Sevilla & Barcelona

Sevilla and Barcelona are two very different cities. Does one or the other feel more appealing? I feel like it comes down to whether you want another switch in hotels. I loved both cities and there are lots of day trip options from both. I'd be inclined to stay 2 additional nights in Sevilla and then head to Barcelona, but I don't mind hotel switches.

How much time does your tour have in Sevilla? What sites do you visit in Sevilla on the tour? I think this info would help others form their suggestions.

Where are the other nights of your tour spent?

Thank you both. Our organized tour will visit (we stay in one spot and it's just day trips):

1. SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS & RONDA
2. GRANADA
3. MÁLAGA
4. SEVILLA (we arrive around 9am until 7PM)
5. CÓRDOBA

In Sevilla, it is a walking tour in the AM and then we are free to visit any sights (inside/outside) until 7PM. If we go to Sevilla again, we'd use that time to thoroughly visit the sites inside, day trip somewhere, roam the streets, shop, eat, view the architecture.

The tough part is, both cities appeal to me. My mother has not visited either (first trip to Spain), I went to Barcelona in 2000. My mom is very mobile, so walking is not an issue. We don't mind hotel switching, right now for the trip we have 3 hotels (one for the tour, one in Sevilla and one in Barcelona). I just cannot answer if we are better off staying in one spot or keeping it as is. My mom said "anything you decide is fine". Typical mom answer :-)

Which one do you find more interesting? That is the only way to decide. I don't like flying within a vacation (just getting there and away on a flight), so it would be an easy decision for me. Logistics-wise, you can compare flying out of Sevilla, Madrid, and Barcelona (can compare other airports as well--Jerez and Malaga).

Seville has two extra-special sights, the Cathedral and the Alcazar. It has many other things also worth seeing, but if you can book tickets for the afternoon of your day trip, you can see them both that day. I think the Cathedral is worth about an hour if you don't climb the Giralda, 90 minutes if you do. The Alcazar deserves about two hours.

If you do that, you could probably spend all 6 nights after the tour in Barcelona and not feel like you missed out on too much in Seville.

Maybe check out Rick's Explore Europe section here. See which of the sights in each city are more appealing. For example, if you really want to see a flamenco show in Seville, that might sway you to go back for an extra day.

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/sevilla

https://www.ricksteves.com/europe/spain/barcelona

I agree the top sights in Sevilla are the alcazar and the cathedral. I hope since you will be in Sevilla just one day that the tour group has highly suggested purchasing those tickets in advance, or you will be spending your time in line. (One hack for the cathedral is to go to the Church of the Savior and buy the ticket because it includes both that church and the cathedral). Another sight in Sevilla that I would absolutely not miss is the Plaza de Espana. It's gorgeous and has been featured in several movies.

I'm glad to see that you are visiting Sentinil.

Another suggestion - fly home from Malaga and spend a few days there.

@lin We are spending a night in Malaga when we arrive and the following day. We also visit Malaga during the organized tour. It's a great suggestion!

Do a deep dive comparing your feasible day trip options as well as things to do within each city. I liked Malaga a good bit, but a couple nights would do it for me, whereas Sevilla could entertain you for much longer in addition to having *perhaps easier day trip options (Jerez, Cadiz, back to Cordoba since you only get a day there).