Things to do near Sevilla, Spain

2 nights to Cordoba for the Mezquita.
3 nights to Jerez for sherry, old city of Cadiz, white town of Vejer de la Frontera, beach at Conil de la Frontera.
Day excursion into UNESCO listed wetlands of Parque Nacional de Doñana.

Hi Jim, it seems like I will be on that same RS tour, April 18 until May 1. Similar to you, I have planned six additional nights before flying home from Seville. I will spend the night of May 1 in Seville, maybe ready for a "down day" at the end of the tour, then two nights in Córdoba, and the final three nights in Jerez during the major Feria del Caballo. I may take a day trip to Cadiz while in Jerez. I plan to travel by train during those days, and did find that hotel prices in Jerez jumped up considerably during their Feria. See you in Barcelona!

Consider Gibraltar. I didn't love it the one time I went...but it is famous and historically notable. On a clear day, the views from the top are pretty impressive. If you are in the area south of Sevilla (Jerez etc), then it's a short hop. Drive to the town in Spain and walk across the border into Gibraltar.

Otherwise I'd second Cadiz, Jerez, and Cordoba. Especially Cordoba - the Mesquita is not to be missed.

Also, I have not been to the beaches on the Costa De La Luz (coast south of Sevilla, near Cadiz etc), but might be something to look into if the weather is nice

Do you have to have the car? For Jerez/Cadiz and/or Cordoba, a car will only be a hindrance. If you want to drive, then visit some of the other pueblos blancos and the coast. But I would not pass up the opportunity to do what Larry's planning - a couple nights in Cordoba and possibly catch Las Cruces de Mayo, then Feria in Jerez.

Just to add another thought, last evening my internet research indicated that the Feria de los Patios will begin in Córdoba on Monday, May 2, 2016.

Larry, how lucky can you get? 2 Ferias without planning for them!

Hi - I believe I saw that the Feria de los Patios begins May 9, 2016 through the 22nd ...

Elenzi, I had seen those later dates too, but now the official Córdoba Turismo web site says the Feria de los Patios is May 2 to 15. In any event, I will be in Córdoba May 2 to 4 and will either just make it or just miss it. I figure I'll enjoy Córdoba either way. And Chani, I did schedule my trip knowing that I could include the Feria del Caballo in Jerez at the end, so that was not pure luck.

Just outside Sevilla are the Roman ruins at Italica - a great stop if you are interested in Roman history.

I just finished the tour. I suggest more days in Sevilla, spending one day going to Cordoba. I am in Cadiz now and am enjoying it a lot. I used public transport only. Cadiz is smallish, on the sea.

Have a great tour. It was wonderful.

Italica for me was too far for too little. The bus station was some distance from my hotel (Amadeus also used by RS), the buses are infrequent, slow and not always on time. I spent a lot of time waiting for the bus in both directions. 2.5 years ago, a lot of the site hadn't been excavated, the explanations in English were meager. I bought the heavy English guide book for €10 and hardly used it, ended up leaving it behind in Madrid because it wasn't worth keeping. By car, I probably would have thought it was worth it.

Closest in would be the Roman ruins. I think it's worth seeing some Roman ruins in Spain and a car is the best option to get there.

You should certainly see Cordoba. It could be a day trip by fast train with at least four hours, preferably more to see the Mesquita, surrounding quarter and eat a meal. We stayed one night, which allowed us to explore into the evening. I'm not sure I see a need to stay longer unless you just want to keep the pace very relaxed.

I liked Jerez a lot. It's the only place where Bodegas are open to the public for regular tours. The Bodegas there make Sherry (Jerez is the local word for Sherry). Jerez is a decent smaller city, worth a full day/two nights.

Cadiz was a big disappointment for me. It's very old but isn't at all well preserved and doesn't reflect or show off it's long history.

A car would be good for white towns.

I also think Gibraltar was a unique place to visit. We parked in La Linea and walked across the border. Our plan was to catch the tram to the top and walk down. The wind shut it down right before we got on so we ended up doing a taxi tour (our backup plan). I'd just plan on the taxi tour. Not only was the narrative from the driver interesting but we got to interact with the local apes - which probably wouldn't have been possible without the driver's treats.

Even though we didn't ferry to Tangiers, I enjoyed Tarifa. It was a nicer town, with better dining and lodging options, than I had expected.