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Spain 6 nights from Dec 18th to 24th

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Hello, we have been reading a few books and still don't have clarity on how best to spend our 6 nights in Spain. After spending 6 days in Lisbon and Algarve in Portugal, we have another 6 nights we want to spend in Spain from Dec 18th to Dec 24th. Our return flight is from Madrid back to the United States. Note we are traveling with 2 kiddo - aged 3.5 and 12. As a family, we would like to experience culture, great food (we are vegetarian) and we love nature hikes. We understand beaches might be a bit too cold during this time. We've read a lot about great nature which can only be seen as day trips out from Seville to places like Malaga and Nerja but will it be be too cold? Are these really summer vacations?

Lastly, we are skipping Barcelona because we don't see an easy and quick way to get to Barcelone from Seville - fastest train was 6 hours+ and we don't want to fly again (with bags and kids). Is skipping Barcelona foolish - this is our first time in Spain? Or is Seville very similar to Barcelona with our interests mentioned above?

Here are 2 itineraries we are considering, your insights and feedback would be awesome. Unfortunately, with both itinerries

Itinerary 1:
3 nights in Seville with 2 day trips to Malaga one one day and Granada 2nd day.
3 nights in Madrid with some day trips
Fly out of Madrid on Day-6

Itinerary 2:
2 nights in Seville
2 nights in Malaga , easy access to Nerja and Marbella for beaches.
2 nights in Madrid
-- will this be too much travel and too much hopping around with 2 kids?

Thanks a ton,

Posted by
6471 posts

If you haven't been to southern Spain, my priorities would be Sevilla, Granada and Cordoba. Granada is a long day trip from Sevilla. I feel like you are a couple days short of a nice Andalusia vacation. Something like Sevilla (3), Granada(2), Cordoba (2) Madrid(1), which still would be short, especially for Sevilla.

Posted by
3230 posts

Granada is not a day trip from Seville. If this is your first time visiting Madrid, why would you take day trips with just three nights? I suggest spending all your time in Madrid.
Marbella is closer to Malaga than Nerja. Are you renting a car? I would not combine two cities that are a 90m drive apart on the same day trip.

Posted by
7157 posts

For simplicity’s sake consider spending the entire time in Madrid and take a couple day trips. Weather can be a wild card as are the children. It will definitely be too cold for the beaches and I doubt that with a 3.5 year old, you’ll be spending much time in nature. There are a few parks in Madrid if you want to get away somewhat; Retiro and Casa de Campo come to mind.

With only 6 days I wouldn’t want to spend any more time than necessary traveling between locations.

Posted by
3 posts

@jaimeelsabio thank you. Madrid we saw from historical weather was much colder than Seville in December, is that accurate?

Posted by
7157 posts

Generally speaking, I agree with that statement. What the temperature differences between the two cities will be this year is unknown, but Sevilla should be maybe 5-10 degrees warmer. Whichever you choose, one city or two, you’ll have a good time. Both will be all lit up for the holidays and the children should like that.

Posted by
27 posts

I agree with the advice to just do Madrid with some day trips. 3 nights in each of Sevilla and Madrid would also be doable, but it's a short time in each of those cities and if you plan to do as many day trips as you say you will not have the time to really see or enjoy either or these two very interesting places. There is so much to see/do in the cities themselves! If you say you want to experience culture, that is best done spending some time in a place exploring and not in a car or public transit. If you do itinerary #2, you will barely have time to see a thing.
Granada is great, but if you day trip from Sevilla you will spend as much or time on the train/bus as you will in Granada. I'd save that for another trip.
You are not foolish skipping Barcelona. It's also a nice city, but you don't have time to do it justice on this trip.

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