Let me first say that had I known how much there was to see in the South of Spain, I would have taken more time for this area. I have written to the forum and have been given a lot of good advise for my trip. My dilemma is this....I arrive in Madrid on Sunday, Sept 6th. I must leave from Madrid on Sunday 13th by plane to Italy. I already have my ticket. I want to see Madrid, Seville, Cordoba and Granada. (especially to see the Alhambra. How do I best split up my time? What is a reasonable and centrally located place to stay in Seville, and Granada?
Do I go from Madrid to Seville first by the fast train? All additional help and advice will be much appreciated. I have not made any reservations for places to stay
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Wow, you're going to be busy. Based on the fact you have, essentially six days, and that you'll be covering a lot of ground, I would first suggest you drop one destination....reluctantly, Cordoba. Your first Sunday in Madrid will, unfortunately, be affected by jet lag. I would suggest you take a stroll through the Puerta del Sol (lots of stores in the pedestrian malls off Sol) and the Plaza Mayor area, check into your hotel for a late afternoon-early evening nap, then have dinner at one of the great restaurants in and around Plaza Santa Ana (don't forget, dinner in Spain is around 9 pm). Monday, most museums, etc are closed, but the Reina Sofia museum (contemporary art, including Picasso's "Guernica"), and the Royal Palace are open. You may also want to explore the huge El Retiro Park. Tuesday morning, off on the fast AVE train to Sevilla (2:40 trip, www.renfe.es for big savings on train tickets; book 62 1/2 days out). The Cathedral, the Giralda, the Alcazar, the old Jewish quarter, and the Santa Cruz area for dinner and flamenco should keep you busy for 2 days. Thursday morning, off by bus or train to Granada (3 hours by either, buses slightly cheaper than trains). Thursday afternoon, walk the Albaycin area, tour the Alhambra Friday morning and other sites (like the tomb of the Catholic kings) in the afternoon, with dinner in the Albaycin area. Saturday, bus to Madrid (about 5 hours, very inexpensive). On the ride back to Madrid, start planning your return to Spain!
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
Forgot to mention that you'll have to order your Alhambra tickets in advance. See www.alhambra-tickets.es for the official purchasing site. You can choose morning (8:30-2) or afternoon (2-8 pm), and you'll be given a half-hour slot. That's the narrow time band during which you must start your tour of the highlight of the Alhambra, the Nazrid palace, or you'll lose the chance. Tickets are posted until the end of August currently, but keep checking back every day or two until September comes up, then jump on the date you want.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
4555 posts
For accomodations in Madrid, I've stayed at the Hostal Santa Cruz and the Hostal Cruz Sol, a couple of simple, yet well-furnished two-star hotels (hostals, NOT hostels!) on the quiet Plaza Santa Cruz, about a five minute walk from Sol, and about 50 meters from Plaza Mayor. 45-50 Euro/night. Their names are their website addresses. I stay with friends in Sevilla and Granada, so I can't help you there.
Posted by
Anaheim, CA, USA
1455 posts
I agree with Norm. That's a lot of road to cover in a short time. You have to pick a few, and assume you will be back another time to see the other places.
Posted by
Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
34 posts
Virginia, I have to agree with the previous posters; it would be best to drop one city from your tour. Keeping it will cause a lot of stress and you will not enjoy those last few days and the wonderful cities you are visiting. I would also agree that Cordoba is the one to drop...and it makes me have a sour face to say it. Granada and the Alhambra was my highlight of a three week stay in Spain. It is something to be savored and not ran through. Take the time to absorb the feeling of each city you visit by being able to walk leisurely. If you have to run through them, you will forget them all too quickly. Remember, it is about taking the time to smell the roses; not glance at them out of the corner of your eye while searching for the next turn in the road. Enjoy yourself.
Posted by
Philadelphia
655 posts
For lodging, consider:
Granada: Carmen de la Alcubilla del Caracol
Seville: Hotel Amadeus
To me, the Amadeus was a 9.8 and the Carmen was a 10+. You can check them out on www.tripadvisor.com
Side note: I also agree - skip Cordoba.
Posted by
Kirkland
216 posts
Virginia, I generally agree with Norm but I'd really hate to see you miss the Mezquita - its' incredible. Here's a suggestion ...
6th ... arrive in Madrid and book a hotel near the Atoche train station. The trains south leave Atoche and it also has a metro station. All of the big 3 museums are near Atoche, and it's only a 10 minute walk to either Plaza Mayor or Retiro Park.
7th ... Enjoy Madrid
8th ... AVE south to Cordoba for a Mezquita visit - it really shouldn't be missed. Continue to Sevilla by late afternoon and book in the Santa Cruz area, which is the historic area. Enjoy the evening!
9th ... Enjoy Sevilla.
10th ... Train or bus to Granada. Book a hotel on Plaza Nueva - close to everything and you can view the Alhambra from the Square. Enjoy the afternoon and evening.
11th ... Book early tickets to the Alhambra, stay as long as you want. Finish your visit to Granada that afternoon & evening.
12th ... Back to Madrid - bus, train, plane, whichever works best for you. Enjoy your final afternoon and evening in Madrid.
13th ... You're on your way.
Posted by
Independence, MO, usa
28 posts
If you go to Malaga from Granada, there are really cheap Easy Jet (and the others) flights to Rome, Milan, etc.
Later; I just reread your post and see you have to leave from Madrid. It just always amazes me how cheap some of the budget airlines are and I try to point them out. Only caveat, you have to check how far the airport is from the city center and plug in those costs.