Help with Spain Itinerary
 

I am helping my sister with a trip that she just decided to take with her daughter. Leaving April 27...13 days. I recommended that she fly in and out of Madrid and see it for 3 days, then take the AVE to Sevilla for 4 days (with a day trip by bus to Ronda), over to Granada by train for 2 nights, to Cordoba for just the day or spend the night, AVE back to Madrid, next day trip to Toledo on bus or train, then fly out of Madrid.<br /><br />My questions: I saw Cordoba but was with a private group on a bus so we left Granada in the am, spent portion of day in Cordoba, then the AVE to Madrid. What are the best routes to take with the train.....go to Cordoba then to Granada? Are there lockers at train station for luggage so you can stop to see the Mezquita then take afternoon train to Madrid. I think it would probably be best that she stay a night there. Or are busses a better way to go there in Andalusia?<br /><br />Trains. Better to buy a Spain pass for the trip or purchase tickets once there?<br /><br />Reservations - what is needed besides the Alhambra in Granada, Alcazar in Seville?? Certain Flamenco shows?<br /><br />I have been to Spain numerous times over the past 30 years.....I have taken the train, rented car, or private bus. Have taken a public bus to go to certain Pueblo Blancas. I'm just not sure about the connections in Andalusia except for the AVE. Just don't want to steer her wrong so would appreciate some input. TKS. Elaine

This April? I think you might have trouble getting tickets for the Alhambra this late. Train passes almost never make sense in Europe. But you've waited fairly late. I'd be checking train ticket prices NOW. You need to firm things up . The trip also covers May 1st.

An adventure for sure!
 

I guess is she wants to take what ever happens, and has the budget, the go for it.

Reconstruct the route so she can fly into Madrid and home from another city such as Seville. About the same ticket price but saving lots of time and cost of returning to Madrid. The itinerary must be put together by using a multi-destination search function, available at many on-line agencies and airline sites (these flights are not a pair of one-way tickets.

For lots on Spanish trains check Renfe for fares and possible discounted tickets though you are rather late for those - compare prices with the Spain Railpass and yes passes often not economical but if all discounted tickets sold out perhaps as with railpass you can take any train once there by paying the obigatory seat reservation/supplement charge of about $15 per train (one reason a railpass is often not economical)- www.seat61.com has loads of info on booking own train tickets online at renfe site or others if renfe balks as often seems to; general info trains www.ricksteves.com and BETS-European Rail Experts.

for stations with luggage lockers check renfe.com site - larger stations usually have them.

I agree with Southam. Fly open jaw, into Madrid and out of Seville to avoid backtracking to Madrid. You could re-route your itinerary this way:

Madrid, Toledo, Cordoba, Granada, & Seville. This is what we did last September except we also stopped in Malaga.

If the high-speed train tracks to Granada are not completed yet, they can take the ALSA bus from Cordoba to Granada, and then from Granada to Seville. Or if they prefer the train, they will take the train to Antequera, and then switch to the bus. I believe the bus will be there waiting for passengers, so it’s supposed to be an easy transfer.

I also recommend spending at least one night in Cordoba. We were there for 2 nights in September, and loved it.

Last word on Granada high-speed line opening was mid-April but it's been pushed back several times.

Thanks for the comments. This is such late planning as my sister JUST retired with a week's notice....job phased out. But all good. And Daughter has this window that just came open between internship and grad school. They got tickets for Madrid and home from Barcelona. Taking flight from Sevilla to Barcelona. I will help with final route plans once we figure out Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla. Need to get reservations for Alhambra if available, Alcazar, and Sevilla Cathedral.

Do you need reservations for Mezquita ? And in Barcelona I don't remember having them for Gaudi's houses or Sagrada Familia.

They will do hotels Air B&B last once they have some sites reserved. Then train. Looks like May 1 may pose a problem in that some sites will be closed but restaurants should all be open as well as transportation. Elaine

If there are any discounted train tickets available book them ASAP- can always get on trains once there but pay full price which you may have to anyway.

They do not need advance tickets for the Mezquita. But they have to reserve advance tickets for the Alhambra. Unfortunately, there may not be any left at this late date. If website indicates tickets are sold out, your sister should contact her hotel in Granada. They might be able to help. Or they may have to book a tour of the Alhambra, but that may not be available at this late date, either.

When we visited Barcelona in 2010, we did not have advance tickets for any of the Gaudi sites. However, I have been reading on this forum that now many people recommend purchasing advance tickets because the lines are extremely long.

For the Seville Alcazar, we did order tickets the day before we went to the Alcazar because we saw long lines when we walked by. Our tickets were for when it opened, and our line for people who had tickets in hand, and the line for people who needed to buy their tickets were equally as long. I assume our line moved faster.

We did not buy advance tickets for the Seville Cathedral. We arrived there about 30 minutes before it opened. There was a line, but it wasn’t too bad. I think it took us 20 minutes to get through.
Hope this helps.

I can’t imagine providing advice about how to manage this itinerary within the stated time frame – it depends WAY too much on what the travelers want to see and experience, what they are willing to forego, their preferred pace of travel, etc.

What I can do is tell you what times worked for me, as I solo traveler who packs every single moment of every single day I have on the road. Turning to the places you mention in alphabetical order:
· Barcelona: 5 full days, not counting day trips
· Cordoba: 2 full days
· Granada: 2.5 days. Note that seeing only the Alhambra requires a full day, and 2 nights, for most people. And as several others have mentioned, it is not at all clear that you can still arrange to see it.
· Madrid: 4 full days, not counting day trips
· Ronda: 1 day (see more below)
· Sevilla: 3 full days, not counting day trips
· Toledo: more than full days (not enough for me)

Re: Ronda – I’m glad I saw it, but frankly it is NOT in the same league as the other places you mention. And if the travelers do choose to include it, I wouldn’t visit it as a day trip from Sevilla (2.5 hours by bus each way!), but as on overnight between Granada and Sevilla.

Re: Barcelona: By all means, make reservations for the Sagrada Familia, anything else you/seeh/they want to see by Gaudi, and anything by Domènech i Montaner!

One other consideration: Madrid and Barcelona are the two cities on this list that are easiest for international travelers to visit, and so also the easiest to include in a future itinerary. If the plan is to include any part of Andalusia, it might make sense to explore that region as fully as possible, even if it means shortchanging either Madrid or Barcelona or both. And I say that as someone who loved both those cities!

I trust you realize that many things in Spain are closed on Monday, and often for all or part of Sundays too; and many things in Spain will also be closed daily for a very long mid-day break.

Good luck!

Sorry: For Toledo, I meant to say that TWO full days were NOT enough for me.

You don't have to prebook the Sagrada Familia but it's smart to do so.The waiting line for walk ups can be lengthy.

Yes. Very helpful. Today working on those reservations and the train details. EB

Toledo is a good day trip - small enough to see most but as kja says you could stay longer but if you can only do a day trip like I've done go for it. One place I would not cut out though Madrid would be low on my list with all the other towns you have in so little time. Everyone has different criteria - hard to tell what you may like.