BBC Travel reader Sumayya Seedat plans to tour Seville, Granada and Málaga with her three kids in October and is looking for tips. Our Facebook community offered their advice.
Last week, BBC Travel reader Sumayya Seedat asked for advice on her upcoming vacation in Andalucía, requesting “tips for a self drive with three kids through southern Spain for the month of October, touring Seville, Granada and Málaga.”
Our Facebook fans offered up some useful suggestions:
From HW Roos: “Be aware with any rent-a-car company. If you use them, take pictures and write down all damage there is on a car, and let them sign the paperwork (in triplicate).”
From Ismaa Khan: “We did southern Spain in March – Málaga, Granada, Córdoba, Nerja etc. You will have a wonderful time. The highways are excellent, well-maintained and well-marked but make sure you check out your route beforehand, including the nearest sites for parking. There will be a little confusion between toll and non-toll highways, it happened to us three times as we missed the exits. Use Google maps or get a GPS (it’s extra when you rent a car). We got maps from our hotels and they worked well. Enjoy, have fun.”
From Rasha Abdallah: “Be careful about your ticket timing in Alhambra (morning or afternoon). Plan to arrive to at least 30 minutes before to find parking and take the bus up to the fortress. Cars cannot park directly next to the Alhambra. You have to park somewhere at [the] city centre.”
From Laura Collins: “A perfect time of year to visit southern Spain. Plan a few days in the Alpujarras mountains south of Granada – beautiful white villages and lots of great hiking. You can drive to Trevelez, the highest village in Spain.”
From Alonso Barrientos: “Córdoba (a visit to La Mezquita is a must), Úbeda, Baeza, Jaén, Ronda, Arcos de la Frontera, Jerez de la Frontera .”
From Elize Meijer: “We drove from Málaga to Gibraltar. Gibraltar was interesting. We drove back to Málaga via Ronda. Gorgeous little town.”
From Small World Travel: “Visit the tomb of Christopher Columbus in Seville’s giant cathedral.”
From David Farrell: “Be careful of toll passes, there are many and can be costly and confusing at first. Maybe budget for them a little. However, the freeways are good and the directions [are] simple from city to city. Once in the city be sure to check your parking is in a correct parking zone. Often hotels offer free parking. If not, ask in advance [about] the parking requirements. Some cities offer free parking at night. I am sure your hotel will know the times. Most of all, enjoy.”
From John Fox: “Seville is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Visit the cathedral.”
From Cecilia Bogaard: “Having spent eight years living and writing about Andalucía, I have some ideas. I’d suggest renting a car to drive between Seville and Málaga in order to take the road through Ronda. You can stop there and explore the surroundings; there are some gorgeous walks. In Granada, don’t miss the opportunity to take your car into the Alpujarras and explore the mountains. And finally, Córdoba is really worth a visit (although check the temperature as it might be too hot by now, as will Seville), particularly Medina Azahara which is spectacular.”
From Mariana Sandá: “You have lots of beautiful small towns to stop between Granada and Seville. The region is called Andalucía. In Granada don´t miss the Alhambra palace and Generalife. The daily access is limited so you have to buy tickets. It’s better to get them online as you will avoid the queuing. Good luck!!”
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