After weeks of study and planning, and spending a lot of time on this forum, Fodor's guide, and Rick Steves guide, here is our preliminary final final itinerary for our first trip to Spain. While we will see the major sites, hopefully there is enough time in most areas to absorb some culture and unwind a bit. After all, it is a vacation! And pretty exciting one at that.

Day 1: arrive Madrid about 1PM. Head to Term 4 Renfe office and purchase Tarjeta Dorada cards and train tickets to Toledo and Seville for later use. Catch cab to Hotel Roommate Alicia near Plaza de Santa Ana. Nothing planned today, assume we will be beat up after 18 hours in transit. Total 4 nights in Madrid, including one day trip to Toledo.

Day 5: AVE train to Sevilla, stopping in Cordoba, store luggage in bus depot across street. Cab or bus as we feel to Old Cordoba. In evening, continue on to Seville to Hotel Alminar. 2 nights in Sevilla.

Day 7: Rent car from Europcar, pick up at Sevilla train Station. Drive to Ronda, via Arcos (lunch?), exact route TBD. Stay in Ronda, Hotel Don Miguel. 2 nights in Ronda.

Day 8: Drive around to the white villages not seen on the way, certainly to include Zahara, Grazalema and several others. Take all the time we want.

Day 9: Drive to Nerja, via Marbella and Malaga. Lunch in Malaga. Staying at Parador Nerja, above Burriana Beach. 2 nights in Nerja.

Day 10: Obligatory beach day. Rest. Laundry?

Day 11: Drive to Granada, via A-4050, "The Gate of the Moor's Sigh," from Almunecar to Granada. (Looks great on Google Earth.) Dump car at Granada train station. Tonight hotel is Casa de Capitel de Nazari. 2 nights Granada

Day 12: Tour La Alhambra. Have tix for 1030 slot. Figure this will take most of day.

Day 13: Iberia (Vueling) flight leaves about 1200 for Barcelona. Hotel Nouvel Barcelona. 5 nights. Perhaps day trip to Figueris for Gaudi museum.

Day 18: Board flight for 19 hours transit back to Calif.

Thanks to all those posting about all things Spain. Our first trip to Spain, and like all travel, this itinerary is a result of compromise with time available. Will try to post trip reports on the fly, or certainly upon return. Hasta luego!

Every thing sounds reasonable except the Rick Steve's thing.

Do you mean The Dalí Museum in Figueres‎?

Well everyone has their special interests. I would cut way back on Madrid (IMHO mostly boring) and Barcelona (cute but not SO much to do) and add a lot to Andalusia. But then we like the parts of Spain that are different from anything else in Europe.

I think that 2 nights in Sevilla, particularly when you will be arriving late the first day after daytripping to Cordoba is very much shortchanging Sevilla. You will basically only have one day in Sevilla (yet have an entire 2 days each in Ronda and Nerja). I would definately cut a day out of either Ronda or Nerja to add to Sevilla. I'd even consider cutting an additional day from Madrid or Barcelona and adding the day to Sevilla. Basically I'd suggest 4 nights in Sevilla, especially with arriving late the first day. If you do end up spending 4 nights in Madrid I'd consider an additional daytrip to Segovia (you could play it by ear).

Thanks for the comments. Still somewhat flexible, but for instance, 4 nights in Madrid is really only 3 full days. Arrival day almost doesn't count cause of lack of sleep en route. One day to Toledo. We want to see Prado and Royal Palace. So. . . . .
Yes, I agree we are shortchanging Sevilla, but that's one of the compromises we made on the schedule. Cathy, I think you love Sevilla, and I will probably regret not staying longer, but.....
2 nights in Ronda - Well first day is travel from Sevilla to Ronda, 2nd day is drive around white villages, an area I really am looking forward to. Then outa there.
Don't like 1 night towns/stops.
Granada is shortchanged also, but we're seeing the Alhambra.
Yes, the Dali Museum. Sorry. (I knew that.) Lots of people encouraged us to schedule a lot of time in Barcelona.
Aduchamp1, I put a lot of faith in Fodor's guides, this is the first Ricky book I've picked up. Is there something wrong with his books?

2 nights is not really shortchanging Granada - this is a good amount of time to spend there.

I love Sevilla but I also love Ronda, Cordoba, Granada, Barcelona, etc...one day for Sevilla is barely worth going...and I don't particularly enjoy 1 night stops either. I'd drop Nerja if I had to and add the nights to Sevilla - I think it would be worth it and also less moving around.

RAINMAN ALERT. If you have heard my tirade against Ricky please ignore.

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Rick Steve's is to travel writing, what Barry Manilow is to heavy metal. He knows little about art and likes to share that information. Someone once gave me Ricky Steve's Spain, which they thought it was a gift.

He calls Velázquez, the photojournalist of Philip's court. Photojournalism is a most honorable and often dangerous profession but Ricky's description is lazy and uninformed. Velázquez is considered of the greatest and most influential painters in the history of western art. And his sumamtion demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of the nuances of his work.


He randomly chooses to include and exclude towns in his guide. For example in his book Santillana del Mar, a wonderful town with Altamira but does not even mention Santander, a splendid and nearby beach town which is usually spoken in the same sentence. It is akin to describing St. Paul but omitting Minneapolis.

His description of the modern pilgrim who walks the Camino is absurd in that they still carry a gourd for water and wear a cloak. While many wear a variation of the tradiitonal pointed floppy hat, few have gourds and cloaks and he reduces the pilgrims to a silly stereotype.

Now for the casual traveler these are minor transgressions but for someone who supposed to be a travel writer on which others are relying, it is sloppy writing.

I can always spot the Rick Steve's travelers when they're traveling even before they pull out their RS guides....

The world's most important flamenco festival is taking part in Sevilla from the 15th of September to 9th of October. Almost anything would be highly recommended. Mostly a local and knowledgeable crowd, and you would most likely have a night to remember for a long time if you go to one of the performances.
http://www.flamenco-world.com/notici...al22032010.htm

For example, on the 19th of September the baile genious Rocío Molina stages her new performance at the grand Teatro de la Maestranza. Last year, The New York Times presented Molina as one of the finest dancers in the world today. Legendary Russian ballet dancer Mikhail Baryshnikov kneeled in front of her after a performance in New York City Center in February. I saw the upcoming performance twice in Madrid in May, and it left me with no option but to book my tickets for this night as well. Twenty-six year old Molina scatters all conceptions of traditional flamenco by paying tribute to the tradition and making it all new. As Financial Times wrote after her latest performance in New York: “She does with flamenco what Picasso did with the female nude”.

I'd agree that you might be spending more than enough time in Ronda and Nerja. We did a similar thing renting a car from Sevilla and it only takes maybe 2 hours(if that) to get to Ronda. Our destination was Malaga and we left the train station around 11:30ish and were eating lunch in Ronda about 1:00. and that was with turning around in Sevilla 2 or 3 times to find the highway we wanted.

I had only planned two nights in Sevilla and we all wished we had more time there. We arrived from Madrid on the AVE one afternoon and only had one whole day the next day. We did see alot but felt we could have used at least one more day there. it is so charming!!! plus the alcazar was my favorite thing to see on this trip.

also, the comment about Minneapolis and St. Paul I had to laugh at. Simply because I live on the St. Paul side and we're always being shortchanged!! When people talk of the twin cities, it's usually Minneapolis that is mentioned and not St. Paul. so, it's nice to see it the other way around for a change

"Thanks for the comments. Still somewhat flexible, but for instance, 4 nights in Madrid is really only 3 full days. Arrival day almost doesn't count cause of lack of sleep en route. One day to Toledo. We want to see Prado and Royal Palace.'"


Madrid is a great (and big) city with a lot to see , especially if you are interested in art ..I would not cut any time there or rush to other towns.

P.S.
same goes for Barcelona. There is no town in Europe like it!
We visited Barcelona four times ( never less than 5 days) and never found " not enough to do".
Of course, it all depends of one's interest
in art, architecture, history , music, galleries , museums,
etc.

Here's a couple of great, local tapas bars close to the Parador in Nerja, La Puntilla and Los Cuñaos:
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...s/la-puntilla/
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandres...ts/los-cunaos/

For Andalusioan fine dining, I will recommend Casa Luque at Plaza Cavana: http://www.casaluque.com/restaurant-in-nerja.php

La Marina is my favourite restaurant in Nerja, as good as you get a seafood freiduría in all of Andalucía:
http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaur...Andalusia.html

I could think of many adjectives to describe Madrid with , but "boring" wouldn't be one of them. If weather is nice you would probably enjoy a stroll in Retiro park.

I would do an overnight in Toledo if you can. Leave your stuff in the Roommate pr a locker and take an overnight bag. It is so magical at night when the daytrippers are gone!

"For example in his book Santillana del Mar, a wonderful town with Altamira but does not even mention Santander, a splendid and nearby beach town which is usually spoken in the same sentence. "

Interesting...we stayed in Santander for 5 days and made a day trip to Santillana del Mar.
Santander is a lovely town with great beaches; Santillana is very small and an afternoon there was enough.
I have never read Rick Steve's books, but not including Santander ( the capital of Cantabria) does not speak well for him.

Madrid has world class museums and it is an excellent base to visit the many worthwhile towns that are near.

One SIL leaves for Spain this week and has visited many times. She will spending at least five days there busying herself with many activities including flamenco shows, buying flamenco shoes, and seeing the new wing of the Prado.

My last trip I stayed five days and went to a museum every other day with other activities in between.

Agree wholeheartedly with CathyM. Don't shortchange Sevilla! It is our favorite city in Spain. Wouldn't dream of not spending at least 3-4 days there.

BillJ

As someone who likes to stay at the Paradores . I suggest that you sign up for the Amigos de Paradores .. it gives you a couple glasses of wine upon arrival and in most places, free parking. We signed up on line and they maile dus our card, but you may have to look into doing it in person, as I do not know if you have time for the postal service.

We have never stayed at the Parador in Nerja .. I am curious to see how you liked it.

Enjoy!

Thanks for the input. Like the looks of the Nerja restaurants.
Looks like I'll regret only 2 nights in Sevilla, but only afterwards will I be able to say with certainty what I should have given up.
Alex, I tried to make a Parador 5 day package work, but ended up not doing it. Right now can't remember exactly why. But even with the 5 day package it was stretching my budget. And the Alhambra Parador does not participate in the multi day packages.

So adios, all. Hasta Luego. Thanks again for all the info and advice. Trip report will follow.