Hello, sorry if anyone has already seen this post. I accidentally deleted it.
We are planning a trip to Southern Spain - First time to Spain, flying into Madrid dates are 9/21-10/6/2026.
I would like to go to Zaragoza, but it is in the opposite direction and with limited time, I don't know if it's possible.
I am also wondering if it is worth going to Zaragoza and skip a city or two in S. Spain that we were originally thinking of.
Looking to visit, Toledo, Cordoba, Seville and Granada, maybe Malaga. With only two weeks, what is anyone's opinion of
these locations and is one worth skipping in order to go to another or spend more time in a particular area.
We also were thinking of renting a car form Madrid to S. Spain. Very familiar with driving in other countries and speak Spanish.
Thanks for your input!
:)
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8323 posts
As mentioned in my other response, Zaragoza is the outlier and is about a 7.5 hours drive from either Granada or Córdoba and a 3 hours drive from Madrid’s airport. While worth visiting, the minimum of ten additional driving hours, probably isn’t the best use of your limited time. Even if using public transportation there will be more travel time than if you skipped it and stayed in the south.
If you decided to visit Zaragoza you should stop and see any number of places to make the drive more worthwhile. That however, would consume even more of your limited time.
With regard to driving, once outside of the cities driving is easy with minimal traffic on the rural roads.
As with all trips, there are more things to see than time to see them, so you need to prioritize the places most important to you.
Posted by
OP
CA
25 posts
Thank you!! Any advice of what we would skip if we decided to do Zaragoza?
Seville is a for sure. Toledo, Cordoba and Granada are all places that we want to see but are any of
those worth skipping in order to add Zaragoza?
I appreciate the advice.
Posted by
6519 posts
It depends on how fast you want to tour the parts of Andalusia you plan on seeing. You could take two train trips out of Madrid—to Zaragoza and back and then to Sevilla, etc and back. (Note the Toledo train trip will also be a round trip from Madrid). Maybe you could do a portion by car but I really don’t think it will benefit you for a city trip. I’d plug all the options into Maps and see what looks the most efficient, but be sure to cross reference with actual train schedules to get accurate results.
FWIW, I want to see Zaragoza but I would not insert into the plan you have here.
Posted by
Citizen of the World
3856 posts
Hi Tracy, Zaragoza is only an 80-minute high-speed train ride from Madrid. Keep that in mind because, while Zaragoza certainly merits overnighting in— the high-speed trains make it possible to visit it as a daytrip, with the Aljaferia Palace a highlight.
Cordoba is just 45 minutes from Seville by high-speed train. So, Cordoba can also be seen as a daytrip from Sevilla. The magic of seeing Cordoba’s monuments while floodlit at nightime does make it well worth overnighting there.
Granada is all about the Alhambra ( and deservedly so). If, however, you aren’t all that excited about seeing the Alhambra, then you could consider dropping Granada. Granada is about three train-hours from Seville, about 90 minutes from Cordoba and 3.5 hours from Madrid.
Because these cities ( and Toledo) are linked by high-speed trains, a rental car isn’t necessary to get between the cities included in the itinerary. Buying your train tix online well in advance is the way to go. I would definitely consider traveling by train.
Have a great trip!
For train tix:
Posted by
Maryland
1086 posts
If you really want to see Zaragoza, which it seems you do, then fly into Barcelona rather than Madrid. At least you will only be going in one direction. If Southern Spain is your objective and you want to take time to savor where you are then fly into Malaga and out of Madrid. Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba are all very different, but I might devote the least time to Cordoba on the way north (but see the Mezquita!). Toledo is a day trip from Madrid, although it is a lovely place to spend the evening. I found the trains to be excellent and you are aiming at major destinations which have good frequent service. A car is not required and will be a pain in any major city which will have significant pedestrian only zones near the best hotels.
Posted by
Mid-Atlantic area
8323 posts
I won’t drop any of the four places mentioned to visit Zaragoza. I feel that if you’re only going to visit Spain once, Seville, Toledo, Cordoba and Granada are on the must see list. Once you’ve visited the major destinations, then you can visit the lesser destinations.
Posted by
9768 posts
Personally, I would skip Zaragoza.
Posted by
OP
CA
25 posts
Thank you, everyone for your advice and input. It was all very helpful. Having never been to Spain before, it's so nice to get advice from people who know about the area and can point me in the right direction. I think after reading these posts, maybe we skip Zaragoza.
If you have any other tips of things to see, do or eat in any of the other areas, I would love any other suggestions.
Thank you!! Tracy
Posted by
Massachusetts, USA
2179 posts
I would definitely spend a night or two in Cordoba. While the Mezquita is amazing, there are other interesting sights to see as well, such as the Alcazar, the Palacio de Viana, the Roman Bridge, and you need time to explore the Juderia. Cordoba is gorgeous at night when all the buildings, especially the Mezquita, are illuminated.
I would definitely travel by train. Also, check out the ALSA buses. They are clean, modern, and very efficient. Sometimes their schedules might be better or more frequent than the trains. We traveled by both trains and buses while in Andalusia, Madrid, and Toledo, and we never needed a car. A car will be a hindrance in these towns with narrow lanes, pedestrianized zones, and trying to find parking will be a nightmare.