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Working around New Year's Eve

We are going to land in Madrid on Christmas Day and fly out of Madrid on the 4th. I'd love some input on my itinerary because I'm working around New Year's Eve and day. We are two 50-somethings with our two 20 year old children. They care about New Year's Even far more than we do. In general we aren't usually city people. Much more hiking, camping people, so art museums and the like aren't really our jam. However, history and culinary tours are definitely something we enjoy. Here's my 1st draft of an itinerary. I'd love input and advice if spending New Year's Day outdoors in the white towns will solve the issues of closures on New Year's Day.

25 Mon Madrid, arrive, find hotel, wander, rest, sleep Madrid
26 Tues Madrid, Palace, city on/off tour, sleep Madrid
27 Wed Train to Cordoba, Mezquita, sleep Cordoba or Seville
28 Thur Train to Seville
29 Fri Seville
30 Sat Seville, pick up rental car, evening drive to Gibraltar, sleep Gibraltar or La Linda
31 Sun Gibraltar, New Year's Eve, sleep Gibraltar or La Linda
1 Mon Hill Town Drive to Ronda - This is New Year's Day, closed business, Caminito del Rey? Hiking?
2 Tues Ronda, hill towns, return car, wander Granada
3 Wed. Granada, Alhambra, evening train to Madrid? Keep rental car and drive? Morning train?
4 Thur Flight from Madrid at 12:15pm

Thanks for your advice!

Posted by
23626 posts

We spent New Years, a few years ago, in Seville. It was far different than we expected or had assumed. Fortunately our tour guide two days earlier tip us off as to what to expect. New Year's eve is celebrated in the home and not in the bars. We were advise to lay in a good supply of food for NY day. Around 3,4 pm the local bars and restaurants began shutting so that by 6pm everything was closed. Around 11, 11.30pm the local families began gathering in the piazza around the the big clock tower. Lots of fireworks and toasting with wine as the piazza filled. Everybody had a handful of 12 grapes. For good fortune, a single grape was consumed with each stroke of midnight bell. Everyone was greeting everyone around including us with good wishes for the next year. Eat the grapes, drank the wine, and by 12.30 most the piazza was empty and we returned to our hotel. NY Day nothing was open except for a couple of restaurants associated with hotels but lots of people wondering the streets visiting the parks.

Fortunately our hotel had a nice roof top garden where could have for picnic dinners for New Years. The day after New years everything was open as usual.

Posted by
2 posts

Wow. Thank you for the advice. That sounds wonderful and a truly different experience. NYE in Seville sounds perfect.