Some people are telling me that Seville is not possible in a day trip from Marbella. I am not sure but I think it is about a 2 1/2 hour drive ( I am guessing) so that will make it a challenge.

I was thinking that if we got up early and stayed late that we could do the key spots and get a feel for it. ( We will be back for Holy Week, so this is just for family members first trip to Spain with an 80 year old) .

Is this really realistic?

If we do an over night ,do you have any suggestions for a nice but reasonable range ( as we will be paying for two places that will be sitting empty) place for 5 adults and one child?


The cheapest way is to go to a campground with our camper and get them a rental there..but I am not sure they will be up for that or not. It would be fun to share a little of our experience with them this way too.

It sounds like 3 days are ideal in Seville, but can it be done in one or two?


(Another reason I am thinking of staying over is to see some Flamenco there at night. Any suggestions for best places for that? )

I am sure it is possible in a day trip but would be a lot of time in the car and not so much in Seville. We spent almost 2 weeks there at Xmas and loved every second. We stayed in an apartment in Santa Cruz which is a wonderful area to spend time in - narrow cobbled streets, lots of bars and restaurants and many of the famous sites including the Alcazar. Personally I would enjoy it more knowing I did not have a longish drive in front of me. Re driving - suggest you plan very carefully where to park as parking is a bit of a problem in Seville, like most cities I guess. There is a wonderful, small flamenco in Santa Cruz (well there is probably more than one) - in one of the very narrow streets near the Hotel Amadeus I think. Sorry not to be more specific on that!

Hi WT;
Some things to consider:
1.your estimate of driving times may get you to Seville but then consider perhaps up to another hour for city driving and finding a parking spot.
2.it will be hot and a day of seeing the sites will be tiring
3.your return would most certainly be at night on an unfamiliar road
4.if you do stay over night in (or around - cheaper option!) Seville, you might want to consider rising early and visiting Cordoba rather than saving it for another day trip. If you arrive before 10:30 you'll even save the admission price and miss the major influx of day tours from the costa.
Dennis

It sounds like they are intending on visiting Seville soon, so I can't imagine it will be hot.

For flamenco, eliza I believe was thinking about Los Gallos. I've heard people rave about La Casa de la Memoria. I personally have always enjoyed the scene and energy of Anselma in Triana. I normally eschew touristy flamenco venues. If you want the real thing, you'll have to visit Jerez.(I'm sure sevilophiles will strongly disagree with me on that one!)

Driving to Seville, rushing through to catch at least two or three of the so many worthy places to visit and drive back will not be very productive. Stay at least overnight; it is a far better plan; at least, you will get a glimpse of Seville at night. For the flamenco show, at the recommendation of other travellers to Seville, we went to Tablao Arenal. We checked also with out hotel, who confirmed this is one of the better flamenco shows in town.

Tablao Arenal is also offering dinner. We just made reservations for the show, sat at a table with great visibility, had a drink, and enjoyed an exceptional event.

Thanks all, this is very helpful. I am leaning very strongly towards an over night now and the campsite ( nearby in a lovely orange grove with great pool) would solve the problem of traffic and parking.

Sorry I was not clear on the time, it will start on March 4th for about 2 weeks.So the weather should be divine and not hot.

I am interested in seeing Jerez as a day trip and glad to know about the Flamenco there as well. If we don't do the Flamenco there this trip we can possibly check it out on our way to Morroco in April. I would love to see the horses as I fallen in love with the beauty of the Andalucian horses in our village.

We have a passion for Flamenco that has just grown and grown by living in Andulucia. We of course would need a place that would allow us to bring our Flamenco loving ( and ever dancing ) 6yo.

quote:

Originally posted by WT:
Sorry I was not clear on the time, it will start on March 4th for about 2 weeks.So the weather should be divine and not hot.

This being said, layering is a must. We had snow in Avila at the beginning of May and a damp, rainy, miserable day (fortunately only one) in Madrid the following day. Best have all options available both for the NW and for Madrid and the three cities near it.

If flamenco is so high on the list of interests, one fascinating area in Granada is Albaicin and its Sacromonte caves. More here.

Thanks Doru for that great link!!


Yes , as Californians we are always big on layering as a way of life. We will not be in Madrid, but I have warned his family that it might be very cold and or rainy there.( Altho friends just got back and said it was sunny and beautiful recently ..so one never knows).

It has been wonderful sunny weather in our part of Andalucia for the last 3 months so I was thinking about this area which is not hot yet ,but quite perfect in the weather department.

Most of the tourist , most of the time have on very summery clothes here all winter long ...altho some layering for nights or early mornings or that rare cloudy day is also a good idea. I need my warmest layers for inside my village home.

It is a lot like California in the winter without the rain. My child usually has on a sweater going to school but is in a T shirt when we pick her up at two.


We brought winter coats but have not used them at all. ( We thought we might go skiing in the nearby mountains). I think cold here is also related to the mountains and we are near the sea.

I don't think it was Los Gallos - it was a very small and quite intimate venue. I have checked with my husband and it was in Calle Ximenez Enciso in Seville.

Thanks for another specific name for Flamenco in Seville. Now we are leaning strongly into spending 2 nights in Seville ( parking our 7 seat rental car just outside the ring road area in paid parking ) in Santa Cruz area (love the name because that is our hometown ) . We will take train ( just 40 minutes) to Cordoba the 2nd day not to miss Mezquita et al and be able to see two nights and 2 different flamenco shows.

Then we hope to time it that we can see the horse show in Jerez the next day on the way back to Marbella.


With them in a 5 star resort in Marbella and us in a 4 bedroom village house in one of the most darling pueblo Blancos in Andalucia it is a shame to stay over night else where,but it seems the only way to do Sevilla & Cordova properly for them and we will do the rest as day trips.

We ( not our guests) will be back to Seville and Cordova for Holy week so all the information gathered can be used at another time. We won't probably get the flamenco in with them at Granada or Jerez ( but will see the towns), but we will catch them at another time.

There is a tour bus that does Seville in a day from the Marriot ,but I want them to have a better experience than that.

Where are you moving to Andalucia from Eliza3 ?

Hi WT

We are moving from Canberra, Australia to Andalucia late February and are very excited by the prospect of living in Europe. Santa Cruz in Seville is just wonderful -we are spending another few days there in July.

Wow that will be a change and quite a distance, Eliza3!

I do not know that area of Andalucia yet, but can say we really have enjoyed our time here and are really glad that we will be here next winter again.

Maybe we will do a Spain ST get together after you have settled in ( with Clive and Sue, Chanol too? ) next winter season.

I am looking forward to seeing more of Andalucia!!

quote:

I've heard people rave about La Casa de la Memoria.

I think you mean Casa de la Memoria del Al-Andalus, House of Memory of Al-Andalus located on Ximenez de Enciso 28. Flamenco

I went twice, back to back nights and both shows year completely different with different performers. I went the second night because the first night was extremely fun and emotional experience, I had to do it again.

That was two years ago and like that fact there no food serve, no drinks, no tables. No distractions. Just chairs to see and watch/listen to the flamenco performers and you are 15 feet away from them.

Bill

Wow, thanks Bill!

I am really glad I mentioned Flamenco and now have lots of good places to check out!!

We will not be going to Seville on this trip, but are overnighting in Cordoba. Is there flamenco there?

Here is a link I just found with google:

http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/cordoba/flamenco.htm

But ofcourse, I have no personal experience and hopefully someone here has. You might consider the fast train too as it is only 40 minutes between Seville and Cordoba on them,tho I do not know how that works at night.

We have a good friend here who was born and raised in Cordoba where his family has been for generations and it happens that we will have lunch at their house on Sunday. I will ask him for his answer and get back to you if he knows of anything good.

I just thought I would add this link to this thread that lists details about flamenco in Seville in case anybody should want it.

I plan to see a whole range of Flamenco during our time in southern Spain ( already have seen lots in our village) so am open to hearing about all of it.

I even want to see the girls dressed in flamenco outfits riding on the back of dressed up horses & rider ( loove those pics!) ..so might even delay my excursion to Italy a little.

Hola,

So WT are you going to be around for the Jerez horse fair?

http://www.natural-images.co.uk/jerezhorse.html

Clive

Hola Clive!

That looks great, but I could not see when it is. Ever since I saw the pictures on postcards here of the girls in the flamenco outfits on horse, I have wanted to see that in person.

How do they get on and off?

I think I will see them at that horse show in Jerez won't I ? I am looking forward to that. It looks like they are abundant at the April festival in Seville too.

I was thinking about staying, but it is so late this year, so might have to wait til next April for that as it goes into our travel time. April also looks more joyful than Holy week.

I am getting in a travel kind of mood suddenly and do want to see some more of Spain before we hit Italy et al.

I still want to make it up to your beautiful place and area, but time suddenly seems to be rushing away. Too many great places, not enough time...even on my schedule.

WT
i see you are well on your way to see the best in Spain. Andalucian horses and the Jerez fair as Clive says is a must;hope you have the time.
And of course, flamenco you have your full roundtrip.
marbella to sevilla is about 3 hrs with good traffic one way. so do not think is doable by car in one day.

here is my favorites hangouts when in the area (last in andalucia in 2005 so check for updates)

cordoba:
http://www.tablaocardenal.com
tablao cardenal calle trujillo 10 next to tourist office and across from the mezquita.the best there and I know you are going to the mezquita!!yes ok.
another nice one is
El meson de la buleria, calle Pedro Lopez 3.

Granada:
Venta El Gallo, aka Casa Juanillo
barranco de los Negros ,5 Sacromonte (same barrio sacromonte)
the best area for flamenco is the sacromonte they are all close to each other there.
Cueva de la Faraona ;camino de sacromonte,
Cueva Manolo Amaya,camino de sacromonte.
Cuevas Los Tarantos, camino de sacromonte
www.cuevas-los-tarantos.com (my favorite there!)

Sevilla:
Casa de la memoria de Al-andalus (Andalucia en arabesque)
calle Ximenez de Enciso 28(barrio de Santa Cruz)
Los Gallos,plaza de Santa Cruz 11 near jardines de Murillo.
La Gitanilla; ximenez de Enciso 11 barrio Santa Cruz
Casa Carmen, Calle marques de paradas,30 old town,barrio Triana (authentic the whole barrio) near la Torre de Oro (riches of the Americas kept here the tower of gold) and Real Maestranza de Caballeria (bullfight ring historical/traditional) MY FAVORITE CANNOT MISSE IT WT!!! see their site here
www.casacarmenarteflamenco.com
email to reserve at info@casacarmenarteflamenco.com

please report back:would love to read and see your blog.thanks again.

quote:

i see you are well on your way to see the best in Spain

Yes, I hope so!! Thanks to all these great ideas. Alas I did see that the horse show is in May, so I will miss that this year unless we fly in from somewhere else which is doubtful.

I guess I will have to figure out how to include that if it is a must see....at some point. Spain is a little addicting

Thanks for these wonderful links and ideas!! Now it will be so hard to pick out which Flamenco. Guess I will just have to do them all eventually. I will take your word on the Casa Carmen and am so glad to hear about it.

My husband's mother's name was Carmen so it will have extreme significance to all 3 generations just by it's name.And with your recommendation, it will be a must for one of our nights there at least.

I will be excited to get pictures and video for the blog. I am longing to experience these sights that I have only read about.

We were planning to do a tour of the bull ring while there. Actually we want to see a bull fight, but we will have to wait until after they go I think because I am under the impression that they start after Easter. Correct?

I know bullfights are controversial to some, but we feel we must see one to truly experience Spain and perhaps even Flamenco.

Pedmar,

Where do you think is the best place to experience a bullfight?

We are thinking of seeing one in Seville when we are there just around Holy Week.

WT for bullfights Sevilla maestranza is the top;for money they go the Monumental in Madrid but the diehard aficionados go to Sevilla.

the bullfights start in april on resurrection day and continue with the festivities of the Feria de Abril. dates change as to when fall resurrection day i think the 8/9 april for this year.

and yes you will have to see one as you are very near; controversial to some yes;but not to me. enjoy it

That's great, thanks Pedmar! We will make sure we stay long enough in Seville when we visit at Holy week to make sure we get one bull fight in before leaving Spain.

The season will be over when we return in November,so this seems like our best shot. So glad to know Seville is THE place to see it.