MKT

We will be in Spain the 1st 2 weeks of September

After 4 inights n Madrid, we will be doing the following
Train to Sevilla, stopping in Cordoba for the day
Sevilla -- 4 nights
Rent car and drive to Ronda for 2 nights
Drive to Granada 2 nights
Train back to Madrid 2 nights

What day trips should we do while we are in Sevilla, Ronda and Granada?
I'm thinking it might be nice to go to Jerez to visit wineries. Would that be best from Sevilla or Ronda? We will be staying in Hotel La Fuente de la Higuera outside of Ronda.

Also, what would our best driving route be from Sevilla to Ronda and then Ronda to Granada? It doesn't have to be the fastest route -- scenic is good!

Any input would be appeciated.

aliced

We are including your itinerary in our April trip-- also from Madrid through Cordoba to Seville for 3 nights, then we will rent car and drive to Jerez for one night, head past Arcos (lunch?) to Ronda for one night, then to Granada for two. We considered driving directly from Seville on the major highways to Granada first, then meandering westerly back towards Seville through the white towns, but it seems Malaga or Granada the more logical departure city. As we only have a night in Jerez (and it appears we'll miss the equestrian show) and one in Ronda, we just hope to capture the flavor of the white towns and enjoy! I will follow up on your post and see what suggestions you receive. Enjoy your trip!

Cowboy1968

The direct route from Sevilla to Ronda takes 2 hours (calculated), more like 2.5 hours in reality (w/o any stops).
How much time on top would you be willing to spend to include scenic stops? Or what would be the time you plan to start from Sevilla, and at what time would you like to arrive in Ronda the lastest?

Since you mentioned Jerez... If you want to visit the cellars (have not done yet, cannot say if it's "worth" the time), you can take a straight shot south on AP-4 from Sevilla. The plains between Sevilla and the Sierras are not that scenic, so IMO you can take the faster (tolled) motorway as well.
After visiting the cellars, go east via A-382 to Arcos de la Frontera (very scenic old town), further east via A-372 and El Bosque and Grazalema to Ronda. Between El Bosque and Grazalema, Ubrique could be a worthwhile short detour.

If I had more time, I would probably veer off much more to the south (and skip Jerez), i.e. go from Arcos to Medina-Sidonia, Jimena de la Frontera, Gaucin. From Gaucin, A-369 would be a straight (well, rather curved) mountain road to Ronda. Near Atajate, you could drive down into the valley and follow a small road thru the natural park Los Alcornocales with its impressive forests of cork oaks. The cork gets harvested in this area, and at many places you find leftovers from that process, so it's a good place to get a new set of 100% organic coasters for free

Nevertheless, I would say that the latter tour takes up easily 5 hours from Sevilla, w/o much time calculated for stops and lunch. So probably a bit too much, and too much zig-zag on your way to Ronda.

bardo1

Seville:
A day trip to Jerez is much, MUCH quicker from Seville than from Ronda since there is a HIGHWAY to get you there (Seville is also closer to Jerez, even without the twisty 2-lane mountain road issue you would face if attempting to see Jerez from Ronda). This one day trip from Seville is more than enough as Seville has so much to see and do.

Day trip from Ronda:
Grazalema is about 45 minute drive from Ronda (although there's enough to see in Ronda itself to occupy two full days) http://www.andalucia.com/province/ca...alema/home.htm

On route from Ronda to Granada, stop here (and bring a picnic):
http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm

Day trip from Granada:
Las Alpujarras - a MUST! (We visited Pampaneira, Bubion, and Capileira - each about a mile apart from the other).
http://www.andalucia.com/villages/alpujarras.htm

bardo1

Oh, regarding the drive from Seville to Ronda:

Arcos de la Frontera is a good stop. and then picking up A-372 to take you to Ronda. A-372 is spectacular, but SLOW (especially at the mountaintops where you slow to 10-20 MPH to take the mountaintop curves but it is VERY scenic). A-372 will also pass through Grazelema.

If you start this trip from Seville in the EARLY MORNING and make plans to arrive in Ronda a few hours before sunset, you have a good shot at not driving the mountain roads in the dark.

A-372 takes much longer than staying on the highway even though it may appear to be shorter on a map, but if slow and scenic is OK, then plan ahead and go for it.

CathyM

If you do a daytrip from Sevilla to Jerez you really don't need a rental car. There are frequent buses and trains.

I'd turn the rental car in on arrival in Granada. With only 2 days in Granada I don't see how you'll realistically have time for a daytrip. There's plenty to see in Granada in 2 days.

kimhe

I will highly recommend the local flamenco festival in Móron de la Frontera from the 7th to the 10th of September. Morón is half-way between Sevilla and Ronda. The town is rich in flamenco history, and this years festival attracts several top artists. "And the very setting itself plays a main role, since the offer includes visits to enclaves rich in history and monuments, natural reserves, oil mills, wineries, country estates, ranches and meadows.": http://www.flamenco-world.com/notici...a21072011.html
http://www.flamencoenlafrontera.com/index.php?lang=en

I've seen many of these artists live. One of them is the most famous local artists these days, the brilliant young guitarist Dani de Móron. Here from a concert in the wonderful Lope de Vega thater in Sevilla in May. http://www.flamencotv.es/es/componen...n-his-own.html

On the 8th he plays together with Alfredo Lagos. When they did this concert in Sevilla in May, they were accompanied by Pastora Galván (Sevilla) who was voted best female flamenco dancer for 2010 by Spanish critics.

About Morón de la Frontera: http://www.andalucia.com/province/sevilla/moron.htm