Feedback for Andalucia/Madrid trip in late April

My partner and I spent 11 days in all those cities (except Nerja) in 2023, our first trip to those areas. I made all the transportation bookings (trains, buses, planes, rental car) myself with no issues. Our trip report might be useful reference: https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/trip-report-spain-aug-sep-seville-ronda-granada-cordoba-madrid

No need for a travel agent. From Madrid to Sevilla, you are correct that there won’t be a business class as it is a pretty short flight. I recommend reserving the vehicle directly through the rental company and not a third party like Expedia, Orbitz, etc. Since you intend on renting a vehicle ensure you get an International Driving Permit from AAA before going over.

Regarding the itinerary framework, it works if that’s what you want to do. Other than Jerez you don’t seem to be rushing through everything and that will make for a less stressful trip.

I’m not certain what you intend to do in Jerez de la Frontera for a couple hours and whether it’s worth the 1 hour drive it takes to get there, just to backtrack to head over to Ronda (1.5 hours). That time might be better spent visiting a couple of the white villages. For example, Sevilla-Arcos de la Frontera-Grazalema-Zahara de la Sierra-Ronda. A different route could be Sevilla-Olvera-Setenil de las Bodegas-Ronda.

I like that you’re concentrating your time in a smaller geographic area rather than trying to see places throughout the entire country.

Ronda to Nerja is a couple hours drive while Nerja to Granada is just over a hour’s drive. Since the driving distances are fairly short, look at the routes you will be driving and pick out places to visit between your starting and ending points.

With regard to driving, once outside of the cities and towns, there will be little traffic on the rural roads. I feel both the rural roads and highways are well marked. Once in a town or city, street signs are almost impossible to see until you’ve past them. If there are any, they are normally on a corner wall between the ground and first floor of buildings. Maps will mess up their pronunciation and half the time you won’t know the street’s real name anyway. I use Google maps for navigation and bookmark the places I intend to go. Maps goes straight to them with a few exceptions, like, in a city between taller buildings and one loses the cell signal. I also download maps of the areas I plan to visit for offline use in case I come across an area where there is no cell service.

Our trip report might be useful reference:

Thank you so much! There's a lot of good in here, and I've bookmarked it with the rest of my planning materials.

I’m not certain what you intend to do in Jerez de la Frontera for a couple hours and whether it’s worth the 1 hour drive it takes to get there, just to backtrack to head over to Ronda (1.5 hours). That time might be better spent visiting a couple of the white villages. For example, Sevilla-Arcos de la Frontera-Grazalema-Zahara de la Sierra-Ronda. A different route could be Sevilla-Olvera-Setenil de las Bodegas-Ronda.

Thanks for the reply jaimeelsabio!
In Jerez I plan on touring at least one of the sherry bodegas, and maybe a tasting. I originally had a tried to fit in a night at Arcos, but I couldn't quite bring myself to steal the time from anywhere else. Maybe I'll try make some road trip stops in some of the villages you mentioned. The area around Grazalema does sound quite beautiful from what I've read.

It’s been decades since I toured a sherry bodega, but at that time the tour lasted about an hour and the tasting followed. I’m not sure how they work now.

I caution against a tasting then getting into a car and driving. The limit for being considered intoxicated is much lower in Spain than in the states. Save any drinking for when you’re done for the day and at your lodging for the night.

This sounds like a do-able itinerary and I agree with others that you absolutely can make all the reservations yourself.

Regarding flying to Sevilla vs arriving in Madrid and taking the train to Sevilla, there is no "right or wrong" or "best' way to do this. Look at the possible flights from AZ and do a comparison of the cost in time and money. That could mean flying into a city other than Madrid for a connecting flight to Sevilla. Exploring possible flight combinations plus familiarizing yourself with rail options on Renfe.com will allow you to plan your trip in the best way for you. It sounds as though you are an experienced traveler, so you know to explore locations of airports and train stations in relation to your hotels, car rental agencies, etc.

Your itinerary seems to be in a logical order, but I suggest rethinking six different overnight locations. Again, this is a personal preference and there is no "right" way to travel. I also question whether a few hours in Jerez is worth the travel time. You said you are considering a "tasting" in Jerez but keep in mind you are driving. Spain, like many countries, has strict drinking and driving rules with stiff penalties.

Again, personal preference, but I'd consider leaving Granada late afternoon of the 10th day to give you more time in Cordoba. It also saves you the morning arrival at a hotel where you'll only drop off luggage and then have to check in later in the day. Along with the usual sites in Cordoba, I'd suggest the short bus ride to the extensive excavations at Medina Azahara.

Let us know any changes in your plan; we're interested!

I caution against a tasting then getting into a car and driving. The limit for being considered intoxicated is much lower in Spain than in the states. Save any drinking for when you’re done for the day and at your lodging for the night.

Just goes to show that I don't know what I don't know. It hadn't even occurred to me that the limits for drinking and driving might me different, especially considering I'm not a particularly heavy drinker at home. Thanks for the sound advice!

Thanks for your reply, Anita! The rules on drinking and driving being more is strict is something I hadn't even considered. I am really interested in a tour, but perhaps the tasting will have to be skipped this time.

Again, personal preference, but I'd consider leaving Granada late afternoon of the 10th day to give you more time in Cordoba. It also saves you the morning arrival at a hotel where you'll only drop off luggage and then have to check in later in the day. Along with the usual sites in Cordoba, I'd suggest the short bus ride to the extensive excavations at Medina Azahara.

Also, thanks for the logistical advice about travel between Granada and Cordoba. A quick scan of the Renfe site shows, at least at the moment, that there are more trains in the evenings than the mornings, so that seems to offer more flexibility on top of your point about the hotel check in and bag storage. Aside from the logistics, your comment indicates you believe it's worth spending more time in Cordoba over Granada. You're not the first person in this forum I've seen to express that view, so aside from the Azahara ruins that you mentioned, I'd be curious to know what else from your experience has led you to that conclusion.

Finally, I appreciate you saying I give the appearance of an experienced traveler. I have traveled some within the US, but I really am a novice when it comes when it comes to European travel, so feedback like yours and others really means a lot to me. I'll definitely make sure to keep this forum updated about my plans as I go.

Spain is actually a good country to get your feet wet with planning/booking for yourself - but there’s no wrong answer. With all the planning (it’s evident) you’ve already done, you will probably know best what you want to do and how you want to do it.

Where I fly from, flying into (or out of) Seville never quite makes sense, although I would love to do that. So yes, checking out some options is a good idea. Flying in to Seville would be a nice option if it works timewise. I am usually left with returning to Madrid - or flying into Madrid and taking the train onward. It’s great you are already looking at a multi-city itinerary.

I laughed as I read the notes about doing a tasting. It’s been a few years (2017) but when I did a sherry tour and tasting in Jerez, it was light on the tour and very heavy on the tasting. LOL. Fortunately I was taking the train afterwards.

Autoeurope.com is a good place to start with car rental. Occasionally it won’t find an option for dropping in a different city - then I resort to a Google search for car rental and the process of seeing which company will allow that.

Sometimes Renfe is a bit of a problem, but I have good luck on the app.

Come back with any specific questions! It’s a lovely area!

Albert, both Granada and Cordoba are ancient cities with long, complex histories. Both have a number of worthwhile historical sites and both cities have interesting neighborhoods to explore. In my opinion, both suffer from the large number of day trippers.

I particularly enjoyed the many historic sites in Cordoba and appreciated its early Roman history as well as the mixture of Christian, Jewish, and Islamic cultures. Exploring the oldest sections of Cordoba in the evenings when streets are darkened and quiet is a great experience, as is trying unfamiliar food in the local restaurants. I recommend visiting the Medina Azahara. This archaeological site with a museum is slowly uncovering a gigantic Moslem palace and city that predates the Alhambra by about 300 years. On one visit to Cordoba I enjoyed staying at Banos Arabes de Cordoba. This hospederia has a small number of rather basic, but absolutely clean and comfortable hotel rooms on the top floor over the Arab baths. Visiting the baths is included in the cost of staying at the hospederia. That was my first experience with Arab baths and it was a much-welcomed experience.

In addition to information in guidebooks, I like to read the "most popular sites" for any city i plan to visit in TripAdvisor.com. Looking at recent reviews can give valuable feedback on temporary closures, best times to visit, etc. I also am a bit compulsive about perusing a destination's website for any last minute changes. As always, continue to utilize this forum for advice.

TexasTravelMom, I greatly appreciate the encouragement and the tips! I've added AutoEurope to my travel doc for now and in the future.

Anita, that's some really good insight into Cordoba! I'll definitely be looking into those ruins.

I can do all the research in the world (the nervous part of me wants to) but it can't replicate real experiences from travelers like you both. Thank you!

• I just book trains on the Renfe app on my iphone, never had a problem.
• Flying into Madrid and taking the train to Sevilla is doable. Iberia also has convenient flights from Madrid to Sevilla. That's probably faster when you're already in the airport.
• I would personally just think about simplifying your trip since it's your first time in Spain. There's something very nice about using the high speed rail system to go city center to city center for a low price with extreme convenience. Rental cars are fairly necessary to see certain small towns, go hiking, but you can see plenty of Spain for your first trip over a couple of weeks just using public transit and trains.
• Are you going to be in Madrid for the tennis tournament? That's something I would recommend if you're a sports fan.