sfmasterG

Family adventure with 3 kids ages 10/14/17
Yes it's too short but the kids grow up fast and I'm doing what I can....with the time I got. they are savvy travelers. We enjoyed Barcelona/Paris/London/Rome last summer. I found some cheap tickets (495 Delta JFK to Madrid), so even though too short I took advantage of a Winter break from school....

I do think thought my itinerary is too busy....

1)
Arrive Sunday early from JFK
Train to Seville directly (though flights are $35 and we'd be at the airport anyway... but I love trains)
Arrive by 1pm - Night in Seville

2) Monday
Explore Seville

3) Tuesday
Explore Seville morning
Afternoon/evening trip to Cordoba

4) Wednesday
Seville in morning
Afternoon to Ronda

5) Thursday
Ronda to Granada

6) Friday
Granada

7) Saturday
Return to Madrid (via Bus??) as early as possible
A taste of Madrid

8) Fly out of Madrid in morning

A few things.....
SO.... this is a bit too rushed for me
We often like a contrast of CITY and Country so thus I wanted to go to Ronda
My kids love Paradors.... (we have been to Barcelona and environs but never this part of Spain)

In my mind I was just flying in and out of Madrid and not GOING to Madrid this trip - but I need to be there the night before I think (10:45 am flight) and it's feeling a bit choppy to go for 1 night.
I'm thinking of SKIPPING Granada which seems crazy..... BUT keep thinking I'd love to add a night to Seville and to Madrid. And I'd love to keep something that is more small town - that could be Carmona or Ronda
If I skip Granada maybe I stay in Cordoba 1 night? OR could be 4 nights seville with day trip to Cordoba, 1 night smaller town and then Madrid 2 nights. OR 5 nights Seville, 2 nights Madrid.... Madrid will really end up being just ONE day .... My 5th grader says she has studied the post office and would like to check it out

We love travel and I have confidence I'll be back in the area some time....

Yet I could also be convinced to blow off all effort to get to madrid, keep Granada and just stay by the airport....

HELP!!! Mind overload....

kja

I’m sure you will all see some wonderful things!

Personally, I’d skip Ronda. It is beautiful, but it isn’t really “country” – the heart of it is, to my eye, decidedly urban (if a small city, rather than big one). It adds another change of hotels to your plan and limits your time in places that, to my mind, are much more worthy. I’m glad I saw Ronda, but IMO, it isn’t in the same league as Sevilla, Cordoba, or Granada. But that’s just me. And while I understand the desire to contrast city and country, the cities on your plan are so diverse that you will experience some contrasts, even if your only exposure to “country” is from the train.

IMO, the Alhambra is one of the gems of the world, not just Spain. Personally, I would sacrifice just about everything on your list -- other than Cordoba’s Mezquita -- to make it to the Alhambra. YMMV. And there’s so much more to Granada than just the Alhambra!

As you realize, you can’t see everything you want in the time you have. Such is life. ☹ But you can return to Madrid more easily than anything else on your itinerary, so my inclination would be to keep your time there to the minimum that works for your family. Even though I loved Madrid, if I were you – and I’m not! -- I would NOT add time in Madrid at the cost of anywhere in Andalusia, which will be harder to see on a return trip.

I normally recommend a night or two in Cordoba, but I don’t think you have the time to spare for that, and with children, I’m not sure it’s worth relocating for the night – I think your plan to visit it as a day trip makes sense. Just be sure to get there early enough to allow plenty of time for the Mezquita.

You might consider switching your plans for Monday and Tuesday – I’m pretty sure the Mezquita is open on Monday, but some things in Sevilla might be closed on Mondays (you’ll have to check the hours for the things you most want to see).

Hope that helps!

quiltingmamma

Dates may be nominally important, but you say Winter Break. If over Christmas, you need to check what is open.
I agree uprooting to add Ronda is too hectic. If you want to get out of the city for a bit, consider a half day to Italica roman ruins from Seville. Just needs the city bus, but there is a large colosseum (think Gladiator).
When deciding, remember that Madrid is a hub and more easily reached than Adalusia. Many people aren't as taken by Madrid particularly if not mueum people. Your kids may better appreciate the great Madrid museums later in life.
I commend you wanting to provide kids with travel ops, but there should be some things for them to discover independently. So, I would focus on Seville and Granada, day trips from Seville if desired; and leave Madrid to another time.
I might suggest bus to Granada from Seville, and train to Madrid. There is rail construction, but the rail company handles all the bus to train transfers and tickets are still one ticket purchased on the train website.

sfmasterG

OK good pep talks. Yes the original theory was we can return to Madrid much more easily and it was just transit.

Timing: February 17-25

The kids are super skilled travelers and love life "on the road" we have reached te time when I am trying to keep up with them vs. me slowing things down FOR them.

They love museums but also wandering around and chilling at cafes.

I'd still like to think about something super small. I know the cities are contrasts. What about a night in Carmona Parador?

Or maybe we can swing the Parador in Granada which I know is not a small place but staying in a castle...... though it says nothing available for our dates.

Another Decision to Make: I love trains..... but we land at 9am in MAD airport and want to get directly to Seville. Looks like Iberia flies for only $35 an we'd be there. But I love trains too .....Thoughts?

Elizabeth_S

I'd fly to Seville -- so much less hassle that first day of arrival.

Friends stayed at Carmona and loved it -- it could be your last night in Seville.

Agree with focusing on Seville and Granada this trip. If you fly to Madrid from Granada early Day 7 you could stay near the airport but spend most of the afternoon and evening in the city. Then an easy airport arrival on day 8.

ToujoursVoyager

Hi,

I am doing a very similar trip in October with my two girls. We are going to Andalucia for a week. It is a bonus trip for us but the current airfare prices, I just could not pass it up.

I have struggled with the same issues. We land in Barcelona. I love trains; I really don't want to take another flight etc..

Also, I like the contrast of a smaller city/village versus the bigger cities. For that reason I have chosen to do Granada, Ronda, Sevilla.

For the train, I was very disappointed to see that the Alhambra overnight train from Barcelona to Granada was cancelled.

In the end, we decided to fly to our first destination from Barcelona to Granada because of the fact that we are already at the airport and I am trying to save time. To come back to Barcelona, we will be taking the train from Sevilla during the day (5.5h). We are not spending time in Barcelona since it is our gateway city and we already have seen it.

I have though of dropping Ronda, but traveling from Granada to Sevilla it is a nice mid way point, and I will be disappointed if we don't see it.

My children are like yours, travel savvy, excited to be on the road.

sfmasterG

Nice! ToujoursVoyager.

An interesting idea might be for me to go from Madrid arrival to fly to airport to Granada then on to Seville... reversing the trip.

The options from Granada back to Madrid seem to be less good. No train??? Only Bus (we hate driving though I know bus is good)....and timings less good to get back to Madrid for a full day before our last night. And it's longer 5.5 hours I think.

We could arrive in Granada after a long time of travel do the shorter stay 2 nights Granada enjoying Alhambra but not worrying too much about the whole city... then head on to seville (maybe stopping in Ronda or Cordona or Cordoba or straight to Seville with plans for day trips). Enjoy Seville..

Then Seville and take the train to Madrid the day before our departure. We get our Train in, a shorter trip that allows us to arrive and enjoy a full afternoon and evening in Madrid.

Enjoying Madrid at all after 5.5 hours on bus seemed harder

Hmmmm

danon

Yes, if you can ,fly to Granada after you land in Madrid and go from there.

ToujoursVoyager

Yes, I am doing Granada first because it is harder and longuer to come back to Barcelona at the end of the trip.

quiltingmamma

Of course there is a train to Madrid from Granada. The only part that is bus is the first 45 minutes from Granada to Antequera. The rest is by train. You still haven't indicated dates (that I can see) and the train schedule may not reflect the reality of your travel. Schedule changes in December and won't be posted until October or November.
However, your reverse plan gives you more time in Madrid from Seville.

sfmasterG

Dates are February 17-25

I thought the train from Granada was yet to open but that's helpful information.

sfmasterG

1: Sunday: Arrive in Madrid early - flight to Granada/Afternoon evening in Alhambra
2. Monday; in Granada - Alhambra
3. Tuesday: Train to Seville (early)
4. Wednesday: Seville
5. ThursdayL Seville - Day trip
6. Friday: Seville
7: Saturday: Train to Madrid - Afternoon and evening in Madrid....
8: Depart Madrid for home...

Options might be leaving seville for COrdoba and staying night before going to Madrid. Or stopping in Cordoba for the night before going to Seville. Some say being in Cordoba at night is special... We'll travel light for sure. But another hotel etc... not sure.

I had already found an apartment in Seville and booked but I think I'll be able to shift my dates.

Love me some travel planning...

PegS

sfmaster, have you already looked at availability for Alhambra tickets? We bought ours for the first week of Oct. when the window first opened. When I went to look at that date again earlier this week, there were still plenty of tickets but all the morning slots were gone. So just make sure the ticket availability and your plans align.

PalenQ

Book those trains way early at www.renfe.com - Spanish Railways site where you can book your own discounted tickets or full fare- but cheaper tickets in limited supply so book up to I think 90 days early - check www.seat61.com for adroit advice on doing that; for general info like 1st v 2nd class, etc www.budgeteuropetravel.com and www.ricksteves.com.

I'd do Cordoba en route to Madrid -with kids that age you are not going to be walking around town all day so just head to fabulous cathedral area and the old town around it.

sfmasterG

PalenQ regarding enroute madrid - like in one day? Or overnight?

Thanks...

Plenty of availability for my February dates

PalenQ

one day for 3-4 hours -put bags in station lockers -relocating hotels is such a pain and takes so much time.

kja

I note again that all choices depend on YOUR priorities and preferences. But some comments that have been offered puzzle me, and even if they are no longer relevant to your current plan, I think there might be benefit to commenting, in case you change your plans or if others look at this thread.

Unless I am very much mistaken, there is currently NO direct train from Madrid to Granada. You can get there by public transportation using a combination of a bus and train, and doing so is, as I understand it, quite easy, But it is NOT a train from Madrid to Granada, and anyone planning for the transfer from one mode of transportation to another, particularly for more than a solo traverler, would benefit by knowing, in advance, that you will need to make this transfer. JMO.

BTW, buses in Spain are, IME, extremely comfortable and convenient. When I was there, luggage storage was in an under-carriage compartment; I actually prefer that to lugging a suitcase up into the train car, and then finding a place to stow it. YMMV.

If you are interested in visited the Alhambra’s Nasrid Palace during the evening – something I count among the most rewarding of ALL of my travel experiences – then please check your options. I don’t believe that evening hours for the Nasrid Palace are an option on Sundays or Mondays.

I’m glad I spent overnights in Cordoba, but not particulary because of any difference in the ambience after nightfall – I recommend overnights there when possilbe because I thought Cordoba so rich in sights worthy of visiting as to justify at least 2 full days. But as I already noted, I don’t think you have time for a night in Cordoba. And Sevilla is certainly delightful in the evening, so I, personally, would make my choice based on what else you want to do in these cities and what works best in terms of transportation.

New itineary as of Aug 25, 17 at 3:28pm – should work if you can get tickets for the Alhambra.

Elizabeth_S

Plenty of availability for my February dates
_____________________________________________

I stand to be corrected but the official site (ticketmaster) is not showing tickets yet for February - where are you looking? If I'm correct you should watch your dates very carefully and buy as soon as "your" month becomes available.

sundriedtopepo

Eliz I saw the same thing..only available 3 months out.

progol

I think your current itinerary makes sense - I wouldn't stay in Córdoba but I definitely would make a day trip. While I was glad to spend several nights there, I had a longer trip and, therefore, the time. I preferred our evenings in Seville and think that you're better off staying put there.

Because of ongoing construction on the Granada-Antequera line, it looks like there is still no train between Seville and Granada. HOWEVER, it's not a problem -- you can still purchase train tickets between Seville and .Granada and you will be transferred to the bus for this section of the journey.