My mother and I will be traveling in Spain in mid-October. She's never been and I've been all the places listed below, except Granada.

Here's what we have so far:

Friday: Depart USA-fly to Madrid via London-
Saturday: Arrive Madrid at Noon
Sunday: Madrid
Monday: AVE train to Sevilla
Tuesday: Sevilla
Wed: Train to Granada (arrive in time to visit Alhambra in late afternoon)

Thursday: Pick up rental car and drive to Ronda via Nerja and Gibraltar
Friday:Ronda to Cadiz, Arcos de la Frontera, ??
Saturday: Drive from Cadiz to Cordoba via Jerez de la Frontera???

Sunday: Drop car and AVE train back to Madrid from Cordoba
Monday: Madrid back to USA

So, my question is really regarding the Thursday-Saturday portion. Looking for good hotel recommendations in the Pueblos Blancos area. Wondering where the best place is to spend the night. I was last in Ronda 14 years ago and remember it fondly, but I've read it's now really over-touristed.
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks!

I think you're being overly ambitious with your driving on Thursday. Granada to Nerja is 2 hours - it gets slower when you hit the 2 lane part & the coast highway is slow until Maro. Then to Gibralter & on to Rhonda would be too much imho - at least if you expect to stop & enjoy anything along the way.

Ian

Must you return to Madrid? Leaving from Seville or Malaga would give you an additional day in wonderful Andalucia.

Ian- Yes, you are absolutely right! I went back to my notes and I had some of the towns mixed up. I'm still open to other ideas as well.

This is the correct plan:
Thursday: Pick up rental car and drive to Ronda via Nerja.

Friday:Ronda to Cadiz, via Gibralter.

Saturday: Drive from Cadiz to Cordoba via Jerez and Arcos de la Frontera???

Kayd-Yes, unfortunately, we have to fly out of Madrid at 9 AM in order to make our connection back to the US in London.

Still looking for hotel ideas (around 100 euro per night) for Ronda, Cadiz, Cordoba, or anywhere in between!

In Madrid, we're booked at the Hotel Intur Palacio San Martin.

In Sevilla, I'm looking at staying at the Hotel Puerta De Sevilla.

In Granada, I'm looking at the Hotel Guadalupe across from the Alhambra.

Thanks!

Cadiz: Have you considered overnighting in el Puerto de Santa Maria? Although I usually stay at Hotel Santa Maria (3-star) the Monasterio San Miguel is very highly recommended.

Nedsireland-
Actually, I really want to go to Puerto Santa Maria, but I didn't consider staying there. I'll check out those options, thanks.

Malaga and Seville have flights that would get you to London. Of course, if you have already purchased your tickets, the cost to change might negate the savings and inconvenience of returning to Madrid.

Kayd-Yes, we've already purchased our tickets and before we did, we looked at every possible combination. I don't think there is a direct flight from Sevilla to Heathrow that gets us there with enough time to make the connection. That said, I just checked, and there are early morning flights from Sevilla to Madrid, but they are about $180 and that's more than the AVE back to Madrid.

Still looking for hotel advice...

The Parador in Cadiz is very nice; lovely gardens and a pool - ask for a room in the new wing. You can drive there easily, park your car FOC and then walk/bus/taxi around cadiz.

I don't know if it is beyond your budget or, more likely, already filled up, but I honestly think if you are going to Granada mainly to visit the Alhambra you shoudl at least consider staying at the parador there on the grounds.

It makes it a lot more convenient and the food and service we experienced there a few weeks ago were excellent. If nothing else, consider having dinner on the terrace which overlooks the Generalife.

One other note..don;t know if you are aware or not but the train from Seville to Granada entails MANDATORY seat reservations. Despite my careful research we did not find this out until we got to the Seville train station at 6:30 AM (we were traveling on passes). We were able to tget seat reservations (for 4 Euros each) without difficulty. The three-hour train ride was pleasant and the rolling stock was immaculate inside. Now, if they could just turn down that piped in 1950"s American music..somebody at Renfe apparently adores Frank Sinatra.

Your plan is a mess. It covers way too much territory with little time for real sightseeing. As an example, to go to the Alhambra "late afternoon" is a way to say "being there, done that". My advice, go back to the draft board, take a deep breath, narrow down your trip to max of 5 cities.

I'm sorry but I disagree with Viajero2 re the Alhambra visit, especially if you have already visited the Giraldo and the Cathedral and surrounds in Seville. Whereas the Alhambra has a great deal of Moorish embellishment you'll see a lot of the same in Seville. After being in Seville we were somewhat underwhelmed by the Nasrid Palace interior to be honest. The Geralife gardens were something else again.

I still maintain you can do it justice in a full afternoon depending on what holds your interest. Personally, architecture can only do so much and there are, IMO, many, many other places in and out of Spain that are just as, if not more, "awe inspiring" than the "red fort."

Wow, thanks for the responses.

Anna- Thanks, I will check out the Parador in Cadiz. However, I think we will now stay in the smaller town of Puerto Santa Maria nearby. I have fond memories of an amazing seafood meal there almost 15 years ago.

Viajaro-Thanks for the input. Yes, we may be trying to do too much, but I also know the way we like to travel. If we run out of time, we'll change our plans as we go.

Intrepid-I would have gladly put up the bucks for the Parador in Granada if they had rooms, but alas, they did not. So, I just confirmed reservations at the Hotel Guadalupe across the street.
Also, thanks for the note about the train tickets. I think we will try to buy them all once we arrive in Madrid.

I'm back to the drawing board as my first choice hotel for Ronda is booked (Hotel San Gabriel). Any recs besides the Parador? Or recs for hotels towns nearby Ronda?

Thanks!

Intrepid, if you read Kristina's original post she referred to a LATE AFTERNOON visit to the Alhambra, NOT a full afternoon (which, I would think would be more realistic in October timeframe and the reduced daylight hours). I would NOT miss La Giralda and The Alcazar in Seville, even if that would mean saving The Alhambra/Granada for another trip. The Gardens of The Generalife are gorgeous, specially if you know what you're looking at. On that note, anybody who has read anything on the history of The Alhambra would never call it "more of the same".

I too believe that this trip is way too rushed, at least it would be for me. I have found that part of being in Spain is being able to slow down and relax enough to truly appreciate the beauty and Spanish way of life. I would do away with Cadiz for this trip and concentrate more on the other areas, maybe doing a daytrip to Segovia or Toledo from Madrid and one to Cordoba from Sevilla. The way it is now, it seems as if you're going to be spending most of you time jumping in and out of cars, trains, and hotels.

If you do end up in Cadiz, I just posted some info on a thread called "Granada to Seville," including a hotel recommendation (under $100 booked through Orbitz.)

Good luck and have fun!