Thank so much for all of this Maribel! I'm working on your suggestions now.
The Madrid airbnb is on Calle Echegaray, Madrid, Comunidad de Madrid 28014. She said it is "just above the famous wine bar La Venencia and in front of the first hotel that opened in Madrid." It's an interior apartment so supposedly quiet. It's small but highly rated. Thoughts?
Laguardia and environs sound amazing. Do you think we should take a night from Extremadura and spend 3 nights in Laguardia? Currently we have six nights in three paradors in Extremadura (booked Zafra per your suggestion.)
Our Seville airbnb is not in Barrio de Santa Cruz, but near the Iglesia de Santa Catalina on Calle Alhondiga - looks like the edge of the center of town? Reviews say it is close to action but not too much so. Sound okay?
As to Ruta del Cares: we're planning on doing in and back, or go for a good ways and turn around. All Trails reviews say the beginning is the most difficult, then fairly even. Hoping staying the night before at the Hotel Poncebos will ensure a parking spot near the trailhead! Do we need to be concerned about driving after the hike possibly in the dark (late afternoon at earliest and possible early evening) from Poncebos to Potes.? Google says 1.5 hours. If we start driving no later than 5 pm., for sunset around 7:30?
We haven't firmed up those few days from Seville to Granada. Definitely Cadiz and a village or two. You had mentioned using Ronda as a base. Originally we thought about doing some day hikes around villages in the Sierra Nevadas but not sure if that is a priority if we visit villages from Ronda?

Thank you again!
Mary

MaryJT,
Barrio de las Letras,
Yes, I know Echegaray all too well! I studied back in the day at the Ateneo and every night after studying I would go with my friends to a taberna there.

The street has changed quite a lot and is now lined with bars, it's "cocktail bar row"----La Venecia, the old-time rustic sherry bar, the new LOVO with music (open until 5 or 6 am), Viva Madrid (at the corner of Echegaray and Manuel Fernández y González---best gin tonics ever!) and Salmón Guru, both owned by famed bartender Diego Cabrera and. extremely popular, with lines out the door for the newly renovated Salmón Guru since they don´t take reservations.
The last two are open until 2:00-2:30 am, with LOVO open until the wee morning hours, so the street is noisy. You will definitely need an interior apartment, but the problem with Madrid interior apartments is that they can be very dark.

Extremadura,
I'm torn about your taking a night from Extremadura because I love everything about it: the castles, the Monfragüe Park for bird watching, the UNESCO World Heritage city of Cáceres, Trujillo, Pizarro's birthplace, the pretty shrine of Guadalupe up in the mountains, the lush, tobacco growing Vera Valley and Yuste, the retreat of Carlos V, the town of Palencia, the restoration project of the once. submerged and abandoned village of Granadilla. the ancient Jewish quarter of Hervás, the Rafael Moneo-designed Roman Museum of Mérida, the Iberian ham producing town of Monesterio, pretty Zafra......so, lots and lots to see, so you definitely will want to be selective
and to sightsee takes longer in much larger Extremadura than in the. smaller area of countryside of Rioja Alavesa-Rioja Alta.

We spend a great deal of time in the Rioja wine region because we have dear friends who live there, and we do wine touring, photography, wandering to visit the tiny Romanesque churches, dolmens and necropoli scattered about the countryside, the several historic Monasteries (Yuso, Suso, Valvanera, Cañas, Santa Maria la Real de Nájera). It really depends on where your interests lie. Cyclists love it.

I know Calle Alhóndiga in Sevilla. It sits in the Santa Catalina district, away from the tourist hordes around the Cathedral. It´s a much quieter area. You'll be fine there.

The drive from Poncebos to Potes will take much longer than you expect. It's s surprisingly long drive along the Massif. You'll have the extremely sinuous and slow going 21-km. Desfiladero de la Hermida gorge to deal with down to Potes, and it takes 30 minutes. The gorge starts at exit of Panes, km. 175 and ends at km. 154. The fastest you can go is about 40 km. per hour.

If you do the Cares part way, you obviously won't need the transport from the end at Caín (actually in the León province) and Poncebos. But it can be crowded, even in late October. 200,000 people walk it per year. During the summer the Park runs a shuttle between the two but that ends in September.

We use Ronda as a base. There's plenty of hiking in the Sierra de Grazalema. All Trails will inform you or read a bit here-
https://blog.fuertehoteles.com/en/ac...azalema-sport/

Hope this helps to firm up your plans!

Mary,
A couple of blog posts about the writer's Ruta del Cares hike

https://kellynicoletravel.com/2018/1...uta-del-cares/
https://www.camperlife.style/ruta-del-cares

I read on another site that if you arrive at the parking lot in Poncebos by 9 am you'll be able to find.parking spot.

Many thanks Maribel! And thank you for your thoughts Madam397.
I knew that airbnb street was lively but had no idea HOW lively. Even if a quiet interior apartment I'm not sure we want to navigate crowds at our front door. I've booked a room (with Friends discount) at the Catalonia Puerta del Sol. Pricier than the airbnb but I think we'll enjoy a nice room upon arrival. I'd originally thought a hotel for our first nights made sense.
Your hiking links are so helpful - thank you. We will keep in mind the challenging drive and get off the Ruta trail in time, even if don't make it all the way to Cain.
So I hadn't realized we actually do have three nights for Laguardia/area. For now I've booked a room with balcony at Erletxe. I'd first read about it in a trip report in this forum and it fits into our budget. I am tempted by the Castillo el Collado though.
On another older thread you mentioned the wineries in town that are walkable (Casa Primicia, the outside of Ysios for its Calatrava architecture, Artadi) . For those further afield, you've listed tours from Thabuca Tours, Taste Rioja, and a free lance guide, Celia Cardero. I hadn't realized the price of such tours, so am wondering if you know of any that might cost a bit less? We don't need private. I don't mean to undervalue the time and efforts of experienced guides - just thought I'd ask. One of us can always forego tasting and we buy a bottle to take home.
That helpful hiking info re: Grazelema makes us think we might not go hiking east of Granada.
Rest of trip is falling into place - but I can't imagine you've heard the last of me!

As ever, grateful -
Mary

MaryJT,
I know the Catalonia Puerta del Sol hotel. I've had friends stay there. You'll still be in the Barrio de las Letras in a handy location.

Will you arrive in Poncebos after October 15? The reason I ask---Starting June 19 and ending Oct. 15, the parking in Poncebos is restricted to residents. This plan was originally to end on Sept 12 but was extended for a month. (It’s also in effect during Holy Week.)This is why the Alsa bus co. operates a shuttle bus, called an autobús lanzadera, between the 3 parking lots in Arenas de Cabrales, the 1 parking lot in Ovar and the start of the trail. You can purchase tickets online at www.alsa.es, or from the driver. The ticket costs 1.55 one way or 3 r.t. The first bus leaves at 8 am. You can see the schedule at Alsa by choosing “Arenas (Cabrales)” as your origen and Poncebos as your destination. The distance between Arenas and Poncebos is 6 km. The bus ride takes 30 min. from Arenas. This new system was initiated to ease the traffic and stress of parking in the area during the hiking season.

But if you're arriving after October 15, this won't apply.

About the Erletxe, it's a nice, inexpensive Casa Rural (a type of B&B) with excellent Booking.com reviews. Two Fodorite stayed there and were pleased. The Castillo del Collado was my late husband's and my favorite for years, but it's more expensive. We used to stay in the La Fábula room. The owner, Javier, is a gracious host and the chef.
(Now I stay with our winemaker friends in the tiny village of Abalos.)

Laguardia area wine touring: private tours are now quite expensive, such as Thabuca, whose owner we ran into this week with a group.

Within the medieval walls: You can tour Casa Primicia with underground cellars on your own, booking in advance. This is the best of the 3 in-town wineries, I think.

Artadi gives a splendid (albeit pricey) tour that also must be booked in advance. Artadi has a beautiful tasting room and sits just at the edge of town. Their high end wines, arguably, are the very best produced in Laguardia. They also produce a txakolí. The tour includes a ride in their London taxi and a stroll through the vineyards.

Ysios for photographing the Calatrava architecture, but I'm not a big fan of their wines or tours. Same with the Frank Gehry'designed Marqués de Riscal in Elciego that gives a large group tour in English 3x daily (noon, 3:30 and 5), ending with a rather mediocre tasting, but they do have a very well stocked, sleek shop and wine bar where you can drop in without booking a tour. It's in a separate building, not attached to the winery/hotel.

Eguren Ugarte, on the road to Labastida, just outside of Laguardia, also gives a nice tour and has a shop, and the parking there is easy. They also have a restaurant attached to the winery, serving a typical Riojan (Pantagruelic) feast. You won't need dinner after that lunch of hearty Riojan fare.
A bit further west on the same road in tiny Páganos, you have Torre de Oña, belonging to Rioja Alta, that gives a nice tour, or you can just taste at their wine bar.
And a bit further down the road in Samaniego you have Baigorri, a very contemporary winery, which also has a winery meal option for after the 11 am tour. Again, it´s right on the highway and no problem with parking.
From Laguardia to Samaniego is a distance of only 9.5 km, a 10-min. drive on the N232a. Lots of handy options that don't require a long drive. That's why Laguardia is so handy for wine touring.

https://www.bodegascasaprimicia.com/en/
https://artadi.com/en/
https://egurenugarte.com/experiencia...rioja-alavesa/
https://www.riojalta.com/en/la-rioja.../torre-de-ona/
https://bodegasbaigorri.com/en/inicio/

These should all be pre-booked because they get very busy in September and October.

Thank you Maribel! Making winery reservations now - excited there are so many options close by.
And very fortunately we arrive in Poncebos after Oct. 15. Had not read anything about parking restrictions, except that it got crowded early. So helpful - thank you.

I'd love to say I'm finished planning - but that would be wishful thinking.

Mary

I'm never, ever finished planning!