Southern Spain - which cities in Feb?

[Clariman]

We have always fancied spending 2 or 3 days in Seville. However, we can only fly to Malaga, so I'm thinking of hiring a car from Malaga and touring Southern Spain for a week. Which cities (or towns) would you recommend spending some time in - Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga?

In a week, maybe we would be best limiting ourselves to 2 major stops - say 3 days in Seville and 3 days in Granada followed by a night in Malaga? We have never been to any of the cities, so would appreciate any comments. If it helps to set them in context by comparing to Italian cities, then feel free - Mrs C and I have been to Florence, Sienna, Rome, Bologna and Florence. We had a lovely 3+4 nights in Bologna and Florence last year.

Thanks
C

[Mike88]

I haven't visited Seville but have been to the other three but not in February. I have visited Cadiz which is not too far away. A nice town with lots of narrow streets and squares with some interesting beaches and a sizeable port but I have no idea what it is like in February.

Malaga is renowned for the Picasso Museum but I was underwhelmed. The most I did there, apart from the Museum, was travel around on a tourist bus but in all honesty there wasn't a great deal to see.

The Alhambra in Grenada is worth visiting but you need to check for tickets as when I went there in May the place was fully booked. By chance a couple of Americans had spares so we managed to get in but it was a fluke. The drive to Grenada from the coast through the Sierra Nevada is definitely worth doing.

Cordoba is some distance away; there is a huge mosque there but that is all I can recall.

[swill453]

I'd say Malaga is worth a day or two of your time. The Alcazaba, and the walk up to the castle are good. The seafood shacks along the beach, and plenty other restaurants too. Taverns selling local Malaga wines straight from the barrel.

Of the other main cities if you had to pick one the obvious choice is Granada. I think at that time of year you should be able to get into the Alhambra ok, just make sure you get your ticket in advance, preferably online before you leave the UK.

Then rather than another city I'd say go to a "white village" like Ronda, to see a different aspect of Andalusia.

Scott.

[Dod1010]

I was about to say the same about the Alhambra. You can buy tickets in advance online and you should do that. I would also check to make sure places are open in February. In the south of Spain they regard that time very much as winter. Even in April when we visited (it was pleasantly warm by UK standards) the locals were well wrapped up. Seville reaches 40 degrees or so in midsummer.

I have only been to Granada and Seville. These cities at least are very Moorish (see Alhambra) and I found them fascinating, because you now have the strong RC influence overlaid on the Moorish stuff and makes for an interesting clash of cultures. The South lacks the sophistication of say Barcelona and is relatively poor and very RC but good for the tourist who wants a bit of culture.

[redsturgeon]

Rick Stein's visit to Cadiz may be of interest

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0 ... ds-8-cadiz

John

[panamagold]

The South lacks the sophistication of say Barcelona and is relatively poor and very RC but good for the tourist who wants a bit of culture.

I'm relieved someone mentioned an alternative location than the one the OP suggested.( I guess it's still frowned upon) but if it is a week in Feb getaway in Spain, and you haven't already been, Barcelona will knock any of the other loations into a cocked hat. Weather,culture,transport (No driving required), dining, history everything the tourist wants and more. It's got it all in buckets full. Plus you'll find it isn't awash with British OAP residents and tourists.
Barcelona Wiki
Barcelons Spain Tourist Office

I'd even consider living there myself but at my age I'm too old in the tooth to start dealing with Spanish residential bureaucracy. Anyway, wherever you end up, enjoy it

[swill453]

[Barcelona] Plus you'll find it isn't awash with British OAP residents and tourists.

Neither has most of Andalusia. They're mostly safely corralled in the Costa Del Sol, leaving the beautiful rest of it free.

Scott.

[Raptor]

Off to Seville in June, weather in February looked cool...... Am flying into Seville, why can you not fly direct?

Raptor

[Mike88]

The South lacks the sophistication of say Barcelona and is relatively poor and very RC but good for the tourist who wants a bit of culture.

I'm relieved someone mentioned an alternative location than the one the OP suggested.( I guess it's still frowned upon) but if it is a week in Feb getaway in Spain, and you haven't already been, Barcelona will knock any of the other loations into a cocked hat. Weather,culture,transport (No driving required), dining, history everything the tourist wants and more. It's got it all in buckets full. Plus you'll find it isn't awash with British OAP residents and tourists.
Barcelona Wiki
Barcelons Spain Tourist Office

I'd even consider living there myself but at my age I'm too old in the tooth to start dealing with Spanish residential bureaucracy. Anyway, wherever you end up, enjoy it

Barcelona is a great City with plenty to see and do but it will be markedly cooler than Southern Spain in February. The other issue with Barcelona is the high number of pickpockets and car hijackings on the A7 ( I have been the subject of an attack but that is another story).

[Clariman]

[Barcelona] Plus you'll find it isn't awash with British OAP residents and tourists.

Neither has most of Andalusia. They're mostly safely corralled in the Costa Del Sol, leaving the beautiful rest of it free.

Scott.

We are not planning on doing the Costa Dell Sol, Torremolinos or drinking Watney's Red Barrel

Fancy getting a taste of Moorish Spain. We've been to Barcelona a few times. We liked it but it is very busy. Was quite taken with nearby Gerona though

[PinkDalek]

I don't recall you mentioning ski-ing but a trip up to the Sierra Nevada ski resort may be an option from Granada.

Not alpine beauty but it was a pleasant journey when we did it (for a day's easy ski-ing) and only 30 kilometres or so.

http://www.lovegranada.com/sierra-nevada/

[UncleEbenezer]

In a week, maybe we would be best limiting ourselves to 2 major stops - say 3 days in Seville and 3 days in Granada followed by a night in Malaga? We have never been to any of the cities, so would appreciate any comments. If it helps to set them in context by comparing to Italian cities, then feel free - Mrs C and I have been to Florence, Sienna, Rome, Bologna and Florence. We had a lovely 3+4 nights in Bologna and Florence last year.
C

I was in Seville in November. Lovely weather: shorts and T-shirts for us northern Europeans, though the locals were wrapped up a bit more. Though the low winter sun makes everything that bit more tiring. I had the hotel pool all to myself, probably because it was colder than the English Channel in November - from which I infer the water comes straight from a subterranean source. The touristing highlight was Alcazar palace (that'll be a Europeanisation of something like Al-Qazr). - well worth a half-day of my time, but beware queues (see my Seville thread here). If you love opera, lots of them are set there, and you can see traces of some of them.

It compares favourably to Rome or Florence: cleaner, less-polluted, better-maintained, and with usable pavements that weren't just unofficial car parks. Obviously that comparison excludes the cultural heritages, which are entirely different, and where Italy's is probably the richest.

[supremetwo]

Fancy getting a taste of Moorish Spain. We've been to Barcelona a few times. We liked it but it is very busy. Was quite taken with nearby Gerona though

If you want Moorish Spain, there are many festivals around Easter time with parades of Moors and Christians and fireworks.
http://www.spain.info/en_GB/que-quieres ... ianos.html

Other celebrations - Valencia for the Fallas - a couple of weeks of festivities, parades and fireworks with the main festival finishing on March 19th.
http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/en

There are also some February events.
http://www.fallasfromvalencia.com/wp-co ... e-2016.pdf

We managed to fly into Valencia in time for the Fallas and hired a car from Valencia to Malaga for the return flight taking in various festivals and the Alhambra.

Perhaps it was easier to split flights at the time, though there were no Easyjet type fares then and one-way flights were not that much extra.

[Dod1010]

[Barcelona] Plus you'll find it isn't awash with British OAP residents and tourists.

Neither has most of Andalusia. They're mostly safely corralled in the Costa Del Sol, leaving the beautiful rest of it free.

Scott.

We are not planning on doing the Costa Dell Sol, Torremolinos or drinking Watney's Red Barrel

Fancy getting a taste of Moorish Spain. We've been to Barcelona a few times. We liked it but it is very busy. Was quite taken with nearby Gerona though

I doubt that Seville or Granada are ever awash with British (OAP or otherwise) tourists and certainly I saw very few other Brits except in the Alhambra so I do not think there is much of a British resident population either. Clariman should get what he is looking for in the south, and I do not think it will be busy in February. Have a good break!

Dod

[panamagold]

Neither has most of Andalusia. They're mostly safely corralled in the Costa Del Sol,

I doubt that Seville or Granada are ever awash with British (OAP or otherwise) tourists and certainly I saw very few other Brits except in the Alhambra so I do not think there is much of a British resident population either

Ok, its a miserable day and I've nothing better to do at the moment.

figures:

The official registered population of British nationals in Spain is 300,286, but in 2012 this figure was 397,892. So there has been a fall of approx 1/3

At the same time the population of British nationals residing in Andalucia was 63,472. So assuming a similar fall of approx 1/3 that would leave 42,3366. A considerable amount of residents to avoid if you ask me.

ps There is a Pedants board for anyone uncomfortable with the fractions and figures.

[swill453]

The official registered population of British nationals in Spain is 300,286, but in 2012 this figure was 397,892. So there has been a fall of approx 1/3

About 0.65% of the population of Spain as a whole then.

At the same time the population of British nationals residing in Andalucia was 63,472. So assuming a similar fall of approx 1/3 that would leave 42,3366. A considerable amount of residents to avoid if you ask me.

About 0.5% of the population of Andalusia.

Maybe the rest of them are in Barcelona

Scott.

[stockton]

The cities you mention are very different. You can see all the principal urban tourist spots in Granada in a day, whereas those of Seville might take nearly a week. Consequently your balance for spending time looks mistaken.
Of the four cities mentioned I have found Cordoba to be the most pleasant, and you can probably give Malaga a miss - it is enjoyable but not a prime destination.

If it fits in that you drive along the coast between Granada and Malaga, stop for a meal in a beach bar in La Herradura or La Caleta de Velez - fried fish is a cultural experience in Spain as well as in the UK.

[casapinos]

As someone who has lived 20k's from Granada for the last 20 years I would recommend it- not just for the Alhambra , though it is well worth the visit, you can see the Capilla(royal chapel) Real where Ferdinand and Isabella are interred, and wander round the old town near the cathedral, (including a visit to the foodmarket).If you are reasonably fit a walk uphill to sacramonte give a real flavour of the muslim heritage of Southern spain, and stunning views(the one they always show in the newspaper ads) of the Alhambra, when tired a drink in Plaza Brambilla near the flower stalls is relaxing.
If you are driving from Malaga and aren't afraid of a sound but tortuous mountain road consider leaving the coast at Almunecar and driving up (and I do mean up)via Jete and Otivar, some of the most spectacular scenery, and stop before the top of the climb to look back , if you're quiet you may see mountain goats, and when you get out onto the flat plain the almond blossom should be just about out.
I can endorse the comment about stopping en route at la Herradura(the horseshoe) a beautiful bay with a fine but pebbly beach , a meal on the beach watching the parascenders landing after a twenty k glide down from the mountains is fun and it is obligatory to eat fish , Parrillada is plate of today's catch(whatever that may be) grilled or Fritura if you prefer your fish fried, but remember, it comes fully equipped with heads and tails!
Around twenty k's From Granada is the Ski resort of sol y mar with views of the peaks of Veleta and mulhacen.
Driving From Granada to Seville its worth considering the (longish )detour via Ronda, the old bridge is I think the second or third most visited spot in Spain, and as stated Seville can fill two, three or four days of wandering ,though that should include the Alcazar the Giralda and the Cathedral , in the old town there are great bustling bars where drinks and tapas are enough to feed the heartiest eaters.

Enough of the tourist guide but if you want any specifics let me know off board- I can eulogise for hours about Andalucia(there's a clue in the name!!

casa

[Clariman]

As someone who has lived 20k's from Granada for the last 20 years I would recommend it-...
casa

Thanks everyone for the advice and casapinos for the local knowledge. We have hired a car but I'm a bit concerned about parking/driving anywhere near central Seville but I'm sure we'll work something out with the hotel.

I don't have a great head for heights so not sure about the tortuous high roads but will do some more planning and may ask some more questions. Unfortunately my elderly father hasn't been well in the last few days so we are hanging back from booking accommodation at the moment.

Thanks all
C

[Eboli]

One comment re Alhambra. It is well worth visiting this at night on the ticket that begins about 22.00. I had the Court of the Lions to myself for a whole 18 minutes in November last year - and that truly is priceless. When I visited it again the next day it was packed and where I sat the previous night I could not see a single lion because of the sea of iPads,

The Costa Geriatrica by the by is not all Watneys and Roast Beef. You only have to go inland a few miles to reach tranquility. But being near to that coast in February has distinct advantages because you can still get balmy sunny days in the mid 20 degrees which more than compensates for any wandering Brit you may encounter away from the coast a few miles. I have gone left from Malaga towards Mojacar, which was at one time very nice but it is distinctly cooler in February.

Eb.