Hi all,
I posted in Nov about planning a May 2026 trip to southern Spain for hubby, 2 adult kids (ages 23, 25) and me. Here's the latest iteration. Please have a look. We are first in Marrakesh so won't have jet lag. Main tours I've booked are listed:
Tuesday, May 12: arrive Cordoba in evening
Wed 5/13: 10am, 2 hr Mezq/Cathedral tour w Jewish Quarter. Get tix to climb bell tower on our own afterwards.
Thurs 5/14: early morning visit to Palacio de Viana. Visit local ceramic shop called Luque Gastro Tienda.
Depart via train for Granada in late afternoon. Arrive in Granada late afternoon/evening.
Friday May 15th Granada
Visit Alhambra/Generalife (meet tour guide at 8:30 in advance of 10am tix for Alhambra)
Cooking/language class: 5pm-8pm CookEle Granada
Saturday May 16th : explore on own-- St.Nicolas Church at sunset for Alhambra views. Mezquita Mayor w/ live call to prayer. possibly day hike from Granada. Attend vigil mass.
Sunday May 17th. Pick up rental car from train station early. Head toward Ronda (hike en route?) Arrive Ronda
Monday May 18th: explore Ronda
Tuesday May 19th: from Ronda to Seville. Explore more white towns en route to Seville. (e.g. Oleum Viride Olive Farm). Arrive to Seville later afternoon/early evening to Seville Train station to drop off rental car.
Wednesday May 20th-Thursday May 21st in Seville. This is where I am struggling w/ timing of what we will do on these 2 full days. We will be doing a group tour of Alcazar with Concepcion's Seville Walking Tours. Because we want to include the Upper Rooms, we need to do that part before or after we do group tour (not part of Concepcion's group tour). Her group tour is Wed at 3:15 or Thursday at 1:15. We also want to do Cathedral Rooftop tour at sunset on Thursday to end our trip. We are not planning to do the cathedral tour/bell tower since kids will be "toured out" by then (their words!).Rooftop tour says 90 min. Has anyone done this tour? What do you do/see for 90 minutes? Flamenco show Wednesday evening (7pm or 8:30 show).
Ceramic Center of Triana Museum (free w/ Alcazar tix). Have lunch at Alfareria 21—old tile company and do self-tour of restaurant buildings with tiled walls and 3 underground private rooms located in former kilns—very cool.
Other ideas (found on forum!):
Triana RS walk; paseo along Triana River front and across Puente de Isabel
Can take tram to Plaza Espana and Maria Louisa Park for picnic
My biggest question is how to plan our time/tours in Seville. Ideally, I'd like to do the Alcazar tour on Wednesday but, because that tour is not until 3:15, wondering if we should explore city on our own in the morning OR do the Ceramic Center of Triana w/ lunch in that area that people recommend. (daughter and I take pottery so would like to see the old kilns). I am not sure how much time we need to get back to the Alcazar from there. We would need to complete the Upper Room tour by 2:30 ish to meet the 3;15 group tour. Not sure how much time it takes to go through security and exactly where we need to be for the Upper Room.
Any suggestions on timing of tours/exploration in Seville appreciated. The Rooftop Tour, ideally at sunset, gets a thumbs up as our "
last night event". I just wonder how it can last 90 min. Hubby is civil engineer so I think he'd like it. And my son said he thought cool idea to look out over city after 2 days of exploring it.
Thanks all,
Joanne
Friday May 20th
Flight home departs Seville Airport at 1:25 pm (arrive 10:30 am)