Seville, Cordoba and Granada

The southern towns of Spain are like little jewels with cobblestone alleys that we loved exploring.  They have so much history, it's fascinating. We stayed in Seville as our home base and went on day trips to Cordoba and Granada.

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Day 1

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Morning

We took a high-speed train from Madrid to Seville which took about 2.5 hours. Very convenient and easy. 

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 Afternoon

We checked into El Rey Moro Hotel in Seville. This is a small, sweet hotel in the heart of the town.

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We did a tour inside the Real Alcazar. This a beautiful Moorish palace with spectacular tile work. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe. 

 

Evening

We went for dinner and then to a Flamenco show at the Casa de la Guitarra which was amazing. The guitarist, singer and dancer were so talented. This is a very small venue with about 30 seats. We bought the tickets in the afternoon. Highly recommended.

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Day 2

 

Day trip to Cordoba

Morning

We took a half hour train to Cordoba where we met our local, private guide, Carmen Flores booked through Really Discover, in front of the Hotel Maimonides. Carmen took us on a wonderful tour of Cordoba which included the famous Mosque-Cathedral, which is an old Mosque that was converted into a Church. It is very beautiful. As well, we toured the old Jewish quarter and she explained the history of Cordoba.

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Afternoon

Lunch in Cordoba and then we took the train back to Seville.

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Once back in Seville we went into the Cathedral which is the largest Gothic cathedral and third largest church in the world. It's very large and ornate inside. After that we wandered around and explored the small streets and alleys.

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Evening

We ate dinner at Veneria San Telmo which was delicious.

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Day 3

 

Day trip to Granada

Morning

We took a bus from Seville to Granada. This is around a 3-hour bus ride.

 

Afternoon

We met our private guide Margarita Ortiz de Landazuri at the ticket office in Alhambra. She took us on a 3-hour walking tour inside this spectacular Moorish palace and fortress. It is very beautiful - a must see, including the spectacular gardens.

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Special note: I ordered the tickets well in advance. As soon as you know when you will be in Granada order the tickets as there are very limited tickets each day. It gets very hot in the summer so if you can time it, it's best to tour in the morning. I would recommend staying in Granada overnight so you can get an early start.

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We ate a late lunch at Restaurante Sevilla in Plaza Nueva. This restaurant is known for its Paella and it is delicious. 

 

Evening

We took a train back to Seville - approximately three hours.

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Day 4

 

Morning

We took a free walking tour of Seville. This was interesting and perhaps would have been more useful at the beginning of our stay in Seville. We enjoyed it and it was a nice way to end our visit in this lovely town.

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We departed the hotel and flew to Barcelona. For ideas of things to do in Barcelona see my Barcelona itinerary in 5 days.