"What can I expect to see around Seville and Granada?"

You will see amazing Andalucia and you will have much better and warmer weather than in Barcelona during october. If I would be a firstimer to Spain and would have only one week I would go for 3 days to Granada, 3 to Seville and 1 to Cordoba. These places are just amazing, people are very friendly and both, Granada and Seville have an excellent vibe apart from really terrific places to explore like the Alhambra

I figure I'll go with the flow!
I like walking around and exploring

So why don't you do that, rather than asking people where you should go?

The least you can do is take a quick browse through a guidebook and see if anything captures your imagination.

Here .. this is for free on this site:
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/belgium/belgium-and-luxembourg-travel-guide-1

Or this:
http://shop.lonelyplanet.com/spain/andalucia-travel-guide-6

Free! Click on 'getting started' for a PDF download

I found the drive from Barcelona to Andalucia boring if you take the freeway. The road does not follow the coast. Taking the non-freeway is rather time-consuming and on a lot of places one can not see the sea, because of the high-rise buildings directly on the coast between the road and the sea. Driving does give you a sense of freedom to stop off, where you think it is interesting, but in that respect a route through the inland could be more rewarding. Places like Teruel and Cuenca are more…

Hi,

I'm looking to travel around Andalucia for a few days before meeting friends in Madrid for the weekend. I would like to visit Cordoba, Granada, and Sevilla. I have from Sunday to Friday (6 days). What is the best way to get to and between these cities and back to Madrid (bus/train?). Also any tips on lodging would be greatly appreciated. Travelling second week of February.

I echo the above - split it between Madrid and Barcelona, and you can do day trips to smaller towns if wanted. Madrid is great if you like big cities, but a big part of its charm are its wonderful museums. If you are not into that, spend more in Barcelona. though the nightlife is (in my opinion) better than Barcelona.

Don´t go to Andalucia, although a realy, really great part of Spain. You will spend too much time travelling and not enough enjoying !

We want somewhere sunny
I´m afraid that none of those places will have guaranteed sunshine at Easter. It´s only three weeks away and it´s much too early in the year for stable warm, sunny weather. You may get sunny weather but you may also get overcast skies or even rain. I live in Andalucia but even here we don´t know what the weather will be like at easter.

That coastal drive is deadly boring. I would not do it.

Or we can take the train to places like Valencia Gibralta, Sevilla
And then what would you do?

By the way, there are no train services to Gibraltar because there is no railway line or station. From Valencia to anywhere in Andalucia is a major full day trek because of public transport issues. There are high speed trains (AVEs) from Barcelona to Seville.

What have you found out about the cost of doing a one-way international car rental? Is…

Hi rith2010,

Will be flying out of Madrid on 1st Jan.

I have planned my train route to be Madrid-Seville-Granada-Valencia-Barcelona-Madrid. Most likely on a spain rail pass(4days pass) with the rest on point to point rail.

If I going skip Andalucia(Seville & Granada) valencia will also be out of my consideration, any other places that is near Barcelona where I can branch out for day trip?

Thanks

"3
I would only stay 4 days in Barcelona and combine it with Granada and Sevilla."

Logistically this advice doesn't make much sense. Much as I like Granada and Sevilla (and I love them both) trying to fit all three, given that Andalucia is an awful long way from Barcelona, into 8 days is, though not impossible, impractical. That is doubly true if the OP is flying into and out of Barcelona.

Tony, yes I'm from the UK. Hmm, might need to change the plan then! I have never been to Andalucia though will take some pupils on a trip in Feb too so will visit Cordoba then anyway. From what I've been reading, there are lots of gems like Cadiz and Ronda too. Would you suggest simply Malaga and Granada and perhaps some day trips from there?

Anne, thanks for the bus tip :)