Need help planning Southern Spain September 2017
 

Heading to Malaga Spain September 2 - 9, 2017--staying in a timeshare. Thinking about flying in/out of Malaga. We'll take a couple of day trips the week of the 2nd but want to extend the trip. Thought we'd fly in a few days early (August 30) and leave a couple days later (September 11 or 12. Thought we'd need to spend at least one night in Granada and/or Cordoba. Any help would be appreciated. Think we need to rent a car for the entire time?

Don't need a car at all - trains are great between all those places. I'd suggest Seville at beginning or end and Cordoba likewise. Train info - www.renfe.com; www.seat61.com; www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

A car may be nice too - but you can go to all those places by train.

Well I think it depends on exactly where the timeshare is - actually in Malaga? or somewhere in that vicinity? We stayed in one a little further along the coast and did need a car. There are many many timeshares in that part of Spain so hopefully you can tell if yours will be close enough to public transportation. Plus not sure public transportation will take you places like the "white towns" altho parking is very difficult in the villages. Enjoy!

There is a commuter railway from Malaga down the coast a bit and buses beyond that. But if not close to Malaga then a car would be best to visit other places.

I think you might mean September 2018, no ?

To see the Alhambra, consider 2 or 3 nights in Granada – the Alhambra itself can easily take a full day, and there’s much more to see there than just the Alhambra.

Many people visit Cordoba as a day trip; I was glad to spend 2 full days there and would have like more time.

No need for a car if you can get to / from your timeshare without one. You can check rome2rio.com for your public transportation options—just be sure to check the links it provides, as the main site is not sensitive to seasonal variation.

I’m sure yourealize that it will be HOT. See timeanddate.com

No time for Sevilla?

Even though Granada has more to see than Alhambra Cordoba IMO has much more more - I spent about a half-day at Alhambra and that was fine and I was not enthralled that much by Granada. But this is all very subjective of course.

We had the opposite experience. We fell in love with Granada but thought Cordoba was just ok.

I usually suggest visiting Seville and Cordoba instead of Granada if time is limited. IMO the Alcazar in Seville is very similar to the Alhambra and then the Mezquita in Cordoba is unique from other sights thru out Europe. Many do not share this opinion but you might want to consider staying in Seville and visiting Cordoba as a day trip (easy 45 minute train ride).

I agree that Cordoba's Mezquita is unique. I would not describe Sevilla's Alcazar as "similar" (let alone "very" similar) to the Alhambra. But one of the things I love about this forum is that Fodorites don't always agree -- it would, I think, be a very boring world if everyone saw things the same way!