Request for comments on Andalucia itinerary
 

Greetings,<BR><BR>I'm planning the itinerary for my (regretfully short) honeymoon. We are arriving in Malaga on a Sunday around noon local time, driving to our timeshare in Marbella, and then spending the week touring Andalucia, leaving on Saturday morning. So we have basically Monday-Friday for our touring. Here is the preliminary outline I have come up with. I am more than happy to receive suggestions or comments, as my fiancee and I have not previously visited Spain. If you think a particular visit would be a waste of time, then please let me know, like I said, we're open for suggestions. :-) Oh, and the timeshare we are staying in was given to us free of charge, so we hope to not spend money on other lodgings and spend it on other things instead.<BR><BR>We are definitely interested in seeing ancient ruins, particularly Roman, Moorish architecture, landscapes, and eating some good food.<BR><BR>Sunday: relax and rest and hang around our timeshare and the immediate area.<BR><BR>Monday: Tour around Marbella and the Malaga area in general.<BR><BR>Tuesday: Visit Ronda, Ronda la Vieja, and the Pueblos Blancos.<BR><BR>Wednesday: Visit the Roman ruins in Italica early in the morning, then spend the rest of the day in Sevilla.<BR><BR>Thursday: Visit Granada and the Alhambra<BR><BR>Friday: nothing planned as yet, suggestions are welcome<BR><BR>Saturday: time to leave! :-(<BR><BR>Again, any suggestions, questions, critiques are welcome. We do not have our hearts set on any particular thing, although we really would like to see Italica and the Alhambra.<BR><BR>Thanks!<BR><BR>p.s. Apologies for not putting accents on any of the words, I have no idea how to make them and I'm not sure I would get them right anyway! :-)

Hi, I suggest to go after Sevilla to Cordoba, it's a worth place to visit...<BR><BR>As well from Granada visit LAS ALPUJARRAS, and Sierra Nevada in a clear day you can see the sea...<BR><BR>Enjoy your Honeymoon!!!<BR>AH! for good food in Sevilla la Taberna del Alarbadero, place where the tourist don't go...in the stree called Zamora..I loved it.

Anyone else? I know I have read about others in here visiting Andalucia, you must have some tips. :-)

prwood,<BR><BR>I know you want to avoid this, but I would REALLY recommend that you spend the night in Seville. If you must do Sevilla in a day, perhaps you can take a tour from Marbella - at least you can rest on the ride there and back. Otherwise, I fear that you will be a complete wreck at the end of your day. This reasoning also holds for Granada, although it is more doable than Sevilla IMO.<BR><BR>My itinerary would look like this:<BR><BR>Sunday: R&R<BR><BR>Monday: Explore Marbella & area<BR><BR>Tuesday: Granada & the Alhambra<BR><BR>Wednesday: Drive to Seville via Ronda<BR><BR>Thursday: explore Seville and return to Marbella in the evening on the expressway (autov&iacute;a)<BR><BR>Friday: R&R or pueblos blancos if you still have the energy<BR><BR>BTW, you should purchase your Alhambra tickets in advance on the internet or at a BBV bank branch once you arrive in Marbella. Choose a realistic time slot - you don't want to miss it because you got caught in a traffic jam... You can still enter the Alhambra grounds as soon as you arrive - the time slot only applies to the Nasrid Palace.<BR><BR>Hope this helps,<BR>Andre

Another vote for Cordoba. If you're interested in Moorish architecture, the Mezquita is something you should make every effort to see.

Seville is kind of a lot to do in one day, unless you leave really, really early. And you are running, running, running every day. I would do Marbella on Monday, Seville on Tuesday & Wednesday, Ronda on Thursday, Granada on Friday.

Thanks for the advice folks! We definitely don't want to become two wrecks on our honeymoon!<BR><BR>If you're recommending staying overnight in Seville, can you recommend a good hotel that is not too expensive?<BR><BR>Any advice on parking in the major cities? We just booked our car rental yesterday, a Renault Megane Coupe. :-)<BR><BR>I did find a place online where we can buy Alhambra tickets in advance, so hopefully we will be doing that in the next couple of days.<BR><BR>Also, any advice on roads to avoid, things NOT to do, any attractions or exhibits that are tempting but not really worth the time? Bad restaurants?<BR><BR>We received advice from a friend that the site of the '92 Expo in Sevilla was really not worth the trip.<BR><BR>Also, any honeymoon-specific tips? Any particularly romantics spots, restaurants, etc - that you would recommend? Or tips on how to get a little extra-special treatment on planes, etc?<BR><BR>Thanks much folks. :-) We'll be arriving in Spain one week from today, October 27, and we're very excited. :-)

I agree with Ellen and think her itinerary suggestions are the best. You are really short-changing both Seville and Granada -- our two favorite cities. Ronda is a day, but not more, but the drive is lengthy. Plus, you don't want to be racing around and running yourself ragged on your honeymoon -- TRUST ME! We also honeymooned in Andalucia and thought it was fabulous.<BR><BR>As for accommodations in Seville, this may be pricier than your preference, but we stayed at Casa Imperial. A little outside Santa Cruz area, but an easy walk, a beautiful hotel and great service.

Ah, yes, as for parking in major cities -- let the hotel valet park the car. They often have car parks underneath the hotels and they are difficult to navigate (very tight). Seville, in particular, is a difficult city to get in and out of (and find your hotel). Just be sure you inspect the car when you pick it up from the rental company and note any damage to it and be sure to inspect it after each valet parks it -- we learned this lesson the hard way!

American chiming in here - I would definitely recommend staying the night in Seville. I just got back from 2 weeks in Spain & Portugal and Seville was my favorite city. You can skip the expo, but I loved the Plaza de Maria Luisa (something along those lines) which is not only beautiful (and great architecture), but also where Star Wars: Episode 2 was partly fimed. Also, you can take in a flamenco show or see a bullfight (or at least see the museum which I thought was great!). As for my $.02 - I would pass on Cordoba - we found there wasn't much to see/do - and ended up sitting around a cafe for most of the day we were there. Enjoy!

oh yeah - and another tick for Seville is the supposed (that's a whole other story to research) tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Ooops, I should have said we were arriving in Spain one MONTH from today, October 27, but I think you probably figured it out.<BR><BR>I definitely feel the mood of everyone strongly suggesting that we not run ourselves ragged, and I will definitely take that into account. I am going to re-work the itinerary a little bit and I'll post something back here a little while. Thanks again! :-)

One question, if I stay just one night at a hotel in Sevilla, can I book a room at a hotel there online? Or do I need to call for reservations?

prwood,<BR><BR>Don't worry about a language barrier re hotels in Seville - they will all have someone who speaks English! If it's a cost issue, you can probably reach most places by e-mail if they don't have a web site. <BR>www.viamichelin.com<BR>has pretty complete hotel listings with e-mail addresses.<BR><BR>In any event, always request a written confirmation by fax or e-mail to avoid possible confusion.<BR><BR>Andre

Andre:<BR><BR>I'm not too worried about the language - my fiancee speaks Spanish very well, and I am somewhat competent, though not as good as she.<BR><BR>I was more concerned about room availability - will it be easy to get a room when I'm over there, on the spot, or should I book a month ahead of time from here in the US.<BR><BR>Another question - I am looking at the Michelin Road Maps, and map #446 for Spain seems to be fairly out of date at most places - I have heard that a newer version is available, but most places seem to have versions that were published in the early 90's. Is there a place I can buy the latest version over here in the US, or should I wait and buy one when I get over to Spain?

prwood,<BR><BR>I would DEFINITELY book the hotel ASAP. The nice yet affordable places book up very fast. There's lots of Seville hotel info on the board.<BR><BR>Have you tried Amazon for the map?<BR><BR>Andre

Here are some hotels with rooms available. Can anyone comment on these? Since we already have one week at our timeshare already paid for, we don't want to spend too much on extra lodgings. Prices listed are for one night in one standard room with two occupants.<BR><BR>1. Hotel Becquer 119.95<BR> <BR>2. Silken Al-Andalus Palace Hotel 99.95<BR><BR>3. Hotel Abril 65.95 <BR> <BR>4. Hotel San Gil 139.95 <BR><BR>5. Hotel Occidental Sevilla 139.95<BR> <BR>6. Tryp Macarena 129.95 <BR><BR>7. Melia Sevilla 169.95<BR> <BR>8. Gran Hotel Lar 109.95 <BR> <BR>9. Nh Plaza De Armas 119.95

p.s. Those prices are in USD.

I agree that you should stay in Seville. It is a beautiful city and lively. I just came back and stayed at the Don Paco Hotel on P.Jeronimo Cordoba 4-5, fax 34 95 4222824. There are lots of tour groups in and out of the hotel, but it is comfortable and in a good location for walking. The river cruise is nice and relaxing also.

I received this email from Maribel, for some reason she couldn't respond to this thread, so I am posting it here for everyone's benefit. Thanks Maribel for your insight! :-)<BR><BR>----<BR>prwood,<BR>Please make sure to book ahead, as Andre wisely tells you!<BR>If you need emails, do a Google search on each hotel, look at the Michelin<BR>site, or I may be able to find them for you in my Official Hotel Guide.<BR><BR>Since you're only spending 1 night, I'd be sure to choose something as<BR>central as possible, if you can, so that you can maximize and efficiently<BR>use your sightseeing time. You can always use a taxi, of course, but by<BR>walking, you'll soak up the flavor of the city so much better. The<BR>Occidental, San Gil (nice), Tryp Macarena, Melia Sevilla, Plaza de Armas and<BR>Lar are all somewhat-to very removed for walking to the sights. From your<BR>list, I'd choose the Becquer.<BR>www.hotelbecquer.com<BR><BR>For a more inexp. option, have your tried the Hotel Amadeus (new last yr.)<BR>or the Hosteria del Laurel in the Santa Cruz Quarter, or the Hotel<BR>Maestranza (4 yrs. old)?<BR>www.hotelamadeussevilla.com<BR>www.sol.co m/hotel/hosteria-laurel/<BR>www.hotel-maestranza.com<BR>

Prwood,<BR><BR>Sorry to add another name to your list, but you might consider the Hotel Inglaterra - very centrally located<BR>yet easier to reach by car than most other properties in the area. <BR>www.hotelinglaterra.es<BR>Never stayed there myself, but it's a 4*, pretty well rated by Michelin and they have doubles for about EUR<BR>120 + 7% tx. Strange thing is, the reservation services I checked (Utell, Hotelbook and the hotel's own link to Pegasus) show a 30 day cancellation deadline(!), but I'd just call or e-mail the hotel directly - I'm sure they simply fed incorrect data into the system which "feeds" all these booking engines.<BR><BR>Friends of mine stayed at the Melia Sevilla a few mo. ago and liked it but the location looks less convenient (as confirmed by Maribel) and it's more exp. I stayed at Los Seises, which I wouldn't recommend, especially since you're arriving by car.<BR>Andre

prwood,<BR>I think I'm able to post now. I stayed yrs. ago at the Inglaterra. It's a very good location for walking to see Seville's treasures (plus it's within shouting distance to my very favorite tapas bar, Casablanca). <BR><BR>I'm sorry that I forgot about your arriving by car. Those little good value hotels tucked into the Barrio Santa Cruz will be challenging, to say the least, to locate by car. If you choose one of them, please make sure they send you very precise driving directions to the nearest underground parking garage. A car in Seville is a handicap. If you opt for the Santa Cruz district, I'd actually park in the first convenient garage you see before entering the quarter and have a taxi negotiate the maze for you.

Ok - so what would be a *good* hotel to stay at, considering that I am driving in? Any ones that have their own parking garages?

prwood,<BR>Both the Inglaterra and the Becquer have their own parking garages. <BR><BR>Sorry if this posts multiple times. Having a difficult day in cyberspace, or there's something amiss at Fodors.

I'm trying to do the budgeting for our trip. With all of the driving around we're doing (Marbella to Seville and back, granada and back, cordoba and back, malaga to marbella several times) - what should I expect to spend on gasoline? I don't know whether the car has a diesel or unleaded engine (it's a Renault Megane Coupe), but does anyone have a rough guess as to what 6 days of driving would run us? I have absolutely no concept of how to figure that out over there. Here in the USA I put about $22 into my tank every week, but that's just for my 20 miles round trip drive to and from work and running errands.<BR><BR>Thanks!

prwood,<BR><BR>check your itinerary on:<BR>www.viamichelin.com<BR><BR>It calculates approx. gasoline costs as well. <BR><BR>By all means, try to get a diesel at the rental counter! I spent less than 70 EUR driving 1'300 km in a larger car than you've reserved and using A/C almost the entire time...<BR><BR>Andre

Hi prwood,<BR>We were driving around southern spain last year and stayed in Marbella, Ronda, Sevilla, Granada and Ibiza. <BR><BR>Granada is probably too far to do a day trip. So is Sevilla and Cordoba if you are considering that. <BR><BR>Ronda and the other pueblo blancos are about 2 hrs away due to the narrow roads and do-able.<BR><BR>Seville and Granada are worth at least a nite each.Enjoy yourself!

I was in Andalucia with 2 friends in February. We went with no reservations for lodging or the Alhambra and had no problem getting into either. <BR>You mentioned that you do not want to spend much on lodging. <BR>We stayed in what I thought were pretty nice hotels for around $40. One was the Hotel Cordoba in Sevilla. We stayed at one cheaper place in Arcos. My single friend paid $11 for his room and the owner gave us each a free bottle of wine. He likes to say he paid $11 for the wine and the owner threw in the room. I like Ellen's itinerary but if you can squeeze it in, the Mezquite in Cordoba should not be missed. Together with the Alhambra and the Alcazar in Sevilla you get a complete picture of Moorish and Mudajer architecture.

I can't get any info on hotel cordoba on this site. Can you give me more info on it? Where is it? whats it like? anyone else stayed there?

This web site mentions the hostal cordoba in the barrio santa cruz.<BR>I don't remember the street.<BR><BR><BR>http://www.andalucia.com/cities/seville/hotels.htm

We are not averse to driving long distances to get somewhere. We frequently get up at 5 or 6 a.m. to take day trips. So it's not really a big deal for us. I know we are on our honeymoon and everything, but it is really not that big a deal for us.<BR><BR>I think we are going to try to get a room at the Hotel Becquer in Seville for Tuesday night. Looks like it's in a good location near lots of things we want to see.<BR><BR>Thanks very much for all your help! The wedding is only 23 days away, and then we'll be off to Spain. :-)

Hi prwood,<BR>I think the Becquer is your very best bet and the easiest to reach coming in from the south. <BR>Be sure to use www.viamichelin.com to get your driving diredtions. Michelin will probably route you through the town of Utrera on the A 376, connecting to the NIV-E5 west which becomes the N630-E 803 north, then exit 13 to the center. If you type in Reyes Catolicos 4 in the address box, and type in Utrera as one of your towns on route, then when the directions for your Marbella-Sevilla drive appear, click on map/destination, you'll see how to reach the hotel from the Isabel II bridge. It's just 2-3 blocks from that bridge, on the WEST side of the inner city. <BR><BR>A day trip to the Alhambra from Marbella is doable, although it's a very long, tiring one. Just do it midway during your stay, on Wed., at your timeshare so that you can rest up the next day. And get a very early start. Since you say you don't mind a 6 a.m. departure, then just go for it and get your entrance ticket to the Alhambra well in advance at <BR>www.alhambratickets.com for a morning slot. And again, go to the Michelin site for estimate driving time and detailed directions-it's a great resource.<BR><BR>And congratulations on your upcoming wedding. Hope you have a wonderful honeymoon!

I missed adding my thoughts about Seville. I agree that it (and Cordova) are too far away and have way too much to see to try to do either in one day.<BR><BR>Save them for next year when you celebrate your 1st anniversary. <BR><BR>We have a timeshare at Marriott Marbella that we've used three times. Our pattern is to arrive into Malaga, stay at the Paradore near the Alcazar overnight, then check in after seeing whatever there may be to see in Malaga the next day.<BR><BR>After our week at the resort, we schedule a 3 day visit somewhere. Once to Seville (3 days was tight, needed 4), once to Madrid (3 days was just right except we couldn't do anything in the environs), and once to Barcelona (again 3 days was fine).<BR><BR>Just in case you need a reminder, you're on your honeymoon. That means you need to remember the primary objective and not exhaust yourself checking out Moorish history and the Spanish Inquisition first hand.<BR><BR>The Mediterranean Sea is warm, sensual and not to be missed, and the resort's beach facilities are excellent. In addition there are very nice small beach restaurants in the area that serve outstanding seafood dishes.<BR><BR>Don't miss the opportunity to enjoy what is available at your own "home away from home."

Charles.re your timeshare in Marbella-approx. how long for the one day Alhambra tour? ie. leave at what time and how long to get there? how did you get to Barcelona from Marbella? What timeshare company do you use?

Howdy,<BR><BR>#1) We decided to stay overnight in Seville - so we are really going to have about two days there. I think that will be enough time for us.<BR><BR>#2) I know it's our honeymoon. And I feel that the primary objective is to have a good time and enjoy each other's company. We are not really the relaxing-on-the-beach, lounging around types. We have the most fun when we are active, together, doing exciting and interesting things. I can't think of any better way to commemorate the beginning of our marriage than traveling around an exciting area of a country we've never visited, sharing experiences and building memories. Some of our best memories so far have come even in moments that might otherwise be construed as stressful. So anyway, we will certainly do a measure of relaxing, but I think we'll end up doing a lot of exploring, since that's what we like to do. And we'll haev a whole lifetime together to come back and explore the places we want to visit again. :-)