Momddtravel2

It appears that when I am planning on being in Seville is Feria de Abril ? May 5-11 in 2014... I am trying to even figure out what this..and if it is a good thing to be there then...or if i want to rework my routing due to the extra expense of the hotels..but it might be fun!

Momddtravel2

so that does complicate things a tiny bit - while the Feria de Abril looks very fun and festive... many hotels have minimum stays and are double the rates.... not sure this is what we want our first few days in Spain to be like... (the crowds etc).

I am going to rethink the routing and perhaps visit Seville on the end of the trip and head to Madrid from Seville...

Back to the drawing board...

Christina

It's a local festival, I didn't realize you'd be there during that as I thought it was actually in April, wonder why. I agree that while it is fun, it might not be what you had in mind and want to give it a pass. It's the same thing during Santa Semana, I planned my trip around that (to avoid it) because while I'm sure it is of some interest and a big local thing, it just wasn't the reason I was going to Seville and it was the same issue with the hotels. Astronomical rates and minimum stays and that event also affected other things, like street closures, etc.

Momddtravel2

Yes, Christina...really odd since it is has the word April in it... I figured it would be in April It appears to be May 5-10 in 2014 - I only figured it out when I was seeing the rates and some minimum stays over that time period...

I think it is having to do with when Easter? While it is very festive some research indicates that it is more for locals and the rates are literally double... I am seeing if I can just rework some things and visit Seville at the end of our trip and head to Madrid from there...

Momddtravel2

Okay... so might do this now?

May 6 arrive Madrid 10:00 am -

May 6 train to Malaga - pick up rental car and drive to Marriott resort (2 bedroom room villa on points)

May 6 - 11 - Marbella - 5 nights - this will help us get over jet lag....relax a little - do day trips to Ronda and Morocco and... ?

May 11 - 12drive to Granada - drop rental car - staying at the AC Palacio De Santa Paula, Autograph Collection® - two rooms on points

May 13-14 bus to Cordoba (need lodging)

May 14 train to Seville -

May 14 - 16 Seville (need lodging)

May 17- train to Madrid

May 17- 19 Madrid staying at AC Palacio Del Retiro, Autograph Collection® (points)

May 19 - 1:00 pm flight home to DFW

annhig

looks like you are right about the dates for the Feria Abril, mom. i think that the problem is that is comes 2 weeks after semanata santa so when Easter is later, the Feria is even later. THat occurs apparently in 2014 and 2016 according to this website:

http://www.andalucia.com/festival/seville-feria.htm>>

That looks like a great itinerary, mom. I think you've really got it sorted now - you've even got Cordoba in there.

sharona

I think your first day is going to be very rough. I wouldn't want to arrive from an overnight flight, hop on a train and then drive over an hour to my destination.

I'm still recommending a day trip to Gibraltar. You know those travel moments that stick in your mind? Well, I'll never forget driving from Marbella to Gibraltar, rounding a bend, and there it was in the distance. We loved our day there. Definitely tour the caves and see the monkeys.

We also loved the Nerja Caves. They are located a bit northeast of Malaga so out of your way but they are magnificent.

http://www.thenerjacaves.com

Momddtravel2

Sharona... I know what you are saying about our first day... I am hoping that we can relax on the train (It appears to be a 2.5 hour drive) I am working on finding out how long of a drive from the train station to the hotel...

I hope that it will be worth it to shake off jet lag that way... and be in the same place for 5 nights would be worth it ? :-?

I was literally just reading about Gibraltar! I am hoping we will make it there. One thing I like about being in the same place longer is the ability to do day trips and also relax... the constant moving was wearing on us during a trip to France, Switzerland and Italy a number of years ago...

I am thinking of stopping in Cordoba but continuing on to Seville that day and having 4 nights in Seville... I put a few requests out to VBRO apartments...
VRBO Listing #378696 and VRBO Listing #291851

That would mean 5 nights in Marabella, 2 in Granada, 4 in Seville and 2 in Madrid...

Momddtravel2

It appears to be about 40 - 60 from the train station to the hotel... *sigh*. Hope this works out okay as I would prefer to get to our location and be settled...

Momddtravel2

Input on Seville apartments:

Homeway 1007410 http://www.homeaway.com/vacation-rental/p1007410

VRBO Listing #378696

or

VRBO Listing #291851

Momddtravel2

two more

http://sevilla.spain-select.com/en_U...uerta-de-jerez

Or

http://sevilla.spain-select.com/en_U...o-san-jose-iii

I am leaning towards the puerta-de-jerez... that view...

joannyc

I also like puerta de Jerez.

Based on your last itinerary, I'd probably do Seville after Granada then head to Codoba before Madrid. Seems to be less backtracking, unless the transportation is better with your routing.

annhig

Mom - I think that the first one [Homeaway] might be a bit noisy.

the other two look fine - depends whether you want a view or that lovely garden!

Christina

I've had a rough first day like that, and I was alone, but I got through it. At least if you have two adults, there is someone to share the burden of stuff. I have rented a car and had to drive longer than an hour after a long flight involving a transfer, which probably isn't too different than a flight plus train. I got into Marseille once around 2 pm after a transatlantic flight plus transfer to another local flight in Paris, and then had to drive a couple hours to where I was staying. And they lost my bag on top of it, so I had to deal with lost luggage reports at the airport (in Marseille), and of course that ate up more time, waiting for the bag and making reports. So I had that stress on top of the drive (where I got lost, and I'm good with maps -- not lost exactly, just the highway didn't have a connection I thougt it did). So they did finally deliver my bag that night and all was well by the next day, but it was not a pleasant first day. I just got by on adrenaline, as I don't really even sleep that well on planes.

The problem with the train to Malaga is I think it involves a transfer in Madrid into the city, that there isn't a train station at the airport. So more energy and hassle and time. If not, it isn't that bad, except I think Mom is coming more from the West than East coast.

bilboburgler

http://www.timeout.com/madrid/featur...ting-to-madrid

Momddtravel2

We land at 10:00 am and would have to get to the train station (it appears to be about :30 minute with no traffic?) and then the train to Malaga is 2:50 minutes. I assume that we could sleep on the train.

We are flying from Dallas (Christina I am from Orange County but moved to Texas in 2010). Our flight is an over night - 9.5 hours or so. I am sure it won't be a great night of sleeping...my husband does not do well with no sleep - I seem to function a little better. Fortunately, we will have carry on only so that will help with the bags

So I don't think we would get to our hotel till 5:00 pm on that first day... the car rental place is right at the train station in Malaga.

If we stay in Madrid, not sure what we would do all day anyway - cannot count on your room being ready at 11:00 am ... so I think we will go with the long first day of getting sleep on the plane and train and this way we can settle in for a few days. On Wed the 7 we can hang out at the beach/resort if we want to just chill... rather than sight seeing and going, going, going. We do better with a little slower travel and I am even concerned about the two - 2 night stays but hoping it works out...

I think I will do some more research on the apartments... the reviews on the homeaway are good and say that even though it is in the middle of a lively square it is quiet in the bedrooms. I think dd and dh would like the lively atmosphere. The rate is 700 Euros for the four nights.

sharona

I'm trying to remember how long the drive was from Malaga to Marbella. We had the advantage of spending the previous week in Barcelona and we flew to Malaga where we picked up the car. The coastal area from Malaga to Marbella is VERY developed. We did get in some bad traffic and I think it took us a couple of hours to make the trip. I don't remember what day of the week it was. We were there in September.

Momddtravel2

That would be a major bummer Sharona! (a few hours)

Christina

I suppose you are leaving from Atocha station in Madrid. the good thing is there is now an express airport bus that goes right from the airport to Atocha (its end point), and I think it is only 5 euro. It only has a couple stops. I would not count on it taking only 30 minutes, typically it is more like 45. It isn't necessarily that much quicker in a taxi, either, although it could take only 30, you never know. I just wouldn't cut it short in timing for tickets for the train.

Since there are 4 of you, a taxi probably does make more sense for you, now that I think of it.

Momddtravel2

3 of us traveling - my husband, myself and our daughter who will be 17 at time of travel.

A question about trains:

Is it worth it to buy the first class? I am a little confused on that...