Lightning trip to Andalucia - Need itinerary feedback!

Cut out Cordoba and drive from Granada to Sevilla and spend two nights there. I’ve slept in both Cordoba and Sevilla and other than seeing the Mezquita, Cordoba was less impressive than Sevilla.
I’ve never been to Ronda but my understanding is it deserves more than a lunch break.

Interesting idea! Thank you :)

Would it be doable to leave Granada in the morning, stop in Cordoba for lunch, Mezquita, etc., then continue on to Seville for 2 nights?

I’d cut Jerez.

Can you fly an open-jaw ticket, or two one-ways—maybe into Malaga and out of Sevilla?

Your itinerary is designed to create memories of driving, fueling, parking and added stress. Have you an IDP?
Simplify your journey to create an itinerary optimizing the potential to create wonderful memories.
1) leave the driving to others. Take the bus from Malaga to Granada and spend two nights.
2) Take a train/bus to Seville and spend four nights, take a day trip to Jerez
3) Take train/bus back to Malaga to enjoy final day there prior to next day departure.

With short time to enjoy the journey minimize the number of transfers to maximize the time in each destination.

I'd also cut one place, but agnostic on which one you chose to cut. Sevilla gets short shrift no matter what, so I'd consider saving it for a longer trip versus the fly-by (plus parking/driving in+out might be a pain). The plan makes it look like you are particularly interested in Jerez.

The three world-class destinations in Andalucia are Seville, Cordoba and Granada. I'd drop Jerez in a heartbeat; in fact, I spent over a month in Andalucia in 2019 and didn't go to Jerez. Full disclosure: I'm not a huge fan of horses and dislike sherry. YMMV, but you have a fairly decent amount of time for the first three if that's all you try to do. I think you'd save a bit of time by sticking to trains except from Malaga to Granada. The trains would be faster than driving, and there's be no parking problems.

It's unfortunate that you're flying into Malaga rather than Seville or Granada. Malaga is a very pleasant city, but you don't have time to see it. Maybe you'll be able to make another trip to southern Spain and include Cadiz, Jerez, Malaga and some of the smaller towns.

Presumably you have traveled before, so you know how much overhead there can be for changing hotels and cities. I would certainly spend enough money to get a well placed hotel, ideally with parking. (Parking costs extra at the Ronda Parador, but at least it's right there.) You need to give the month of the year when you post here, because the sunflower and canola field blossoms are a great drive-by experience.

Although I thought the horse show was satisfactory (not as good as Vienna), we were not impressed by Jerez, and I suggest you eliminate it. Depending on your interests, a Carmona/Italica day (especially since you have a car) may please you, while sleeping in Seville. Carmona is not a substitute for Arcos de la Frontera, but I think Arcos is too far north for your project. And Carmona struck me as more ... livable, as in Tapas Crawls, etc. ... than Arcos. Arcos is certainly more "attractive" than Jerez.

I guess it's the return to Malaga (free air ticket??) that does it, but it seems like Ronda is retracing your steps. I agree that Ronda, not at all undiscovered (!), has the most subtle charm of the list. But we slept there 3 nights, and did Rick's "cave" visit, as well as wandering around for a full day.

I agree with the people who suggest dropping Jerez. I would concentrate on Granada, Cordoba, and Seville. In addition to their history and culture and important sites (Alcazar in Seville, Alhambra in Granada, and Mezquita in Cordoba, all 3 cities are very different from each other in architecture, size, and ambience. And there is a lot more to Cordoba than just the amazing Mezquita. Cordoba has its own Alcazar with lovely gardens, the Juderia, Palacio de Viana and its 12 patios, the Roman Bridge, etc.

Such great feedback, thank you!

Answering some very good clarifying questions:

• This trip will be in late January

• we got a good deal going to Malaga (our only airport option) so no open jaw feasible

• we love to do mini road trips like this so we can explore along the way, and also with a family of 4 the train/bus tix add up fast (often exceeding the cost of rental cars, though we didn't do the side by side this time around, thinking we'd need expediency and flexibility for this plan).

• I've been to all these places (fam has not) except Jerez. We are kind of sherry fanatics so thought that was a mellow and pretty last place to base ourselves, a smaller town, lots of sherry tasting opportunities, etc. If there's another suggestion here (ESPECIALLY if it might be a lovely little countryside hotel in the general vicinity where we can also visit some sherry tastings!) I'd be thrilled with that.

• I have also been to Ronda and wouldn't make a special trip, but it looked like it was right on the way back to Malaga and an interesting stop. Happy to eliminate if something better comes up.

• is Cordoba doable as a day trip? I had remembered it being really nice to spend the night, but maybe not worth it given the pace this time around.

• key things to experience in Seville beyond the cathedral?

Thank you!!

Rick's top picks for Seville are here: https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/sevilla. Click on At a Glance.

There's much more, depending on your interests; these are in no particular order and don't include Rick's suggestions:

Casa de Pilatos, Plaza de Pilatos 1, NE of Alcazar and cathedral: “blissful secret garden” and tiled salons. “Gem of Andalucian architecture”. Patio Principal Mudejar with azulejos and intricate plasterwork. Mudejar ceilings in some upper rooms, but much is high Renaissance; art mostly mediocre.

Ayuntamiento (Town Hall), Plaza Nueva 1: 16C. Ornate facade and interior. East facade best example of Plateresque style in Andalucia. Sculpted ceilings in vestibule and lower Casa Consistorial (Velazquez ptg). Gold coffered ceiling in upper Casa Consistorial (Zurbaran and Valdes Leal).

Aqueduct, Callejon del Agua: Also flower-filled patios here.

Hotel Alfonso XIII, Calle San Fernando 2: Neo-Mudejar decor. Regionalista style, with wrought iron, tiles, ornate brickwork. Gorgeous patio. Bars and restaurants open to public.

Jardines de Murillo: formal gardens.

Calle Guzman el Bueno: Classic town mansions with courtyards.

Plaza del Triunfo: beautiful.

Hospital de los Venerables, Plaza de los Venerable 8. Baroque. Small art exhibition, tiered central patio and 17C frescoes in chapel.

Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza: 18C. White and ochre Baroque facade.

Torre del Oro: Moorish. Departure point for boat trips and tours.

Iglesia de la Magdalena: Large Baroque Church, early 18C, restored. Capilla de la Quinta Angustia is Mudejar. W. front colorful belfry.

Archivo de Indias, Avenida Constitucion: Historical museum.

Metropol Parasol, Plaza de la Encarnacion (Las Setas): modern, mushroom-like wooden structure; excellent views from skywalks and archaeological museum in basement.

Palacio de las Duenas, Calle Duenas 5: 15C Renaissance with Mudejar and Gothic influences. Lovely courtyards and gardens. One of city’s most beautiful palaces; can visit ground floor.

Iglesia San Juan de la Palma: Small Mudejar church. Brick belfry added 1788.

Iglesia de San Pedro, Plaza San Pedro: Mixed styles from Mudejar wooden ceiling (poorly lit) to modern tiles on facade. One chapel has exquisite geometric brick vault. May be open only for mass.

Iglesia de Santa Catalina, Plaza Ponce de Leon: Mudejar tower and apse. Closed for restoration as of 2019.

San Roman: 19C Mudejar-Gothic church with fine coffered ceiling.

Palacio de los Marqueses de la Algaba, Plaza Calderón de la Barca: Interpretation Center of Mudéjar Art (small) puts the style into historical context and introduces city’s main Mudéjar sites.

Antiquarium, Plaza de Encarnacion: Archaeological Museum.

Basilica de Jesus del Gran Poder, Plaza San Lorenzo 13.

Iglesia de San Luis de los Franceses, Calle San Luis 37.

Convento de Santa Clara, entry on Calle Becas: Mudejar/Renaissance. Used for special exhibitions (pricey).

Feria Market, Plaza Calderon de la Barca: Picturesque; one of city’s oldest. Two light-flooded buildings. Mon-Sat.

Out of room. See following post.

More entries from my sightseeing list for Seville:

Parque Maria Luisa: elegant 19C garden, colorful tiled alcoves and benches, flowers, fountains, tree-shaded avenues. Imposing Renaissance/Neo-Moorish building fronts plaza. Fabulous artesonada ceilings above lateral staircases into pavilion. Colorful bridges.

Museo de Artes y Costumbres Populares, Pabellon Mudejar: Striking 1929 building. Includes ceramics and history of azulejos.

Archaeological Museum, Plaza de America: Carambolo gold treasure and Mudejar ceramics.

Iglesia Santa Ana (Parroquia de S.A.), Calle Vazquez de Leca: Fine 13C Mudejar/Gothic church. Beautifully restored. Plateresque entrance to chapel in north wall.

Plaza del Altozano, west end of Puente de Isabel II: glass-fronted, wrought-iron balconies.

Castillo de San Jorge Inquisition Museum, Plaza del Altozano, S. side of bridge, down steps next to market: Would take 30 to 60 minutes.

Centro Ceramica Triana, Calle Callao 16.

Capillita del Carmen: 1926 chapel at west end of Puente de Isabel II.

Calle Pelay Correa: flower-filled side street.

Monasterio de Santa Maria de las Cuevas, Calle Americo Vespucio 2: Mudejar cloister, Capilla Aguera by main gate, Casa Prioral (exhibition about restoration).

Centro Andaluz de Arte Contemporaneo (CAAC), Monasterio de Santa Maria de las Cuevas, Avenida Americo Vespucio 2: Contemporary art.

Caixa Forum, Camino de los Descubimientos, next to Torre Sevilla: Exhibitions and performances.

It's not exactly a real attraction, but the public busses repeatedly took us past the FICTIONAL worksite of Bizet's character Carmen, in the Royal Tobacco Factory.

I hope it's still true in January, but we noticed about how many locals, not just tourists, stopped for a pitcher of Sangria in the early evening. We (imagined) we were joining them.

If you do go to Jerez, be sure to book the horse exhibition immediately in advance.

Sightseeing in Seville:

Seville Cathedral
Real Alcazar - outstanding; ranks up there with the Alhambra
https://www.alcazarsevilla.org/
Casa di Pilatos
Exploring the Triana neighborhood, including its mercado
Plaza de Espagna
Exploring Barrio Santa Cruz
Take a carriage ride
See a Flamenco show
Mercado Barranca

Would it be doable to leave Granada in the morning, stop in Cordoba for lunch, Mezquita, etc., then continue on to Seville for 2 nights?

The reason I said to skip Córdoba is because it’s the outlier. You’re better off spending three nights in Sevilla and taking a day trip to Córdoba.

We just came back from most of these places. I recommend you drop Jerez and spend more time in Granada and Seville. Do Ronda as a day trip. We liked Cordoba as we saw the Mezquita and went to the Royal Stables horse show in the evening. Stick with Cordoba, Granada and Seville. Too bad your flight came be from Seville instead of Malaga since you wont have much time there.