Visiting Andalucía /which is the most efficient route?

Was this an option ?? ...
Fly into Madrid then take the
AVE train to Córdoba (3N)
AVE train to Sevilla (5N)
train to Granada (5N)
train to Toledo (transfer in Madrid) (2N)
train to Madrid (4N)

Hi djp_syd,

Thanks for the 3rd option!

However, we've already visited Madrid on a previous trip & it was then that we traveled to Toledo for one afternoon.

My mom & I fell in love with Toledo & we promised each other that we'd return & actually stay there!

We may take a day trip to Segovia or Talavera de La Reina while in Toledo.

Here's another:

I did Madrid-Cordoba-Granada-Sevilla-Madrid (Toledo)

The bus is best between Cordoba and Granada, and in between Granada and Seville.

Yes, I gave you 2 nights in Toledo.
From Granada travel to Toledo via Madrid.
Finish in Madrid before flying out.
Segovia is best done from Madrid, not Toledo.

Emily,

I like the route you took on your trip & it makes good sense, Thanks!

By taking this route, we can take the AVE train Sevilla => Madrid, (2.5 hours vs. 4+ hours if we go from Granada=> Madrid)

Why is traveling by bus a better option (vs. train) when traveling from Cordoba => Granada & Granada => Sevilla?

Djp_syd, thanks for the input!

The train route between Cordoba and Granada isn't direct. You have to switch trains at Antequera. Wah-wah (sad trombone)

The train from Granada to Seville is direct. However, the bus is cheaper and takes the same amount of time.

Thanks for this information Emily!

Hi Priscilla,

I haven't responded to the PM's because you've (wisely) taken the discussion to the forum.

You can go to the airport from Toledo and avoid changing hotels for one night if it's a weekday. There's a train on weekdays at 7.55 that should get you to the Madrid train station with enough time to transfer to the train to the airport - 2 hours from Toledo to the airport and you're there 3 hours before the flight. BUT this train only runs on weekdays and may be crowded with commuters going into Madrid. The first train on weekends isn't until 9.25. ALSA bus has service from Toledo to the airport on weekdays only, leaving at 7.59 and arriving at the airport at 9.30. It stops in central Madrid, but it looks like you stay on the bus.

5 nights in Granada is overkill. Even going slowly, 3 full days is plenty. 2 is sufficient. You'll want one for the Alhambra, one for a few other sights - nothing really remarkable.

6 nights in Toledo is a lot, especially since there's so much up/downhill walking. Cordoba, on the other hand, is easy to walk and has a lot to offer. I really think you'll enjoy at least 3 full days there. There are flamenco shows, good restaurants, lovely patios, and the Royal Stables with horse shows several nights a week. Add a couple of museums and you can fill up 4 days. If the day trips you are thinking about from Toledo would be to other hilly towns, and If Mom isn't up to that, you're stuck in hilly Toledo.

From Seville you can do a day trip by to Jerez (about an hour) or continue to Cadiz (1.75 hours). Neither is hilly. In Jerez, you can visit the Royal Equestrian School for the horse show (different from the one in Cordoba). They are only once or twice a week, so check the days. You can tour a sherry winery (bodega) or two - Tio Pepe's is fun, besides exploring the historic center with its Cathedral, market and Alcazar. I think you could also day trip by bus to Arcos, a lovely hill town.

So I recommend cutting your days in Toledo and Granada and adding them to Seville and Cordoba.

Hello- I concur with Emily. My wife and I used the same route and transportation methods she recommends and it worked perfectly. For easy day trips we took an olive oil tour out of Granada and a white hill towns (including Ronda) from Seville. Very easy for all ages. George

Hi Chani,
Thanks for your suggestions! I will definitely take them into consideration.

I've decided to book a hotel near the Madrid airport (which offers a free shuttle) for the night before we fly back home.

I've also decided to travel to Toledo the day of arrival & spend 3-4 nights there.
After visiting Toledo we will follow this route: Madrid => Córdoba => Granada => Sevilla => Madrid
My dilemma is trying to figure out how many days to allot to each city.

How does this sound:

• Arrive Madrid, travel to Toledo (3-4N)
• AVE train Madrid => Córdoba (4-5N)
• Bus Córdoba => Granada (4N)-- May take 2 days to visit Alhambra (one day visit the palaces/next day the gardens)
• Bus Granada => Sevilla (5-6N)-- day trip to Jerez
• AVE train Sevilla => Madrid (1N)

Hi George,
Can you please give me more information about the olive oil tour you took from Granada, & the hill towns tour you took from Sevilla?

• How long were they?
• where did you book them?
• Cost?
• How much walking was involved?
• THANKS!

Hi Priscilla,

It sounds like you're getting really close to the finish line. Good work. How many nights do you have altogether?

Toledo Since this is your first stop, 4 nights. Your first day is going to be mostly travel to get there. Your next day is going to include some jetlag. That still gives you 2 days to explore the city and take a possible day trip.

Cordoba/Seville For me, Cordoba has more of a quiet, small-town feel and Seville feels more like a bustling city. I think Seville has more sights and the farther ones can be reached by taxi (the tram is expensive and doesn't go much of anywhere). Sorry to say, but until you've been there yourself you won't know which you prefer! Seville does have more options for day trips if Mom feels up to it. And you can relax in the plaza with a drink or a meal and enjoy the view of the cathedral. Since I think the other allocations are appropriate, it's just a question of how you split the time between these two.

Granada 4 nights sounds good. I encourage you to visit the Nasrid Palaces at night. I did that before seeing them during the day and for me it was the perfect way to discover them. I was there in February when the gardens were "in hibernation" so I didn't do the Generalife night visit, but with 4 nights, that may be a good idea too. You'll probably want to start your daytime visits as early as possible, before it gets too warm. Then you will have afternoons to rest and be able to enjoy the cooler evenings.

Hi Chani,

Thank you for all your insightful comments!
The following comment you is very helpful to me because we actually would prefer the small-town feel rather than that of a bustling city.

For me, Cordoba has more of a quiet, small-town feel and Seville feels more like a bustling city.

My only reasoning for allotting more days to Sevilla was for possible day trip (Jerez or some other surrounding city/town) & I've also read that many (especially on this forum) only visit Córdoba (passing by) on their way to Sevilla or as a day trip from there.

Were you happy with your accommodation in Sevilla (Hotel Amadeus) & Córdoba (Don Paula)?

Where did you stay while visiting Granada?

Here is my revised itinerary (20 nights):

• Arrive Madrid, travel to Córdoba (5N)
• Bus, Córdoba => Granada (4N)
• Bus, Granada => Sevilla (5N)-- optional day trip to Jerez or other nearby city/town.
• AVE train, Sevilla => Madrid => Toledo (5N)
• Madrid- hotel close to airport (1N)

Thanks again! :-)

Edit: I decided to move Toledo to end of trip because the hotel I wanted didn't have rooms available at start of our trip, besides...
I was fortunate to book a room with balcony & beautiful views of the cathedral!

!Hasta Luego!

Hotels I've stayed at both the Amadeus and Don Paula twice and enjoyed both stays. Both hotels have elevators. The Don Paula is more basic, but very comfortable. Don Paula doesn't provide breakfast but does give complimentary water and juices and a minifridge. Both are family-run and centrally located. If you contact them directly, you may get a better rate than the internet. Everyone at Amadeus reception speaks good English. The couple at Don Paula speak very little English, so either use Spanish on the phone or contact them by email in English.

In Granada, I stayed at Hostal/Pension Rodri. It had low prices, elevator, no breakfast, but good location, friendly helpful staff (good English), on a quiet side street. As I recall the room was a bit small, but at those prices, you can get two rooms. It was maybe a 5-minute walk to the cathedral, the alcaiceria (moroccan market), a few other sights, and shops, plazas, cafes, restaurants, etc. It was also an easy walk (maybe 10 minutes) to the bus stop to the Alhambra.

On my first trip, I didn't visit Toledo. On my second, I returned to Cordoba and enjoyed it even more than the first time and I also got to Toledo. They are my 2 favorite towns in Spain now, so since you liked Toledo, I think you will also like Cordoba.