Andalucia trip

Posted by RC (Fort Myers, FL) on 10/17/23 04:48 PM

Traveling to Spain for the first time this mid-April/mid-May (2024).
Towns we are interested in are:
Madrid (fly in/out), Toledo, Granada, Gibraltar, Tangiers (Morocco), Some of the White Towns, Jerez, Savilla, Cordoba.
We need help in our schedule, days spent where, to type of transport (car, bus, train).
The snag is we think we want to attend the following:
Spring Fair May 4-11 in Jerez, Cordoba has a patio display in May, and Crosses of May in early May in Granada.
Are any of these festivals worth the time and or back and forth of travel to see?

We like to drive and be free of schedules (thus we avoid tours), but we also did nothing but trains in Switzerland, and that was fine.
Both of us are late sixties and getting tired of hauling luggage (more so for public transport than by car).

Any thoughts and help would be greatly appreciated.

Posted by RC OP

Fort Myers, FL

10/17/23 05:40 PM

91 posts

Not rude Nick.
I did mention mid-April to mid-May.
No exact dates yet based on festival feedback.
We usually go for right around 30 days though.

Posted by acraven

Washington DC

10/17/23 07:13 PM

28082 posts

I would not go to Tangier. It is not a good introduction to Morocco, which has many more-interesting cities. There are flights from many European cities (including Madrid) to Fes and Marrakech (far better destinations), so this doesn't have to be the year you go to Morocco. If you particularly want to get to Morocco this year, you can also check for flights from Seville. There's service to Casablanca (a business city, not a top tourist destination) and Rabat.

I like to stay long enough in a city to do more than rush through the top 3 sights, so these would be minimum stays for me. Other visitors might compress things.

Toledo: 3 nights
Cordoba: 3 nights
Seville: 5 nights
Granada: 3 nights
Ronda (as base for white villages, with a car): 3 nights

Madrid would depend on how much time you'd spend in the art museums. I haven't been to Gibraltar or Jerez.

I'd also consider Cadiz (historic city quite near Jerez), Malaga, and Ubeda/Baeza (ideally toward the end of the trip, since this area can be cooler and a bit wetter than points south). The warmest spots in Andalucia can be pretty hot by mid-May.

All of the above wouldn't fit into 30 days, but you'll have your own priorities.

Posted by jaimeelsabio

Mid-Atlantic area

10/17/23 08:50 PM

7157 posts

We always get a rental car because we mostly visit smaller towns and villages not regularly serviced by public transportation. If we do visit a medium or large city we try to find lodging with free parking, but usually just end up paying for it. We also tend to stay at Paradors since many have free parking. Some have a combination of free (outdoor) or pay (garage) parking.

Some friends of ours were in Jerez de la Frontera in May 2022 during its spring festival and thoroughly enjoyed themselves.

Posted by L & H

10/19/23 08:45 PM

3 posts

I lived in Morocco for several years and have visited many times after that and I agree - a quick stop to Tangiers is not the best way to dip your toe in the water.

Marrakech is probably the easiest city for a first introduction. Fez is amazing, but for anyone who hasn't experienced non-western travel, it can be intense. It has the largest medina in the world.

I truly love all of Morocco, including Tangiers, but for folks who do the quick trip across the water for 1 night, you really lose the essence of the country.