Wow Fiona! Where do I start?

Granada - Has to be the Alhambra, the Generalife Gardens - they can take up one or two days of your stay depending on your stamina and the weather!! The Alhambra needs to be booked in advance, as there are timed tickets for entry, but that's not too hard to do - you can do it over the web. You can then wander in the picturesque but steep Albacin quarter (sorry if that's not spelt correctly) (apparently not too safe at night), do two open air bus trips, visit the Cathedral, the Frederick and Isabella tombs and wander in the 'Moorish Quarter' behind them, and enjoy the usual pleasures of good Spanish department stores.

Cordoba - The old town is quite compact, so bring comfy walking shoes! The Mosque/Cathedral is quite frankly UNIQUE, and is located in the middle of the old town. Lots of quaint pedestrianised streets all hung with flowers (Cordoba is famous for it's flowery patios), the old synagogue, the bull fighting museum (not for the squeamish, but true to Spanish culture), the Alcazar and its gardens, the horse museum and also in the modern quarter, the shops. Possibly worth haggling for a horse and cart tour here - taken to lots of churches (exteriors) and sites not usually included in the guide book ... take a MAP!!

Seville - The Giralda, the Cathedral, the old quarter by the Alcazar, the Gardens, the Macarena Church with the Virgin who does the rounds on Good Friday, the Palace and its gardens ... BUT this town certainly knows the value of the tourist Euro and plays on it a bit like Venice!

If you have a car, you can visit the roman remains at Carmona, just outside Seville. You can also try to visit a winery or a sherry bodega (though I believe that the most open to tourists are the big names near Cadiz/Jerez). I found the Robles distillery in Montilla (not too far outside Cordoba) on the net, and because it's so normal to visit wineries for a degustation here in Alsace, thought the same open door policy would apply in Spain too. I did arrange it over the net, and turned up to find a commercially rather dis-organised factory, who got few if any visitors. Nevertheless the commercial director's secretary took us around (hers was the best English!!) and we had a FABULOUS sherry tasting .... and took home at least 12 bottles (we were in a car!!) of the most delightfully different sherries that have given us great pleasure. NB only cash accepted but not an underhand transaction.

Incidentally, if you find yourself at Malaga, there is a lot to see and do - the old town is interesting, the Cathedral very cool and Picasso's birth house is a free museum (with limited opening times) but not too overwhelming. There is the special Picasso museum; timed ticket entry - but very worth while, and you can eat well without being taken to the cleaners in the pedestrianised area just behind the main coast road.

As for Santiago ... that's still in the planning stages, but if anyone can offer advice on cheap hotels in the town centre, I'd love to hear from you. I have checked out the cheap accommodation websites, but there must be more establishments than the 4 b&bs listed?! Mustn't there?

Hope this helps ... the local tourist boards are very helpful (loads of info via the net). Any more info, please say!