Seville and Málaga: Packing for Spain
“You must be excited about your trip; it’s coming soon!”
Next week, I’ll be on my way to Spain! And yes, I’m excited! I didn’t think that hit me until this past weekend. I partially believe this has crept up quietly because the weather has been unpleasant here. I thought it would be beautiful, sunny in June, and…well, summer. It isn’t. It isn’t at all!
When I booked this trip in January, I felt it was so far away, and really, it was. I booked a direct flight from Halifax to Dublin, the first leg of my journey. At that time, I had not determined what I would be doing when I arrived in Dublin, where I would be going from there, and for weeks, I contemplated how I wanted to spend the following 10 days.
When researching options for trips, cost is always a concern. I will spend money if needed since these trips can be once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. Still, I want to see how far that money will go in different locations and compare the cost to the anticipated experience. If you have researched the costs of various European countries, it’s easy to see that those costs vary, sometimes dramatically. You may be able to fly somewhere cheap, but staying there for an extended time can account for much of your budget. Other places are more affordable to stay but are further away, can require connecting flights, and, as a result, can add time to the already limited 10 days. It also adds uncertainty; more flights, more chances of delays and cancellations. Anytime you add connections, it’s concerning as one delay can mess things up along the travel itinerary, so minimizing those connections as much as possible is the best choice; however, sometimes it’s unavoidable. I debated different locations and had only one prerequisite for my choice: wherever I went from Dublin had to be a direct flight; I did not want to get into booking any more flights with connections. I’m landing in Dublin; one stop is enough.
Places I Considered
As mentioned, I contemplated and compared options for weeks, and a few others ended up on my list. That list included Istanbul, Madrid, Seville, Palermo, Malta, and Dubrovnik. Those places vary in cost and distance, but would be all new experiences. I was also considering returning to places I’ve been to, such as Porto and Milan. When I visited Porto in 2022, the weather wasn’t ideal. A storm was moving through Porto; it rained a lot, with only brief times of sunny weather. For Milan, it’s simply a case I’d like to return with more time. Last time, Lisa and I explored a fair amount of the city and had a great meal at a fantastic restaurant called Ratanà. I want to spend more time in Milan. It was too brief.
Seville
The Andalusia region of Spain contains many fascinating destinations. Andalusia is located in the southernmost part of Spain. Seville is the capital of Andalusia, and its landmarks showcase the city’s blend of Moorish, Renaissance, and Baroque architecture. From my research, Seville seems to be a great walking city, making exploration enjoyable and a convenient starting destination for other regional areas. My time is only nine days, so my exploration beyond Seville will be limited, and that is why Malaga is the only other confirmed city to visit and explore. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that I won’t consider other cities; it will just have to wait until I’m there and get a better idea of my timeframe.
Madrid is in central Spain, and staying there would have offered other options; Porto is closer, for example. Ultimately, Seville seemed a better choice. Madrid is a more convenient city for me because there are more flights. With the time I had allocated for this trip, I decided to go further south and include Malaga. Madrid will be another time.
Malaga
I’ll be in the south of Spain for nine days. Nine days is good, but not enough time to explore every recommended spot in Andalusia. These are the limitations of shorter travel time. As a result, I chose to travel to Malaga and stay for a few nights.
I am there for three nights, which is sufficient from what I’ve read. I’m anticipating my visit to the Alcazaba and the Gibralfaro Castle, a Moorish fortress dating back to the 11th century. It’s on a hill, providing incredible coastline and city views.
Malaga has few landmarks and must-see sites, and that’s okay. I’m looking forward to a slightly slower exploration. I am considering various day trips from Malaga, but I may need to make those decisions on the fly. I don’t want to book and plan too much without getting there first. As a place I’ve never been to, I’m unsure how I will spend my time there.
Packing for Spain
I’ll be travelling for 10 days in total. I’m not checking a bag, but I did have to pay for a carry-on for my flights from Dublin to Seville and Malaga to Dublin. As it’s June, I hope for typical seasonal weather in Southern Spain: lots of sunshine and hot weather. I’ll be packing summer clothes and comfortable footwear.
Nothing is surprising about the camera gear. It is very similar to what I used in September last year in Italy.
Camera Gear
Fujifilm X-H2 with 2 batteries
35mm f/2
23mm f/2
K&F Concept 43mm Polarizing Filter
2 x CF Express (1 x 256GB and 1 x 128GB)
3 x SD Cards (1 x 256GB and 2 x 128GB)
DJI Osmo Pocket 3 with 256GB Micro SD
Thule Aspect Backpack to carry everything
Miscellaneous
Travel Adapter
Headphones
Ultra Pod 2 Mini Tripod
MacBook
1TB WD Portable Hard Drive
Orange Travel SIM card with 12GB of data
Summary
This will be my first trip of 2025, a bit later than usual. But at the start of the year, I booked a direct flight from Halifax to Dublin, committing to a 10-day journey but leaving the details of my trip uncertain. I spent weeks comparing various destinations, weighing the cost, time, and travel logistics. After considering options, I decided on the Andalusia region, including Seville and Malaga.
I’m looking forward to this adventure; see you when I return.