HOW TO PLAN YOUR OWN ANDALUSIA SPAIN TRIP
Written by: Lauren Bailey
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If you have any suggestions for can’t miss places to see or places to eat, please leave them in the comments below!
When you think of Spain, what is the first place that you imagine? Is it Barcelona? Is it Madrid? Or could it be an island such as Ibiza?
All of these places came to mind when I was working on our 9 day/8 night Spain itinerary. I ultimately thought about what I value when I travel, beautiful scenery, less crowds, adventure, and good weather, to determine the locations that we would travel to. In this post, I am going to share my planned itinerary for our trip to Spain and some of the resources that I used while planning it!
PROPOSED 9 DAY/8 NIGHT ITINERARY
Here’s what our 9 day Southern Spain itinerary looks like:
Mallorca (3 nights)
Seville (2 nights)
Granada (2 nights)
Madrid (1 night)
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Total days: 9
MALLORCA
Mallorca (pronouced "Mah-YOR-ka") is the largest of three tiny islands off the coast of Spain known as the Balearic Islands.
How to get here: Direct flights are available from Madrid International Airport into Palma at multiple times per day for very cheap! I think our flight was ~30 euro on Ryanair.
What we’re doing: This is still tbd but I would love to eat at some local restaurants that feature Michelin Star chefs and do plenty of hiking and relaxing!
SEVILLE
Seville is the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region. It is well-known for flamenco dancing and the Alcázar castle that was built during the Moorish Almohad dynasty.
Where we’re staying: Hotel Rey Alfonso X
What we’re doing: Once we get into Seville from Mallorca, we are doing a free walking tour of Seville with Hello Sevilla Tours.
After lunch, we will make our way to The Real Alcázar de Sevilla.
Dinner at sunset at the Metropol Parasol, followed later in the evening by the Flamenco Show at Casa de la Memoria.
The next day we plan to do a day trip to either Cadiz or Arcos de la Frontera. - Will keep you updated on our decision! :)
GRANADA
Granada is a city in southern Spain’s Andalusia region, located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It's most famous landmark is the Alhambra that dates back to the Moorish occupation.
Where we’re staying: Hotel Hospes Palacio de Los Patos
What we’re doing: When driving from Seville to Granada, we plan on driving through the Sierra Nevada mountains and stopping in Rhonda and then proceding to do the Caminito Del Rey hike.
We plan to visit the Alhambra of course and then a couple free walking tours as well.
Mostly I’m excited about our hike in Caminito Del Rey (It looks magical!).
MADRID
Where we’re staying: Catalonia Plaza Mayor
What we’re doing: While in Madrid, we will be doing two city walking tours and possibly a tapas tour. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments below!
FAQS
What time of year is best to visit Southern Spain?
The best time to visit Spain is typically in the spring (March to May) or during the fall (September to November). At these times, you'll likely find fewer crowds, cheaper accommodations, and the best weather (even for hitting the beach!). [Trip Savvy]
What was your favorite city in Southern Spain?
TBD! Come back in November for the answer to this question!
How long do I need for a trip to Southern Spain?
Well this question is pretty subjective. We have 9 total days (including travel) and I had a VERY hard time deciding between the cities that I wanted to visit and stay in vs doing day trips to. In the end, I decided to go to Mallorca, Seville, Granada, and Madrid. When driving from Seville to Granada, we plan on driving through the Sierra Nevada mountains and stopping in Rhonda and doing the Caminito Del Rey hike. I feel like if you wanted to see the whole Andalusia coast, then you would probably need around 14 days. I will report back once we return!
What’s the best way to get around in Southern Spain?
This questions depends on the time and money that you have at your disposal. We are flying from Mallorca to Seville and then renting a car for day trips and to drive to Granada. We were going to take the bus back from Granada to Madrid, but the flights were so cheap that we booked one of those instead.
About me:
I'm a full-time pharmacist that loves to travel whenever I get the chance.
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Follow me: @thatblondetravels
Need help planning and booking your own Southern Spain trip? Send me an email!