Andalucia, Spain

Maps etc

Sevilla

• Churches and buildings:
  • Cathedral of St. Mary of the See (AKA Seville Cathedral).
    Wikipedia's "Seville Cathedral"
    Admission €9 (we didn't see a non-tower ticket offered, I think they don't do that any more). Probably a good idea to buy tickets online ahead of time to avoid the line.
    Audioguide costs €3, although sign fools you into thinking it's free.
    Entrance is near the Alcazar.
    No flash photography, and lighting is not good.
    Cathedral is big, some nice art, but a bit pricey for what you get.
    Some parts of the cathedral open for free on Sundays.
  • La Giralda minaret tower.
    Combined admission to cathedral and tower is €9.
    Long climb for mediocre views of the city.
  • Real Alcazar palace.
    Wikipedia's "Alcazar of Seville"
    Open winter MTWRFSS 0930-1700, summer MTWRFSS 0930-1900. Admission €9.50. Definitely buy tickets online a week or two ahead of time to avoid the line.
  • Iglesia Colegial Divino Salvador. Admission €4. Quite nice.
  • Hospital de los Venerables. Admission €4.75.
  • Setas (mushroom structures) AKA "Metropol Parasol". In La Encarnacion square. Wikipedia's "Metropol Parasol" Quite nice.
  • Universidad de Sevilla.
  • Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija (Lebrija Palace).
    Open MTWRF 1030-1930, Sat 1000-1400 and 1600-1800, Sun 1000-1400, different hours in July and August.
    Admission €12. Have to be on a tour, only at certain times.
  • Casa de Pilatos palace. Admission €8; free after 1300 on Tuesday. Disappointing, although we didn't see the upstairs.
  • Palacio de Arzobispal.
  • Castillo de San Jorge (Castle of St. George).
  • Basilica de la Macarena. North edge of city. Nice.
  • General Archive of the Indies.
    Wikipedia's "General Archive of the Indies"
  
  
  
• Museums:
  • Torre de Oro tower and maritime museum.
    Wikipedia's "Torre del Oro"
    Admission €1.50.
  • Plaza de España: near Prado San Sebastian bus station. Quite nice.
    Contains nice small, free military history museum. Also Extranjeria office.
    Wikipedia's "Plaza de España, Seville"
  • Museo de Bellas Artes.
    Wikipedia's "Museum of Fine Arts of Seville"
    Open Sept-June TWRFS 0900-2000, Sun 0900-1500, closed Mondays; Summer TWRFSS 0900-1500, closed Mondays.
    Admission €1.50, free for EU citizens.
  • Museo del Baile Flamenco.
  • Archeology Museum.
    Wikipedia's "Archeological Museum of Seville"
    Open Sept-June TWRFS 0900-1930, Sun 0900-1530, closed Mondays; Summer TWRFSS 0900-1530, closed Mondays.
    Admission €1.50, free for EU citizens.
  • Museum of Arts and Traditions.
    Wikipedia's "Museum of Arts and Traditions of Sevilla"
    Open Sept-June TWRFS 0900-2000, Sun 0900-1500, closed Mondays; Summer TWRFSS 0900-1500, closed Mondays.
    Admission €1.50, free for EU citizens.
  • Andalusian Contemporary Art Center.
    Wikipedia's "Monastery of Santa Maria de las Cuevas"
    Open TWRFS 1100-2100, Sun 1000-1530, closed Mondays.
    Admission €3; free TWRF 1900-2100 and Sat 1100-2100.
  • La Casa de la Ciencia (Science Museum).
    Wikipedia's "La Casa de la Ciencia de Sevilla - Science Museum"
    Open TWRFSS 1000-2100, closed Mondays. Admission €3.
  
  
  
• Parks and plazas:
  • Parque de Maria Luisa.
    Wikipedia's "Maria Luisa Park"
    Next to Plaza España, fairly nice.
  • Plaza San Sebastian.
  • Parque del Alamillo y San Jeronimo.
  
  
  
• Events:
  • Three King's Day: January 6th.
  • Semana Santa (Holy Week): the week preceding Easter Sunday.
  • Feria de Abril.
    Wikipedia's "Seville Fair"
  • St. John's Day: June 24th.
  • Corpus Christi: June 6th.
  • AndaluNet's "Calendario de Fiestas Sevilla"
  
  
  
• Shopping: Calle Sierpes and Calle Tetuan.
• Football: Sevilla FC (schedule) and Real Betis (tickets1).
• Isla Magica: theme park / water park.


• Transport:
  • Airport: code SVQ, Wikipedia's "San Pablo Airport".
    Bus from airport to Santa Justa train station: linea EA bus (AENA's "Public transport"), 3 stops to Santa Justa, about 20 minutes, runs every 20 minutes or so in middle of day, about €4.
  • Local buses: TUSSAM (Transportes Urbanos de Sevilla)
    Travelcard ("Tarjeta multiviaje"): use on buses and trams, if you get type "con transbordo" you can travel for an hour with transfers, MAYBE can be used by multiple people at same time.
  • Metro.
    Wikipedia's "Seville Metro"
    Andalucia.com's "Seville City - Metro"
    Underground Travelcard ("Bono con transbordo"): similar to bus Travelcard, but sold only in Metro stations, and covers Metro/bus/tram, travel for 90 minutes with transfers, can be used by multiple people.
  • MetroCentro trams.
    Wikipedia's "MetroCentro (Seville)"
  • Prado de San Sebastian bus station: routes to the south and east of Sevilla.
  • Plaza de Armas bus station: destinations north and west of Sevilla.
  • Santa Justa train station: AVE and all other types.
  • San Bernardo train station: MD, Cercania trains, and a Metro station.
  Regional long-distance buses: SAMAR
  Regional long-distance buses: Los Amarillos
  
  
  
• US Consular Agency Seville
  
  

Jerez de la Frontera

• Tourist Info office: in Plaza del Arenal. Nothing at the bus or train stations.
  Tourismo Jerez


• Alcazar Jerez de la Frontera: Moorish fortress/palace/mosque.
  Fun with Dick and Jane's "The Alcazar"
  Open MTWRFSS 0930-1430 except July-Sept MTWRF open until 1730.
  €5 admission.
  Pretty nice, lots of rooms and towers and parapets and such. But little artwork or decoration.
• Archaeological Museum.
  On Tripadvisor
  Open TWRF 1000-1400 and 1600-1900, SS 1000-1400, closed Mondays.
  €5 admission. Free first Sunday of each month, and on various holidays.
  Free audioguide in English.
• Museos de la Atalaya AKA "Palacio del Tiempo": clock museum.
  On Tripadvisor
  Only guided tours, €6 admission.
  MTWRF tours at 0930, 1030, 1130, 1230, 1315.
• Collection Joaquin Rivero in Bodegas Tradicion.
  Pinacoteca Coleccion Joaquin Rivero
  Wikipedia's "Pinacoteca Rivero"
  Calle Plaza Cordobeses 3, in Bodegas Tradicion
  Closest bus is route 2.
  Open MTWRF 0900-1700, Sat 1000-1400, July+Aug Sat 0800-1500.
  Admission €25 ! You get a guided tour of everything, bodega and gallery.
  But I sent email to them, and they say you can see just the art gallery for €5, and we did that. 30 to 40 paintings, 16th to 19th century mostly, pretty nice.
  Reserve in advance.
• Palacio del Virrey Laserna (Viceroy Laserna Palace): house, furniture, paintings, etc.
  On Tripadvisor
  On Facebook
  Calle Pozuelo 8, near Plaza Monti, directly behind Tourist Info.
  Tours are roughly 40 minutes and cost €7 each. No photography.
  October-April: TWRFS 1000-1400 and 1600-1900, maybe Sunday 1100-1400, closed Monday.
  May-September: TWRFS 1000-1400 and 1700-2000, Sunday 1100-1400, closed Monday.
  Very nice, much better than I expected, don't miss it !
• Palacio Domecq. No entrance, can't visit it.
• Palacio Camporreal / Palacio de Campo Real / Palacio de Benavente.
  On Bodas.net
  Wikipedia's "Palacio de Campo Real"
  Plaza de Benavente Alto 6.
  Open MTWRF 1100-1300. €17 admission.
• Half a dozen more palacios.
• Jerez Cathedral.
  Fun with Dick and Jane's "The Cathedral or Collegiate of San Salvador"
  Pleasant, but €5 admission, and photography greatly limited (but we took photographs anyway).
• Monastery of Santa Maria de la Defension.
• Church of San Miguel.
  Fun with Dick and Jane's "San Miguel Church"
• Well outside town, to the SE: Cartuja de Santa Maria de al Defension de Jerez: a monastery.
  Wikipedia's "Jerez de la Frontera Charterhouse"
  On Tripadvisor
  Now a working convent, so you can't go inside ?
  No public transit to it.
• Half a dozen other churches.
• Teatro Villamarta.
• University Campus of Jerez (AKA "Campus de la Asuncion").
• Central Mercado.
• Crocodile Farm Kariba (Granja de Cocodrilos Kariba): about 4-5 miles S of Jerez, about 1-2 miles ENE of Puerto Real, on route CA-3113.


• Football:
  Two football teams:
  
  Xerez Deportivo FC (formerly "Xerez CD").
  Wikipedia's "Xerez Deportivo FC"
  Xerez Deportivo FC
  Stadium "Estadio Municipal de Chapin" near the university. Assigned seats. Cheapest seats €5.
  
  Jerez Industrial CF.
  Wikipedia's "Jerez Industrial CF"
  Jerez Industrial CF
  Stadium "La Juventud" on Avenida de Blas Infante / Avenida de Carrero Blanco (Wikipedia's "Estadio de la Juventud"). Bus lines 8, 9, 13. But the "Campo Juventud" stop is in front of the FC Mayo field; to get to the Juventud stadium, walk down W side and then along huge parking lot. Tickets from small holes in the wall near the entrance.


• Events:
  • Three Kings parade, around January 7.
    
    
  • Grand Prix motorcycle racing at the Circuito de Jerez, early May.
    Cheapest ticket for adult is about €72 for the weekend.
    There are special buses to the circuit, announced on Autobuses Urbanos - Noticias.
    
    
  • La Feria del Caballo, early May, after the motorcycle racing. Week-long feria, huge, with restaurants and amusement park rides. In Jardines da la Rosaleda / Jardines del Bosque and running under the train tracks to the other side, huge. Govt runs special bus lines to it. Very crowded and extremely noisy. No admission fee; rides generally about €4 per person.
    
    


• Shopping:
  • Huge shopping/outlet mall, just outside city on west side: LUZ Shopping.
    Bus route 8, 18.
    
    
  • Carrefour Norte.
    Closed Sundays. Bus route 5, 8, 9.
    
    
  • Carrefour Sur.
    Closed Sundays. Bus route 8, 9, 13.
    
    
  • El Corte Ingles (including Hipercor).
    Bus route 4, 15, 16 ?
    
    
  • Used-book store with some English books: Planeta ZOCAr (on Facebook).
    Plaza Vargas 2. Open MTWRF 0900-2000 Sat 0900-1400.
    
    


• Airport:
  Code XRY
  official site
  Wikipedia's "Jerez Airport"
  AirportsInEurope.com's "Jerez Airport"
  
  

  • Train to/from airport is infrequent and confusing. Going to airport, the electronic display showed wrong platform, so we missed our train. Coming back from airport, some trains are locals and some are medium-distance, and you have to buy the right kind of ticket. The ticket machines give you no help with this, and there are no signs to warn about it.
    
    
  • Buses to/from airport are infrequent and confusing. Many different route-numbers stop there once a day; there is no regular service by one particular route. Takes about 30 minutes to/from Estaciones.
    
    
  • Taxi: about €16 from Estaciones.
    
    
  • When arriving by plane into the airport, consult signs inside the terminal to find when the next bus or train will arrive to take you to the city. But the signs are in the arrival/departure lounge only, not in baggage claim, so you can't check them while waiting for your luggage.
    
    


• Travel to the east, such as Malaga:
  • Train north from Jerez to Dos Hermanas (just outside Seville) and then change trains to go east. About €26 one-way to Malaga.
    
    
  • Los Amarillos bus goes about twice a day.
    
    
  • CostaSur bus ?
    
    
  • Transportes Generales Comes bus ?
    
    
  • BlaBlaCar (about 2.5 hours to Malaga)
    
    


• Bus to Madrid airport: Socibus / Secorbus.
  
  Socibus ticket office in Jerez bus station: open ??? until 2350.
  
  About €27 one-way, left at 2200, arrived terminal T1 at about 0630.
  
  Stops in Utrera, a small town I didn't get the name of, Marchena, Cordoba, and a big highway rest stop (Pedro Abad). (A little confusing at the rest stop: we got off and went inside to use bathrooms, went back out to find bus leaving without us, but it was just going to the fuel pumps. Four identical buses side by side; note the number of your bus.) Really no time to use bathrooms at any stop except the rest stop, and maybe at Cordoba if you told the driver and were quick. But there is a bathroom aboard the bus. Arrived at Estacion Sur in Madrid and we all had to transfer to another bus for the final hop to the airport.
  
  Wi-Fi on board, but no AC power, except some outlets near the side door where you could charge a phone; I didn't try them.
  
  
• Regional buses:
  
  Valenzuela:
  Ticket office in Jerez bus station: open MTWRF 0650-1415 and 1545-2030, Sat 0815-1300, Sun 1030-1415 and 1545-2030.
  Buses to Sanlucar (40 minutes), Algeciras (1.5 to 2.5 hours, depending on stops), more.
  
  TG Comes:
  Ticket office in Jerez bus station: open MTWRF 0730-1330 and 1600-1700, closed SS.
  Buses to Algeciras (2.75 hours), more.
  
  
  
• Local buses:
  Ayuntamiento de Jerez's "Autobuses Urbanos"
  
  Bus system office on Corredera (on back side of main mercado; near Plaza del Arenal). Office hours MTWRF 0800-1445, MTWR 1630-2030, Sat 0830-1430; long lines before noon.
  
  Route map may be available only from bus system office, but they usually don't have any. It's very hard to print from the PDF.
  
  Can buy a bus card at that office; no ID required; two people can ride at same time on one card. Can recharge the card at that office, or at a couple of dozen papelerias and estancos around town.


• Emergency: 112. National police: 091. Local police: 092.
• For-pay city Wi-Fi: Wi-Fi Jerez
  Price ranges from €1/hour to €0.5/hour, or €24/month.
  Signal available only in the very center of town: along Plaza Arroyo / Alcazar / Plaza Arenal / Calle Larga / Plaza Mamelon / Calle Sevilla.


• Discotecas:
  Generally they don't get started until 2 AM ? That's what we were told at Tribecca.
  
  

  • Kapote (on Facebook), at Avenida Alcalde Alvaro Domecq between numbers 11 and 13, cross street Calle Caldas, in same complex as Tribecca and Iroko. Bus 4 stop Inst Coloma or Alvaro Domecq, bus 10 stop Alvaro Domecq, but buses stop running at about 2100.
    
    
  • Tribecca Jerez (on Facebook), at Avenida Alcalde Alvaro Domecq between numbers 11 and 13, cross street Calle Caldas, in same complex as Kapote and Iroko. Bus 4 stop Inst Coloma or Alvaro Domecq, bus 10 stop Alvaro Domecq.
    
    
  • Soho Jerez AKA Soho Sala Club (on Facebook), at Calle Zaragoza 27, cross street Calle Nuno de Canas. Bus 2 or 3 or 10 or 18 stop Paul.
    Not sure this is open any more.
    Just around the corner on Calle Nuno de Canas: Foster's Hollywood bar, Plaza de Canterbury irish bar, O'Donoghue's bar.
    
    
  • Why Not? Disco & Club, at Calle Amianto 13, cross street Calle Oro. Near Carrefour Norte.
    
    
  • Metro Disco Jerez (on Facebook), at Calle Platino 16, cross street Calle Oro. Near Carrefour Norte.
    
    
  • La Guarida del Angel open sometimes ? Seems to be only for special events and Flamenco ? Calle Porvenir 1, near Plaza las Angustias. 615 601 223.
    
    
  • Belmondo Discotheque (on Facebook), at Calle Pinon 34, NE out of town, in Guadalcacin.
    
    


• Learn Spanish:
  • Opening 9/2017: Escuela de Idiomas Leonardo. In Plaza de Arenal. leonardoescueladeidiomas at gmail dot com.
    
    
  • Caramba! (residential)
    
    
  • LenguaLuz
    
    
  • Ole! Courses
    
    
  • TenSpanish / Tenidiomas
    
    
  • Dove Siamo
    
    
  • Global Learning Group at Calle Diego Fernandez Herrera 2.
    From them 1/2017: No beginner or advanced-beginner classes at the moment, but One2One lessons are 10 hours for €150 or 20 hours for €290.
    
    


• For residents:
  • Residents get reduced admission prices at the Alcazar and the various palacios; show your ID before buying tickets.
    
    
  • Padron. Four offices, for different sectors of the city. Southern office (in Edifico de Uno de Mayo) is open 0930-1330. Also can do padron at central office in Calle Consistorio (summer hours 0845-1330 no cita required).
    
    
  • Extranjeria office:
    Plaza del Arroyo Num 46-47 - 11401
    LMXJV 0900-1430 and1600-1900; SD sin horario
    Cita
    If you can't get a reasonable cita online, try going to the office and see if they can give you a better cita there.
    I went about 1130 one day, without a cita, and they took care of me anyway. It helps if you just plop all the needed papers and ID down in front of them; makes it easy for them to say yes. For renewal of Permiso de Residencia, they just send all the papers to Cadiz, so not much work for them in this office. Went again at 1230 one day to ask question, again got served without cita.
    
    
  • Juzgados office: Justicia, get solteria certificate, no delito certificate, etc. Avenida de Tomas Garcia Figueras. Summer hours 0900-1300.
    
    
  • INSS/TGSS office: next to main library, on Calle Eguilaz. Closes around 1400 ? Long line if you don't have a cita.
    
    
  • TGSS office: on Calle Ancha.
    
    
  • Salud offices at main hospital: Servicio Andaluzde Salud. To get a cita, click "Atencion a la ciudadania" then "Tramites y gestiones". But you can't do it through a web page; you either have to use a mobile application (which requires that you have a TSI already) or phone call.
    
    
  • If you need any unusual vaccinations, you have to go to the Vaccination Center for International Travelers in Cadiz (get a cita; 956 98 92 24; Calle Ciudad de Vigo, 2 blocks from the train station). They will do some vaccinations there (for €19 each), and write requests for your local Centro Salud to do others, or write a request for your Centro Salud to do a blood antibody test to see if you have immunities.
    
    
  • No DGT office in Jerez; have to go to Cadiz ?
    
    
  • Municipal government offices: Jerez SEDE Electronica
    
    
  • Security / police: Ayuntamiento de Jerez's "Seguridad".
    Only one local police station in town, on Avenida de la Comedia.
    
    
  • Main Correos office (Plaza de Romero Martinez) open MTWRF 0830-2030 Sat 0930-1330.
    
    
  • Hospital General at NW edge of town is govt hospital.
    Hospital de San Juan Grande at W edge of town is private.
    Hospital Clinica Serman near Plaza del Caballo is private.
    Hospital Jerez Puerta del Sur at S edge of town is private.
    
    
  • Main library: Alameda del Banco 7-8. MTRWF 0900-1400 and 1630-2100; Sat 0930-1400. Free Wi-Fi, and also registered Wi-Fi using library card. No materials in English.
    
    
  • Only one set of movie theaters in town.
    Yelmo Cines Area Sur (more info) in Centro Comercial Area Sur, near or in SE corner of Luz shopping center. Bus lines 8 9 18 (not sure if best stop is Area Sur 2 or Area Sur 3), but buses stop running at about 2100.
    
    
  • Possible cannabis clubs or shops:
    Dispensary at Calle Alcalde Domingo Ruiz 8 Guadalcalcin 11591 ?
    Grow shop Yerbawuena 11408, next to Carrefour Sur, next to a swimming-pool shop.
    
    
  • Municipal bicycle service ("+ Bici"):
    
    User must be over 17 years old.
    Have to register and give bank account details.
    Must use green Bahia de Cadiz transport card.
    Bicycle use is free for up to 8 hours after using some other form of transit that uses the green card (regional bus; does not include Renfe or local/urban bus). After 8 hours, the charge is €2/hour.
    Bicycle must be returned at same point it was obtained, and on same day.
    No helmets provided.
    
    Standard office hours are MTWRF 0800-2130.
    From CMTBC 7/2017:
    There are two types of bicycle loan and the schedule varies depending on whether it is automatic or not. You do not have to go through office in the automatic and yes you have to go through office for the one that is not automatic.
    
    ...
    
    Loan hours at different terminals, are generally different from Monday to Sunday and depend on the opening hours of said Stations. Every time one picks up a bicycle, once released from service, does not has to go through the office, but pass the Card by the reader of the machine.
    
    Bikes available in Jerez bus station.
    Other points in Jerez are Alameda Bank Mamelon Square and Campus University ?
    
    Consorcio de Transportes Bahía de Cádiz's "+ Bici"
    
    

Arcos de la Frontera

• Town is on two levels:
  Lower level (newer) has bus station, parking garage, etc.
  Upper level (on top of cliffs) is old town.
  A micro-bus runs between the two levels.
  But expect lots of up and down walking; not many flat places in this town.
• Castillo de Arcos. Not open to the public.
• Churches and convents:
  • Iglesia de la Caridad.
  • Basilica Menor de Santa Maria de la Asuncion.
    On tripadvisor
    andalucia.com's "Santa Maria de la Asuncion"
    Entrance is on Plaza del Cabildo. €2 admission.
    As of 1/2017, closed for repairs.
  • Iglesia de San Pedro.
    On tripadvisor
    €1 admission.
  • Iglesia de San Agustin.
  • Iglesia de San Miguel.
  • Iglesia de San Francisco.
  • Convento de la Encarnacion.
  • Capilla de la Misericordia.
  • Convento de las Mercedarias Descalzas.
    Nuns sell sweets and cakes through a hatch.
    Open 0830-1430 and 1700-1900.
• Hospital de San Juan de Dios.
• Palacio de los Condes del Aguila.
• Palacio del Mayorazgo.
  On tripadvisor
  Open MTWRFS 1000-1400 and 1700-2000, Sundays 1100-1400. Free admission.
• Asilo de la Caridad (asylum).
• Edificio del Posito (granary building, then school, now health center).
• Birth house of the poet Julio Mariscal.
• Jardin Andalusi (town garden).
  Open MTWRFS 1000-1400 and 1700-2000, Sundays 1100-1400.
• Ayuntamiento viejo (former City Hall).
• Town Hall. At Cuesta de Belen 5, on the Plaza Cabildo.
  Open MTWRF 1000-1330, but reservations required (get them at Tourist Info).
• Museo del Belen (nativity and Biblical scenes).
  On tripadvisor
  Limited opening hours. Free admission but can donate.
• Calle Nueva, a street that was the castle moat.
• Small Tourist Info kiosk on Paseo de Andalucia, near Plaza de España and underground car parking.
• Oficina de Turismo y el Centro de Interpretacion de la Ciudad de Arcos (the Tourist Office and Interpretation Center of the City of Arcos).
  At Cuesta de Belen 5, just up from Old Jerez Gate.
  MTWRFS 1000-1400 and 1530-1930, Sun 1000-1400.
• Promontory called "la Peña" (Mirador de la Peña Nueva). Disappointing.
• Events:
  • Semana Santa de Arcos (Holy Week of Arcos), declared a National Tourist Interest, every April.
  • Toro del Aleluya (Bull of the Hallelujah), a running of the bulls. Every Easter Sunday.
  • Carnaval de Arcos (Carnival of Arcos), every second week of February.
• Not on train line.
  Buses from Jerez de la Frontera (destination may say "Ubrique"), Cadiz, and also the Sevilla-Conil bus stops here.
  Bus station address is Calle Corregidores 1.
  But some buses may stop out on main Cadiz road ?
  From bus station or Plaza de España roundabout, the Linea Centro micro-bus goes up the hill and stops near the church St Mary - Santa Maria at the top (not sure if this is true). Fare about €1, runs every 30 minutes. Ask for Santa Maria stop.

Sanlucar de Barrameda

• Tourist Info: next to mercado, across street from Hotel Guadalquivir, on Avenida Calzada Duquesa Isabel.
  Winter hours: WRFSat 1000-1400 and 1600-1800, SunMT 1000-1400.
• Castle of Santiago. Nice, but not much in the way of furnishings or artifacts, just the building itself.
• Palace of the Infantes of Orleans and Borbon (now City Hall).
• Nuestra Senora de la O church.
• Palace of the dukes of Medina Sidonia (now municipal archives). Guided tours only. No photography allowed, and the guides make everyone stay together. And the guides talk on and on; too much talking.
• Convent of Santo Domingo.
• Donana National Park (Parque Nacional de Donana).
  How To Visit Donana
  From some TripAdvisor reviews: "... certainly not Spain's most beautiful park and visiting the park is highly regulated with access only possible via organized tours. This park is not a must-see." and "Best to visit after winter, when there are a lot of animals and water."
• Festivals: Feria de la Manzanilla in late May, horse races (Carreras de Caballos, site) on the beach in August, Tapas Fair (when ?), International Festival of Music (early August; classical), classical and jazz festivals (when ?).
• Summer concerts in the Calzada de la Duquesa.
• Beach is nice but the water isn't: it's a mixture of river and ocean water, and pretty shallow in most places.

Chipiona

• Santuario de Nuestra Senora de Regla: monastery, once was a fortress.
  Paseo Costa de la Luz, at Plaza Nuestra Senora de Regla.
  Open 0800-1200 and 1700-1930. Masses MTWRF 0800 and 1900, Sat 0730 and 1900, Sun 0900, 1100, 1300, 1900. Free admission.
  Pleasant church, nothing amazing.
• Parroquia Nuestra Senora de la O: church.
  Plaza Juan Carlos I.
  Open MTWRF 0800-1400, Sat 1000-1300. Mass MTWRFS 2000, Sun 0900, 1100, 1230, 2000. Free admission.
  Pleasant church, nothing amazing.
• Castillo de Chipiona. Houses museum "Cadiz and the New World".
  Wikipedia's "Castillo de Chipiona"
  Calle Castillo 5. Open TWRFSS 1000-1400, closed Mondays. Admission €2.
  A bit disappointing.
• Lighthouse (faro) at Punta del Perro.
  Autoridad Portuaria de Sevilla
• Carnival: January/February, mainly last week of February / first week of March.
• Estacion de Autobuses de Chipiona.
  Avenida de Almeria 15, near corner with Avenida de Andalucia.
• Tourist Info office: at the Castillo de Chipiona.
  Andalucia's "Municipal Tourist Office of Chipiona"
  Open approximately 1000-1400 and 1600-1800 or 1700-1900; hours vary month to month.

Rota

• Tourist Info: Calle Cuna, in Castillo de Luna. Email: turismo at aytorota.es
• Castillo de Luna.
  Junta de Andalucia's "Castillo de Luna"
  on TripAdvisor
  Calle Cuna 2.
  Open MTWRF 0900-1400 and 1800-2100, SS 1000-1400 and 1700-2100. Guided tours SS 1300 and 1700.
  Free admission; guided tour €1.
  Take the tour; without it, you don't see much, just the ground-floor inner courtyard.
• Plaza Jesus Nazareno is worth seeing, some nice modern sculptures and nice view out onto the beach.
• Two football teams: CD Rota and UD Rotena.
• Bus from Jerez goes straight to the Estacion, which is up at the gate to the Naval base, not near the waterfront. Limited service to/from Jerez: only 6 each way per day on weekdays, 3 each way per day on weekends.
• Commuter ferry to Cadiz: Catamaran Bay of Cadiz.

El Puerto de Santa Maria

• Nice maps on big standing displays outside the train station.
• Tourist Info in middle of old town, at Plaza Alfonso X el Sabio, 2 blocks in from the waterfront. From train station, take L2 bus to M Aramburu stop.
• Iglesia Mayor Prioral: church, free admission.
• San Marcos Castle: €6 admission and tour, no photography allowed.
• Walking tours.
• Museo Fundacion Rafael Alberti: contemporary art.
• Museo Municipal: city and provincial history, artifacts, fossils, etc.
• Monasterio de la Victoria.
• Aqualand Bahia de Cadiz: water park, a bit small and overpriced ?
• Beaches, but they're pretty far from the train station.
• Feria del Vino Fino: week-long fiesta, in late May.
  Booths and restaurants and amusement park rides.
  At the edge of town, near intersection of CA-602 (Carretera de Sanlucar) and A-491.
  Special buses to feria from Plaza España, other places.
  Also special direct buses from Jerez.
  Crowded and noisy.
  No admission fee; rides generally about €4 per person.
• Hogueras de San Juan: Midsummer bonfires and fireworks on the beaches in most areas of Cadiz on 23 June.
• Saint's days, with parades: July 16 and September 8.
• Commuter ferry to Cadiz: Catamaran Bay of Cadiz.

Valdelagrana

• Good beach fairly close to the train station; seems popular for that.

Puerto Real

• Oficina Municipal de Turismo: Plaza Poeta Rafael Alberti 4, open MTWRF 0900-1400.
• Saint Sebastian Church.
• Victory's Church.
• Saint Joseph Church.
• Municipal Market.
• Pinar de la Algaida: pine-forest nature area.
• The Trocadero (an old military settlement).
• Football: Puerto Real CF.
  Wikipedia's "Puerto Real CF"
• Outdoor clothing mercadillo along the waterfront (behind Ayuntamiento and Tourist Info) on Friday morning, maybe other times too.
• A nice pedestrian street with cafes and boutiques: Calle de la Plaza.
• Beach seemed bad. Town is on an enclosed bay.

San Fernando

• Tourist Info: at train station, on side away from most of town.
• Castillo de San Romualdo (Museo Historico Municipal).
• Conjunto Arquelogico "Homos Punicos y Fenicios".
• Molino de Mareas El Zaporito (Zaporito tide mill). Planeta Isla Museum
• Callejon Croquer.
• Iglesia de La Pastora.
• Iglesia del Cristo de la Veracruz.
• Escuela de San Jose.
• Cerro de los Martires.
• Castillo de Sancti Petri.

Cadiz

• Cathedral and North Tower.
• Town walls and forts.
• Archeological Museum (Plaza de Mina).
• Tavira tower.
• Admiral's House.
• Oratorio de San Felipe Neri: church.
• San Antonio church.
• Roman theatre.
• Five bus routes that loop around the town and go to beaches, but do not go deep into the old town.
• Ferries: Cadiz Tourism's "Sea transportation".
• Festivals: Carnaval in February.
  cadizturismo
  Kate's Travel Tips' "Carnaval de Cadiz: What I wish I had known before going!"
• Cruise to Canaries ???
• Cruise to Mediterranean ???
• Cruise to Portugal ???

Algeciras

• Tourist Info office: on Calle Cervantes, or Avenida Villanueva ?
• Plaza Alta.
• La Villa Vieja, torres de la Huerta del Carmen (towers).
• Parque Arqueologico de las Murallas Merinies (archeological park).
  TripAdvisor's "Parque Arqueologico de las Murallas Merinies"
• Capilla de Nuestra Senora de Europa (chapel).
• Iglesia de Nuestra Senora de la Palma (church).
• Hospital de La Caridad.
• Capilla de la Caridad (chapel).
• Capilla de San Servando (chapel).
• Capilla del Santo Cristo de la Alameda (chapel).
• Mercado de Abastos de Algeciras / Mercado Ingeniero Torroja.
• Faro de Isla Verde.
• Parque Maria Cristina.
  TripAdvisor's "Parque Maria Cristina"
• Bahia Park (waterpark).
  TripAdvisor's "Bahia Park"
• No train from Jerez to Algeciras 3/2017.
• Valenzuela bus from Jerez to Algeciras 3/2017: 7 each way per day. €10.76 one-way. Takes 75 minutes to ferry port, 85 minutes to Algeciras bus terminal.
• Bus to Gibraltar: take M-120 bus to La Linea de la Concepcion; takes 45 minutes. Not sure if you can get it from the ferry port or have to get it from the bus terminal. A few buses from the terminal say "La Linea directo" and probably are faster.
• Ferries to Tangier and Ceuta.

La Linea de la Concepcion

• Strongholds of San Carlos, Santa Barbara and San Felipe.
• Museum of the Isthmus.
  Guia de Cadiz's "Museo Municipal y Archivo Historico (Museo del Istmo)"
  Open MTWRF 1000-1400 and 1700-2100. Free admission.
• Iglesia de la Inmaculada Concepcion.
  Wikipedia's "La Inmaculada Concepcion, La Linea de la Concepcion"
• Arrive by train to San Roque, then TG Comes bus to La Linea.
  But from people on TripAdvisor forum:
  "The problem is that San Roque station is not in the town of San Roque but in an area called 'Estacion de San Roque'. The buses go to the town not the station ..." and "M-121 bus goes from station to La Linea, but is infrequent".

Gibraltar

• From VisaHQ's "Gibraltar visa":
  "Gibraltar tourist visa is not required for citizens of United States of America for a stay up to 180 days. ... All travelers will need a passport valid for at least 90 days following your departure date from Gibraltar."
  US citizens do not require a visa, according to list on HM Government of Gibraltar's "Visas and Immigration"
  From VisitGibraltar.gi's "Passport and Visa Information":
  "Passports are required by all visitors to Gibraltar, except EU nationals who are in possession of a valid national identity card. ... As a general rule, those who require a visa for entry to the UK also require a separate visa for entry to Gibraltar. Applications should be made to any British Diplomatic Visa Issuing post in the applicant's normal country of residence (British Embassy) ..."
  
  
• From Wikitravel's "Gibraltar":
  In some cases people queueing in cars to Gibraltar have been approached by official looking guys who try to sell them €20 ticket for border crossing fee to enter Gibraltar. These are scams, any payment or ticket is not required to cross the border.
  
  
  
• After you cross the frontier from Spain into Gibraltar: you can catch a #10 bus that will go to the cable-car bottom station, or a #5 bus that will go about 2/3 of the way through town, or you can walk across the airport runway and into town to get to stops for other buses.
  
  
• Tourist Info office: in Casemates Square (immediately after passing through Landport tunnel). In the center of town, nowhere near the frontier. Never did see the office, but I didn't look too hard for it. Someone said free maps are available at McDonald's. There are boxes in many places where you can buy a map for €1. At bus stops, grab a free route map if any are available.


• On the Rock:
  • Upper Rock: military installation, and nature reserve with monkeys.
  • Highest Point and O'Hara's Battery: very top of the Rock.
  • Gibraltar Nature Reserve.
  • St Michael's Cave: natural grotto.
  • Siege Tunnels.
  • Mediterranian Steps: steep walk up east side of The Rock. Maybe take cable car up and then walk down.
  • Cable car goes to the top of the middle of the Rock. About €20 for a roundtrip ticket. Line for cable car easily can be 30 minutes or more, but don't believe the van-drivers who are telling you it's a 2-hour wait, judge for yourself. Very good idea to buy the cable-car tickets online at Gibraltarinfo and avoid the line, but I think you'd have to print the tickets somewhere.
  
  
  
• Europa Point:
  • Lighthouse.
  • Views of Africa.
  • Lots of commercial shipping traffic.
  • Chapel of Nuestra Senora de Europa (the Shrine of our Lady of Europe).
  • Mosque of The Custodian of the Holy Mosques.
  • Harding Battery.
  Take bus 2 from Market Place (near Casemates Square and Tourist Info office). Bus runs every 15 minutes normally, every 30 minutes on weekends and holidays.
  
  When we were there, the mosque was closed and we didn't go to the chapel, so we easily saw the rest in less than 30 minutes. Only one cafeteria and bathrooms on site; no other cafes or local businesses.
  
  
• The Alameda Gibraltar Botanical Gardens.
  Alameda Botanical Gardens
  Open 0800-2100 or sunset.
  Take bus 2, 3 or 4.
• Dolphin Watching trips.
• Gibraltar Museum. Archaeological stuff, mainly ? Open MTWRF 1000-1800, Sat 1000-1400, closed Sun. Admission £2.
• 100 Ton Gun (Nelson Anchorage; Napier of Magdala Battery).
• Cathedral of St. Mary the Crowned.
• Cathedral of The Holy Trinity Gibraltar (Anglican Cathedral).
• The Mario Finlayson National Art Gallery.
  Open MTWRF 1000-1800, Sat 1000-1400. Free admission.
• Gibraltar Exhibitions of Modern Art (GEMA).
  Open MTWRF 1100-1500. Free admission.


• From Wikitravel's "Gibraltar":
  The tourist office will give you a map and recommend the following basic itinerary. Take bus #2 from Market Place (around the corner of the tourist office) to Europa Point. Take pictures and enjoy Europa Point with the rest of the tourists. Then take the bus back towards Market Place but get off at the cable cars. Ask the driver for help, but you will see the cable cars before the stop. Take the cable cars up to see the Upper Rock and Nature Reserve. Then take the cable car down and walk main street back to Landport tunnel.
  
  Cable cars run from 09.30 until 19.45 to the Upper Rock, but the last car up the hill might leave as early as 19.00. A "cable car and nature reserve" ticket costs £20.50 return, this includes entrance to the cave, the Great Siege Tunnels, the City Under Siege exhibition, the Moorish Castle and the Apes' Den. A return cable car ticket without any additional entrance tickets costs £10.50 and comes with three hours of free Wi-Fi usage at the top. The best option, however is to buy a one-way version of this ticket (£18.50) and walk down the Rock, seeing the sights, monkeys and views on the way - although sensible shoes, a hat and plenty of water are required. ...
  
  In the summer season (April to September) the middle cable car station is closed. The rest of the year however, you can do a return trip by taking the cable car up to the top, walking to St Michael's Cave and through the nature reserve to the Apes' Den intermediate station and returning to town by cable car.
  
  
  
• From Wikitravel's "Gibraltar":
  Most shops in Gibraltar will accept Euros. Bear in mind that shops will generally give you a more expensive rate of exchange than the numerous exchange offices and generally won't accept small change. Government offices, post offices and some payphones do not accept foreign currency, and will require you to pay in pounds.
  
  Credit and debit cards are sometimes not accepted in some shops (especially restaurants).
  
  
  
• Arriving from the NW (Jerez):
  • Bus to Algeciras, 45-minute bus to La Linea, then walk over border.
  • BlaBlaCar to La Linea, then walk over border.
• We stayed in the Oh!tels Campo De Gibraltar hotel in La Linea, and were happy with it. Close to the border crossing, close to the bus station, and 3 or 4 blocks from a nice plaza and lots of restaurants further into La Linea, too.

Estepona

Marbella

Benalmadena

Malaga

• Churches and buildings:
  • Alcazaba: Moorish castle.
    Wikipedia's "Alcazaba of Malaga"
    Calle Alcazabilla 2.
    Open Tu-Su 9:30-19:00, closed on Mondays.
    Admission €2.10, free Sundays after 1400.
  • Roman Theater (Teatro Romano).
    Calle Alcazabilla 8, next to Alcazaba.
    Admission free.
  • Castillo de Gibralfaro: Moorish castle.
    Wikipedia's "Gibralfaro"
    Calle Gibralfaro 11 (at the top of the hill, you can walk or take bus #35).
    Open Tu-Su 9:30-19:00, closed on Mondays.
    Admission €2.10, free Sundays after 1400.
  • Malaga Cathedral (Catedral de Malaga).
    Wikipedia's "Malaga Cathedral"
    Calle Molina Lario 9.
    Open M-F 10:00-17:30, Sa 10:00-17:00, closed on Su and holidays.
    Admission €5. Free before 1000 (?), for a mass, and all day on Sundays.
  • Episcopal Palace.
    Wikipedia's "Palacio Episcopal de Malaga"
  • Church of Santiago (Saint James).
    Wikipedia's "Iglesia de Santiago Apostol (Malaga)"
    Closed for renovation until July 2017.
  • Basilica y Real Santuario de Santa Maria de la Victoria.
    Wikipedia's "Santuario de la Victoria (Malaga)"
  • Church of the Sacred Heart.
    Wikipedia's "Iglesia del Sagrado Corazon (Malaga)"
  • San Felipe Neri Church.
    Wikipedia's "Iglesia de San Felipe Neri (Malaga)"
  • Church of the Holy Martyrs.
    Wikipedia's "Iglesia de los Santos Martires (Malaga)"
  • Atarazanas Market (Mercado Central de Atarazanas).
    Wikipedia's "Mercado de Atarazanas"
    Calle Atarazanas 10.
    Open MTWRFS 0600-1600, closed Sundays.
  • Wikipedia's "University of Malaga"
  
  
  
• Museums:
  • MalagaCard gives free entry to 10 museums and monuments.
  • Picasso Museum (Museo Picasso Malaga), Palacio de Buenavista.
    Wikipedia's "Museo Picasso Malaga"
    Calle San Agustin 8.
    Open Tu-Th 10:00-20:00, F-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su and holidays 10:00-20:00.
    Less crowded in afternoon and early evening ?
    Admission €8. Free on Sundays between 1800 and 2000.
  • Picasso's birthplace (Museo Casa Natal de Picasso).
    Wikipedia's "Fundacion Picasso"
    Plaza Merced 15.
    Open MTWRFSS 9:30-20:00.
    Admission €2.
  • Museo Carmen Thyssen.
    Wikipedia's "Carmen Thyssen Museum"
    Plaza Carmen Thyssen, Calle Compania 10.
    Open Tu-Th 10:00-20:00, F-Sa 10:00-21:00, Su and holidays 10:00-20:00 (open M and closed Su in summer).
    Admission €8.
  • Interactive Museum of Music (Museo Interactivo de la Musica Malaga).
    Muralla Plaza de la Marina.
    Open MTWRFSS 10:00-14:00 and 16:00-20:00.
    Admission €3.
  • Centro de Arte Contemporaneo de Malaga (CAC Malaga).
    Right behind the Alameda train station.
    Closed Mondays.
    Admission free. Guided visits.
    Huge murals behind the building.
    Nice cafe outside near the river.
  • Museo del Vidrio y el Cristal.
    Coleccion del Vidrio y Cristal de Malaga
  • Museo del Cister.
  • Museo de Artes Populares.
  • Museo del Vino.
  • Automobile and Fashion Museum (Museo Automovilistico y de la Moda).
  • Museo Interactivo de la Musica Malaga (MIMMA)
  • Centre Pompidou Malaga.
    on Wikipedia
  • Museo de Malaga (Fine Arts and Archeology museum).
    Wikipedia's "Museo de Malaga"
  • Coleccion del Museo Ruso (Collection of the Russian Museum).
  • Museum Jorge Rando.
    Wikipedia's "Museum Jorge Rando"
    Expressionist art.
  
  
  
• Parks and plazas:
  • La Conception Botanical & Historical Garden
    Camino del Jardin Botanico 3.
    Open 9:30-20:30.
    Admission €4.
    Full bloom in spring and early summer.
    Domed mirador (lookout).
  • Plaza de la Constitucion.
  • Plaza de la Merced.
  • Paseo del Parque.
  • Calle Larios: shopping, cafes, restaurants, sometimes exhibits.
  • Puerto de Malaga: restaurants, shops, promenade, cruise ships, etc.
  
  
  
• Events:
  • Concert in the cathedral ?
  • Teatro Cervantes: symphony orchestra, plays, etc.
    Calle Ramos Marin 0.
  • Football:
    • Malaga CF:
      Wikipedia's "Malaga CF"
    • CD El Palo:
      Wikipedia's "CD El Palo"
    
    
    
  
  
  
• Transport:
  • Maria Zambrano train station, about 1 km west of the city centre. AVE to Sevilla etc.
  • Main bus station is right across the street from the train station.
  • Airport and Maria Zambrano train station may look close together on a map, but it's a 20-minute taxi ride between them.
  • Airport to center city: train or bus.
  • Urban buses: Empresa Malaguena de Transportes.
  • Metropolitan buses: Malaga Metropolitan Transport Consortium (Consorcio de Transporte Metropolitano del area de Malaga).
  • Cercania trains: Wikipedia's "Cercanias Malaga".
  • Light rail / Metro: Metro Malaga
    Wikipedia's "Malaga Metro".

Ronda

• ???

Antequera

• ???

Granada

Cordoba

• First week of May: Fiesta de los Patios, Los Cruces de Mayo, and the Battle of the Flowers.
  Kate's Travel Tips' "The best time of year to visit Cordoba, Spain"

Miscellaneous