Andalusia Tour

[jsalt]

At the end of our camino in July next year, instead of flying straight home, we would like to spend a few days on a tour from Madrid that includes Seville, Granada and the Alhambra, Cordoba and Toledo. Have any of you done this, and if so, can you recommend (or not) any particular tour?

 

[wayfarer]

The Alhambra and Camino del Rey would be my top tips.

 

[jsalt]

Camino del Rey

That is NOT an option as we are both afraid of heights .
But thanks for the suggestion!

 

[wayfarer]

Ok, then Cadiz would be next on the list, there is even a camino that starts there.

 

[jsalt]

Ok, then Cadiz would be next on the list, there is even a camino that starts there.

Oh, we don’t want to do another camino after we get to Santiago. We would like to go on an organized tour from Madrid that includes Seville and the Alhambra.

 

[Pelegrin]

I did the Caminito under the rain with no problem because is very safe.
Another place of interest in Malaga province is Torcal de Antequera.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Ok, then Cadiz would be next on the list, there is even a camino that starts there.

Question...I may be in Seville sightseeing later in the year and thought about adding in about 5 days of walking on the Vdpl just for a "taste" of it. Would you recommend heading south toward Cadiz or north? I walk about 20k per day and be taking a bus or train back.

 

[amancio]

I think you can do without the tour, train to Cordoba, then train to Granada... only problem is you need to book tickets if you want to see the whole Alhambra palace with plenty of time in advance.

 

[amancio]

Question...I may be in Seville sightseeing later in the year and thought about adding in about 5 days of walking on the Vdpl just for a "taste" of it. Would you recommend heading south toward Cadiz or north? I walk about 20k per day and be taking a bus or train back.

I would walk from Guillena to Monesterio, approximately, Northwards, hills, trees, nature...

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I would walk from Guillena to Monesterio, approximately, Northwards, hills, trees, nature...

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll assume I can get a bus to the start and back to Seville. I will check Rome to Rio app.

 

[amancio]

Thank you for the suggestion. I'll assume I can get a bus to the start and back to Seville. I will check Rome to Rio app.

indeed, there are buses to Guillena every half an hour more or less

RUTAS Y HORARIOS M-177

LINEA M-177. GUILLENA - SEVILLA HORARIO INVIERNO RUTAS HORARIO VERANO HORARIO SEMANA SANTA HORARIO NAVIDAD HORARIO FERIA

www.autocarespaulino.com

I would definitely skip the first stage, Seville to Guillena, there are some interesting Roman ruins along the way, but it is not the nicest walk, honestly.

On your way back, check timetables here

Venta Online LEDA, S.A.

regular.autobusing.com

any other info, just shout! Good food too!!!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

indeed, there are buses to Guillena every half an hour more or less

RUTAS Y HORARIOS M-177

LINEA M-177. GUILLENA - SEVILLA HORARIO INVIERNO RUTAS HORARIO VERANO HORARIO SEMANA SANTA HORARIO NAVIDAD HORARIO FERIA

www.autocarespaulino.com

I would definitely skip the first stage, Seville to Guillena, there are some interesting Roman ruins along the way, but it is not the nicest walk, honestly.

On your way back, check timetables here

Venta Online LEDA, S.A.

regular.autobusing.com

any other info, just shout! Good food too!!!

Thank you! I will give you a shout down the road when more info and opinions are needed...no pun intended.

 

[amancio]

Sure, I will only be happy to be of any assistance, I walk that area of Andalusia/Extremadura every spring, I just LOVE it!!! Alternatively, you can finish further up the road, not necessarily in Monesterio, but also in Fuente de Cantos or Zafra.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Sure, I will only be happy to be of any assistance, I walk that area of Andalusia/Extremadura every spring, I just LOVE it!!! Alternatively, you can finish further up the road, not necessarily in Monesterio, but also in Fuente de Cantos or Zafra.

Well, I would only be walking 100k max, whatever section that gives me for nice scenery and towns to see.

 

[Phil71]

There are some fantastic day walks in the sierras and alpoharras. The Alhambra is amazing but get your tickets a long way in advance. Ronda is a fascinating town (We only ended up there because our caminito del Rey was cancelled due to high winds).

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Ronda is a fascinating town (We only ended up there because our caminito del Rey was cancelled due to high winds).

Yes it is. I wanted to visit it for a decade, purposely avoiding learning anything about it (pre-WWW that was easy.) I wanted to keep it a surprise. It was the antipode to a place I spent some time at. It was quite a surprise; it was so nice even Romans toured and holidayed there.

 

[islandwalker]

Oh, we don’t want to do another camino after we get to Santiago. We would like to go on an organized tour from Madrid that includes Seville and the Alhambra.

If by chance you decide to organize your own tour, the apartments at Caballerizas 6 are a great place to stay in Granada - quiet, spacious, reasonably priced, with great hosts. We've stayed there twice on our way to and from the Alpujarra and loved it.
There are also some wonderful white villages in the Genal Valley south of Ronda - good for a day, but also with enough walking trails to keep one busy for three months.

 

[jsalt]

Thank you everyone who has taken the time to reply to this thread but please could anyone recommend an organized tour from Madrid that includes the Alhambra (sorry, I didn’t make that clear in my original post )? We will have just finished our camino in Santiago, and we are not interested in doing another one. We will have arranged all our own accommodation etc on the camino and we are not interested in doing the same for Toledo, Ronda, Cordoba, Seville and Granada. We want everything laid on for us – airconditioned coach, official guided tours of the main tourist sites, good hotels, and a full tour of the Alhambra included. I do not want to have to buy my own tickets online. I know I can, but as we want to go on an organized tour, we might as well make sure that a tour of the Alhambra is included as well. At the moment I am looking at Trafalgar Tours as we did an excellent tour with them in Italy a few years ago, but I wondered if anyone can recommend any other tour operators. Thanks!
Jill

 

[natefaith]

HI Jill,
I've heard great things about Rick Steves' tours, and his company does do one from Córdoba (not Madrid) that includes a tour of the Alhambra "when available". If you're willing to travel to Córdoba from Madrid to meet the group, and if you can nail them down on for-sure including the Alhambra, it might not be a bad option (???!!!)

Best of Andalucía in 10 Days Tour

Traveling to the rhythm of strutting horses and flirtatious flamenco, this tour captures the passion and pride of Spain's Andalucía. Starting with the Moorish roots of Córdoba, you'll be immersed in the culture and history of this remarkable region. We'll ponder millennia-old mysteries at Menga...

www.ricksteves.com

Good luck!
Faith

Edit: Hmmm, it looks like the tours aren't in July or August, though. Now that I'm doing research with you, I see it's hard to find something that exactly suits!

 

[jsalt]

Hmmm, it looks like the tours aren't in July or August, though. Now that I'm doing research with you, I see it's hard to find something that exactly suits!

Hi Faith, thanks so much for looking for me! I guess July and August are so hot that they don’t run tours then. It’s another reason why we don’t want to arrange it all ourselves – getting to train stations, finding the way to the hotel with our luggage, negotiating the crowds at the main tourist sites on our own – all in the blistering heat and getting hot and irritable. I was hoping someone here might know something that Google doesn’t! Jill

 

[Colette Z]

Question...I may be in Seville sightseeing later in the year and thought about adding in about 5 days of walking on the Vdpl just for a "taste" of it. Would you recommend heading south toward Cadiz or north? I walk about 20k per day and be taking a bus or train back.

I walked the Via Augusta Camino from Cadiz to Seville Mach 2019. I think it’s not very interesting after you walk a more common Camino route. But Cadiz is a must and of course Seville (train between two cities is 1 hour).

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked the Via Augusta Camino from Cadiz to Seville Mach 2019. I think it’s not very interesting after you walk a more common Camino route. But Cadiz is a must and of course Seville (train between two cities is 1 hour).

Thank you for that opinion. Definately will head north.

 

[Re-tired]

High speed train to Cordoba. You only need one day there. Train to Grenada. Allow a couple days to see the Alhambra and the Gardens. Very nice little tapas district in Grenada in the evening. There is a little mini bus that runs up and down the hill from the center of town. Train to Seville. Don't miss the little museum that houses the Virgin of Macarena. The cathedral is very nice as well. You could do both easily in one day. Inexpensive hotel are easy to book in all three cities.

 

[Sho]

Look at Rick Steves's Best of Spain in 14 Days 2020 tour at https://www.ricksteves.com/tours/spain-portugal/spain. You may not want that many days, but it may be useful for planning.

 

[Deleted member 89755]

Ronda and Cáseres are both worth a trip. Just south of Ronda is the Pileta caves where you can see 30,000 year old paintings. Further south again is one of my favourite places Castellar de la frontera (try the wild boar there); horseriding in that area you may well see jabalí. If you go to Cáseres try the local Extremadura wine which, in my opinion, is the finest wine in Spain. Cheers and Buen Camino

 

[jsalt]

Thanks, guys, I am sure your suggestions will be useful for others who might be looking at this thread. We are only interested in an organized tour (in English) that includes the Alhambra, and so far the only company I can find that operates in July is Trafalgar Tours, so it looks as though we might go with that one. Thanks again for your suggestions.
Jill

 

[peregrina2000]

I have a friend who does a fair amount of guided tour traveling. She says Kensington Tours are great but pricey. She also suggested National Geographic, which I googled, and found something in July. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/...pe/journeys/madrid-toledo-granada-spain-tour/