Travel Tips for Madrid, Cordaba, Granada,and Sevilla
 

We are three travelling pant sisters planning a two week trip to Spain in October to celebrate the 70th birthday of (only) one of us. We've booked our hotels in Madrid, Cordoba, Granada, Sevilla and Malaga. We plan to purchase our tickets for Alhambra soon. Thought we would rent a car on last day in Madrid and go to Cordaba via Toledo and then keep car for rest of trip. Any suggestions about whether we are better off travelling by train or bus? We are looking for any ideas for places enroute with off the beaten track tourist charm, great reasonable restaurants, good guides we should know about, great walks in the cities and all shopping tips.

A great starting point for planning in Spain is www.maribelsguides.com.

I wouldn't drive from Madrid. It's a very boring, long drive and the High speed train is so convenient.

Definitely take the train from Madrid. It's fast and you'll pay a lot less if you can buy your tickets ahead of time. The view traveling from Madrid to Cordoba consists mainly of approximately one gazillion olive trees. You're better off using your time in Cordoba and/or Toledo than driving between the two.

I stayed overnight in Cordoba and highly recommend doing so - that way you can get to the Mezquita when it opens at 8:30 and practically have the place to yourself as tours aren't allowed in until 10am when mass is over. Most things are closed on Monday so I'd avoid staying on a Sunday night.

I'd also recommend getting a ticket for the 8:30 am entry to the Nasrid Palaces at the Alhambra. Go straight to the Comares Palace and start your visit there (you can double back to the Mexuar later) and you will pretty much have it to yourself for the first 30-45 minutes - or at least I did when I went last week.

In what order do you plan to visit the cities listed and for how many days?

I'd definately take the Ave from Madrid to Cordoba as suggested. You really won't need the car in Sevilla and you don't want it driving in Granada - a nightmare! It would be nice if you had time in your trip and had a car to visit the White Villages.

October will be a great month to visit Andalucia - it sounds like you've been preparing well.

I would definitely keep the car - it gives you much more flexibility - and for 3 shouldn't be any mosre costly. Be sure to see at lest one of the White Towns -Ronda is the most popular. We also stopped off in Ubeda - which was fascinating - and had a great lunch at the parador right near the cathedral.