Hi,

I'll be travelling to Spain in May and would like some advice regarding my itinerary. I will be travelling by public transport.

Day 1 Arrive Madrid airport 8am --> bus/train to Cordoba (rnothing planned/rest day)
Day 2 Cordoba
Day 3 leave in the morning Cordoba --> Ronda
Day 4 leave in the afternoon Ronda --> Seville
Day 5 Seville
Day 6 Seville day trip to Cadiz
Day 7 Seville
Day 8 Head to Seville airport

Should I stay in Ronda over night or just join a small group tour/hire private driver to visit Ronda/other white villages from Seville? Is Ronda crowded/touristy?

You don't give us much information about your interests or why you have chosen this itinerary. No interest in seeing Madrid or Granada?

Welcome to Fodor's!
I agree with KTtravel -- we need to know more about your interests and why these places (and not others) are of interest to you.

I was only once in Ronda(May 2011) for an afternoon and night and by the afternoon it wasn't crowded at alI. 'm pretty sure it was busy with daytrippers ealier the day and I absolutely recommend to spend the night there,

Hi KTtravel and kja, Sorry about that!

Reasons for choosing the places on the tentative itinerary:

• Seville: my husband and I would like to see the main plaza, the Alcazar and various neighboorhoods including Triana, if time permits go for a hammam bath.
• Cordoba: since we will be there in May, we are hoping to be there during the patios festival take a place. We enjoy visiting places when there are festivities happening.
• Ronda: This place looks unique. We would really love to visit a pueblos blancos but am open to alternatives other than Ronda.
• Cadiz: It seems contrasting to the other places on this list, seems not too far from Seville and it looks like a relaxing place to wander around the streets, walk along the beach etc..

Reasons why I haven't included Granada/Madrid.
Madrid: I read that it has more of a typically city-feel compared to Seville which can feel more quaint? I enjoy visiting small cities and left Madrid out thinking that I will dedicate more time to other places.

Granada: this was a difficult decision. The sacromonte caves and the alhambra look interesting, but both of us aren't history buffs so we thought we might skip it. I have read that the Alcazar in Seville is a less crowded alternative to the Alhambra?

Interests:
We love places that are quaint, architecturally interesting, places with beautiful landscapes/scenery, good food and wine, enjoy visiting local markets, we like to add a less visited "hidden gem" type place into our travels for some contrast and relief from tourist crowds (enjoy visiting places that retain some local charm) and if there are any offbeat things we usually enjoy that too (e.g had a beer bath in the alps on a previous trip). Though I enjoy art and museums, husband is less keen. I had thought about including Malaga and visiting Picasso Museum and doing a day trip to Frigiliana but don't think we'd have enough time/wouldn't be able to also explore Malaga.

Thanks, peanutmochi -- I think we are in a much better place to provide comments now!

With those interests, you might want more time in Sevilla. You can always decide whether to day trip to Cadiz once there, though, and 4 nights is not unreasonable.

Don't miss Cordoba's magnificent Mezquita! And if you can, consider including the Palacia de Viana while there.

I've heard people liken Sevilla's Alcazar to Granada's Alhambra, but I found them sufficiently different to be glad to have seen both. IMO, the Alcazar doesn't have quite the delicacy of the Alhambra's exquisite details. That said, with the time you have you can't possibly fit everything in, so skipping Granada (which generally takes 2 nights just for the Alhambra and a 3rd night to see any of the city's other gems) is a reasonable choice, IMO.

You'll find excellent food and wine throughout Spain. I'm not sure you'll escape tourist crowds, but it's increasingly difficult to do that anywhere. Ronda after day trippers leave could be your best bet. Ronda would provide a contrast to the other places you plan to visit, is accessible by public transportation, is in a stunning setting, and has a few sites worthy of exploration. IMO, you could do worse!

Ronda: count about half a day for the visit of the famous Cueva de Pileta
https://www.cuevadelapileta.org/

We love the beach at Rota. Are you taking the ferry to Cadiz from there? There is a long walkway along the beach and the old part of town is beautiful.

Kja: thanks for the recommendations, I'll add Palacia de Viana to the list!! I suppose Spain is a popular destination and I'm sure there is a good reason for that!!

neckervd: That certainly looks interesting! Thank you for the suggestion, we will see how we go with the time that we have in Ronda.

Macross: We are thinking of going to Cadiz as a daytrip (by train) from Seville.

You mentioned that you love landscapes, Ronda has amazing 'via ferratas' that you can climb and hike. I have experienced it and it's pure adrenaline.