Questions & Help With Itinery - Must Include Rota

Posted by Sarah33409 (Florida) on 04/06/17 10:37 AM

Trying to plan a trip to Spain at the end of June into July. We have 14 days available for the trip. Meeting up with family in Rota is the point of the trip. We are from Florida so we will fly in/out of Miami. Preliminary idea ( suggestions and tweaks are welcomed & appreciated):

Miami to Barcelona: should we stay 2 nights or 3?
Barcelona to Madrid via Train: 2 nights in Madrid
Madrid to Sevilla via Train: 2 nights in Sevilla
Sevilla to Rota via rental car: 6 nights in Rota (Would like to do some day trips from Rota. Also, could make this a 5 night stay)
Rota to Sevilla via rental car: 1 night (return car & fly out in the moring next day)
Sevilla to Miami

Questions:
- We are Floridians. Will the heat in Spain feel about the same as summer in South Florida?
- Suggestions on day trips from Rota? I am considering the following - Andalucia White Towns, Granada, Gibraltar, Malaga

Posted by David in Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia

04/06/17 12:49 PM

7175 posts

Forget Barcelona, which is best with 4 nights/3 full days. Also, I would consider Ronda, Granada, Gibraltar as too far for daytrips.

Day
01. Arrive Madrid. Train to Cordoba (1N)
02. Train to Sevilla (2N)
03. Sevilla
04. Pick up rental car. Drive to Rota (6N)
05-09. Days to Jerez, Cadiz, Arcos de la Frontera, Vejer de la Frontera
10. Drive to Sevilla. Return car. Train to Madrid (4N)
11. Madrid
12. Day to Toledo
13. Day to Segovia
14. Depart Madrid

Posted by jaimeelsabio

Mid-Atlantic area

04/06/17 09:30 PM

7162 posts

I assume your family has an apartment or house you'll be staying at since summer is peak tourist time in Rota and hotels are very expensive that time of year. (Tell your family member thanks for serving.) Having lived in Rota there are a number of places to visit. Close in are Cadiz (catch the ferry near the Duque de Najera hotel), Puerto de Santa Maria, and Jerez de la Frontera. You could also go to Chipiona although there isn't much there. Granada is too far for a day trip, but Gibraltar is a long day possibility if you run out of other things to do. Definitely head to Arcos de la Frontera and the white towns, as well as Ronda, and Cordoba (mezquita mosque). There was a nice bullfighting museum in Cordoba that used to be free on certain days.

Not certain where you family lives, but parking in Rota itself is at a premium during the summer months, so hopefully they have a dedicated parking spot. If you can park on the base it may be easiest to do that, then walk into town (right outside the base).

Yes it is hot in Andalucia but not as humid as S..Florida. I went to Rota from Miami area and went back to Miami afterwards.

Posted by Sarah33409 OP

Florida

04/06/17 10:33 PM

2 posts

Thank you for the replies! Great information provided. Good to know about Rota and the high season. I will ask about the parking. Family is active duty - not in Rota. Believe it or not it is a good place to all meet up so we do what we can when we can.