A month in Spain - first time

Old Dec 27th, 2013, 09:07 PM
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A month in Spain - first time

Hi, planning a month in Spain in May/June..don't want a rushed trip. Travelling from Australia so will need some time to recover after journey...open to arriving in Madrid or Barcelona...If Madrid, would like to plan day trips to Toledo and Segovia. Would expect to need 4 - 5 days in Barcelona. Would like to spend the rest of the time in the South taking in Cordona, Granada, Sevilla, and Nerja for a taste of the coast. How many days should I spend in each place? Would also like to visit Arcos de la Fronter and Ronda but not inclined to be bothered with the hassle of driving a car. What else is a 'must do'? I considered a side trip to Marakesh in Morrocco but other posts have dampened my enthusiasm....a hassle to travel there for an average experience....also considered Portugal if it's worth the journey...any suggestions??? I particularly enjoy smaller places and I am a keen foodie....many thanks! Lynne
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Old Dec 27th, 2013, 10:04 PM
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Madrid has world class museums and is an excellent base for the worthwhile towns nearby.

Barcelona is a special city with a joie de vivre and a sense of design unto itself.

A week in each would give you a good sense of each place.

The south is a deep contrast to Barcelona and Madrid but can get quite hot as early as June.

One place to consider that is often overlooked by first time visitors is San Sebastian/Donostia. It probably has the best food Spain, while give you a taste of the Basque country and has Belle Epoque architecture.

The trains are excellent in Spain and Vueling is an inexpensive way to fly within Spain if you adhere to their strict rules.
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Old Dec 27th, 2013, 10:46 PM
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Here's what worked for my interests -- YMMV depending on what you want to see and experience:
Madrid -- 4 full days, including one day trip to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen
Segovia -- 1 day
Avila -- part of a day
Salamanca -- 2 full days
Toledo -- 2 full days
Cordoba -- 2 full days
Granada -- 2 full days
Ronda -- less than a day
Sevilla -- 3 full days (not enough!)
(I haven't been to Barcelona or the north of Spain yet.)

You don't need a car to visit Ronda.

I found The Rough Guide among the most helpful of the guidebooks I consulted.

You will eat well!
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Old Dec 28th, 2013, 03:12 AM
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Thanks for your comments!! So helpful...so should I start in the South mid May or finish there mid June re weather? Is is likely to be too hot for heavy sightseeing then or should I plan on the whole month of May for the trip rather than move into June??
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Old Dec 28th, 2013, 03:40 AM
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Would love to fit in St Sebastian, but seems a lot of travel to get to one isolated place, ie would be traveling from Barcelona or Madrid...7 - 8 hours train or the hoo haa of catching a flight...
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Old Dec 28th, 2013, 04:48 AM
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Perhaps not a bad idea to start in the south and end up in Barcelona if you plan to stay until mid June, normally it gets quite a lot hotter in the south from mid May to mid June

Then you could also visit the Spring Fair in Córdoba last week of May, will give you a crash introduction to the Andalucian food, wine, song, dance and fiesta culture: http://www.andalucia.com/festival/co...pring-fair.htm

"Córdoba, the city that changed the world": http://www.theguardian.com/spanish-t...-changed-world

Good info about Sevilla, the undisputed queen of the cities in the South: http://www.exploreseville.com/
http://www.andalucia.com/cities/sevilla.htm

Madrid: http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do
I like to stay in Barrio de las Letras: http://www.barrioletras.com/

Barcelona: http://www.barcelonaturisme.com/
I like to stay in El Born: http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/
Here I recommend to stay in or close to the charming Old town. Seaside Calle Carabeo is the oldest street in town and runs along these cliffs: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

Plenty of apartments to rent in this area as well as a few hotels and small and basic hotel standard hostals.

And, to make things more difficult, San Sebastián was recently voted #5 destination in the world by the prestigious Condé Nast Traveler: http://www.cntraveler.com/food/2012/...-san-sebastian
http://edition.cnn.com/2013/10/16/tr...er-top-cities/

The culinary capital of not only Spain, but probably of all of Europe. The world's most renowned chef for the past decade, Ferran Adrià of now closed El Bulli, has said that San Sebastián is the best place to eat in the world "in terms of the average quality of the food, in terms of what you can get at any place you happen to walk into". http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandsty...rink.shopping2
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Old Dec 28th, 2013, 07:37 AM
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Isn't the Valley of the Fallen closed? There is controversary about it because slave labor was used to build it and only honored the Nationalists and not the Republicans from the Civil War.

It is very good idea to start in the south and work your way north. And if you can push your vacation back to May even better.
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