Any tips for southern Spain?
 

We are planning a trip to southern spain this fall. We would like to find a "home base" on the coast that we can make day trips to Granada, Cordoba, Rhonda, etc. We would like to avoid the Big resort towns and find a smaller, slower, more authentic Spanish place to stay. Any Suggestions

I think the answer is Nerja, but you'd get more ideas if you post in "Europe, Spain."

sdsdds

I concur with "happy". You are much more likely to get valuable input from Fodorites if you post on the Europe site. I hope you have a wonderful time. Spain is on my list too!

Jerez, Cadiz and Seville are all great places to stay. Seville is the largest of the three.

If you can squeeze it in, don't forget to go to Gibraltar and possibly along the Costa Del Sol (Marbella, Malaga)

I'm jealous. Haven't been able to get back in a few years.

I did a great trip a few years ago. We started in Sevilla, and then rented a car and headed to Ronda, Costa del Sol, Grenada, and Carmona. It was the perfect trip, and the perfect combination of large cities, and small towns.

We are headed for Spain and I had a couple questions: Is Gibralter worth a visit? Where to stay in Tarifa? Thanks for the answers.

Gibralter is definitely worth it in my book. We spent a weekend there in this little place that sat right on the base of the Rock overlooking the ocean (I'll have to ask my husband the name because it completely escapes me). On a clear day you could lay out by the pool or the little small beach and see the coast of Africa and at night the lights. We would spend the day down in the town area just checking out the shops or stopping at a pub for a bite or a drink. We were able to drive up on the Rock and visit with the Rock Apes and go through the Rock. I never knew you could actually go inside of it. I think it's a very scenic place and am glad that I had the experience.

The name of the hotel was The Coleta. Their website is www.thecoleta.com

Here is another website about Gibraltar and the things to do there:

http://www.mygibraltar.co.uk/MustSee.aspx.

We've only done day trips to Tarifa some I'm not familiar with the lodging there.

Thanks for the Gibraltar web sites.

We honeymooned in Southern Spain. It was heavenly. We started at a resort in Costa del Sol. Took a day trip to Ronda. Then we moved on to Granada, Cordoba and Sevilla. For a "home base," you might try Malaga. Easy access to other towns.

I love Spain...backpacked through the country and love Granada, Cordoba, Barcelona, Seville, all had their own different flavor. However, we did not like the Costa Del Sol (Marbella, Malaga). My friend had a time share so it was practically free, but after one day there we packed our bags and left. I didn't like the beaches (I live in Fort Lauderdale, and maybe I'm prejudiced, but the beaches here are more beautiful and clean). But more important, it wasn't "authentic" (which you say you're looking for). All we saw were Brits on holiday and restaurants serving British food. We left and went to Gibraltar, which we loved, and eventually made our way to Morocco.

This question is for the honeymooner. Did you drive from town to town? Did you have any problems knowing when to exit if you did? I was there with my husband a few years back. He drove and we got lost with the exits and turnabouts, but it was fun. I'm going back with friends and even though my husband says I should rent a car, I wonder ig the trains and buses would be as easy?

We (or I should say *I*) drove from town to town. We did occasionally have trouble figuring out the exits and we'd overshoot them and then have to double back. No biggie since we were on our honeymoon -- nowhere to be!

I think we figured that we'd need the car for the daytrip to Ronda and also because we were starting in Costa del Sol where it would be harder to get to via train.