Okay, now I can't find the train schedule from Siguenza to Granada on the Renfe sight. Any help finding this schedule will be most appreciated. Thank you!!!

"You can't get there from here!!!"

No, actually, what you have to realize is that when Philip II decided to build Madrid, he decided to put it smack-dab in the middle of the country, so that everything could radiate out from there to the rest of the country. Which means that from anywhere near (or far) from Madrid, when you want to go in a different direction, you have to go back through Madrid.

Try Siguenza to Madrid, then Madrid to Granada.

If it doesn't work, post again and I'll try to find it.

Well that's frustrating. I believe Siguenza is closer to Granada...rather than going back via Madrid.
Wonder if we should just rent a car and drive to Granada.

Thanks for your help Eloise! Much appreciated!!

Well I checked that train route, Eloise. Going back thru Madrid, leaving at the first train at 5:15am, puts us in Granada at 2:10pm. That's the earliest we can get to the Granada.
Guess we'll have to rent a car and drive to Granada from Siguenza. Since we wanted to spend the entire day visiting the Alhambra.

Good heavens, no! At least not according to the way the Spaniards see it. Siguenza is east of Madrid. Granada is south.

I don't drive, so I have no idea what car rentals are like in Spain.

What I don't quite understand is why you are going both north -- Barcelona -- and south -- Granada -- from Siguenza. Wouldn't it be easier to base yourself in Madrid, at least for the time between the trips to Barcelona and Granada?

If you want to go from Siguenza to Granada, it will take you most of the day, with hours to cool your heels in Madrid. You can leave Siguenza at 10:06, arrive in Madrid at
11:35. The next high-speed TALGO train to Granada leaves at 4:47 p.m. and arrives at 10:48 p.m.

If you're already in Madrid, you can take a TALGO at 8:10 and arrive in Granada at 2:10 p.m.

Ty1onn: We were both writing messages at the same time. I didn't dare to try to put you on a train at 5:15 a.m.! But I also had you in Granada at 2:10 p.m. from Madrid.

Please check out the official Alhambra Web site. As far as I can recall, you cannot spend the entire day in the Alhambra. I think you can go in for a time-limited day visit and -- on a separate reservation and ticket -- for a time-limited evening visit.

I was in Granada before this restricted system was introduced, and I visited the Alhambra both during the day and in the evening. Both are well worth it, both are magical -- in different ways.

Well our original plan was to do a day trip to Granada from Siguenza. We will be in Madrid for 5 days. But even going to Granada from Madrid will still get us there kind of late to do it in just one day. I guess we'll need to rethink our plans and spend one night in Granada.
Thanks for your help and advice Eloise!
I'll need to consult with my traveling partners on this!

Sigüenza is very very far from Granada. It's a village in the north part of Guadalajara's province which is near to Madrid. You are not "going back to Madrid" because Sigüenza is northern than Madrid.

Looks like we'll go to Granada from Madrid. And we'll look into renting a car for the day.
I'll definitely check out the Alhambra site. Thanks for your advice Eloise! Looks like I need to brush up on my georgraphy of Spain Kenderina! Thanks!

Ty1onn: Check out the route from Madrid to Granada on Viamichelin and/or mappy.com. I somehow doubt that you can go faster in a rental car than the TALGO train does...

You are right, Eloise. The car is not any faster than the Talgo.

Good point! Looks like we should justg do the Talgo then. And we should not plan on doing the Granada in a day trip from Madrid from the travel time it's going to take go get there.... we should plan on staying one night in Granada.
Appreciate your advise Eloise and Kenderina.
Thanks,
Ty