nevertooold

We have allocated the following days to our 18 day Spain holiday for next September:
Madrid -2 1/2 days;
Toledo -1 day;
Granada -1 day;
Marbella - 3 days
Sevilla - 2 days
Barcelona - 5 days

We are entirely satisfied with these number of days for these locations.

However, we do have 2 1/2 other days at our disposal and have the following choices:

(a) Afternoon and evening in La Granja relaxing at Parador;
next day visiting Segovia, spending night at Parador;
next day spend morning relaxing and, if we want, tour palace; visit El Escorial in the afternoon and end up in Toledo;
next day visit Toledo, and drive to Granada late in the day; or

(b) Afternoon and evening in La Granja relaxing at Parador;
next day visit Segovia and in late afternoon drive to Toledo;
next day visit Toledo and drive to Cordoba late in the day;
next day visit Cordoba and drive to Granada late in the day.

It basically boils down to (a)1 1/2 days in La Granja and Segovia plus Cordoba vs. (b) 2 1/2 days in La Granja/Segovia/El Escorial with some relaxation.

Any advice as to whether, when taking into consideration the rest of our stay, should we make Cosrdoba a priority?

Thanks, as always, for any advice.

bobthenavigator

Nice trip--you will have fun.
I have 2 comments. Yes, you should include Segovia in your plans--one of my favs. And, I think you need 2 nites in Granada to do justice. I am curious how you plan to get to Barcelona.

nevertooold

Bob - Segovia will absolutely be included - the question is whether Cordoba should be, at the expense of a second night at La Granja parador plus a morning of relaxation and an afternoon at El Escorial.

Also, 2 nights will be spent in Granada.

From Sevilla we plan on flying to Barcelona (planning to leave at approx. 6:00pm after our 2nd day of sight-seeing.

nevertooold

Anybody else?

Thanks.

kja

Hi, nevertooold -

Cordoba's Mezquita is truly amazing and quite unique. IMHO, it should not be missed! I personally would skip El Escorial (which I found interesting, but not spectacular) in favor of a stop in Cordoba.

Hope that helps!

nevertooold

kja - we plan on arriving in Sevilla on a Monday evening. I figure that I can probably leave to visit Cordoba on a "day trip" by fast train either Tuesday afternoon or Wednesday morning, as we leave for Barcelona Wednesday late afternoon by plane at approx. 6:00pm.

As my wife and I are still enamored with La Granja parador/Segovia for 2 1/2 days and we do not want to give up Marbella and its beaches, AND (perhaps most importantly)as my wife really has no desire at all to visit Cordoba, if I really want to see the Mezquita that badly (which I think I do), I will have to bite the bullet and see it myself for a 1/2 day and take the time off of Sevilla (which I am prepared to do)as I will still have 2 nights and 1 1/2 days left for Seville.

Make sense?

kja

I see your reasoning - but I must admit that I really enjoyed my time in Cordoba - I had almost 2 full days there, during which I was very busy seeing some things I really enjoyed and having two of the best meals of my 3-week trip to Spain. But to each his or her own! If we all made the same decisions, life would be much less interesting.

Enjoy!