Costa de Sol

[Anonymous]

We are thinking about doing 3 weeks in Spain end of June into July. Explore the towns along the Costa de Sol and then spend a few days in Seville and Granada. We plan to get a rental car for the whole trip.

I know it’s going to be hot during that time and better to go during cooler months but our travel dates are not flexible. Is the heat pretty bad? We are thinking of renting an apartment (air conditioned of course) in either Marabella or Malagia for 1 week, then maybe a place for 5 days in Seville and 5 days in Granada.

For those that have been, would you recommend staying in Marabella or Malagia? Also what area to stay in with Seville and Granada? Lastly, what recommendations on things to see and do?

[Anonymous]

Bad plan.

[Anonymous]

Plenty of people go to Spain in the summer and its fine. It's hot here and it's hot there just carry water and bring sunscreen.

[Anonymous]

I'd go the other way around, start in Seville, then go to Granada and then the coast. Why? Because everyone clears out of the inland cities by July 1 (honestly prob. by june 27 this year) and you will have a more lively atmosphere/ more businesses will actually be open.

Also June 23-24 is THE major beach holiday of the year in Spain, so seaside accommodations may be more expensive (interesting festive atmosphere though, so there's an argument for going there)

I would pick Malaga over Marbella unless you love looking at superyachts in the harbor and gawking at the gaudily rich. Costa del Sol can be humid in summer but you have the sea so that's nice. Be sure to buy some decent bug spray from the beach (sold at pharmacies due to the DEET content, the stuff you can buy at the regular grocery store doesn't have DEET)--mosquitos are a major feature of sunrise/sunset walks along the beach in Spain in summer.

Definitely book your Alhambra tickets asap. Either pick an early morning time (8:30 am is like sunrise time, I'd pick any time from 8:30 am to 10 am, later will be sooooo hot) or a night tour (or maybe both to get two different feels) to avoid the potential for extreme heat (I stay indoors from like 1 pm to 8 pm in southern Spain summer).

I really like the Real Alcázar in Seville, it is interesting to compare to the Alhambra.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd go the other way around, start in Seville, then go to Granada and then the coast. Why? Because everyone clears out of the inland cities by July 1 (honestly prob. by june 27 this year) and you will have a more lively atmosphere/ more businesses will actually be open.

Also June 23-24 is THE major beach holiday of the year in Spain, so seaside accommodations may be more expensive (interesting festive atmosphere though, so there's an argument for going there)

I would pick Malaga over Marbella unless you love looking at superyachts in the harbor and gawking at the gaudily rich. Costa del Sol can be humid in summer but you have the sea so that's nice. Be sure to buy some decent bug spray from the beach (sold at pharmacies due to the DEET content, the stuff you can buy at the regular grocery store doesn't have DEET)--mosquitos are a major feature of sunrise/sunset walks along the beach in Spain in summer.

Definitely book your Alhambra tickets asap. Either pick an early morning time (8:30 am is like sunrise time, I'd pick any time from 8:30 am to 10 am, later will be sooooo hot) or a night tour (or maybe both to get two different feels) to avoid the potential for extreme heat (I stay indoors from like 1 pm to 8 pm in southern Spain summer).

I really like the Real Alcázar in Seville, it is interesting to compare to the Alhambra.

OP here, thanks, great idea. Do inland first then coast. We are not all day beach people. We were thinking of visiting and exploring some of the towns along the coast. Any specific recommendations?

[Anonymous]

I once spent about 2-3 weeks in the south of Spain in July. Yes, it will be hot as h€LL, especially in Seville and Cordoba (and other inland cities). I mean unbearably hot (and I’m a person who loves summer). By contrast, Malaga felt like a breath of fresh air because it was about 20 degrees cooler (in the 80s) and there was a nice sea breeze to cool things off.

I would not recommend staying in Marbella. It has a cute old town but otherwise it’s only super rich people in their yachts. I would stay somewhere closer to Malaga. I would not bother visiting the typical costa del sol vacation areas such as Torremolinos and Benalmádena. These towns are packed full with high rise condos/hotels and loud/rowdy British tourists. And the beaches aren’t even that nice!

My favorite cities of southern Spain are Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga. There is also a cute town called Nerja which is nice for a half day visit. Ronda is also pretty (small town up on the mountain cliffs) but the drive to get there is hair-raising!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I once spent about 2-3 weeks in the south of Spain in July. Yes, it will be hot as h€LL, especially in Seville and Cordoba (and other inland cities). I mean unbearably hot (and I’m a person who loves summer). By contrast, Malaga felt like a breath of fresh air because it was about 20 degrees cooler (in the 80s) and there was a nice sea breeze to cool things off.

I would not recommend staying in Marbella. It has a cute old town but otherwise it’s only super rich people in their yachts. I would stay somewhere closer to Malaga. I would not bother visiting the typical costa del sol vacation areas such as Torremolinos and Benalmádena. These towns are packed full with high rise condos/hotels and loud/rowdy British tourists. And the beaches aren’t even that nice!

My favorite cities of southern Spain are Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga. There is also a cute town called Nerja which is nice for a half day visit. Ronda is also pretty (small town up on the mountain cliffs) but the drive to get there is hair-raising!

How so? We drove there and it was NBD.