best place in Southern Spain for day trips

gene_slackman

so myself and my girlfriend would like to arrange a trip which allows tours of the city but would also lend itself to interesting day trips

i know that madrid is a great city but its in the middle of the country so the beach is not an option and i dont know if their is much within a few hours of the capital

ive been to barcelona so want to exclude it

given a choice between seville malaga and valencia , which destination would offer the widest choice of sights beyond the city boundaries , ive heard anadlusia is amazing but bear in mind we only have a week

plan to go next may but want to book soon

spurious

From Malaga (and nearby) you have the option of day trips to Cordoba, Granada, Seville, Jerez and Cadiz, Gibraltar and even Tangiers in Morocco if you like.

killbillvol2

Malaga is a good base but Cadiz and Jerez are not viable daytrips. Cadiz in particular is a horrendous drive from Malaga. Cordoba is well worth a trip but it's an early morning start to see it properly. Ronda and the surrounding mountain towns is a great option.

To see the Alhambra properly it's another long day. You'd need to stay in Granada.

Gibraltar is a kip.

You'd be better off using two bases. Malaga/Seville, Malaga/Granada. Seville/Granada would work. That's all based on hiring a car. If you're planning on buses/tours that's more complicated.

As much as I like Malaga, Seville or Granada would be better places to stay for day trips.

spurious

I was only citing trips by bus. I forgot about car hire. Of course you have much more scope hiring one and driving yourself.

I've done the Cadiz/Jerez day trip and while a long day, a great deal (boat trip, winery visit and a show by horses) was packed into it. It was also fairly cheap as I recall, though it was a couple of years ago.

Stojkovic

Seville is beautiful.

intellectual dosser

Years and years ago my dad took me to Tangiers from Benalmadena. A bus collected us at 4am, got the ferry from Algeciras and back again in the evening. It was a day I'll never forget.

Balmed Out

Seville with trips to cordoba and granada. All fairly close.

morebarn2

I think Granada would be a lovely city for a trip. We spent 2 days there, but you can see quite a lot even in a day.
The Alhambra is a marvellous experience. If you book for an early morning visit,you can stroll around when the weather is cooler and before the crowds start to pick up,around lunchtime.
The city Cathedral is well worth seeing,even if you are not into history,its a magnificent structure and recommended for all visitors .
The old Moorish town,in the hills and streets below the Alhambra, has great character, lots of interesting little shops, tea and coffee houses, etc.
It can be very hot in Granada in the height of summer, so to cool down you cant do better than the gorgeous Arabic baths. Book in advance and wind your way through various types of pools,varying in temperature and style,all situated below ground in old atmospheric buildings. Just lounge about,or have a massage , aromatherapy treatment, etc. The whole experience is so relaxing and chilled out.


So, just a recommendation; might not suit you now, but it would make a lovely trip at any time.

Comhrá

Ronda is a nice day trip. Scenery going and coming by road is excellent.

Tzardine

Screw the south, Head north and see the real Spain and the beautiful Basque country.

Bilbao, San Sebastan , Pamplona, La Rioja.

sarkozy

Agree with everything here. Málaga is a highly underrated city with little treasures in the region doable by day trip, but really you're talking about exploring the 'white villages' of the Sierra Nevada, Ronda and Nerja. Beyond those places, you'd need to stay overnight.

Sevilla is a great city with lots in the region around it. Granada is also beautiful with the jewel of the Alhambra. Cádiz is quite unique and self-contained but is not too far from Tarifa. From Cádiz, you could visit Jerez where sherry comes from. If staying in Cádiz or Tarifa (a small village) your can get a fast boat to Tangier. A day trip is possible here, but overnight is more interesting. I haven't been to Cordoba.

I also agree about the north. You have a lot to see that's day-trippable from San Sebastián including the Picos de Europa mountains, coastal villages, Bilbao, Rioja.

Bear the seasons in mind, though. Málaga is warm enough year-round, but gets rainy. Granada gets very cold in winter due to its elevation. At certain times of the year, being exposed to the Atlantic, Cádiz and Tarifa get very windy and rainy. But mostly the weather is fantastic. Sevilla might be the best all-rounder that way, but if it's beaches you want, it's too far inland for that. Spain is BIG.

Why not stay in two places instead of these day trips. Half the pleasure is BEING in a place rather than DOING them.

mel.b

From madrid both segova and toledo are good and easy day trips.

braddun

don't bother with beach in winter

sarkozy

mel.b wrote: »

From madrid both segova and toledo are good and easy day trips.

Haven't been to either, but yes, these are both on my personal list.

An alternative, in Spain, is Barcelona, where Sigtes, Girona, Figueres and Monserrat are day-trippable.

I actually haven't been to Sigtes, Figueres or Monserrat, but Girona is a lovely old (and gastronomic) city, overshadowed by its role as a Ryanair airport. They say the ancient Roman city of Tarragona is a day trip, but it's 100km away.

gene_slackman

Tzardine wrote: »

Screw the south, Head north and see the real Spain and the beautiful Basque country.

Bilbao, San Sebastan , Pamplona, La Rioja.

like warm weather and always go on holiday before june as its much cheaper