Madrid and Andalucia this Oct/Nov.
 

I am taking a solo trip to Madrid and Andalucia on Oct. 30th for 11 days and could use some help with my itinerary. I live in NY so I although I dig big cities I'd like this to be a rather relaxing trip. I have spent one day in Madrid a few years back on a long layover, I enjoyed it but prefer the majority of this trip to be in small towns. I am in my 30's, single, active and a food, wine and culture lover. I can speak some Spanish (read better), I prefer to roam unknown streets and engage with locals rather than fill my days with museum packed itineraries. I like to soak up the essence of a place and get a glimpse of everyday life. I hope to book apartments for part of my trip via airbnb.

Questions:
Any issues with this itinerary, more time in one place, less in others?
Any red flags?
Will trains run normally on All Saints Day?
Restaurant recommendations for solo (but brave) traveler?
I like sherry should I go to Jerez, if so from which town?
Any off the beaten path recos for Flamenco?
All advice welcome - this forum has been very helpful over the years as I often travel alone and at the last minute.

Oct. 31st, Day 1 MADRID
Arrive in Madrid 6am spend day in Madrid

November 1, Day 2 MADRID (Toledo day trip)
Take bus or train to Toledo for most of the day
Dinner in Madrid

November 2, Day 3 MADRID -leave to Cordoba in morning
Early train to Cordoba

November 3, Day 4 CORDOBA
Sights in Cordoba

November 4, Day 5 CORDOBA - leave to Seville in morning
Early train or bus to Seville
Seville sights

November 5, Day 6 SEVILLE
Seville sights

November 6, Day 7 - Seville
Seville sights

November 7, Day 8 - Seville
Day trip to RONDA and surrounding

November 8, Day 9 - Seville to Granada in morning
Early bus or train to Granada
Granada Sights

November 9, Day 10 Granada
Alhambra

November 10, day 11 -Granada
Granada morning, fly home at 1:45pm

Thanks - Jennifer

I visited all these places solo with only a few words of Spanish -- shouldn't be a problem.

I love that you are staying overnight in Cordoba, which I thought deserved 2 full days. BTW, I also thought that Toledo deserved 2 full days.

Ronda is, as I recall, about 3 hours from Seville, so a day trip there would be very long. You might consider an overnight. If you do, it makes sense to visit it between Seville and Granada.

Be sure to book tickets for the Alhambra (day AND evening) well in advance.

Enjoy!

Thanks do you know best site for booking the tickets. The one I was on was very confusing but maybe I just need to translate it! Did you do it by trains and buses? This time of year can I book them all when I get there? I hate schedules.

Sorry, my info is too old for me to feel comfortable passing it on. But I'm sure that if you search this board, or try google, you will find lots of useful info.

For someone who wants to spend time in small towns you're not doing much of it.

Ronds is a small town - but packed with tourists during the day. Cordoba and Granada are smallish cities and Seville a decent sized one. I definitely think these are the best places to go- but not sure how much small town life you will see - and there are a bunch of major sights that should not be missed - as well as just exploring the towns

You plan on moving to the new cities in the mornings. That is wasteful - the good morning energy should be spent on sightseeing, and your city-to-city relocation should happen late in the day, just in time to arrive at the new place and crash out. Do it when you're tired, after a good day's sightseeing, when sitting on a train is about the only thing that still makes sense. You'll still get a meal on arrival, Spain's dinner hour doesn't start until 10PM.

www.renfe.es shows the first train on Sat. Nov. 2 to leave Madrid at 08:35, arr. in Cordoba at 10:38, by the time you have found your hotel and checked in etc. it's noon, in an hour Siesta begins, things are closed, time for lunch, and you haven't even seen anything yet!

Same thing with going to Seville - it's not far, do it in the evening, use those early morning hours for a walk about town, see the citizens go about their business, shops open, get your breakfast from an early-opener bakery and wash it down with a café con lecce at a corner cafe where the tourists haven't arrived yet, where you still catch that local flavor that tells you you're a long way from home and your neighborhood Starbucks...

For the smaller town feel and great flamenco, perhaps go directly to Cádiz. Miguel Poveda is the no.1 male flamenco singer on the current scene, and he performs in Gran Teatro Falla in Cádiz on three nights from Oct 30 to Nov 1.
http://www.miguelpoveda.com/agenda.p...=11&anno2=2013
Tickets at telentrada.com

Here is Poveda in a copla in Pedro Almodóvars "Broken embraces": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3CJiJX-qLE
And in concert at the Madrid Opera: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9vGopN5FeTI

Three thousand years old Cádiz (Phoenician Gadir) is 1,5 hour south of Sevilla by bus. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33JUrGwZQLY
http://www.lonelyplanet.com/spain/andalucia/cadiz
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/cadiz.htm

In Madrid, I can recommend Casa Patas, the best tablao in the country in recent years. The absolute finest flamencos perform here all the time: http://www.casapatas.com/

In Sevilla, I recommend intimate Casa de la Memória. No food, no drinks, just flamenco.
http://casadelamemoria.es/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractio...Andalucia.html

I should also mention that the major flamenco event in Spain this autumn is the homage "La Capitana" to the greatest flamenco dancer ever, Carmen Amaya (1913-1963). Every night from Oct 30 to Nov 10 in Teatre Nacional de Catalunya in her native Barcelona: http://www.tnc.cat/en/la-capitana-ho...en-amaya-info/

Out of this world Rocío Molina dances. http://www.rociomolina.net/

Cádiz, just south of Jerez, is also sherry country. You should try the crisp dry Manzanilla from close by Sanlúcar de Barrameda. Together with the freshest seafood you are close to heaven. http://www.andalucia.com/province/ca...erry-towns.htm

Thanks for all this input, especially about doing the trains in the evening definitely good advice.

Kimhe, I've been tempted by Cadiz and Jerez (I do like Sherry) but felt my itinerary was packed enough, maybe I can look at day trips. I hate lugging my suitcase. I'll definitely check out these Flamenco recommendations.

I'd like to do small towns but I think there are so many can't miss locations. I'm hoping that this time of year the region won't be packed with tourists.

The itinerary has changed a bit based on KJA's advice.

New plan is:

Head to Toledo as soon as I land in Madrid

Toledo two nights
(back to Madrid to catch train to Cordoba)

Cordoba two nights

Sevilla three nights

Ronda one night

Granada two nights

It's a lot of moving but hopefully I will lock down all my lodgings before I go and then I'll just need to work out the trains/buses upon arrival. I have traveled in Spain a few times before (mainly near Barcelona) so I am not too worried.

Thanks again, this forum is fantastic and despite my new login, I've been using it for years.

Looks good to me!

BTW, when in Spain, I generally try to travel during the mid-day siesta. Since I don't eat lunch, that works very well for me, but it wouldn't work for everyone.

I like the new itinerary. Highly recommend a couple of nights (or more if you had the time) in Toledo!

Joannyc yes I am mainly flying into Madrid to go to Toledo so it makes sense to stay there. I like Madrid but don't really feel like being in such a big city right now.

Hotel space is actually tight in Toledo for that Friday night, I think because of All Saints Day.

Any recos for Toledo restaurants, sights (beyond the usual)?

I really should go to bed now and stop vaca research, it's so addictive. Can't wait to go!!!

I stayed at the Fontecruz Hotel in Toledo. Very nice hotel with a small grocery right next door having fresh bread and pastries in the morning.

I would NOT recommend eating at Meson de Orza. Here's my review on Tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserR...a.html#REVIEWS

I'll have to find some of the other places I ate and get back to you.

I really should go to bed too! I, too, live in NYC and it is late!

Hey there, your itinerary looks great! I'm currently studying in Spain and having a great time exploring, so I thought I'd chip in even though it's kind of last minute!

Definitely not staying in Madrid? Shame, it really isn't like any other city I've been to, historic and modern all at once! I just did a tour of the football stadium there as part of a group which I absolutely loved! http://goo.gl/PBi7hO

But your itinerary looks great, Toledo is lovely and quaint, but I'd also suggest a look around Segovia, I can't believe someone else hasn't suggested it. It's got a brilliant atmosphere and is so beautiful, especially the castle... like Disney brought to life!

Hope you have a great time looking around Spain... you'll definitely love Toledo and Granada :D

Your itinerary is very good. You'll have a great trip no matter what. I would do: Toledo 2 nights, Seville 4 nights w/ a daytrip to Cordoba, Granada 2 nights, Madrid 2 nights.

Make sure you have a hotel reservation for your stay in Toledo. As you say, space is tight because of the holiday. A couple of years ago in Madrid it was impossible.

I just returned from a 2 week trip to Andalucia and did very much the same as you are planning, i,e, 3 night Cordoba, 4 Seville, 2 Ronda, 4 Granada.

Check out my trip report, in the making right now, under my screen name. There are many recommendations for hotels and restaurants in the report. If there is anything specific you want to know, let me know, I am happy to help !!