Santa Cruz
Hotel Alfonso XIII
Landmark grandeur: Seville's famous 1929 grand hotel, with a colonnaded courtyard restaurant and an outdoor pool.
Spain
Luxury travel in Andalusia
Our home ground: Avelia is based here, in Málaga.
The Roman bridge and the Mezquita, Córdoba
Andalusia is Spain’s south: the Alhambra, the Mezquita of Córdoba and Seville’s Cathedral and Alcázar, white towns in the mountains, and the beaches of the Costa del Sol. Avelia plans private, tailor-made trips across the region.
Andalusia at a glance
- Recommended stay
- A week for Seville, Córdoba and Granada; ten days with the coast
- Best seasons
- March to May and September to November; summer suits the coast
- Getting there
- Fly to Málaga or Seville, or take the high-speed train from Madrid
- Best for
- Moorish architecture, flamenco and horses, food and sherry, beaches
- In a wider trip
- Pairs with Madrid, Barcelona or the islands, or with Italy and France
- World Heritage
- Eight sites, among them the Alhambra, the Mezquita and Doñana
01Where to go
Where to go in Andalusia
Six places, each with a page of its own; if the place you have in mind is not here, we plan it just the same.
SevilleThe Cathedral, Giralda and Alcázar, World Heritage since 1987
CórdobaThe Mezquita, the Roman bridge and the patios in May
GranadaThe Alhambra and the Albaicín, the Sierra Nevada behind
MarbellaBeaches, the old town and Puerto Banús
RondaA town on a cliff, split by its gorge
MálagaThe Museo Picasso, the Alcazaba and the city beaches
02Inspiration
Experiences in Andalusia
Each of these is arranged privately for your dates, subject to availability.
The great monuments
The Alhambra, the Mezquita of Córdoba and Seville’s Cathedral and Alcázar, each with a private guide and its tickets arranged ahead, and the quieter places around them.
The Alhambra, the Mezquita and Ronda among our 12 treasures of Spain
Food, wine and sherry
Tapas with a chef in Seville, sherry in the bodegas of Jerez, olive oil among the groves, and wine from the mountain estates around Ronda.
Horses, flamenco and open country
The dancing horses of Jerez, flamenco, the spring fairs, and days in the open: the edge of Doñana, the Sierra de Grazalema, the caves at Nerja and the sea off Marbella.
03Featured hotels
Where to stay in Andalusia
A hotel we recommend in each of four cities, from a selection on each city’s own pages. We can also arrange other properties to suit your preferences and travel plans.
San Miguel-Capuchinos
Palacio del Bailío
A five-star Gran Lujo house of 48 rooms in the Casa del Bailío, with a Roman house beneath its courtyard, a spa and an outdoor pool.
Centro histórico
Palacio Gran Vía
A five-star Gran Lujo house of 38 rooms in the old Rodríguez-Acosta bank, facing the Cathedral, with a rooftop bar and a spa under a brick vault.
Milla de Oro
Marbella Club
A five-star resort on the Golden Mile's beach, with rooms, suites and villas in subtropical gardens, a Beach Club, a Thalasso Spa and a Kids Club.
| Hotel Alfonso XIII | Palacio del Bailío | Palacio Gran Vía | Marbella Club | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Area | Santa Cruz | San Miguel-Capuchinos | Centro histórico | Milla de Oro |
| Setting | Grand hotel built for the 1929 Exposition | Part of the Casa del Bailío, 16th to 18th century | An early 20th-century bank building on the Gran Vía | A garden resort on the beach of the Golden Mile |
| Star category | Five-star Gran Lujo | Five-star Gran Lujo | Five-star Gran Lujo | Five-star |
| Rooms | Not confirmed | 48 | 38 | 131 |
| Beach | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | On the beach, with its own Beach Club and pier |
| Pool | Outdoor pool in the garden, for hotel guests | Outdoor pool | Heated indoor pool in the spa | Heated pools, among them the Beach Club's seawater pool |
| Spa and wellness | Wellness centre with treatments, and a fitness centre | Spa Bodyna, with a thermal circuit, a sauna and basement baths | Hammam with a Turkish bath, a treatment room and a gym | Thalasso Spa with a seawater pool; gym and Pilates studio |
| Dining | Restaurante San Fernando, Ena Sevilla and Bar Americano | Arbequina, the Roman Courtyard, the Faroles Terrace, a tapas bar and a pool bar | El Patio, the Miralba rooftop bar and La Sucursal Grand Café | The Grill, El Patio, the Beach Club, MC Beach and El Olivar |
Facts from the hotels' official websites and official tourism sources, checked 1 October 2026. A dash means we have not confirmed that detail.
Featured hotels on the map
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
The map runs from the Atlantic to the Sierra Nevada, each place pinned where it stands, with our four featured hotels beside their cities. The distances are short: Málaga, where Avelia is based, is under 90 km from Granada in a straight line, and Seville to Granada, the widest pair, is about 210.
04Seasons
When to go
Spring March to May
The region at its best: average highs of 21–27°C (70–81°F) in Seville and Córdoba, and 20–24°C (68–75°F) on the coast at Málaga.
EventsSemana Santa, 21 to 28 March in 2027; then Seville's Feria de Abril, Jerez's horse fair from 24 April to 1 May, and Córdoba's patios in May.
Summer June to August
The coast's season: Málaga averages 30–31°C (86–88°F) in July and August, with almost no rain.
Hot inland: Córdoba averages a high of 37°C (99°F) in July and Seville 36°C (97°F). Take the cities early and late, and the middle of the day by the sea.
Autumn September to November
The other best season: Seville eases from 32°C (90°F) in September to 26°C (79°F) in October, the coast keeps 24°C (75°F), and the rain returns in November.
Winter December to February
Mild on the coast, where Málaga averages 17–18°C (63–64°F), cooler in Granada at 13°C (55°F), and skiing in the Sierra Nevada. The monuments without the queues.
Region by region across Spain, our best time to visit Spain guide.
05Shape your trip
Routes and itineraries
Each route is a starting point, tailored to you. For Andalusia inside a longer journey, see all our Spain itineraries.
4days
Culture and cuisine
- Places
- Seville, with a day in Jerez
- Suits
- A first taste of Andalusia, built around Seville and its table
7days
Relax and explore
- Places
- Granada, Córdoba, Ronda and Marbella
- Suits
- The Moorish cities first, then the coast at an easier pace
5days
Adventure and nature
- Places
- Grazalema, Seville's countryside and Nerja
- Suits
- Walking, riding and the countryside, for an active trip
Itineraries that include Andalusia
Photo: Elena.laps, CC BY-SA 4.0The Charm of Andalusia
from $9,814 per person
The Grand Spanish Tour
from $27,279 per person
Luxury Spanish Honeymoon
from $16,811 per person
Spanish Family Adventure
from $9,408 per person
06Planning with Avelia
How we plan your trip to Andalusia
We start with which places and in what order — the cities first or the coast, and how long for each — then choose the hotels, and only then fill the days. Ramin Jafari plans it from Málaga, where Avelia is based, and is your contact until you are home.
Share your plans
Tell us your dates, interests, preferred pace and any practical requirements.
Shape your trip with us
We prepare a tailored proposal and refine it with you, with a quoted trip price and clear inclusions.
Travel with our support
Once you approve the proposal and complete the agreed booking requirements, we confirm your arrangements. We coordinate the details and support you while you travel.
Peace of mind
- Clear before you commit. A written proposal with a quoted trip price and clear inclusions, before any payment.
- Financially protected. Your payments for a package trip are covered against our insolvency by a guarantee with AXA.
- One point of contact. From the first conversation to the last day, with support while you travel.
What we can arrange
Your proposal sets out the arrangements included in your trip.
- Hotels matched to you — palaces in the cities, hotels by the sea, and houses and fincas we know: more in Seville’s hotels, Mercer among them, and in Córdoba’s, Granada’s and Marbella’s. See also our luxury trip planning.
- Private transport — chauffeur-driven transfers and drivers for the days out, and the high-speed trains between Seville, Córdoba, Málaga and Granada where they are the better choice.
- Private guides — from the Moorish palaces to the white villages; see our private architecture and cultural tours.
- Food and wine — cooking classes, sherry and wine tastings, and the tables that need booking ahead; see our food and wine tours.
- Tables and tickets — reservations, and timed entry where the monuments require it, the Alhambra above all.
- Special occasions — honeymoons, anniversaries and family trips, shaped by who is travelling.
Andalusia guides
- Seville travel guide
When to go, where to stay, the food, the great sights and three days in the city.
- Granada travel guide
When to go, where to stay, the food, the Alhambra and the old quarters, and three days in the city.
- Seville food and cuisine
Seville's table, where to eat, and the market, the ham and the sherry.
- Best time to visit Seville
Season by season and month by month, with the festivals and the heat to plan around.
- The Feria de Jerez
The horse fair: its traditions, its food, and planning a visit.
07Questions
Questions we are asked
What does it cost to have a tailor-made trip designed by Avelia Travel?
Every trip is priced individually. After discussing your plans, we prepare a tailored proposal with a quoted trip price and a clear outline of what is included.
How long should a trip to Andalusia be?
Three nights in Seville, two in Granada and one or two in Córdoba between them make an easy week. Ten days adds Ronda and a night or two on the coast, which is the shape of our Charm of Andalusia itinerary. Beyond that, slow down rather than add places: a second night in Ronda or a few days by the sea does more than a fourth city.
When is the best time to visit Andalusia?
March to May and September to November. Summer belongs to the coast, because the inland cities are at their hottest in July and August, and winter is mild by the sea and quiet in the cities, with skiing in the Sierra Nevada. Semana Santa and the spring fairs fill the cities, so for those weeks we book a season ahead.
Can I combine Andalusia with the rest of Spain?
Yes. Madrid is a high-speed train from Seville, Córdoba, Málaga or Granada, and a trip can begin or end there; Barcelona, the islands, Italy and France pair well too. Our luxury Spain travel guide sets out the rest of the country.
Is Andalusia good for families?
Very. The beaches are close to the cities, the horses of Jerez and the caves at Nerja hold any age, and the food is easy. In summer we keep the cities to the mornings and evenings, and the middle of the day for the pool or the sea. See our luxury family trips to Spain.
Which parts of Andalusia do you arrange?
All of it. The six places on this page are the ones most of our clients ask for; Jerez and Cádiz, the white villages, Úbeda and Baeza, Doñana and the Sierra Nevada we arrange just as readily, as a day out or a stay.
Do you only plan full itineraries, or can you help with just a hotel?
Both. We plan complete trips, and we also arrange a stay on its own: a hotel matched to you, with transfers, a guide or a few reservations added if you wish.
Is Avelia right for me?
Avelia suits travellers who want a private, well-paced trip planned around them: the right places in the right order, hotels chosen for them, guides who know the ground, tables and tickets taken care of, and one point of contact from the first conversation until they are home.
Start planning your time in Andalusia
Tell us your dates and who is travelling. Everything else we can work out together.
Usually answered within one business day.