3 Nights in Seville v. Cordoba for Easter Week for Semana Santa

Staying in Spain during the week before Easter (Semana Santa) is an outstanding experience. People around the nation celebrate this week with large religious processions. In Cordoba more than 30 of these processions occur, attracting many thousand tourists, as well as local residents. So, in either Cordoba or Sevilla (Seville), your cup will runnith over with crowds and religious processions. It is a beautiful, moving, and somber experience. The train ride between the two cities might be a nice break from all of the religiosity and it will give you a chance to see the country side. If you get back to Spain the future, the best time to see Sevilla is during the Sevilla Feria, which occurs 17 April - 22 April 2018 or 7 May - 12 May 2019.

You could also see the processions in Malaga which are supposed to be calmer, less crowded than Seville. Thursday night is the most important night. You might even see Javier Bardem there. He's from Malaga and participates.

Oops, sorry. It's Antonio Banderas who's from Malaga, not Bardem.

Thank you for the expertise! I think we will stay in Seville for 4 nights and day trip from there. Then Madrid for 3 nights and possible day trip to Grenada. We do not enjoy large crowds, but realize that goes with the territory the week of Easter! However, we will arrive March 22 - 26 in Seville so we should have a couple quiet days prior to the festival, then day trip to Cordoba. Do you think that will be a good itinerary without moving hotels much?

Thank you so much, we are naïve international travelers!

Thank you for the expertise! I think we will stay in Seville for 4 nights and day trip from there. Then Madrid for 3 nights and possible day trip to Grenada. We do not enjoy large crowds, but realize that goes with the territory the week of Easter! However, we will arrive March 22 - 26 in Seville so we should have a couple quiet days prior to the festival, then day trip to Cordoba. Do you think that will be a good itinerary without moving hotels much?

Thank you so much, we are naïve international travelers!

Granada is really not a viable day-trip from either Madrid or Seville. It's 250 miles from Madrid. It's closer to Seville, but still more than a 3-hour drive each way.

If you want to try that anyway--presumably in order to see the Alhambra--you need to investigate ticket availability right away. There doesn't seem to be anything available for the last week of March or the first four days of April. You might have some luck going through your hotel, or perhaps there will be a reasonably-priced tour that includes admission to the Alhambra.

Thank you for the expertise! We’ve decided to stay in Seville for 4 nights and transfer to Cordoba for a day. The rest we will spend in Madrid with possible day trips. Thank you!