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16 nights in Spain - itinerary check please

I've been working on this trip for months and enjoying all the planning. It will be my first visit to Spain. Now as the dates draw nearer I would appreciate the experience of travelers to Spain regarding my itinerary. We fly into Madrid (May), will spend 16 nights in Spain, then head to Paris for the last 5 nights of our trip.
Itinerary: Madrid 4 nights;
train to Cordova (visit Mezquita) then
train to Seville, 4 nights in Seville;
bus to Ronda, 2 nights in Ronda;
train to Granada, 2 nights in Granada;
fly to Barcelona, 4 nights in Barcelona;
AVE train to Paris.
Is this manageable, best use of transportation? Thank you in advance!

Posted by
11294 posts

Looks great to me! Of course, everyone will have a slightly different take on how long or short a time to spend in each place. If I were to make one change, it would be to take a night from Seville and add it to Granada. Two nights in Granada equals one full day, and much of that will be spent at the Alhambra. If you want to see anything else in Granada besides the Alhambra, you'll need another day.

Once you know your Granada day or days, be sure to make your Alhambra reservations ASAP.

Posted by
7175 posts

Do you intend staying overnight in Cordoba?
I would stay one night here and only one night in Ronda as well.
Otherwise I would not change a thing.

Posted by
8 posts

We were not planning on staying over in Córdoba, just visiting enroute to Seville. You've got me thinking about Granada though. Thanks for your comments. We're not wanting to feel too rushed but want to see as much as we can in a meaningful way. I just added Ronda into the schedule and now I'm rethinking. I'm sure I'll be back with more questions as the planning continues! Thanks for your help!

Posted by
2767 posts

I like it. I'm fine with Cordoba as a stopover - see the mesquita, take a walk through town and head on. Obviously, there is more you could do, but time is limited so this works! I personally would spend longer in Granada - your Alhambra visit takes most of a day, and with 2 nights there would be very little time for anything else. I'd cut Ronda down to 1 night and spend the extra time in Granada. Ronda is nice, but 2 nights is overkill IMO, if you don't have a car (Ronda is a good base for driving out into the other hill towns, but as for the town itself, 1 night is fine). If you're set on 2 nights in Ronda, then I'd even take a night from Seville for more Granada, but I'd advise taking the night from Ronda and moving it to Granada.

Posted by
325 posts

I thought the same about Cordoba. You will be quite rushed. I'd also suggest one night in Ronda and a night in Cordoba.

Posted by
513 posts

Hi Wendy,
This looks like it will be a great trip. I have only a couple comments on your itinerary.
1. Cordoba - I am wit djp-syd on this one. I recommend staying a night in Cordoba and cutting a night out of Ronda (if you really, really want to stay there, one night should be more than enough.
2. Granada. My recommendation here is to subtract a day/night from Seville and add it into Granada.

Posted by
8 posts

Thanks for your suggestions. I've reworked the plan.
Itinerary: Madrid 3 nights; (booked Preciados)
train to Cordova (visit Mezquita) 1 night; (booked Balcon de Cordoba)
train to Seville, 4 nights in Seville (booked Casa Placia San Jose III- Spain Select apartment)
bus to Ronda, 1 night in Ronda; (booked San Gabriel)
train to Granada, 3 nights in Granada; (booked Hotel Macie)
fly to Barcelona, 4 nights in Barcelona; (considering: Hotel Pulitzer, 1898, Hotel Praktik, Granvia, Hotel Colon)
AVE train to Paris.

Comments on the itinerary are welcomed. Also, any thoughts on my Barcelona hotel decisions? I've been reading so many reviews I can't think straight! I loved the terrace in Pulitzer. If there isn't a nice hotel terrace, or lounge, then I'd like a little space for a glass of wine and a view from my room as my next choice. We are two cousins travelling and we enjoy a little bit of everything (not so much shopping - more on seeing the sites) but always laughter, food and wine! Again, I am grateful for your suggestions!

Posted by
7175 posts

I am so jealous Wendy. You will have a fantastic trip. You are going in May too, the best time.
Buen viaje.

Posted by
15560 posts

I like your revised itinerary.

I recommend going to the Nasrid Palaces night tour, then the day visit. It's magical at night, completely different. Be sure to book in advance.

You'll also want to book your visit to La Sagrada Familia in advance. I recommend getting the first timed entrance and lining up about 20-30 minutes before that so you're among the very first to enter . You will then be able to get some photos without hordes of people and also enjoy the church quietly before the noise levels go off the charts. If you want to go up one of the towers, give yourselves an hour in the church before you go up. You can continue your visit to the church afterward.

Posted by
8 posts

Thank you very much for your comments. I am soooo looking forward to my first visit to Spain!!!

Posted by
1178 posts

Good revision of initial plans.

Sagrada Familia...get your tickets on line from their web site...much better option...also consider becoming a "Family Member" not that expensive and a discount in the gift shops..most importantly you go to the front of the long line and basically walk right in...its line is the shorter one to the right as you approach the entrance.

Posted by
12172 posts

Good revisions. Granada needs three nights minimum. Sevilla can be as few as two nights (one full day to see Cathedral, Alcazar and surrounding quarter) but more time there isn't wasted. We spent only one night in Ronda and felt we had time to see the sights we hoped to see.

We drove, except for train between Cordoba and Madrid but I think you have made good transportation choices (assuming train service from Ronda to Granada works; if not, a bus will work). Good choice to fly to Barcelona, that leg is long and poorly served by any other option.

Posted by
7175 posts

Wendy I just noticed you have decreased Madrid to 3 nights.
Personally I would have decreased Seville to 3 instead.
If you are an art lover then you will spend several hours in each of Madrid's 3 great galleries - Prado, Reina Sofia, Thyssen Bornemisza.
The Prado is so extensive that many visit twice.

Posted by
8 posts

@djp_syd. Yes, to get the extra day in Cordoba I had to give up a Madrid day as our first 3 nights in Seville are paid and committed to. Taking the day from Madrid was the only option. It was a hard decision but I felt that Madrid would really require a better visit anyways and I would be back again (already planning my return and I havent even been there yet!!!) This trip will give us a taste of a few special areas of Spain - at least that is my plan. With my plan now to spend only 1 night in Ronda i have a couple of days to play with. I was thinking of heading to Cadiz for a day or two, This is what the plan looks like now:
Itinerary: Madrid 3 nights;
train to Cordova (spend 1 night) then
train to Seville, 3 nights in Seville are booked and fixed;
the next 2 days are not booked Here I could play with the plan a little. I was thinking of fitting in Cadiz or Malaga, but I+m not sure of the best way to do that and am open to suggestions. I cold extend the stay in Seville and do a day trip or book the 2 days somewhere else. The rest of the plan can be changed, but is currently:
bus to Ronda, 1 night in Ronda;
train to Granada, 3 nights in Granada;
fly to Barcelona, 4 nights in Barcelona;
AVE train to Paris.

I have really appreciated all help provided by the good people on this forum! I could still use some assistance with planning the last part of our Spain trip. :)

Posted by
8 posts

Oops - I really only have the one extra day to play with. I could add it to Seville (but I will have to move accommodations) or I could bump up the dates and add the extra day after Granada, spend it in Malaga and fly from Malaga to Barcelona. Thanks for your help!ll