TR: Andalusia and Madrid May 2019 (LONG)
Aug 30th, 2019 | 04:25 PM
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TR: Andalusia and Madrid May 2019 (LONG)
As I usually do, my TR will try to answer the questions that I had during planning to help make it easier for others to plan.
About us: We are an active, well-traveled senior couple with no mobility issues. Our travel style is not budget or luxurious like most, it is somewhere in between. We also dont have to see every museum or church and are not early risers. I had been to all these places in 1980 and my husband had not visited any of them. We had been to Barcelona and Costa Brava two years before; click on my name to see the comprehensive TR of that great trip.
Advance Planning: the Andalusia itinerary can be tricky (thats why so many questions about it on TA and Fodors) as the cities are geographically close but decisions need to be made about where to stay, how long, what to do as day trips, whether to use trains or rental cars. While others arent fans, we do like Rick Steves and found his Spain book extremely helpful. I also consulted planning threads on Fodors that had a lot of good insights. We were happy with our itinerary and extremely satisfied with all our hotel choices. Also, as we found in Barcelona two years ago, we never experienced a bad meal or a dirty public bathroom.
Our plan: Because we added some time to visit family in southern France, we shortened our original Spain trip a bit and it worked out just fine. We also try very hard to limit the number of hotel stays, which is why we did some day trips.
Our final itinerary: 3 nights Granada, 4 nights Seville (including day trip to Cordoba), 4 nights Madrid (including day trip to Toledo). What we cut out: Malaga (which looked intriguing) and any white villages. If we had visited Spain only and wanted the down time that we usually build into a sightseeing trip we would have included a few nights at Casa Olea in between Granada and Cordoba with opportunity to visit some white villages. Instead, we had our down time in Southern France.
For those sticking to a standard Andalusia/Madrid itinerary like ours, if I had more time I would consider adding another night in Madrid and perhaps stay in Cordoba rather than visit as a day trip. We did not feel rushed in Granada or Seville (keep in mind we just saw the highlights), but to do the museums justice would have enjoyed another day in Madrid. Its hard (at least for us) to go to more than one major museum in a day.
Transportation:
We flew from LAX to Granada using Iberia award tickets connecting in Madrid. This was because as of our visit train service had not resumed in or out of Granada so this alleviated one transportation issue. It also avoided an additional visit to Madrid and an extra hotel stay. I highly recommend this plan or a similar one employed by many to fly to Madrid and connect to other cities by plane or allow time to catch a train to Andalusia. This way you can enjoy Madrid at the end and fly home from there.
The options from Granada to Seville during our visit were: train/bus combo, ALSA premium bus (recommended by many), rental car or private driver. We researched all options and decided on a cheap one-way rental car through Autoeurope. We could have used this as an opportunity to stop in Ronda or Antequerra or other places, but given our time constraints we drove directly there. The rental car including all insurance was about $100 with no drop-fee.
All other inter-city travel was by the excellent train system, all in 2nd class. I watched the websites and booked the cheapest train fares when they first became available. As others have reported, the Renfe site is not easy to use and US credit cards often dont go through. I was only able to book one leg directly on Renfe and the others on Trainline and Loco2. This only became a problem on our day trip to Cordoba when -- at the station -- we wanted to return to Seville on an earlier train and, because our tickets werent from Renfe directly, this was not possible. I would try to book on Renfe directly and call your credit card company to help you get the charge through. Verified by Visa through my Chase credit card was of assistance. The only tickets we waited to purchase in Spain was for our day trip from Madrid to Toledo because those are a standard fare.
The trip:
May is a beautiful month to travel to this region. We happened to hit an unseasonable heat wave in the 90s in Granada, Cordoba and Seville. However, this early in the season that meant it was only in the 90s for a short time in late afternoon; mornings could be a bit chilly and evenings were very pleasant. Summer would be suffocating.
GRANADA
We arrived in Granada at the tiny airport where our driver was waiting with my name on a sign always a nice welcome! We had pre-booked the driver for the same price as a taxi through our B&B, Posada de Quijada, in the Albaycin (old Arab quarter). It is charming, quiet, immaculate, extremely well located and VERY reasonable with a homemade served breakfast in the courtyard. We had the blue room, but Im sure any of the six rooms is fine. We enjoyed staying in the lower Albaycin, but you have to factor in a short walk down cobblestone streets to get to most restaurants/shops/tourist sites, and a short climb UP to return to the hotel. It was extremely quiet and we liked its charm and location. Others may prefer a more central location right by the river. Also, keep in mind this is not a full-service hotel. The owner is very knowledgeable and promptly answered all email inquiries before we arrived, and was available to us by phone or text with any questions while we were there. We are very self-sufficient so we didnt need a lot of help; when the owner is not physically present the sole lady working may have limited English and not a deep knowledge of tourist information.
We found 2 full days an adequate amount of time. On the first day we took one of the many tips only walking tours offered by various companies. We were very satisfied with the essential Granada walk from Walks in Granada that met at Plaza Nueva. Then we had the afternoon to wander around and return to any sites. Day 2 was reserved for the Alhambra for which we had reserved Nasrid Palace tickets as soon as they went on sale 3 months in advance. If you cant get tickets from the website, look into the Granada Pass or various tour companies. There are numerous threads about this on TA.
We had taken a taxi to the Alhambra but returned by the very lovely walk down that ended up at the river walk, described very well by Rick Steves.
We chose a 12:30 Nasrid Palace time slot so we could see much of the Alhambra before the palace. After the palace it was too warm to spend too much time in the gardens. We were at the Alhambra a total of about 3-4 hours, but again we did not explore every nook and cranny.
That evening we went to the San Nicholas lookout to watch the sunset over the Alhambra. Its pretty funny to see Rick Steves description IRL he says you will see legs first and you do! Youll see for yourself. Walking right next door to the mosque provided an easier view with fewer people.
Following this special view of the Alhambra we had one of the trips nice surprises. We kept walking up and up to the top of the Albaycin and were surprised by a plaza filled with people and restaurants that we didnt know was there Plaza Larga filled with locals. We had already eaten but it would have been fun to eat up there. We did have delicious ice cream from the one jerk we met the whole trip the ice cream store owner who had a little tantrum because we hadnt saved our tasting spoons to use for our purchased ice cream. I would strongly suggest walking up and up until you come to this plaza. It was very lively at night and Ive read theres a fruit/vegetable market there most days.
We did not make it to Sacromonte as we did not feel like that much of a hike in the heat. Granada is very hilly and would be difficult for the mobility-impaired.
SEVILLE
On to Seville, which I consider one of the prettiest cities in Europe. In the future, visitors will be able to take the train from Granada to Seville. Because the tracks were still closed, we chose to rent a car rather than take the bus. It was an easy drive and we settled into Las Casas de El Arenal, a highly recommended hotel in a perfect location near the Cathedral but in a real neighborhood. Its a beautiful, charming hotel with a lovely courtyard. Couldnt have been happier with our choice.
We found four nights that gave us three full days adequate, although there was more to see if one wants to visit more churches or palaces. We used one full day for our visit to Cordoba.
First evening was a visit to Plaza de Espana which is as beautiful as I remembered. We went in the evening to avoid the crowds and heat and were treated to a local all-brass band practicing as they marched along the plaza in what approximated a slow, New Orleans funeral march. Be sure to look closely at all the little buildings and alcoves built into the semi-circular structure surrounding the plaza. Its fascinating.
The first full day was spent exploring the old Jewish Quarter. We had a private guide who was excellent. You can find him listed under Jewish Seville Day Tours on TA. You can still enjoy the old quarter without a guide keep in mind there is almost nothing left from the pre-Inquisition Jewish Quarter; it is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Seville. We had booked Alcazar tickets in advance for later that afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed exploring it.
On our other full day among the sights we visited was Metropol Parasol, locally known as Las Setas. Do not miss this! Its very unusual -- the largest wooden structure in the world that you explore on walkways with beautiful views. Hard to describe or to capture in pictures but definitely worth seeing.
We also visited the Cathedral, booking the very special rooftop tour in advance. These tours are only offered in English once or twice a day and fill up quickly, so recommended to check the Cathedral website for options. We have enjoyed cathedral rooftop tours in Milan and Barcelona, and this was another treat. Since we took the 4:30 p.m. tour and the cathedral would be closed when it was over, we arrived one hour early to explore this magnificent edifice. It was very special to look down into the cathedral from above with no one in it.
There are many other sights to see in Seville, but it was unseasonably hot and we took it very easy. We enjoyed walking around various neighborhoods and I followed the Rick Steves walking tour over the bridge to Triana. Loved the little Triana market and especially relished the takeout gazpacho in a bottle that we had for a train picnic.
We took a day trip to Cordoba in order to minimize the number of hotel stays. Many people enjoy spending more time in this lovely city, but the day trip worked just fine for us. It was extremely crowded, so I can see the appeal of enjoying it after the day-trippers leave. We saw all the standard sights and lucked out being there during the patio festival. I understand that you can still see some patios outside of the festival time during May.
The highlight was the Mezquita, one of the most memorable sights in the world. We were fortunate that there were not long lines for tickets; others had recommended having 10 euro notes to purchase tickets from the machines in the courtyard if the ticket booth lines are long.
I dont think of Rick Steves as a philosopher, but he expresses in his guidebook a very interesting perspective on this truly amazing place.
Back in Seville, also highly recommend Lavanderia Roma in the Arenal neighborhood just a block from our hotel. 7 euros for an entire weeks laundry and it was done in just a few hours. Now thats a tip worth having!
All of our meals were good, but want to call out Palo Cortao right near Las Setas. Its reservation only for inside, but we found that if we arrived at opening (I think 8:30 p.m.) the outdoor seating was first-come, first-served. Very imaginative menu of nouvelle tapas reasonably priced. The fresh tuna pate in tomato aspic is a work of art.
MADRID
On to Madrid. Easy train journey and we had purposely picked a hotel within walking distance of Atocha Station since we would arrive and depart by train plus use the station for our day trip to Toledo. It was too long a walk (about 25 minutes) with luggage to our lovely hotel, Petit Palace Alfonso XII. I highly recommend this hotel for its location across from Retiro Park and its very close proximity to the three major museums and Atocha Station as well as its very good breakfast. I had read reviews about the great views from the park-view rooms, but was worried about noise from the busy boulevard below. Given my concerns, we were booked in room 607, which had a partial park view and a chill terrace. Perfect! We could even have our window open to enjoy fresh air.
What a difference 40 years makes. My last visit I didnt enjoy Madrid at all, but this time I found it an absolutely enchanting European capital with world-class museums, great neighborhoods to explore and quite a foodie scene. Much of the city is now pedestrianized and many cars are routed underground, creating a very enjoyable visitor experience.
Madrid is huge and yet we still managed to walk just about everywhere. We started with the Rick Steves historic core walk to get our bearings and were stunned by the magnificence of the buildings and squares.
Since one day in Madrid was our day trip to Toledo (by train, did the typical sights) we really only had two full daysnot enough to wander all the various neighborhoods and see all the major museums. We did visit the Prado and the Reina Sofia but didnt have time for the Thyssen-Bornemisza or the Sorolla museums. Just means we have to return. We booked our museum tickets online (bargain for seniors) rather than queueing for any of the free admission times. For the Prado, I printed articles listing highlights and found this the best way to get a taste of this immense, amazing place that is much more user-friendly than the last time I had visited. I was very fortunate to see the magnificent and thought-provoking painting, The Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Mlaga that was featured as part of the bicentenary celebration. I managed to do the highlights in half a day. (My husband spent a full day.) The adjacent botanical garden was worth a quick walk-through and they happened to have an interesting art exhibition while we were there.
The Reina Sofia needs time to appreciate the historic building as well as the modern art. Seeing Geurnica in person and knowing that the anti-war message still resounds today was very special.
Retiro Park is definitely worth a wander. Check to see if there are any special exhibitions in the Crystal Palace. Its such a beautiful park for relaxation and to see locals and tourists enjoying themselves.
Definitely visit the neighborhood markets, but theres also the tourist-oriented Mercado de San Miguel, where we grazed through dinner one night. Its instagrammable at every turn even if it is touristy and has much longer hours than the real neighborhood markets and the food was very good.
Mercado de la Paz in the upscale Salamanca district was also fun to visit. I braved the crowds to try the famous potato tortilla at Caf Dani. It is a delicious, generous and cheap specialty.
We also enjoyed the newly-opened Madrid branch of Barecelonas Casa Lolea. Very similar menu to the popular Barcelona restaurant including a great selection of sangrias plus their unreconstructed version of pan con tomate and plenty of tapas.
We would have enjoyed some more neighborhood and historic walking tours but just didnt have enough time. Really wanted to try the new, extremely well-reviewed Walk and Eat Food Tours with Margit Sperling (check it out on TA). We must go back!
If youve gotten this far, thanks for riding along. I hope that this has provided some logistical help to those planning a trip to these parts of Spain. Feel free to ask questions here or PM me.
Until next time!
About us: We are an active, well-traveled senior couple with no mobility issues. Our travel style is not budget or luxurious like most, it is somewhere in between. We also dont have to see every museum or church and are not early risers. I had been to all these places in 1980 and my husband had not visited any of them. We had been to Barcelona and Costa Brava two years before; click on my name to see the comprehensive TR of that great trip.
Advance Planning: the Andalusia itinerary can be tricky (thats why so many questions about it on TA and Fodors) as the cities are geographically close but decisions need to be made about where to stay, how long, what to do as day trips, whether to use trains or rental cars. While others arent fans, we do like Rick Steves and found his Spain book extremely helpful. I also consulted planning threads on Fodors that had a lot of good insights. We were happy with our itinerary and extremely satisfied with all our hotel choices. Also, as we found in Barcelona two years ago, we never experienced a bad meal or a dirty public bathroom.
Our plan: Because we added some time to visit family in southern France, we shortened our original Spain trip a bit and it worked out just fine. We also try very hard to limit the number of hotel stays, which is why we did some day trips.
Our final itinerary: 3 nights Granada, 4 nights Seville (including day trip to Cordoba), 4 nights Madrid (including day trip to Toledo). What we cut out: Malaga (which looked intriguing) and any white villages. If we had visited Spain only and wanted the down time that we usually build into a sightseeing trip we would have included a few nights at Casa Olea in between Granada and Cordoba with opportunity to visit some white villages. Instead, we had our down time in Southern France.
For those sticking to a standard Andalusia/Madrid itinerary like ours, if I had more time I would consider adding another night in Madrid and perhaps stay in Cordoba rather than visit as a day trip. We did not feel rushed in Granada or Seville (keep in mind we just saw the highlights), but to do the museums justice would have enjoyed another day in Madrid. Its hard (at least for us) to go to more than one major museum in a day.
Transportation:
We flew from LAX to Granada using Iberia award tickets connecting in Madrid. This was because as of our visit train service had not resumed in or out of Granada so this alleviated one transportation issue. It also avoided an additional visit to Madrid and an extra hotel stay. I highly recommend this plan or a similar one employed by many to fly to Madrid and connect to other cities by plane or allow time to catch a train to Andalusia. This way you can enjoy Madrid at the end and fly home from there.
The options from Granada to Seville during our visit were: train/bus combo, ALSA premium bus (recommended by many), rental car or private driver. We researched all options and decided on a cheap one-way rental car through Autoeurope. We could have used this as an opportunity to stop in Ronda or Antequerra or other places, but given our time constraints we drove directly there. The rental car including all insurance was about $100 with no drop-fee.
All other inter-city travel was by the excellent train system, all in 2nd class. I watched the websites and booked the cheapest train fares when they first became available. As others have reported, the Renfe site is not easy to use and US credit cards often dont go through. I was only able to book one leg directly on Renfe and the others on Trainline and Loco2. This only became a problem on our day trip to Cordoba when -- at the station -- we wanted to return to Seville on an earlier train and, because our tickets werent from Renfe directly, this was not possible. I would try to book on Renfe directly and call your credit card company to help you get the charge through. Verified by Visa through my Chase credit card was of assistance. The only tickets we waited to purchase in Spain was for our day trip from Madrid to Toledo because those are a standard fare.
The trip:
May is a beautiful month to travel to this region. We happened to hit an unseasonable heat wave in the 90s in Granada, Cordoba and Seville. However, this early in the season that meant it was only in the 90s for a short time in late afternoon; mornings could be a bit chilly and evenings were very pleasant. Summer would be suffocating.
GRANADA
We arrived in Granada at the tiny airport where our driver was waiting with my name on a sign always a nice welcome! We had pre-booked the driver for the same price as a taxi through our B&B, Posada de Quijada, in the Albaycin (old Arab quarter). It is charming, quiet, immaculate, extremely well located and VERY reasonable with a homemade served breakfast in the courtyard. We had the blue room, but Im sure any of the six rooms is fine. We enjoyed staying in the lower Albaycin, but you have to factor in a short walk down cobblestone streets to get to most restaurants/shops/tourist sites, and a short climb UP to return to the hotel. It was extremely quiet and we liked its charm and location. Others may prefer a more central location right by the river. Also, keep in mind this is not a full-service hotel. The owner is very knowledgeable and promptly answered all email inquiries before we arrived, and was available to us by phone or text with any questions while we were there. We are very self-sufficient so we didnt need a lot of help; when the owner is not physically present the sole lady working may have limited English and not a deep knowledge of tourist information.
We found 2 full days an adequate amount of time. On the first day we took one of the many tips only walking tours offered by various companies. We were very satisfied with the essential Granada walk from Walks in Granada that met at Plaza Nueva. Then we had the afternoon to wander around and return to any sites. Day 2 was reserved for the Alhambra for which we had reserved Nasrid Palace tickets as soon as they went on sale 3 months in advance. If you cant get tickets from the website, look into the Granada Pass or various tour companies. There are numerous threads about this on TA.
We had taken a taxi to the Alhambra but returned by the very lovely walk down that ended up at the river walk, described very well by Rick Steves.
We chose a 12:30 Nasrid Palace time slot so we could see much of the Alhambra before the palace. After the palace it was too warm to spend too much time in the gardens. We were at the Alhambra a total of about 3-4 hours, but again we did not explore every nook and cranny.
That evening we went to the San Nicholas lookout to watch the sunset over the Alhambra. Its pretty funny to see Rick Steves description IRL he says you will see legs first and you do! Youll see for yourself. Walking right next door to the mosque provided an easier view with fewer people.
Following this special view of the Alhambra we had one of the trips nice surprises. We kept walking up and up to the top of the Albaycin and were surprised by a plaza filled with people and restaurants that we didnt know was there Plaza Larga filled with locals. We had already eaten but it would have been fun to eat up there. We did have delicious ice cream from the one jerk we met the whole trip the ice cream store owner who had a little tantrum because we hadnt saved our tasting spoons to use for our purchased ice cream. I would strongly suggest walking up and up until you come to this plaza. It was very lively at night and Ive read theres a fruit/vegetable market there most days.
We did not make it to Sacromonte as we did not feel like that much of a hike in the heat. Granada is very hilly and would be difficult for the mobility-impaired.
SEVILLE
On to Seville, which I consider one of the prettiest cities in Europe. In the future, visitors will be able to take the train from Granada to Seville. Because the tracks were still closed, we chose to rent a car rather than take the bus. It was an easy drive and we settled into Las Casas de El Arenal, a highly recommended hotel in a perfect location near the Cathedral but in a real neighborhood. Its a beautiful, charming hotel with a lovely courtyard. Couldnt have been happier with our choice.
We found four nights that gave us three full days adequate, although there was more to see if one wants to visit more churches or palaces. We used one full day for our visit to Cordoba.
First evening was a visit to Plaza de Espana which is as beautiful as I remembered. We went in the evening to avoid the crowds and heat and were treated to a local all-brass band practicing as they marched along the plaza in what approximated a slow, New Orleans funeral march. Be sure to look closely at all the little buildings and alcoves built into the semi-circular structure surrounding the plaza. Its fascinating.
The first full day was spent exploring the old Jewish Quarter. We had a private guide who was excellent. You can find him listed under Jewish Seville Day Tours on TA. You can still enjoy the old quarter without a guide keep in mind there is almost nothing left from the pre-Inquisition Jewish Quarter; it is now one of the trendiest neighborhoods in Seville. We had booked Alcazar tickets in advance for later that afternoon and thoroughly enjoyed exploring it.
On our other full day among the sights we visited was Metropol Parasol, locally known as Las Setas. Do not miss this! Its very unusual -- the largest wooden structure in the world that you explore on walkways with beautiful views. Hard to describe or to capture in pictures but definitely worth seeing.
We also visited the Cathedral, booking the very special rooftop tour in advance. These tours are only offered in English once or twice a day and fill up quickly, so recommended to check the Cathedral website for options. We have enjoyed cathedral rooftop tours in Milan and Barcelona, and this was another treat. Since we took the 4:30 p.m. tour and the cathedral would be closed when it was over, we arrived one hour early to explore this magnificent edifice. It was very special to look down into the cathedral from above with no one in it.
There are many other sights to see in Seville, but it was unseasonably hot and we took it very easy. We enjoyed walking around various neighborhoods and I followed the Rick Steves walking tour over the bridge to Triana. Loved the little Triana market and especially relished the takeout gazpacho in a bottle that we had for a train picnic.
We took a day trip to Cordoba in order to minimize the number of hotel stays. Many people enjoy spending more time in this lovely city, but the day trip worked just fine for us. It was extremely crowded, so I can see the appeal of enjoying it after the day-trippers leave. We saw all the standard sights and lucked out being there during the patio festival. I understand that you can still see some patios outside of the festival time during May.
The highlight was the Mezquita, one of the most memorable sights in the world. We were fortunate that there were not long lines for tickets; others had recommended having 10 euro notes to purchase tickets from the machines in the courtyard if the ticket booth lines are long.
I dont think of Rick Steves as a philosopher, but he expresses in his guidebook a very interesting perspective on this truly amazing place.
Back in Seville, also highly recommend Lavanderia Roma in the Arenal neighborhood just a block from our hotel. 7 euros for an entire weeks laundry and it was done in just a few hours. Now thats a tip worth having!
All of our meals were good, but want to call out Palo Cortao right near Las Setas. Its reservation only for inside, but we found that if we arrived at opening (I think 8:30 p.m.) the outdoor seating was first-come, first-served. Very imaginative menu of nouvelle tapas reasonably priced. The fresh tuna pate in tomato aspic is a work of art.
MADRID
On to Madrid. Easy train journey and we had purposely picked a hotel within walking distance of Atocha Station since we would arrive and depart by train plus use the station for our day trip to Toledo. It was too long a walk (about 25 minutes) with luggage to our lovely hotel, Petit Palace Alfonso XII. I highly recommend this hotel for its location across from Retiro Park and its very close proximity to the three major museums and Atocha Station as well as its very good breakfast. I had read reviews about the great views from the park-view rooms, but was worried about noise from the busy boulevard below. Given my concerns, we were booked in room 607, which had a partial park view and a chill terrace. Perfect! We could even have our window open to enjoy fresh air.
What a difference 40 years makes. My last visit I didnt enjoy Madrid at all, but this time I found it an absolutely enchanting European capital with world-class museums, great neighborhoods to explore and quite a foodie scene. Much of the city is now pedestrianized and many cars are routed underground, creating a very enjoyable visitor experience.
Madrid is huge and yet we still managed to walk just about everywhere. We started with the Rick Steves historic core walk to get our bearings and were stunned by the magnificence of the buildings and squares.
Since one day in Madrid was our day trip to Toledo (by train, did the typical sights) we really only had two full daysnot enough to wander all the various neighborhoods and see all the major museums. We did visit the Prado and the Reina Sofia but didnt have time for the Thyssen-Bornemisza or the Sorolla museums. Just means we have to return. We booked our museum tickets online (bargain for seniors) rather than queueing for any of the free admission times. For the Prado, I printed articles listing highlights and found this the best way to get a taste of this immense, amazing place that is much more user-friendly than the last time I had visited. I was very fortunate to see the magnificent and thought-provoking painting, The Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Mlaga that was featured as part of the bicentenary celebration. I managed to do the highlights in half a day. (My husband spent a full day.) The adjacent botanical garden was worth a quick walk-through and they happened to have an interesting art exhibition while we were there.
The Reina Sofia needs time to appreciate the historic building as well as the modern art. Seeing Geurnica in person and knowing that the anti-war message still resounds today was very special.
Retiro Park is definitely worth a wander. Check to see if there are any special exhibitions in the Crystal Palace. Its such a beautiful park for relaxation and to see locals and tourists enjoying themselves.
Definitely visit the neighborhood markets, but theres also the tourist-oriented Mercado de San Miguel, where we grazed through dinner one night. Its instagrammable at every turn even if it is touristy and has much longer hours than the real neighborhood markets and the food was very good.
Mercado de la Paz in the upscale Salamanca district was also fun to visit. I braved the crowds to try the famous potato tortilla at Caf Dani. It is a delicious, generous and cheap specialty.
We also enjoyed the newly-opened Madrid branch of Barecelonas Casa Lolea. Very similar menu to the popular Barcelona restaurant including a great selection of sangrias plus their unreconstructed version of pan con tomate and plenty of tapas.
We would have enjoyed some more neighborhood and historic walking tours but just didnt have enough time. Really wanted to try the new, extremely well-reviewed Walk and Eat Food Tours with Margit Sperling (check it out on TA). We must go back!
If youve gotten this far, thanks for riding along. I hope that this has provided some logistical help to those planning a trip to these parts of Spain. Feel free to ask questions here or PM me.
Until next time!
Aug 30th, 2019 | 06:11 PM
#2
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 6,216
Likes: 0
I really really enjoyed your trip report! I remember when you were planning your trip. I am happy to hear that you like Madrid. You certainly did a lot in your 2 days in Madrid. We had 3 full days in Madrid, and I think the only 2 sites we saw that you didn’t mention are the Royal Palace and Temple Debod. We didn’t have time for the Thyssen or Sorolla Musuems, either. I would like to return to Madrid some day, but my husband isn’t a fan, so I don’’t think we will. And we tend not to return to the same place since there are so many other destinations to visit.
What did you think of Toledo? We did stay one night in Toledo, and I think I would have been disappointed if we saw it as a day trip because of the crowds. I really like Toledo a lot, but didn’t love it like some people do. Everyone is different. I would go back to Cordoba in a heartbeat. And the square/plaza you mention in Granada sounds wonderful! Too bad we missed it.
What did you think of Toledo? We did stay one night in Toledo, and I think I would have been disappointed if we saw it as a day trip because of the crowds. I really like Toledo a lot, but didn’t love it like some people do. Everyone is different. I would go back to Cordoba in a heartbeat. And the square/plaza you mention in Granada sounds wonderful! Too bad we missed it.
Aug 31st, 2019 | 04:25 PM
#6
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 475
Likes: 0
KarenWoo Toledo was fine and probably would have enjoyed it more without day trip crowds. Its funny that I remembered Toledo better than all the other places from my visit 40 years before. I think it has changed the least!
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Jan 5th, 2020 | 02:45 PM
#10
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 2,749
Likes: 0
I'm so glad I happened upon this. We are headed to Madrid and Seville this Friday Jan. 10th. I doubt we'll have a problem with it being too hot! We're also staying at Casa de el Arenal in Seville. Glad to hear you liked it. We are planning on a day trip to Toledo from Madrid and just hope it's not as crowded as it is in the spring-summer.
Apr 29th, 2023 | 10:08 PM
#14
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 836
Likes: 0
Yes! Me too! We are headed on a very similar itinerary in late September!
Allison, we too are coming from LAX on the nonstop. Then taking a train to Seville to spend two weeks in an apartment.
Im very interested in your B&B in Granada. We are booked a 6-minute walk down toward the river at the Casa 1800 Granada but am not thrilled. It has mixed reviews. Did you feel your hotel was out of the way too much? Too hard uphill? It looks darling!
Allison, we too are coming from LAX on the nonstop. Then taking a train to Seville to spend two weeks in an apartment.
Im very interested in your B&B in Granada. We are booked a 6-minute walk down toward the river at the Casa 1800 Granada but am not thrilled. It has mixed reviews. Did you feel your hotel was out of the way too much? Too hard uphill? It looks darling!
Apr 30th, 2023 | 09:10 AM
#15
Original Poster
Joined: Jan 2003
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Yes! Me too! We are headed on a very similar itinerary in late September!
Allison, we too are coming from LAX on the nonstop. Then taking a train to Seville to spend two weeks in an apartment.
Im very interested in your B&B in Granada. We are booked a 6-minute walk down toward the river at the Casa 1800 Granada but am not thrilled. It has mixed reviews. Did you feel your hotel was out of the way too much? Too hard uphill? It looks darling!
Allison, we too are coming from LAX on the nonstop. Then taking a train to Seville to spend two weeks in an apartment.
Im very interested in your B&B in Granada. We are booked a 6-minute walk down toward the river at the Casa 1800 Granada but am not thrilled. It has mixed reviews. Did you feel your hotel was out of the way too much? Too hard uphill? It looks darling!
