hax

What a lovely remembrance! I felt the same way at Topkapi Palace--some portions were very crowded but I loved it so much I didn't care.

The evening garden tours are not offered when we are there.

kja

The comparison to the awesome Topkapi Palace strikes me as apt. (It's another place where I often stepped into a corner with my audio guide on and my jaw on my chest.) Sounds like you are ready for this experience!

hax

New question--just realized our Alhambra day may fall on Dia de la Hispanidad/ National Day?
Any reason to avoid this?

Thanks so much!

manoy

If you want to focus on andalucia I recomend to you fly chicago Frankfurt- Malaga and spend one day more in Malaga Sevilla and Cordoba.

For the time table of alhambra on the web it is said that it is closed 25/12 and 01/01
http://www.alhambradegranada.org/es/...osdevisita.asp

manoy

This is a description of cordoba in the guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/spanish-to...-changed-world

manoy

This is a description of cordoba in the guardian
http://www.guardian.co.uk/spanish-to...-changed-world

CathyM

With your limited time I'd stick with the original plan. Cordoba is a must and can be seen as a daytrip. I prefer to spend a couple of nights. But must people simply don't have time in their schedule to spend a couple of nights so a daytrip will suffice. If you keep your original itinerary I'd visit Cordoba en route from Madrid to Sevilla. This way you'll have 3 full days in Sevilla after you arrive. If you want to cut out Ronda and the white villages you could spend 2 nights in Cordoba. But it would be a nice change of pace to rent a car and do some exploring between Sevilla and Ronda. If you decide to go from Madrid to Granada (then to Ronda & Sevilla)I'd visit Cordoba en route from Sevilla to Madrid vs en route from Madrid to Granada since you only have 2 nights in Granada.

MaloBalo

Which ever way you end up going, I'll be leaving for Ronda in the early morning, make sure to arrive there early to enjoy it and all the non-touristic paths around and probably head for Sevilla/Granada quite late without staying the night. It'll be a long day but you make sure to be relaxed in Sevilla/Granada the next day, still see the pueblos blancos on your way to and out of Ronda, plus you'll have an extra day or maybe even a day and a half for any other city.

hax

Thanks all--my itinerary had to totally change as we will now be joining up with cousins from europe for fours days. Will probably start a new thread with new questions--but looks like my itinerary will be:

Fly to Madrid/connect to Sevilla -
Day 1- 4 Sevilla
Day 5- Rent car, Drive to Cordoba--see sights-drive on to Granada
Day 6 Alhambra and Granada (bought tickets already)
Day 7-Drive to Malaga (will be dropping cousins off at airport)
Day 8 and 9 Drive to Ronda and white villages
Day 10 drop car off in Sevilla or Cordoba, train toMadrid
Day 11, 12 Madrid
Day 13 fly home

Comments? I realize we are doing a circle, but spending time with my European cousins (Dane married to German) is too wonderful to pass up. Had to really scramble to reroute, but all your advice (and other posts on Fodors) has helped us prioritize so much. Now on to hotels.

Thanks so much!

MaloBalo

One day should just be fine for Ronda and the villages. It's not that there's much if anything to do in the villages themselves. And a day in Ronda should definately do the trick. I'd rather add a day to Madrid then.

Egbert

I agree.

hax

Sorry MaloBalo and Egbert--Just saw your responses, thanks! Have been traveling

Am back onto planning Spain so going to to start a new thread with more questions--but if you see this --would you reco adding another night to Malaga (there one night now) vs two nights in Ronda? Thought we'd spend longer in Ronda so we could hike, explore little towns--take a break from museums before we hit Madrid. My cousin has booked the car from Europe--has us dropping it off in Sevilla on day ten.

Thanks!