Based on some good advice from this helpline, I have decided to drop Portugal from a 14 day itinerary (excluding travel days) and focus on Spain for a June/July 2011 trip. I am pretty set on the biggies... Barcelona, Granada, Sevilla, and Madrid, but I would like some advice on where to allocate our days. We plan to travel by public transportation. At this point this is what I have roughed out... Barcelona: 3 nights (2.5 days) Granada: 2 nights (via AM flight) Sevilla: 4 nights Possible side trips: Ronda? Cordoba? Madrid: 5 nights Side Trip to Toledo
Possible side trips: El Escorial? Segovia? Some things that I am particularly curious about... Should I train from Granada to Ronda and then bus to Sevilla (to sleep) OR train direct to Sevilla and do a day-trip later to Ronda? (or is Arcos a better alternative?) Similarly, would Cordoba work better as a day-trip from Sevilla or as a lengthy stop en route to Madrid? After Sevilla... is Toledo worth an overnight or two or is it better left as a day-trip on a two-week itinerary? Thanks in advance for your help!
Posted by
Pocatello, ID, USA
7 posts
Laura, For side trips from Sevilla look into renting a car at Sixt.com. Rates are reasonable even for a few days. We did this for the month of May so check the rates for June and July. Dan
Pocatello, ID
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA ☔️
6813 posts
Laura, Sevilla is great, but I'm not sure I would spend 4 nights there on a relatively short trip. 3 seems like plenty, maybe even 2. Re: Toledo as a side trip - I'm a big believer in spending the night in places like Toledo. It draws crowds of day-trippers (understandably) but when they head out late in the afternoon, the city becomes quiet, magical, and otherworldly - and it stays that way until around 10 am the next morning, when the buses roll back in with the crowds. Spend the night, and you have this charming old world city almost to yourself. We did and were very glad we did. Consider it. Re the Pueblos Blancos: We liked Ronda but we LOVED Arcos. Again, spending the night there - up high in the old town - provided a completely different experience than we found during the day, when the place was crawling with bus tour people. I think you need a car to really do the Pueblos Blancos efficiently. Driving in the area is easy (but do NOT try to drive up into the high town in Arcos - park your car below and take a cab). We drove between Granada and Ronda. Segovia (worth a whole day) is a worthwhile side trip from Madrid. We loved Avila, too (just a few hours). Finally, Cordoba: this can be done quite nicely as a long stop between Madrid and Sevilla. Take an early high speed train, jump off and spend the day exploring the Mezquita and Alcazar, jump back on by sunset, then have dinner in Madrid (or Sevilla, depending on which way you're going). It works great like this. Spain is wonderful - you will have a fabulous time. Hope that helps.
Posted by
Oak Park, Illinois
4535 posts
I think this is a very good overall itinerary. If you make side trips from Sevilla, 4 nights is fine. I wouldn't go below 3 nights. If it were me, I'd do a side trip to Cordoba from Sevilla to avoid lugging around luggage and give yourself more flexibility. I personally loved Cordoba and spent 2 nights there, but some just want to see the Mezquita and leave. 5 nights in Madrid is fine with your side trips, but I do highly recommend staying in Toledo at least 1 or 2 nights. It's amazing at night and has lots of great restuarants. And while the aquaduct in Segovia is stunning, I think I'd find Segovia a bit of a let down after already visiting the other places. Consider spending more time in Sevilla or with a car to visit that region.
Posted by
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
629 posts
Trip looks great. We would: Sevilla - side trip to Cordoba
Madrid - Toledo and Segovia (even overnighter to Salmanca) Ronda would be best seeing en route from Granada to Sevilla.
Posted by
Ottawa
1446 posts
I loved Sevilla and would definitely spend the nights there. Cordoba is very easy as a day trip (check both train and bus schedules - it's a relatively short ride for either). Ronda or Arcos can be done as a day trip as well, neither of which would inspire me to spend the night... so, your original idea of stopping in Ronda on the train (+ bus) en route to Sevilla is a good one. I'd skip El Escorial. But second the idea of maybe spending the night in Toledo. I would also consider taking one of your Madrid nights and add it to Barcelona - with it I would either do a day trip to Figueres (Dali Museum) or to Montserrat, if either interests you at all...
Posted by
Boston
4132 posts
I'd see Cordoba as a stop between Sevilla and Madrid, since you are going that way anyway. It's still a day trip, you just end up in a different city.
Posted by
Novato, CA, USA
47 posts
We just did 5 nights each in Barcelona, Sevilla, and Madrid and loved every second. Day trip to Granada from Sevilla via the train was excellent and easy. Did Toledo as a day trip from Madrid and it was plenty...maybe it's magical at night, but a couple of hours during the day was all we needed. Sevilla is truly magical and I wouldn't cut it back at all. You'll love all of these places!
Posted by
toronto
351 posts
I did almost this very trip in reverse. I spent two nights in Cordoba and one night in Ronda. Ronda was amazing at night. I was in Ronda the same day as Michelle Obama. So the town as packed. She left mid afternoon and I loved the town even more. The cliffs at night are amazing. I also slept in Toledo and agree with others that it is worth a night. I would spend less time in Madrid and maybe a night or twoin Cordoba or a night in Toledo. My trip was Madrid-Toledo-Cordoba-Sevilla to Ronda(this leg was by bus) Ronda-Granada-Barcelona (flight) This was over 20 days.
Wendy