My travel plans take me to Seville and Cordoba during Easter week/Semana Santa and I am concerned that the Easter celebrations and processions may stand in the way of seeing the sights/churches, etc. Specifically, I plan to see Cordoba only as a train stopover between Madrid and Seville on Saturday of Semana Santa (April 23) - are there Easter events at the Mezquita that day, will I be able to see it? Will the processions prevent me from even getting to it? Also, with all the crowds, I'm concerned that the luggage lockers at the Cordoba train/bus station may be full, and I sure don't want to drag luggage around. I'll be in Seville on Easter Sunday and Easter Monday (holidays). Will the sights be open to visitors? Any information will be much appreciated! Another question: I have one extra day, not assigned yet to my itinerary, and I'm not sure to which city to add it. This is my planned itinerary so far: Fly into Madrid - 4 days/4 nights (one day Toledo). Train to Seville - 2 days/3 nights (first day Cordoba) Rent car in Seville, see Arcos, Ronda on the way to Granada. (Not sure yet if I should drop the car in Granada or keep it for Costa del Sol.) Granada - 1.5 day/2 nights Nerja (see Marbella too?) 1.5 day/2 nights Fly early a.m. to Bilbao/San Sebastian - 2 days/nights Train to Barcelona - 3.5 days/4 nights (one day Figueres). Fly home out of Barcelona.
I don't want to spend only one night in any new place, and I'm leaning towards adding the extra day to Barcelona. What do you suggest? Any input on the itinerary? Thank you very much in advance!
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
Argh! Finger-counting gives me about nineteen nights. This includes what look like seven transit days (plus a couple or three day trips). Twelve days for most of eastern Spain just won't work Don't get out the scissors, get the ax and start chopping. The first thing I'd cut is the Sun Coast - - it's a bunch of condos and not-so-hot beaches. Next, either the Basque node or the Catalonian node has to go (assuming that cutting Andalusia is out of the question). If you've already bought tickets, that decision has been made. Now, you've got time to see a few things instead of just dashing around.
Posted by
Pensacola
9110 posts
In answer to your Semana Santa questions. The cathedrals will be open on holy week because.......well, they're holy. I've been in both the Seville and Cordoba cathedrals while mass was being held (but I wouldn't bet if it was on a holy day or a sunday). There's plenty of room for gawkers and worshipers alike - - both are huge and mass takes place only in a small area. Also, even if they closed for a bit, mass only takes an hour. Processions and celebrations you can either watch or walk around. My impression (having lived in Spain for a few years but only having happened to stumble into southern Spain during Semana Santa twice) is that the Andalusians head for the beach or go visit relatives. They don't flock to the cities for celebrations. Even if the residents of the outlying areas come into town for the festivites, they'll keep their stuff with them and not clobber the lockers. What you'll find in the area is a lot of commercial places will be locked up tighter than a drum. Car rental agencies, non-freeway gas stations, smaller restaurants, some grocery stores, etc, will have hung up the sign and left. I can't offer an opinion of the Alhambra or the alcazar at Seville, but I'd sure as heck internet them to check.
Posted by
Winston Salem
30 posts
I think you'll be fine at the Alhambra but ONLY if you get your ticket, like NOW, online. They only sell 1400 a day, in two blocks of 700, half in the am, half in the pm. Entry at The Mesquita is open all day and it is a big place with loads of room around the central cathedral space. I agree that you're trying to do too much. We did your trip 20 years ago and barely remember the details. Just did the Seville/Granada/Cordoba/Tarifa/Morocco trip at Christmas in a 10 day itinerary with 2 full days for Madrid. Much more relaxed trip. If you can't find a locker in the Cordoba train station you might try a hotel. I'd suggest emailing a few to ask. Alex @ Los Patios (right at the Mezquita) might be helpful. We would opt to avoid Nerja and Marbella too, Tarifa is a quieter beach town, but no cliffs...
Posted by
OP
Seattle
2 posts
Thank you very much! You're right, Ed, we've adjusted our itinerary a little, skipping Costa. Still, the time actually spent "on the road", the travelling part, is not that much, but moving from hotel to hotel is indeed a pain. Snagged a decent hotel in Sevilla during Easter, still lots of planning left. Thanks again!