Hello all! My husband and I are planning our June, 3-week trip and we are not sure how to plan the 6 night portion where we leave Seville and eventually fly to Mallorca, possibly out of Valencia, but that seems a bit too far as we are considering renting a car. We are interested in seeing Jerez, Cádiz, Cordoba, Ronda, the Roman site at Baelo Claudia, and Granada. Having only 6 nights and with some locations sort of out of the way, we could use your suggestions to plan our itinerary. Does staying in Seville longer and doing day trips make more sense than leaving with the rental car? Which towns, if any, would you eliminate? We love renting a car and seeing the country at our own slow pace and stopping where it strikes our fancy, especially in small villages and where we can see historical sites, enjoy local food and culture, etc. Museums are great, but we don’t feel pressured to see the “must-see” stuff. Thank you in advance for your advice.
Posted by
4384 posts
Have you checked for alternative flights? How about Malaga if not Sevilla.
Cordoba is good for a day trip from Sevilla (I preferred staying overnight but something has to give), then I would split the stays for the driving portion between Ronda and the Cadiz area--Vejer de la Frontera looks nice.
Posted by
Washington DC
27112 posts
Of the places you list, Jerez, Cadiz, Cordoba and Granada are readily accessible via public transportation. Ronda is somewhat more limited in that respect; you'd need to fiddle around with train and bus schedules to see where it can be slotted in so you don't need to re-trace your steps and waste time. Baelo Claudia looks like a very severe outlier.
Staying in Seville and trying to do day trips will really only work for Cordoba, and Cordoba's on the rail route between Seville and Granada, so it's not a slam dunk that making it a day trip from Seville gains you anything to make up for having less time in the city (and no evening to enjoy).
Six nights isn't long enough to cover all your desired destinations. I don't think it's long enough even if you omit Baelo Claudia. Dropping Baelo Claudia and Granada would work, but I'd hate to see you drop Granada when you have enough time to go there if you omit some of the (sorry) much less important destinations. In that lower-priority group I include Ronda (where I've been three times) and Jerez. Most people who go to Ronda also want to see some of the little white villages, so it's not a matter of just finding time to see Ronda; it means renting a car and dealing with the slow, twisty roads in that area.
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
1603 posts
Taking the trains and/or ALSA buses would be the least stressful mode of transportation until you get to the white towns. Driving and parking in places like Seville, Cordoba, and Granada is very stressful. Lots of pedestrianized areas, and very narrow lanes. Renting a car would work for Ronda and perhaps Cadiz and Jerez. But I would not want a car in Seville, Cordoba or Granada.
Are you aware of how very hot it will be in Andalucia during June? Think temps in the 90's and 100's. When I was planning our trip, I read trip reports from people who were there during the summer months, and they talked about being drenched in sweat within 10 minutes. Make sure you have hats, sunblock, and lots of water. Try to reserve hotels that have pools. Plan on sightseeing in the early morning and early evening. You might want to visit a few museums to keep cool.