Please comment and help me plan my upcoming trip to Spain! Thank you!
 

Please let me know what you think of my 14 day itinerary for Spain in March 2004. Two things are carved in stone - arriving in Madrid at 7:45 a.m. on Sunday March 14 and leaving on Sunday March 28 at 11:50. Here is what I am thinking:

Sunday: Madrid
Monday: Madrid
Tuesday: Madrid
Wednesday: Sevilla (via AVE train) (Las Casas de la Juderia -- 3 nights)
Thursday: Sevilla
Friday: Sevilla
Saturday: Arcos de la Frontera (pick up rental car in Sevilla in am) (Parador --2 nights)
Sunday: Arcos de la Frontera
Monday: Ronda (Parador - 2 nights)
Tuesday: Granada (Parador - 1 night)
Wednesday: Granada
Thursday: Toledo (drop off rental car) (Hotel Cardenal)
Friday: Toledo
Saturday: Madrid (take bus/train)

Do you think I have planned too many stops, not enough stops, or the right number of stops? Is there somewhere else that I should substitute for any of these places? Should we do 2 nights in Ronda and 1 in Arcos? (We want to drive around to the other towns from those places.) Sometimes I find that we try to be too ambitious on trips and include too much and then we wish we could have spent more time in each place, so I've tried to keep each stay long enough that we could get a good feel for a first trip and have some relaxing downtime. I've read good things here about all of the hotels I have tentatively selected, but if you have any insight on other, possibly more preferable hotels or any drawback to these, please advise. Basically any comments or advice would be appreciated. Thank you!

It looks great, but I personally would trade one of the nights in Ronda for 1 more in Granada, specially if your staying at the Parador, marvelous location. Also, the city has much more to see and do than Ronda.

Stayed in Ronda a few times - its lovely and relaxing - had a look at the parador last time I was there and it looked great so am thinking of booking it for Sept. Ronda is (I think worth a couple of nights as it Granada - never been to Arcos but I had always thought it looked like there would be less to do than Ronda ??

Granada's parador (again I think) is near the Alhambra so you may be cut off from the resturants/bars at night. I stayed at the casa morisca hotel which was near the plaza santa ana and a good location for sights and resturants

whatever - I think your plan looks great

Amanda

I am curious as to why you are staying 2 nights in arcos and 2 nights in ronda, they are close to each other and can be done as day trips.You should consider staying in Jaen on the way to Toledo. There is a parador in Jaen.Are you staying 2 nights in Granada if not you should.

I agree--great plan. You have been paying attention. Two nites in Granada would be better, and I am not sure you need both Arcos and Ronda, but that is fine tuning.

Thank you all for the quick replies!

I just reread my message and I slightly messed up - I meant to write:
2 nites in Arcos
1 in Ronda
2 in Granada

I think that this actually goes along with your comments.

From your comments I am thinking of switching Ronda and Arcos around or doing all three nights in one place - still not sure as to which. The other option is two nights in Ronda/Arcos and then 3 nights in Granada. (But from the comments on this board, that might be too much in Granada and not enough in Ronda/Arcos.)

At any rate, thank you again for your responses! I just love the tips you can get here from people who have been before!

Your itinerary is very similar to one done by me and my wife a couple years back - you've even chosen the same hotels in Seville & Toledo.

The only advice I can add is: 1. Take a taxi to the Hotel Cardenal (we found it hard to find and walked around a lot, 2. Ask to see your rooms at Las Casas and Cardenal before you accept them (they are of varying sizes/types), and 3. Try to find some direct route back to the Madrid airport from Toledo - we took the train and then Metro and while doable, it was a long and extremely cramped ride on the Metro (we let 3 trains go by at one station before we decided we had better force our way on).

Your itinerary looks fabulous! If I was to add anything is the possibility of a day trip to Avila-Segovia (combo) from Madrid.

Where are you staying in Madrid?

Have a great time!