After spending 3-4 days in Seville we will be making a quick trip to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar (no interest in staying here more than the time it takes to go up and see the views). Considering doing this on a Sunday in May and then moving on to more slowly visit the white hill towns and possibly Jerez for sherry tasting (we’ll have a car). We’ll have Sunday morning through Tuesday night for this itinerary when we need to be back in Seville for a flight home on Wednesday morning. Any recommendations on the order of this part of our trip or places not to miss, itinerary suggestions? Thanks!
Posted by
Washington DC
28105 posts
The white villages are not primarily places people go to see the sort of tourist attractions that charge entry fees, but keep in mind that Monday is often the day such places are closed, and early closings on Sunday are also common. You may want to spend Monday in the smallest places. Consult your guidebook to be sure there's not something critically important to you in Arcos de la Frontera, Zahara de la Sierra, Grazalema or Ronda. Check the websites of the places you plan to see in Jerez as well.
Posted by
Tel Aviv
15791 posts
You can take walk-in tours with tastings at several of the sherry bodegas in Jerez. For most Spanish bodegas, reservations are needed.
It's probably worthwhile to pick the car up Saturday evening (for 72 hours) and pay for overnight parking so you can get an early start on Sunday morning. I haven't been to Gibraltar, I drove past once to see it. Most people park in the lot (which may fill up) and walk across the causeway because the line of cars to get into Gibraltar can be very long and very slow. In other words, allow plenty of time. Google maps shows 1.5 hours to drive from Jerez to Gibraltar and longer from there to the scenic hill towns.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5542 posts
If you look at Gibraltar on Google Maps and zoom in on the area around the Passport Control, moving North you'll come across a small parade of bars, cafes, a McDonalds and a Burger King, just past this parade there is an underground car park which is monitored by security, it's called Fo-Cona (there's another one by the same name a short way further which I've also used). It's a five minute walk from there to passport control which is infinitely better than sitting in your car for hours waiting to cross the border.
There is a car park right next to the border called Santa Barbara but it always looks pretty full when I've driven past so I've not given it a go and besides, five minutes walk is no time.
Posted by
US Pacific Northwest
10344 posts
Was in Ronda a few days ago. Wonderful, the view of the bridge and just walking around.
Posted by
18 posts
Portsmouth, do you know if there are any surface parking lots near the border? Our vehicle is almost 2.4m high and most European parking garages are not high enough for our SUV.
Posted by
Wyckoff, NJ, USA
7894 posts
Gibraltar will be a full day. Allow at least 2 hours for the drive. Jerez and Gibraltar are south of Seville, many white villages are North. We slept three nights in Ronda for daytripping.
Despite having riding school show tickets we were underwhelmed by Jerez. Carmona and Italica were great. Places like Grazalema and Zahara are time consuming to get to. Arcos is as good as Rick suggests, and on the way to Ronda.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5542 posts
Portsmouth, do you know if there are any surface parking lots near the border? Our vehicle is almost 2.4m high and most European parking garages are not high enough for our SUV
I'm assuming you mean me 😁 (Portsmouth is my location). As far as I'm aware the closest overground car park is Parking Santa Barbara. It's right next to the border, has always looked really busy when I've passed but having just looked at a satellite image from Google Earth it looks practically empty so who knows when that image was taken!