Whats the best use of a week in southern Spain?

Question

My wife and I will have a week on the southern Spanish coast. We are experienced travelers and been to Barcelona twice. What is a good way to allocate that time? We will be there in early July. We like culture, history, adventure not sitting on the beach.

If we choose to go inland, is it feasible to get up and back to/ Toledo in maybe three days while having time to see it?

Our week will start in Gibralter (we are arriving by boat) and we fly out of Barcelona.

Answer 1

I would say visit Granada.  I have heard that Cordoba, Cadiz and Seville are really nice.

Answer 2

Visit Seville -The city of Seville may be the fourth largest in Spain, but it is a place where you can see open countryside from the city centre, and even pick the legendary Seville oranges from trees - see http://www.spain4uk.co.uk/places/seville... for more details.

Answer 3

I have only visited once, but I really enjoyed some of the smaller towns like Guadix, where I rode horses, or hiking near Lanjarón where there were some gorgeous hills (but watch out for bees).

Granada has the Alhambra, a famous moslem fortress.  Sevilla or Cordoba would also make good day trips (provided you will be near there at some point) to see the Cathedrals and the old towns.  Of course, any evening in Southern Spain should be spent outside in a cafe with drinks and tapas.  

A bus from The Southern coast to Toledo would take around 6.5-7.5 hours.  Old Toledo is quite the small town (though expensive), and can be walked easily in a day.

Since you have to pass there to get to Barcelona, Valencia was my favorite city.  Cool weather and delicious food.  I wish I had been able to spend more than a day there to see what else it had to offer.

If I were to actually plan a week there I'd first go to Sevilla for a tour of the city.  Stay overnight and maybe, if you are lucky, catch a bullfight.  More sightseeing in the morning then head down along the coast to Nerja to spend the evening at that good pizza place near the beach (of course I don't know the name) laughing at British tourists trying to order food. Afternoon, head to Granada.  Visit Alhambra in the morning, Sacromonte neighborhood in the late afternoon.  Next day, leave your stuff in Granada and go hiking near Lanjarón (you might ask a local for the best spot) all day.  Travel to Valencia for the remaining 2 days and then onward to Barcelona.

Answer 4

Its a very long way from Gibraltar (which is not in Spain) to Barcelona. Toledo - a little outside Madrid - is nowhere near either. But the trains are fast.

Southern Spain is wonderful. Seville is one of Spain's best cities, Granada has what has been called the best building in the world (the Alhambra - timed tickets in advance) and Cordoba has a stunning mosque and Juderia.

If you don't mind a lot of travel you could do Algeciras (the nearest point in Spain to Gibraltar) - Seville - Cordoba - Toledo - Madrid - Barcelona in about a week.

Answer 5

There is just too much to write so I have put together a collection of videos for you and some still photographs.

Setenil

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_vuw-BzD4...

Ronda

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_qu...

Puerto Banus

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7OeOekHK...

Zahara de la Siera

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ThoQ18Yev...

Malaga

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KbdqzDEh...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRHNm5CLZ...

Caves-Nerja

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p50b3Vmmp...

Here are some beautiful pictures of the caves

http://www.pbase.com/abwhitt/nerja_caves

This site has some really good information on the province of Malaga, Setenil and Zahara are just inside Cadiz. Click on photos and then malaga province.

http://www.sol.com/modulo.asp?IdProvinci...

Hope this has whetted your appities for this fantastic part of Spain. I love it.

Anna

Answer 6

Hi well I would recomend these places and activities:

Gibraltar: el peñon - mountain top, to see the only european original monkeys. Near also Tarifa where battle of Trafalgar, Cadiz beautiful city, great wines fino, manzanilla, jerez, the cathedral, old city center and seafood and bars area. If you want can take a 30 min ferry to Marroco and come back same day the super fast ferries leave from algeciras (20km from Gibraltar). Its worth it speciall if you have never been in Africa. You can visit Ceuta or Bab-el-Septa (duty free products lectronic everything dirt cheap), Tanger, etc.

Malaga: the alcazaba castle, the main park, museo picasso, beaches and  seafood.

If you go to Toledo drive takes about 4-5 hours from granada, cordoba , seville. Or take the super fast train to Madrid and it takes only 2 hours or so: In Toledo visit:

Casa del Creco, la Juderia, el Alcazar, the river, silver, marsipan, and swords shops. Also is very near to Madrid (less than 100 km highway 130 km/h)

Madrid: Museo del Prado, Zoo, Parque de Attracciones, Rastro fleamarket, Retiro park, Casa de Campo (by aereal cable car), Hipodromo Zarzuela (horse racing morning, afternoon and at night), Palacio Real, bar hopping at Puerta sol and Plaza de Santa Ana, Plaza de Toros,

Granada: La alhambra, better in the early morning, (takes some hours if you want to enjoy it) if its a hot day, Palace of Carlos V (beside la alhambra), El albaicin (flamenco guitar paying and danzing) Sierra nevada & Veleta mountain (only 50 km from Granada 4,100 meters high, snow and sea). In the centre go to tiendas de artesania "craftwork shops " look for leader and wooden products. Also excellent guitar and music shops. Also old hispano arab products. Jardines del generalife. Visit also the beach (only 40 km).

Cordoba: La mezquita de Cordoba, Medina Azahara (14 km from cordoba), el Parque or Cordobas main park, the river, el palacio del Califa, bar and tapas area at old city center, hats and hispano arab products.

Almeria: The alcazaba palace, el museo de Almeria, the maritime port-pier, city center and shops.

If you follow the mediterranean highway you will pass through malaga, almeria, cartagena submarines and city walls castle, alicante mostly beaches and tourism. Good food Valencia; beautifull, old city centre, the arab barrio, museo de las artes y maritimo. Restaurants & wine. Castellon and Tarragona. Old markets, the monument to Trajano, roman remains.etc

Hope it helped

S