Hi. Considering taking family (parents and 2 older teens) to Spain from Dec 20-Jan 2. Madrid, Cordoba, Sevilla, Ronda Granada (now that there is a way to get there!) and maybe Barcelona. What is Spain like at Christmas? Is everything closed on Dec 24 and 25 and Jan 1? Appreciate any comments.

plambers,
From personal experience, I find Christmas in Spain magical, especially in Madrid with its stunning display of Christmas lights, the display of 20 some Nativity Scenes (belenes) in the city's churches and at City Hall, special concerts in churches/theaters (Teatro de la Zarzuela, the New Year's concert at the Teatro Real) and just the highly festive atmosphere in general. The best part: Christmas lasts until Jan. 6!
The Christmas lights are very pretty in Sevilla and even more elaborate in Málaga.

Here's a list of the locations of the Nativity Scenes around the city from this past Christmas
https://www.abc.es/espana/madrid/abc...1_noticia.html

There is an Arts and Crafts Fair that takes place on the Paseo de Recoletos, you'll find other pop up markets, and ice rinks are set up on the Plaza Colón, in the Palacio de Cibeles, Matadero and at Madrid Río.
All the pastry shops will be selling their King Cakes (Roscón de Reyes) and other Christmas treats at the city's sweet shops (turrón, polvorones, etc.), and the markets will be filled with bounty for the elaborate Christmas Eve and NYE dinners. I love to see the displays of gorgeous Christmas gift baskets especially at the El Corte Inglés Gourmet Experiences.

https://www.esmadrid.com/en/christmas-in-madrid

The www.esmadrid.com tourism web site will have the complete program that you can download (right now the 2019 is no longer available).

This year there was an added attraction, the illumination of the Royal Botanical Garden (Las luces del Real Jardín Botánico), with special effects, a copy of the "Christmas at Kew" in London. It ran until Epiphany, Jan. 6. Tickets for this new attraction and also for the Navilúz, the tour bus service that takes one around the city on a panoramic 40-minute ride to see the lights, sell out very quickly. This year's Navilúz tickets sold out in 48 hours on the Alsa bus site. Ticket sales started on Nov. 25. https://www.alsa.com/en/web/bus/naviluz-prcnl19.

Shops, restaurants, bars and museums will close early on the 24th so that families can celebrate at home, as is the tradition. Hotel restaurants will be open, and more often than not, will offer sumptuous (and very pricey) Christmas menus.
I noticed that this year more and more high-end restaurants were offering gala Nochebuena (Christmas Eve) and Nochevieja (NYE) menus. On Christmas Day more restaurants will open for lunch (ditto to Jan. 1), and Platea and Mercado de San Miguel will be open. Botín and Los Galayos will open either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day (they seem to alternate each year) for roast lamb/suckling pig.
You can search and reserve on The Fork, but we found this year that a few restaurants that we reserved on The Fork, indicating they would be open, actually sent us direct emails the next day alerting us that they would be closed (private parties).

I can't speak to the atmosphere of Ronda, Córdoba or Granada at Christmas.

Maribel, thanks for your response. When my husband and I went to Spain 5 years ago, I used your guides for Madrid and Sevilla and they were spot on. Your husband, Robert, also made so many wonderful suggestions! I recommend your guides to everyone1

We were thinking of Germany, but it is cold and the sun sets at 4 pm! 6:30 in Spain and much warmer. And the food! Many thanks

also, we have not been to malaga. Do you recommend?

Thank you, plambers, for your very kind words. Yes, I really have grown to love Málaga in the last few years. It's become a beautiful city, easy to visit, highly pedestrianized, and is now a city of museums: Picasso, Thyssen, Russian Museum (with some works from the Hermitage), a great Automotive and Costume museum (something for both the gents and the ladies), Pompidou, and on and on. And the Alcazaba has been beautifully restored. We were there last winter and had some nice, warm weather. It gets 320 days of sunshine.

That would, IMO, be extraordinarily ambitious. Just Sevilla, Cordoba, and Granada can easily take 10 to 12 days. Add time if you want to visit Ronda, Malaga, or anywhere else in Andalusia. Add at least 4 to 6 days for Madrid and Toledo. Add at least 5 days for Barcelona plus any time you would want for day trips. Note that many things in Spain are closed on part of Sundays, all of Mondays, and for a very long midday break every day, and that daylight hours will be very short at that time of year.

plambers,
I didn't think from your post that you had made a final decision to go to all of the places that you mentioned from Dec. 20-Jan. 2, but just your wondering what Christmas might be like in each, but perhaps I misunderstood.
With 12 days on the ground, I would limit the trip to Madrid-Sevilla-Ronda (overnight)-Málaga at the most (with a day trip to Córdoba from Sevilla) for the most enjoyable weather.

i have not finalized our itinerary. i studied in spain many moons ago. my husband has only been to madrid and sevilla and my kids never to spain. last time we took the train directly to sevilla from madrid and stayed there either 3 or4 nights but we never got to cordoba. would 4 nights in sevilla be good for a day trip to cordoba? i am almost thinking of not visiting madrid. while i love madrid, i am not sure about my teens. they are not into museums much. is malaga all about museums? on our last visit, cadiz was mentioned by more that one spaniard that we met. is that a good trip?

could we do sevilla, cordoba (day trip from sevilla), granada and ronda? maybe also cadiz? we will most likely fly in and out of madrid. where would be best for christmas eve and day (meaning restaurants open) and nye?

what is closed on monday? i don't remember that.

thanks again.

or could i fly into barcelona, stay here for 4 or 5 nights, train down to sevilla for 4 nights, granada for 2 nights and last night in madrid?

plambers,
Whether or not to include Madrid with your teens in this repeat trip for you and your husband will be up to you, but you would want to take them, I think, to the most festive destinations.
Madrid will be the most lively of all the possible options, at least it is to me, with all of the special Christmas-focused activities: the impressive Christmas light displays, the concerts, the crèche displays, the bustle of people on the streets shopping and socializing, all in the Christmas spirit. It will also offer the most dining options open on Dec. 24, 25.

But if you prefer to substitute Barcelona for Madrid, that could work too (also with more dining options). The major sites: Cathedral, Basílica de Santa María Del Mar, Casa Batlló and Parc Güell are open daily, La Pedrera closes on 12/25 but is open 12/26+, Miró is open on 12/25 until 2:30, Sagrada Familia closes at 2 pm on 12/25 & 12/26, the Palau de la Música will have concerts (flamenco, guitar, Strauss) ...
https://www.foreverbarcelona.com/wha...-at-christmas/
https://www.barcelona-tourist-guide....christmas.html.

The AVE from Barcelona to Sevilla takes 5 hrs. 30 min. Three departures require a train change in Madrid except for the 8:30 am and 3:50 pm departures, which are direct runs.

For Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day I would want to be in a larger city (Madrid, Sevilla, Málaga, Barcelona) simply for more options. A smaller town (Ronda, for example) will be much more limiting as to tourist activities for those major dates.
(This is why I plan, or hope, at least, to spend Dec. 20-27 in Madrid next year and Dec. 27-Jan. 3 in Lisbon. I've spent time in Barcelona only post Christmas, arriving on Jan. 2, after spending time with family in Madrid.)

I mentioned Málaga because it will usually provide you with the warmest weather and most sunshine (Cádiz could work too--we're on our way there in Feb.), there will be restaurants open to accommodate Northern Europeans who winter on the Costa del Sol, the 6:30 pm Christmas music & light show on Calle Larios is very impressive, and while not swimming weather, you can take walks along the beaches and some chiringuitos (casual beach bars/restaurants) will most likely be open.

https://www.malaga.us/blog/activitie...lights-malaga/
Malaga in Winter - Things to do in Malaga in December.

Because the European school holidays bring many families to Granada, the Alhambra will be very crowded during this season, so it's very important to purchase those tickets far in advance, as much as 3 months in advance. Right now they're available up until March 31.
https://compratickets.alhambra-patro...&lg=en-GB&ca=0.

Hope this helps you to decide.

Depends on what you want to see and experience! I wanted 4 nights for Sevilla and 2 nights for Cordoba and I travel HARD. But many people visit Cordoba only as a day trip from Sevilla, and many people choose to visit only a few of their highest priority sites, and so fit these places into less time than I would.

plambers,
As to Córdoba, I've done both, over the many years, spending an overnight or two in the city or taking the train from Sevilla as a day trip, which for me is less rewarding. But it depends entirely on your priorities and your time available, and also whether you've already visited Córdoba and its major sites. During the Christmas season 45 of the prettily decorated patios in the Judería will be open for visits.
https://www.cordoba24.info/english/h...christmas.html.

thanks to both of you i am now even more confused! my daughter is starting college next year so we don't even know the date of our arrival yet. if it was to be right before Christmas, madrid or Barcelona seem ideal as there will be more open and i don't want to miss a meal in Spain. I much prefer Madrid to Barcelona (don't want to start any fights here) but not sure about my teens but Madrid would be much easier as far as transportation.

That said, if we spent 4 days in Madrid (maybe with a side trip to Toledo), then one night in Cordoba, then 3 or 4 in Sevila then over to Granada for 2 or 3 nights where would we go next? Cadiz? Ronda sounds like a one nightery, which I hate so am inclined not to visit it.

Maribel, we were also toying combining Spain and Portugal, as you are. How would that work? Too much time wasted with transfers as we want to see more that Madrid?

Many many thanks

also does the Christmas season extend past Christmas for the lights and festivities?

plambers,
For your time period I wouldn't try to fit in Portugal at all. To do both countries justice requires much more time, ime.
I only plan to combine Madrid and Lisbon next Christmas season because I haven't spent New Year's in Portugal for many, many years.

The Spanish Christmas season extends to January 6, Epiphany (el día de los Reyes Magos), when children traditionally receive gifts from the 3 Magi Kings (los Reyes Magos). The Calvalde of Kings parade (cabalgata de Reyes) happens during the evening of January 5 throughout the country.
The Christmas lights in Madrid went up this year on Friday, November 22 and came down on Jan. 6. The Naviluz bus, the tour bus that makes a circuit to see these lights, ran from Friday, November 29 until Jan. 6. And the display of Nativity Scenes ended on Jan. 6.

On January 7 the annual winter sales (rebajas) begin in the stores.

I think that a Madrid-Sevilla-Córdoba-Granada-Madrid loop itinerary would work and can be done in 12 nights, or better still 14, but I'm not sure exactly how many nights you will have, depending on your daughter's schedule or your desired travel pace. (I also am not a fan of one-nighters, but everyone has his/her own travel style.)

This can all be done by train.
Now there is train service again from Sevilla to Granada, but it currently requires a train change in Córdoba, so currently it would make sense to do Sevilla first, then Córdoba, then Granada. There is train service again from Granada to Madrid, although there are currently only 2 daily departures at 7:10 am and 7:18 pm. But this all may (and probably will) change by next Christmas. Train service could (and should) become more frequent, and Renfe could finally initiate the direct service without train change from Sevilla to Granada. This should have happened this past October, but there have been problems.

Unfortunately, NONE of us can tell you how much time YOU will want in any specific location -- you need to consult some guide books, decide what you want to see, check opening hours, and plot things out on a calendar.

For me, I wanted 4 full days just for Madrid, 2 full days for Toledo, plus time for Segovia, Avila, etc. (I didn't have time to include Cuenca on my trip.) I wanted 4 nights in Sevilla, 3 nights in Granada (you need at least 2 nights just for the Alhambra and another night if you want to see anything else in lovely Granada), and 2 nights in Cordoba. Ronda is, IMO, a one-nighter. Another option: Malaga, which I haven't visited, but which sounds delightful.

thank you again both for all this information. now we just need to figure out where she is going to college and their calendar. we will make sure to be in either madrid or sevilla for christmas and it seems either granada or madrid for nye. once i have specifics i will come back with an itinerary. i am a slow traveler and last time we did 4 nights each madrid and sevilla without side trips and that seemed a good amount. thanks again.

I have been to all the places you mention with the exception of Ronda and Cadiz. But I haven't been there during Christmas so I can't speak to that. Based on what Maribel says about Madrid at Christmas time, I would definitely include Madrid in my itinerary. Where are you coming from? I recommend looking into open-jaw or multi-city flights. For example, you could fly into Madrid and home from Seville to avoid backtracking to Madrid. Or into Madrid and home from Malaga if you visit Malaga.

Speaking of Malaga, we loved Malaga! We had 2 nights there and could have used another night. Malaga's historic city center is beautiful. And it is more than museums. We loved climbing to the top of the Alcazaba with its lush greenery, beautiful flowers, small patios and fountains, and dramatic views of the Mediterranean and port. There are castle ruins, too, with more dramatic views; a ferris wheel if you want to re-live your childhood; a lovely promenade along the port; the Ataranzas market, and more.

Depending on how many nights you have, the following itinerary is a good possibility:
Madrid - 3 or 4 nights
Seville - 4 nights
Granada - 2 or 3 nights
Cordoba - 1 or 2 nights
Malaga - 2 nights

I highly recommend staying 1 or 2 nights (2 nights is preferable) in Cordoba. I would not find a day trip to Cordoba rewarding, and I might leave there thinking Cordoba is ho-hum. We loved Cordoba, and it was one of our favorite small cities. While the Mezquita is amazing, we also enjoyed the Alcazar with its lovely gardens (although not sure what is in bloom in December), Palacio de Viana with its pretty patios, wandering around the Juderia (White-washed walls, narrow lanes, patios, flower pots), and the Roman Bridge. If you don't have the time to stay overnight, then by all means visit Cordoba as a daytrip. Seeing it as a daytrip is better than not seeing it at all.

What I also like about Seville, Granada, and Cordoba is that all 3 places are very different from each other visually, and they all have a different ambience.

If the train schedule doesn't work for some of your destinations to/from Granada, then I recommend the ALSA bus. We took the bus twice on our trip. It is clean, modern, comfortable, and air conditioned. Much n icer than buses I have used in the U.S.

again, thanks so much. so malaga or cadiz? my husband and i love spain and travel generally. mix in teens and who knows? we now live in NC so madrid is the only option we have. i have never been to cordoba so am encouraged that everyone is telling me not do it as a day trip from sevilla but knowing that we have a time constraint is this still the thought? i hate one nighters. how is cordoba different?

plambers,
Since you may have time constraints, and I understand well about working around school vacations (having done that many times), a day trip to Córdoba from Sevilla is certainly better than not visiting Córdoba at all.
In Córdoba you can visit the magnificent Mosque-Cathedral, the Alcázar gardens, the ancient Jewish quarter, the Roman bridge, the prettily decorated patios, some open all year, all on a day trip.
https://www.turismodecordoba.org/the-patios-of-cordoba

Málaga vs Cádiz? Logistically in a loop plan, Málaga will be easier, if you do find that you have time to fit it in for 2 nights.
Málaga is closer to Granada, just a 90 min. non-stop bus ride on Alsa and an easy 2 hr. 35 min. to 2 hr. 45 min. train ride back to Madrid on the high speed AVE.