could tell. Some like the older part of Marbella, but that town wasn't to our taste, either.
Ronda is quite small and you will see it all in a day. Unless you plan to arrive late one day, spend the night, see the town the next day and leave the morning after, I might cut it to one night. We did a day trip and felt we'd covered it all.
If it helps, here was our itinerary (as best I can remember it):
1. Arrive Madrid, transfer to Malaga. Rent car at Malaga airport (tip: be sure to inspect car carefully and note any damage. We were charged for damage we're not sure happened during our rental).
2. Drive to Las Dunas resort in Estepona (just east of Marbella). Beginning at a resort was WONDERFUL to de-stress from the wedding. I highly recommend Las Dunas. Three nights there.
3. Day trip to Ronda from Las Dunas.
4. Drive to Granada. Can't remember our hotel, but it was in the middle of town. We loved Granada -- it has a nice nightlife, we enjoyed the people, saw their annual saint's festival (it was Mary, but I can't remember the name of the festival). The Alhambra and Albacin are magical. We saw flyers for a "bus tour" of the Alhambra in our hotel. I think it was about $20 and included round-trip bus ride to Alhambra (we didn't even ride back -- just walked), entrance to Alhambra (getting advance tix or doing a tour can be important during peak times) and a guide. The guide was well worth the extra expense. 3 nights in Granada.
5. Drive to Cordoba. 2 nights in Cordoba. We stayed at the Cordoba Melia. Don't stay here. It isn't awful, but it caters to businesspeople and tour buses. Nothing to write home about and not even in the historic district. The Amistad looked nice and is well-located. The Mezquita is not to be missed. We also enjoyed a flamenco show in Cordoba.
6. Drive to Seville. 3 nights in Seville at Casa Imperial. Casa Imperial is lovely -- built in the hacienda style and each room is different. The only drawback is that it isn't as well-located as others that are recommended on this site. We still managed to walk almost everywhere -- took a cab to a restaurant one evening. Seville is beautiful, wonderful dining, great shopping. We got food poisoning in Seville, though, and I'm sure that colors our perceptions of our visit (and what a way to declare an end to the honeymoon, but to be very sick . . . together!).
Anyway, I hope this helps somewhat. Maribel on this site is very knowledgable about Spain and can give great advice. Olga, too.
Enjoy and best wishes for many years of happiness!
I also think 5 nights in Seville may be too much. Although, you might think about a day trip to Cordoba from Seville(or even spending a night there at the Amistad).
I'm not sure I'd spend a night in Malaga. Not much to see there as far as we could tell. Some like the older part of Marbella, but that town wasn't to our taste, either.
Ronda is quite small and you will see it all in a day. Unless you plan to arrive late one day, spend the night, see the town the next day and leave the morning after, I might cut it to one night. We did a day trip and felt we'd covered it all.
If it helps, here was our itinerary (as best I can remember it):
1. Arrive Madrid, transfer to Malaga. Rent car at Malaga airport (tip: be sure to inspect car carefully and note any damage. We were charged for damage we're not sure happened during our rental).
2. Drive to Las Dunas resort in Estepona (just east of Marbella). Beginning at a resort was WONDERFUL to de-stress from the wedding. I highly recommend Las Dunas. Three nights there.
3. Day trip to Ronda from Las Dunas.
4. Drive to Granada. Can't remember our hotel, but it was in the middle of town. We loved Granada -- it has a nice nightlife, we enjoyed the people, saw their annual saint's festival (it was Mary, but I can't remember the name of the festival). The Alhambra and Albacin are magical. We saw flyers for a "bus tour" of the Alhambra in our hotel. I think it was about $20 and included round-trip bus ride to Alhambra (we didn't even ride back -- just walked), entrance to Alhambra (getting advance tix or doing a tour can be important during peak times) and a guide. The guide was well worth the extra expense. 3 nights in Granada.
5. Drive to Cordoba. 2 nights in Cordoba. We stayed at the Cordoba Melia. Don't stay here. It isn't awful, but it caters to businesspeople and tour buses. Nothing to write home about and not even in the historic district. The Amistad looked nice and is well-located. The Mezquita is not to be missed. We also enjoyed a flamenco show in Cordoba.
6. Drive to Seville. 3 nights in Seville at Casa Imperial. Casa Imperial is lovely -- built in the hacienda style and each room is different. The only drawback is that it isn't as well-located as others that are recommended on this site. We still managed to walk almost everywhere -- took a cab to a restaurant one evening. Seville is beautiful, wonderful dining, great shopping. We got food poisoning in Seville, though, and I'm sure that colors our perceptions of our visit (and what a way to declare an end to the honeymoon, but to be very sick . . . together!).
Anyway, I hope this helps somewhat. Maribel on this site is very knowledgable about Spain and can give great advice. Olga, too.
Enjoy and best wishes for many years of happiness!
Jun 4th, 2003 | 01:22 PM
#5
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 8,662
Likes: 0
mimy,
I think aj and Lisa have given you very good advice.
For a honeymoon trip, you might take away a night from Sevilla (although I personally never, ever have enough time there) and stay 1 night in Córdoba, but at the NH Amistad. After having just done just a day trip to Córdoba, I wish we had been able to spend the night to enjoy the city without the tremendous crowds. There were so intense, we finally took refuge at El Caballo Rojo for a long, leisurely lunch to sit the worst of it out. We arrived at exactly the wrong time, 11 a.m.
But I would actually do 2 nights in Ronda to be able to explore more in depth the truly gorgeous scenery of the Serranía and the adorable white towns. Grazalema and Zahara are my favorites, but there are so many, each with its own distinct personality. We just had 2 nights there (at the Parador but we love the San Gabriel and #9 is a nice suite) and still talk about the wonderful drives we took, particularly down the A 369 through Benalauria (fabulous lunch at the rustic but charming Mesón la Molienda), Algatocín, Benarraba, Gaucín (WOW, the views!), Casares to the coast right below Estepona. One of the south's great, great tours.
I haven't seen the 2 new Albaicín area hotels yet. Unfortunately they weren't an option when we last tried to stay there. A car and the Albaicín is tough.
They've been written up a lot lately, particularly in the British travel press, and the Casa del Capitel Nazarí has received a nice review here. The Casa Morisca is the smaller of the 2 with just 14 rooms, some with Alhambra views. It received a nice write up in my Dec. Passport newsletter. Here's their scoop:
They liked suite #8, "a veritable museum piece with an impressive original painted ceiling and all the up-to-date conveniences, including Jacuzzi tub and hydromassage showers. The tower room, #15, though a little cramped, has panoramic views of the Alhambra; room #14 also offers excellent views and has splendid Moroccan-style blue painted ceilings. Whichever you choose, insist on a room with a view. Like most of the other hotels in the area, the layout of the original structure allow for little in the way of public areas (except for courtyard with trickling fountain)...breakfast room is cleverly located in a barel vault in the basement".
Sounds like you really want to experience the Albaicín, but there's also the new AC Palacio de Santa Paula downtown on the Gran Via, which has received lots of kudos.
As for Málaga, the city will necessarily change and constantly improve, I think, when the new Picasso museum opens in Oct. I haven't been for a while, but it's a large and very busy capital city-doesn't have Seville's charm or romantic spell, but you probably just want it for the night before your flight back? I would suggest for you to be high above the congestion on the hill at the Parador Gibralfaro, next to the Alcazaba for more romance and beautiful views. It also has a pool.
Hope this gives you a few more ideas.
I think aj and Lisa have given you very good advice.
For a honeymoon trip, you might take away a night from Sevilla (although I personally never, ever have enough time there) and stay 1 night in Córdoba, but at the NH Amistad. After having just done just a day trip to Córdoba, I wish we had been able to spend the night to enjoy the city without the tremendous crowds. There were so intense, we finally took refuge at El Caballo Rojo for a long, leisurely lunch to sit the worst of it out. We arrived at exactly the wrong time, 11 a.m.
But I would actually do 2 nights in Ronda to be able to explore more in depth the truly gorgeous scenery of the Serranía and the adorable white towns. Grazalema and Zahara are my favorites, but there are so many, each with its own distinct personality. We just had 2 nights there (at the Parador but we love the San Gabriel and #9 is a nice suite) and still talk about the wonderful drives we took, particularly down the A 369 through Benalauria (fabulous lunch at the rustic but charming Mesón la Molienda), Algatocín, Benarraba, Gaucín (WOW, the views!), Casares to the coast right below Estepona. One of the south's great, great tours.
I haven't seen the 2 new Albaicín area hotels yet. Unfortunately they weren't an option when we last tried to stay there. A car and the Albaicín is tough.
They've been written up a lot lately, particularly in the British travel press, and the Casa del Capitel Nazarí has received a nice review here. The Casa Morisca is the smaller of the 2 with just 14 rooms, some with Alhambra views. It received a nice write up in my Dec. Passport newsletter. Here's their scoop:
They liked suite #8, "a veritable museum piece with an impressive original painted ceiling and all the up-to-date conveniences, including Jacuzzi tub and hydromassage showers. The tower room, #15, though a little cramped, has panoramic views of the Alhambra; room #14 also offers excellent views and has splendid Moroccan-style blue painted ceilings. Whichever you choose, insist on a room with a view. Like most of the other hotels in the area, the layout of the original structure allow for little in the way of public areas (except for courtyard with trickling fountain)...breakfast room is cleverly located in a barel vault in the basement".
Sounds like you really want to experience the Albaicín, but there's also the new AC Palacio de Santa Paula downtown on the Gran Via, which has received lots of kudos.
As for Málaga, the city will necessarily change and constantly improve, I think, when the new Picasso museum opens in Oct. I haven't been for a while, but it's a large and very busy capital city-doesn't have Seville's charm or romantic spell, but you probably just want it for the night before your flight back? I would suggest for you to be high above the congestion on the hill at the Parador Gibralfaro, next to the Alcazaba for more romance and beautiful views. It also has a pool.
Hope this gives you a few more ideas.
Jun 5th, 2003 | 05:37 AM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Thank you all so much for your advice! We ended up booking at the Capitel Nazari (they suggested we park the car in a public lot downtown -- hopefully this is a safe alternative--any thoughts?).
We are trying to stay two nights at the parador in Ronda but have been unable to get the second night's booking. They suggest we keep trying in the event of cancellation - has this actually worked for anyone? We will keep the San Gabriel in mind as an alternative for the second night (or the full two nights as I would prefer not to move every night).
Also, thank you Maribel for your suggestion to stay at the parador in Malaga.
As for Seville (staying at the Casa de la Juderia), we are still undecided on the length of our stay. I have heard so many wonderful things about the city that I hesitate to shorten our stay. Our thought is that we will have a car and can take day trips outside the city if we choose. Although an overnight in Cordoba is also very enticing....
Again, thank you to all for your helpful suggestions. I welcome more!
We are trying to stay two nights at the parador in Ronda but have been unable to get the second night's booking. They suggest we keep trying in the event of cancellation - has this actually worked for anyone? We will keep the San Gabriel in mind as an alternative for the second night (or the full two nights as I would prefer not to move every night).
Also, thank you Maribel for your suggestion to stay at the parador in Malaga.
As for Seville (staying at the Casa de la Juderia), we are still undecided on the length of our stay. I have heard so many wonderful things about the city that I hesitate to shorten our stay. Our thought is that we will have a car and can take day trips outside the city if we choose. Although an overnight in Cordoba is also very enticing....
Again, thank you to all for your helpful suggestions. I welcome more!
