Spain, 2 weeks four stops - is this reasonable?
 

Hello fellow fodorites.
We are attending a conference in Marseille in May 2012 and then spending a week in Provence (which we have visited before and love!)
I am then planning another 13 days in Spain before flying out of paris on the 14th day - can't change to a Spanish city unfortunately with this fare.

My current thought is:
Day 1 Provence to Barcelona (drive, we will already have had a car in Provence)
3 nights in Barcelona (ditch car)
2 nights Malaga (having flown from Barcelona?- pick up new car)
4 nights Vejer
3 nights Sevilla
fly from Sevilla to Paris - Vueling??
Depart Paris 1200 next day.

Is this reasonable? We are interested in Spanish culture, very keen on photography and looking to see some of the unique Moorish culture/architecture. Some museums (not every day!) food and wine. We try to avoid moving too frequently if we can.

Not sure about the Vueling flight, better options from Madrid but would have to cut a day somewhere else.

Thanks for any input from those that 'have travelled this road.'

12 nights for Barcelona and a taste of Andalucia is reasonable. However, I'd question why you are choosing to stay 4 nights in Vejer and seem to have overlooked Granada.

Personally if I had 12 nights for Barcelona & Andalucia and it was my first trip to Spain in May I'd probably do something more like:

*Barcelona- 4 nights
*Sevilla - 4 nights; daytrip to Cordoba or if you choose option 3 below then daytrip to Jerez, Sanlucar or Cadiz
*Granada - 2 nights

For the other 2 nights I'd choose between

1) Malaga city (in this case you wouldn't even need a car as you could fly in from Barcelona and bus from there to Granada

2) white villages for 2 nights (arrive in Malaga and rent a car)

3) Cordoba for 2 nights (again no need for a car). This would be particularly nice if your visit was during the Patio festival where locals open their patios to visitors and the patios are spectacularly decorated with pots and pots of flowers

Another note: if this is during the time of the Spring Feria in Sevilla you're in for a treat - but hotel prices will be at a premium particularly something moderately priced so you'll want to book soon.

I'm sure others will give alternative advice so just weigh what fits best with your interests and either way you can't go wrong with Spain in May!

Have you checked into what the rental car drop fee will be for picking up in France and dropping in Spain?

Yes joan beat me to that question.

I may be in the minority, but white village hunting is one of Spain's more over rated avocations. Vejer looks like a beautiful town but four days there seems a bit too much, considering all there is to see in the south.

Please note that driving in Spanish cities can be unpleasant and some small towns have narrow streets that may be hard to navigate.

I have flown Vueling and it is fine, another cheap-o airline.

I was in Spain this past May and I liked CathyM's itinerary. We found Malaga and the entire Costa del Sol to be underwhelming but Granada and Cordoba were fabulous! Vejer looks lovely but 4 days seems too long.

Nothing wrong with Vueling, but you will need a LOT of time at CDG between your Vueling landing and your return flight - you need to retrive your bags and then recheck to your next airline and also re-clear security (which can be a LONG process at that dumphole of an airport).

I like the idea of Cordoba for 2 nights - nice little city and worthy of more than a rushed day trip.

Consider dropping your car in France and taking the train to Barcelona. First, it may be faster. Second, it WILL be less expensive than a cross-border drop.

Thanks guys. I had based my rough itinerary on another that I seen in a trip report here but I have about 6 nights less than the original poster so wasn't sure how to 're allocate.'
I will have another look based on CathyM's suggestions above, thank you!
Also, I should add it will actually be June 2 when we hit Spain, will be last week of May in France.
Re the car question, we have always done a Citroen lease previously but I think we won't actually need a car long enough to do a lease this time so any suggestions on where we WILL need a car would be helpful.

Lastly, re Vueling... I had planned on flying to Paris the night before our flight home which leaves at 1200 simply because I am too scared to risk a connection on same morning!
If we depart from Sevilla, the Vueling flight is either at 1650 or 0700 I think, the 0700 arriving at 0915 and it arrives into Orly not CDG. So, I think we will have to take the 1650 the night before to be safe.

I really like the look of Ronda as well. CathyM (or anyone else) where would that best fit in please?

You could stay in Ronda and a couple of nights and use it as a base to visit the white villages (I'd rent a car if you decide to take this option). If you took my suggestion above it would just mean sacrificing Malaga or Cordoba (as an overnight). But you can't do it all in 12 nights.

OK, so maybe:
4 nights Barcelona, fly to Granada
2 nights Granada (collect car)
2 nights Ronda
4 nights Sevilla (day trip to Cordoba)
fly Sevilla to Paris

is that reasonable?
Have yet to investigate one way drop fees for car, may train from Marseille to Barcelona.
Thank you

Sounds like a good plan to me. I loved Ronda.

If you enjoy horseback riding, there is a 3 hour sunrise ride through the gorge.

Funny you should mention that joannyc, love riding - will look into that, thanks.

Sounds great - can I come along :)

Yuu may have issues with car rentals cross-border (very expensive) and need to take the train to Barcelona. But at least you have time to investigate.

There have been some excellent posts on the white villages in this forum - just do a search on Ronda, Grazalema, Zahara and you should find some further recommendations.

If you're into wine you may want to detour to Jerez on your way to Sevilla and visit a couple of sherry bodegas. You could still arrive in Sevilla in the late afternoon/early evening and if you don't have to leave Sevilla until the afternoon of your final day this will give you an entire morning in Sevilla to make up for the detour.

A great site for Sevilla:
http://exploreseville.com/

And don't forget about Maribel's guides. She has city guides specfically for Barcelona, Sevilla and Granada. Her hotel and restaurant reservations are excellent.

maribelsguides.com

Thank you so much,I feel less overwhelmed now that I have a plan and can start investigating accommodation and transport etc.
The one way fees for the car are starting to look less attractive so maybe fly from Marseille or train from Avignon -its been a while since I tackled the scnf website though!!!

Joanny who did you ride with?

Found the horse ride through my Ronda hotel...there was a flyer at the desk (years ago).

It was great! I'm sure it's still available.


Have a wonderful trip.

I think I have managed to talk DH into another two nights - any thoughts on what to do with them?
Include Malaga or maybe add Madrid onto the end and fly Madrid to Paris instead of Sevilla to Paris??? Some people seem underwhelmed by Madrid it seems but obviously we are all different, really just wondering which is better logistically (or maybe something entirely different?)

topping

Madrid is a great (and very big ) city.
Visiting for a day or two at the end of the trip is not
doing it justice. I would spend less time in Ronda and add to Madrid (especially if you are interested in art)
Malaga is a very nice town ....if you wish to stay in Andalusia and relax by the sea, 2 days is fine there.

Thanks danon, may have seen enough art/museums by then! Malaga might be an option then.

Málaga city is a good idea for the end of the Spain tour, genuine and laid-back.

"Authentic charm of an overlooked treasure": http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/ci...-treasure.html

"Malaga centre is not only the perfect place to explore the many historical monuments, atmospheric little streets and squares with delightful café culture, but it is also a wonderful shopping centre". http://www.andalucia.com/cities/malaga/

"... beginning to be appreciated by visitors who are lured by the historic charm and character of the place - and the people". http://www.andalucia.com/magazine/en...ed2/malaga.htm

In May, I recommend you to go to Pedregalejo just east of the city center for nice beaches and a line of great and affordable waterfront restaurants. Both the beaches and the restaurants are very popular with locals.

This is great news - 2 more days. I'd not try to include Madrid as 2 days are not enough to do it justice unless you were willing to shave time off other places (whichnpersonally I wouldn't advise).

I'd add the 2 days in Malaga. You could fly from BCN to Malaga, then bus to Granada, rent car for white villages and Ronda, then fly to Paris from Sevilla. Or you could do this in reverse: BCN, Sevilla, Ronda, Granada then Malaga.

Thanks guys, Malaga it is!
So I would only need a car literally to do the white villages for the day from Ronda? I am so used to having a car (particularly in France) that this feels quite odd but it seems public transport is easier here?
Do the buses/trains have adequate storage for reasonable sized luggage? As we like to self cater we usually end up carrying around various bits and pieces from place to place.
If we did decide to go with a car, would it be a real hindrance? And, would a round trip starting and finishing in Malaga or Sevilla be reasonable as car hire options seem to be easier that way rather than one way drop offs.

Lastly, any pros and cons for which city to start and end with (if we don't do loop that is.)
Many thanks again.

Personally, i think you should stick to two cities. You want to visit every museum and landmark for pics. You also want to immerse yourself into the culture and understand how things work over there. Basically, you want to soak everything in. I regret going to 4 cities in 9 days. Have you thought about just going to Sevilla and Granada? Those two cities would be worth the 12 days you spend in Spain. You can always visit the other cities for another trip.

I might add that fitting a day trip to Cordoba would be fine also

inquisitive: I believe the OP has planned a daytrip to Cordoba.

ozgirl - a car would be a hinderance almost anywhere except for the white villages. Trains and buses have plenty of room for luggage - believe me I am an overpacker and have never had a problem. Your car will basically be sitting the entire time (in Malaga, Granada and Sevilla) while you're paying for the rental and the parking. It can also be a hassle driving into the cities and trying to find your hotel. Bus and train are so much easier as it will get you right to the station where you can grab a cab (if you need to). The places where you'll need public transport (Malaga to Granada, Sevilla to Cordoba) have very frequent and timely buses and trains. The train from Sevilla to Cordoba is much faster than driving. If you do decide to get a car you can probably drop off at 2 different points (Sevilla/Malaga) without a fee). But do factor in the cost of parking in the cities (it can be expensive).

Thanks CathyM, so really just hire in Ronda for a day do you think? And, any thoughts re where to start/finish or no difference?

If you plan to spend 2 nights in Ronda and use as a base to visit the white villages I'd suggest renting a car in Granada on the day you are departing and drive to Ronda. Keep the car for the 2 days you're visiting Ronda as it is difficult to really explore the white villages using public transportation. Keep the car until you get to Sevilla. You could possibly drop the car off at the main train station, Santa Justa, which is located outside of the old center and isn't as difficult to get to.

In other words (assuming you wanted to use Malaga for the additional 2 days):

-Barcelona: 4 nights; fly to Malaga
-Malaga: 2 nights; bus to Granada (1 hr, 45 minutes)
-Granada: 2 nights; rent car when leaving
-Ronda: 2 nights; explore white villages by car
-Sevilla: 4 nights; drop off car on arrival; daytrip to Cordoba

You could do in reverse flying from BCN to Sevilla and then ending in Malaga for 2 nights. I just thought it may be nice to have the 4-nighters spaced apart.

There's many ways you could logistically slice this - this is just my recommendation. Others may have alternatives.

Sorry I wasn't clear earlier.

Hi CathyM, that sounds perfect, absolutely a good idea to separate the 4 night stays.
Will start looking at flights, car and accommodation now - so much easier when you have the 'backbone' sorted to move on!
Thank you.

Hi cathym and others. Advice please on a minor alteration to plans - due to 'a long story', we will only have one night now in Ronda from Cathym's above itinerary.
Should we still hire the car from Granada to Sevilla (given that we won't have the one day of 'white village touring' from Ronda?) Is the drive from Granada to Ronda and then Ronda to Sevilla worth the effort of hiring the car or should we just stick to train?
Both drives don't appear particularly long and possibly could still afford some meandering on the way perhaps?

I think a car will certainly give you the freedom to take this part of the trip at your own pace. it might give you some unexpected photo ops you will be sorry to miss on public transportation.

You can go to the caves at guadix, and also stop over at charming Carmona. There are serval small towns on the way to Sevilla that merit a short photo stop if nothing else.

A local also has suggested Antequera in the past as a wonderful town. I have nto been there and do not have it geographically in my mind right now, but take a look to see if it "fits" into your schedule and itinerary. It looks like a wonderful trip with great suggestions here from all the responses I have read! Enjoy!

I can't say what will suit you best, but I can say that I found it easy to take a train from Granada to Ronda and then a bus from Ronda to Sevilla.

ozgirl,

i haven't read the whole of this thread but see that you itinerary in spain is now Barcelona, Granada, ronda and Seville.

Presuming that you're going to have a car in granada, you could do worse than stay at the hotel used when we stayed there - the hotel Guadelupe - which is right opposite the alhambra, and has discounted parking in the alhambra car park right opposite. it's a very reasonable comfortable place and there's a bus to take you down into the town [and more importantly to bring you back up] from right outside the alhambra ticket office.

which brings me to another topic - do prebook your alhambra tickets, including the night-time trip as well as the day-time one. we weren't sure about doing it twice, but we were very pleased that we went at night as well as during the day - they let far fewer people in, and the alhambra lit up at night is unforgettable.

"the alhambra lit up at night is unforgettable"

Oh my word, I bet it is! Such a beautiful and mystical place during the day, can't imagine going at night...

and the gardens are lovely too - you have to walk through them to get to the Nasrid palace which is the only part of the Alhambra which is open at night.

Thanks for those comments -lincasanova, I hadn't come across Guadix before, looks interesting but alas heading in the opposite direction.. Antequera however looks spot on en route to Ronda.
Annhig, we already have Granada accom sorted but thanks for the tip.
I had also thought about including Zahara, Grazalema and/or Arcos on the day we drive Ronda to Sevilla but not sure which of them to prioritise?

I'd stick with the rental car even if it is just for one night. If you don't rent a car and only have one night in Ronda then it will just mean you can visit Ronda and see a little between Ronda and Sevilla on the bus.

Antequera is a nice town - you can also visit as a daytrip from Malaga. If I had to choose between Zahara, Grazalema or Arcos I'd personally probably choose Zahara. Arcos is larger and is a little off route. Grazalema is tiny and very pretty but the drive is very windy. Zahara is directly on route to Sevilla. Just my thoughts - I'm sure you'll get all kinds of opinions. You could probably visit both Grazalema and Zahara along the way from Ronda to Sevilla.

Thanks CathyM, just needed some validation!!! So maybe Antequera on the way from Granada to Ronda and Zahara from Ronda to Sevilla then?

I can also recommend Antequera. Known as "the heart of Andalucía" or "the crossroads of Andalucía". Almost right in the middle of the Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada, Málaga rectangle. Here you'll find dolmens (some 5000 years old burial chambers), Roman baths, a Moorish Castle, Gothic churches, Renaissance fountains and baroque bell towers. Antequera was the first of the Granada emirate towns to fall to the Christians in 1410.
http://www.andaluciacoastandcountry.com/antequera.html

I love the terrace in the corner of the peaceful square in front of the Real Colegiata de Santa María la Mayor, the first partly Renaissance-style church in Spain (built 1514-1550). Up here it's totally peace and quiet. Next to the recently excavated Roman baths beneath and looking up on the 13th century Moorish alcazaba/fortress. Great views over unique landscapes (the spectacular Torcal limestone mountain etc.). http://www.wild-about-travel.com/201...ing-antequera/