Visitng Granada and Seville for 2 days on 4th and 5th of Jan, Top things to do?

Question

I am visiting Granada and Seville with a group of 4 others. Re-entering Spain from Algericas. Would like to know things to do for two days, 4th and 5th of Jan before proceeding to Madrid by the night train. Please suggest places great places to visit, things to do, and the approximate time it takes for each. All of us young travellers.

Would also like to watch a Flamenco performance if that is possible.

Answer 1

the sevilla fair is during the summer, so i doubt that u can watch a flamenco performance unless u go in the summer, in granada, u HAVE 2 go 2 el ALBAICIN, its this old arabic part of the city, and its awesome. u have 2 walk a lot, but its WAY WORTH IT!!!

Answer 2

Two days from Algeciras to Sevilla then to Granada. How are you travelling? It makes a big difference whether bus, train or car. Personally if you have just two days I´d pick just one place to visit, or the only thing you´ll do is travel and sleep.

Answer 3

You are insane!  Two days?  Seville alone takes two or three, including travelling around from stations to hotels, etc.  

The Guy from Spain is nuts!  Firstly,  the Sevilla Fair is in April, hardly summer, and that is ONE way to see flamenco done BY ORDINARY FOLKS.  There are flamenco shows every night (two shows/night) in both Sevilla and Granada.  There are many very distinct styles of Flamenco.  In Sevilla, you are most likely to wind up at one of the big Tablaos that means a spectacular.  The dancers dance on a stage, you sit in a nightclub style audience, and they make their real money selling cocktails.  There are two large ones that have been around forever.  The one I went to almost thirty years ago, which I believe was called Los Gallos, is still in business, as is Patio Sevillano (the second is closer to the main part of town).  I also understand there is a new one, recently opened, in Triana, which is supposed to be quite good.  You can also go to La Carbonería, in Barrio Santa Cruz, for a less formal show.  The only problem for me was that it didn´t start until after 10 PM, and my husband is an early-to-bed guy, so we couldn´t exactly get into the Sevillano night life.

In Granada, it will cost you upwards of 25€ for a show, with a little tour of the Albaicín.  Wear comfortable shoes, as you walk about a mile on stone-paved paths.  Very difficult in heels.  I speak from experience and VERY sore feet!  

The shows in Granada are done in tiny little caves, and are very intimate.  You might want to keep your feet tucked under your seat, as they might get stomped on.  You will sit right on top of where they dance.  

Having been to all three types of show, I can say they all have their merits.

The most important things to do in Seville, are the Cathedral, Giralda (tower of the cathedral - you must climb it, if you don´t yoiu can´t really say you´ve been there), and the Alcázar.  Trying to fit that AND the trip to Granada (or from) into one day is going to be a super stretch.

These attractions usually have no real wait times to get in, but you probably want to spend at least an hour or two inside the Cathedral, and two or three in the Alcázar and its gardens.  Even though we did, I see from other people´s photos that we missed a few neat little corners.  

In Granada, the only thing you MUST do, is the Alhambra, though there are a lot of things you should/could do, as well.  Once you get into the palace, which can take about 2 hours waiting in line (probably much less in the winter), you need about three to four hours to tour the whole thing, although in January, you probably don´t have to spend much time in the gardens.  They´ll be all dried and frozen.  Still, the rest of the palace may take about three hours.  

The flamenco shows are about two - three hours, depending on travel time.  

Plus, you´ll want to shop?  and eat, which, trust me, takes longer than you think it will.  They believe in eating slowly and digesting your food at the table, for the most part.  

We found that in Granada, they won´t serve tapas in the late afternoon, early evening.  Not until about 8, so we had to find little places that had bocadillos all day, and such, to eat any time that wasn´t popular.  There was a great little pastelería that had sandwiches, about halfway down the Gran Vía, on the left (facing toward the Plaza Nueva).  Can´t remember the name.

Hola Ian!