historyandhiking

I have few questions about a coming trip to Spain for 2 adults and 3 teenage children.

Intinerary. Right now we are visiting the big sites, but I’d like to substitute/build in at least one smaller village or beach stay to break all the city travel. We currently planning on doing all travel by train (or maybe bus if it makes sense). Can rent a car for a day or two if it can fit 5 people and doesn't take too much time.

Our interests:

* like hiking, swimming, wandering around
* looking for blend of sights in cities and quieter hiking or beach time in smaller town or beach
* want to minimize transport time since we are doing a lot already
* kids are active and can only view a limited number of sights

Current itinerary:

Barcelona (4 days) to
Seville (3 days) to
break from cities for 2 days (White Hills towns? Cadiz? Where else can we get that is convenient)
To Granada (2 days) to
Toledo(afternoon) to
Segovia (2 days) and then home from Madrid.

Any advice on the itinerary (including order of visits/cities to cut out/etc) is welcome.

Thanks for the help.

scrb

Well Granada is between Barcelona and Seville so it might make more sense to go to Granada first and then Seville.

Granada has a small-town feel. It is a big city but not as big as Barcelona and Sevilla.

There's also Cordoba too, between Granada and Sevilla.

If you go through Madrid at all, you could go through Cordoba between Sevilla and Madrid. But you have enough cities on your list already.

Ronda is suppose to be nice. Didn't make it there myself, but there are suppose to be other white villages around. Would probably need a car to hit the smaller towns but it seems they charge you a lot if you try to rent a day or two. Seems they charge you the weekly rate.

kimhe

I suggest Antequera (pop. 40 000) on the road between Granada and Sevilla. Known as the "heart of Andalucía" with its dolmens, 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

Just outside Antequera: great hiking in the spectacular El Torcal Park Nature Reserve:
http://www.andalucia.com/antequera/torcal/home.htm

The nearby wolf park might also be fun/interesting: http://www.lobopark.com/en

A modern Parador with large swimming-pool on the outskirts of town:
http://www.booking.com/hotels/hotel/...324937212c0052

NanBug

I would stop in Ronda -- an easy 2 hour bus ride from Seville, and 2.5 hours by train to Granada. Lovely little town with very inexpensive lodging options. Don't miss the Arab baths.

I would also daytrip or stop in Cordoba. Enough to fill a couple of days, but most folks daytrip from Seville. We stayed 2 nights and felt we didn't see it all. The ruins at Madinat al-Zahra are fascinating and accessible by bus (get tix at tourist office) from town.

I think you're short changing Toledo. Too much to see for just an afternoon.

You will have a great time, it's an incredible place.

historyandhiking

THanks for the wonderful suggestions. Any suggestions on public transport from Seville to Atequera to Granada or would that take a car?

and thanks for the Rondo suggestion as well. I will investigate both.

Egbert

You don't say when you're going. Andalucia is painfully hot in July and aug. If you want the beach I would recommend Cadiz area as the beaches are much nicer than on the Med. The kids might get restless in Cordoba as the mosque is the main attraction. I like kimhe's suggestion of Antequera as it's off the beaten tourist path. Ronda is good if you want to view the gorge from the bridge, after that the kids might get bored although tours of the bullrings are always cool, especially for boys.

kimhe

Fifteen trains daily between Sevilla and Antequera (1h 40mins) and nine between Antequera and Granada (1h. 30min).
http://www.renfe.es/horarios/english/index.html

Four buses daily between Sevilla (Prado de San Sebastián station) and Antequera (2h 30min) and five between Antequera and Granada (1h 30min). Both lines are operated by Alsina Graells.
http://www.movelia.es/transicion_alsinanor/venta.htm#

historyandhiking

We're headed to Spain last two weeks in June (so hoping it is not quite so hot). And the 16 and 14 year old are boys would love a bull ring(the girl is a vegetarian so wouldn't dream of seeing a bull fight....).

Thanks so for all the great advice.

Egbert

Perfect time of year. to minimize travel time skip Barcelona.

joannyc

Another vote for Ronda! Loved it! And, you can horseback ride down the gorge!

amsdon

I don't think you will enjoy packing too much traveling in such a short time frame. You sure are covering alot of territory.

And just FYI it is possible to get a 5 seater but the luggage space will then be a problem...You should address the car rental soon. Find out the cost and space etc. as you need to know if you will ultimately drive or not. Then you can decide if you want that or public transport. We had a 5 seater and it was tight for 4 of us with luggage.

portuense

i would have put a lot of money on kimhe backing antequera...and i guess a lot of money would have gone on me backing cadiz province for beaches.

agree re itinerary - skip barca or change order to do granada on the weay. from sevilla it's an hour to jerez, 10 mins more to pto santa maria, 35 mins more to cadiz. here the beaches are great and accessible from town centres. puerto has more choice, cadiz is bigger though you can hop between the two by ferry boat. 7 beaches in puerto (all great), 2 in cadiz (one v long, one short, both great.
june is good - just before the spanish holidayers pile in, still cool on the coast, could be hot inland.
inland cadiz & malaga have plenty to recommend them but i think you'd do well to look for a beach break on this trip. you can do other beaches further southeast but you're gettin g away from good public transport.