Holiday in Andalucia

[MandyFl0ss]

In April, flying to and from Malaga, hotel booked in Malaga for first two nights. I need to book the rest and I could do with some advice. Would love to visit Seville and Granada. Which city do you recommend we go to first, and how many nights would you allocate for each? Also, what other places would you recommend I visit in Andalucia and can anyone recommend hotels for a family of 4? Not bothered about the beach, interested in the Moorish culture, food, people watching, etc. Thank you!

Cadiz is lovely. We stay d in a dog friendly hotel in the middle of Cadiz. Lovely city. Sorry can’t remember the name of the hotel.

Ronda is also beautiful.

My dc absolutely loved Ronda.

How long are you there for? With just over 2 weeks last year I flew into and out of Malaga and did night of arrival Malaga, 4 nights Seville, 3 nights Cordoba, 4 nights Granada, 2 nights Ronda and then a few nights in Nerja.

However, with hindsight if I could do it again I would spend longer in Seville, visit Cordoba as a day trip from Seville, spend longer in Granada, would still visit Ronda for 2 nights and would skip Nerja. I also really wish I had gone to Cadiz.

I did Malaga to Seville by train, Seville to Cordoba by train, Cordoba to Granada by coach (ALSA) and Granada to Ronda by rail replacement bus for first bit and then train. Train back to Malaga from Ronda.

Download the Renfe app for train times and prices. Maybe look at apartments rather than hotels as well?

I absolutely would not miss out on a night or two in Cordoba - the Mezquita is absolutely stunning (great paella restaurant next door!) and the Alcazar and its gardens are beautiful. We were there during March and the weather was fab!

Thank you for all the info! It's just a week peeps. Cadiz will be a holiday in itself some other time. Do you reckon we can manage without hiring a car? What about the white villages of Granada? Are they worth it?

My first holiday with dh. Flew to Malaga drove straight to Tarifa for 2 nights. Did overnight in Tangier from Tarifa which was ace. Then back to Tarifa and drove to Jerez via Cadiz. Both lovely. Then a night in Seville the 2 nights in
Granada which was the best bit. Was a bit rushed but a good holiday. September-weather lovely.

Only downside was driving and parking in Seville- absolute nightmare. Never again. DH and I had our first proper fallout trying to park there.

Ps yes trains out to be doable if only doing Malaga- Seville-Granada.

I found Cordoba particularly fascinating (& sad) because of how the Muslims, Jews & Christians coexisted peacefully there for centuries, until Ferdinand & Isabella spoiled it & chucked them out.

There’s a point on the motorway driving S from Granada called The Moor’s Last Sigh (El Puerto del Suspiro del Moro)which is so evocative.

Do all 3 if you can - Granada, Cordoba & Seville. All 3 still have Jewish quarters as well as the wealth of Moorish architecture but the Cordoba story seemed the most poignant to me.

The weather should be perfect in April Will you catch any of Easter? Semana Santa parades are an experience!

We always hire a car - so cheap at Malaga, & the motorways are excellent.

Have a look at www.malagacar.com

Their compound is right by the entrance to the airport, so dead handy for getting out & back in (they take you there in a minibus, you avoid the hideous queues in the car hire section of Arrivals).

Rates are very good & include body damage cover without excess (although not eg lost keys, tyres or undercarriage/roof damage, but you can get that through excess insurance) & the cars are generally pretty new & in good nick.

Second Malaga car - they’re great although you have to negotiate ‘the roundabout of death’ within seconds of picking up your hire car (@giantkitten you with me?!) I really like Nerja although in terms of architecture etc it is lacking so maybe not what you’re looking for. Some really good restaurants though

Ah, well, yes, Chelsea26, I have to concede that that part is a teeny bit hairy

We like Nerja too, for a walk through very pretty streets & some good food (tapas menu at Bakus always good!) - we generally stay in Orgiva when we go.

Oh - I just looked at their t&c & they’ve changed since we last went (4 years ago now).

There used to be just one price but now there are 3 with different levels of CDW cover. I think Comfort Pack plus excess insurance from here would be the best bet.

I did four days in Malaga and scrapped plan to go to Granada as it was a pain by train in that short time. I did a day in Seville but two would have been better. Malaga is two days' worth of sightseeing too and the beach is nice enough if you do want a bit of that. I was going to do Cordoba on the fourth day but decided to have a lazy one in Malaga instead. Trains are fab, the bus from the airport into Malaga is great as well but I only had hand luggage so haven't done it with cases. Fantastic part of the world anyway, you'll have a great time whatever you end up doing!

My 15yo DDwemt on a Spanish exchange to Almeria last year, we have since returned as a family and loved it!

Thanks GiantKitten for the tip on Malaga Car. Just booked as they were extremely competitive - half the price of Europcar or Hertz

Oh good, Ashmount - hope you’ll be happy with them (we always have been)

Just brace yourselves for your initial exit, as mentioned by Chelsea26 - watch a couple of others do it first!

Malaga car are ace, we've used them twice (recommended on here).

I'd suggest Tarifa and a trip to Tangier, we did that last summer and it was awesome (had been in Andalusia 2 years before that) and if you don't go to Tangier, then it's worth going whale watching from Tarifa, we had a blast with dolphins and Sperm Whales.

We loved Sevilla, had booked one night and wished for more really - but find a hotel with parking! Ronda is amazing (the one place we returned to after 2 years) and we had a great time in the local town from our villa, Estepona. Wonderful orchid house!

It's a great place. Don't waste your time on Gibraltar.

We're there for a week in April too. After dithering over booking accommodation due to Brexit concerns, I got on with buying tickets for the Alhambra & the Caminito del Rey. (Availability will be an issue unless you buy them fairly soon now for April).

I've booked our last 3 nts in Granada but can't decide whether to base ourselves in Malaga or Antequera for the first 4 nts from which to do day trips to Ronda, Cordoba & Caminito del Rey.

Not doing Seville since we've visited it before on a previous holiday when we flew into Jerez and based ourselves in Conil de la frontera and also visited Cadiz, Bolonia, Tarifa, Gibraltar & Vejer de la frontera.

Sansou Antequera is a great base as Cordoba is just 30 minutes by high-speed train from Antequera Santa Ana station! Around the Caminito del Rey the Andalucian lake district is just beautiful too. Antequera itself is lovely as well - Moorish castle, with lovely old quarter around it, great shops and restaurants, lots of monasteries and churches.

I like Andalucia - all of it! I would prioritise Cordoba and Grenada. Grenada - you need to book for the Alhambra, you get a timed ticket for parts of the complex because they restrict numbers. Tickets sell out, so suggest you book now. Great idea to go in April, I expect it will be quieter. There is a huge carpark at the Alhambra which is on the edge of town. We left the car there for the day and walked down to the town rather than tdo battle with the traffic in the centre. It's a nice wooded walked too. If you don't fancy the walk back (after a nice big lunch), get one of the wee shuttle buses up the hill.