calgary1989

Good morning everyone. Here is our schedule:

Arrive in Seville from Munich: Aug 25
Aug 27-28 Corboda (home base will be Cordoba and doing a day trip to Granada)
Aug 29 to Sept 2 Seville and fly out on the Sept 3 (Hoping to go to Cadiz and other neighbouring towns)

My question is would it be better to travel using trains and local transportation or would you suggest renting a car? Is it easy to drive and park around the areas mentioned above.

Everyone's insight would be greatly appreciated.

PalenQ

For cities like that take trains for sure -have little time for tooling around countryside - book trains as early as possible at Renfe for sweet discount prices but limited in number so book ASAP - two months out I believe. For lots on Spanish trains check www.seat61.com (great tips booking trains thru renfe.com or other sites with similar prices that may be easier for foreigners to use; general info - BETS-European Rail Experts and www.ricksteves.com. cadiz is easy by train too and Jerez-de-la-Frontera is too for sherry tours and practice sessions of Andalucian horse shows in local arena many days.

calgary1989

thank you for the information

efarr99

Yes, definitely train! Easy to use- you would not want a car in any of your destinations.

Marija

From Córdoba to Granada you might want to consider taking a bus. The bus can actually be quicker.

PalenQ

And, folks report that those buses are very comfy so if quicker and cheaper - especially on walk-up basis yes the bus could be nice. but when current track work is done on high-speed route that could be much quicker - soon they say but have been saying for about two years now - but yes book them early as possible at sites mentioned above for often much cheaper fares.

calgary1989

guys thank you. information is very helpful.

indyhiker

We took the bus from Cordoba to Granada. It worked out well and was comfortable, but I don't think I would have wanted to do it as a daytrip from Cordoba.

kja

Andalusia is wonderful, but I wonder if you have time to meet your goals. For example, Cordoba is not an ideal base for Granada. In fact, IMO, nothing is an ideal base for that city, as it really takes the better part of a day just to see the Alhambra (do you have reservations? they are necessary!), and more if you want to see any of that city’s other treasures. Too, Cordoba itself can easily take 2 full days.

KarenWoo

I agree with indyhiker and kja about Granada. It is not a day trip from Cordoba IMO. We took the Alsa bus from Cordoba to Granada and it was about 2.5 hours one-way. Fully seeing the Alhambra and appreciating it takes the better part of a day, and more, if you want the night tour as well as the day tour. We had 2 nights in Granada and 2 nights in Cordoba and we could have used more.

Can you go from Munich to Cordoba, then Granada, and then Seville? Seems like you are wasting time going to Seville twice.

crellston

To answer two of your specific questions;

It is very easy to drive around the region. Roads are fast and largely free of traffic. In many cases the "door to door" times would be quicker by car than by train and, in some cases at least, would provide additional flexibility.

Parking and accessing city centres is easy in Cordoba, Granada and Cadiz but is a bit of a nightmare in Sevilla with weird one way systems. In Sevilla, I doubt you would use a car at all except perhaps to drive to Cadiz and Jerez.

Your actual itinerary, if I understand it correctly, does seem a little odd. You say Córdoba is your home base, yet to have two stays in Sevilla. I do think that some reorganisation would make better use of your time.

PalenQ

Hotels with cars - I assume readily accessible with car parking at hotels in those cities?