arubabound

Have been struggling with this topic for a couple of weeks now and can't decide, so thought i would ask for advice/opinions of this knowledgeable group...

My family of 4 (husband and 17 and 14 yr old sons) is traveling to Spain March 28 - April 5 (NJ Spring Break and yes, Spain's Semana Santa). We are flying in and out of Madrid (got an unbelievable airfare -- the way this trip started... The constants are that we want to devote a few (2-3) days to Madrid and at some point transfer south to Malaga as we own a timeshare there which is available to us for the entire week (hence any nights there = no accommodation expense.,) and spend a few days sightseeing around there. Thinking of renting a car to go around all of the prettiness in that neck of the woods (Alhambra, Ronda, Marbella, and as many whitewashed villages as will hold the interest of my gang..).
Here's what I need help with deciding: should we or should we not include Barcelona in this trip. I would love the show the boys Barcelona (my husband and I have previously done a Barcelona-Seville-Madrid trip), even if it's for a day (Camp Nou, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell - a day on the HOHO..), but know that doing that will completely change the pace of the trip....

FROM:
Madrid 3 days
Train to Cordoba - sightsee around Cordoba - rent a car
Drive to Malaga
Malaga (and surrounding areas above) 4 days

TO:
Madrid 3/28-3/30
4PM 3/30 flight getting to BCN at 5:15
Full day in BCN
8PM 3/31 - Overnight train to Granada
8AM 4/1 Granada - Alhambra, once done:
Rent car in Granada - drive to Malaga
3 1/2 days "exploring whitewashed villages"
4/5 PM - train back to Madrid to get on our 6PM flight home

Can I ask for your Yay or Nay Opinions?? (Many thanks in advance!!!)

bilboburgler

Marbella is not exactly pretty but ok, I think I might take the train Madrid to Barcelona and possibly fly to Grenada, but you've done the research. I generally don't like overnight trains.

You've not fitted in Seville.

arubabound

I found a really inexpensive flight (Vueling) from MAD - BCN. Half the time and cheaper than train. Otherwise would def prefer train.

Now the flight to Granada I didn't think of -- Thank you!!
Glad to be talking to someone who's been on overnight trains (I haven't) - why do you not like? Stops, comfort...? I was just thinking that might be an "adventurous" thing to do with the boys, but can totally take it of leave it (esp. leave it

Christina

It's not like sleeping in a bed or hotel and getting a good night's sleep and they are usually just as or more expensive, but less comfortable. The only way they are usually cheap is if you don't really get a bed but basically sleep sitting up. ugh. Besides, trains aren't silent, so you'll hear noise of the train moving and stopping, if they have any.

It may be an adventure for children (your kids hardly qualify as young children who might get excited about that, though), but don't do it because you actually expect to get a good night's sleep as an adult. Check out what it costs you, also.

NewHere

Are you staying only in the Madrid area or going to the suburb area close to Madrid? If you are staying only in Madrid, I would recommend sparing another day to Barcelona. We brought our 1yr old w us several years go and spent 3days in Madrid, 4 days down south, and 1 day in Barcelona. I regretted that we spent so much time in Madrid, even though we did spent a day outside of Madrid (which was a great decision), and should have allocated more time to Barcelona. There were just so much to see in Barcelona.
If it is just a full day in Barcelona, I would rather spend more time down south.

Sassafrass

Anyway you could put Madrid time at the end?
What about Seville as a base rather than Cordoba?
What about Toledo and/or Segovia from Madrid? That would seem to be better logistically than going to Barcelona.

Personally, you are already in Madrid. It seems a waste of time and money to go other places when there is so much to see right where you are.

Iahawk

We did a similar trip when our boys were 15 and 17 over spring break. Started in Madrid for 4 nights, took the train to Seville for 4 nights; rented a car and drove to Malaga for 3 nights with Granada as a day trip; flew to Barcelona for 4 nights and then from BCE to Madrid and home. We added days at the end of the original plan to accommodate Barcelona and it was well worth it. If I had to do it over, I'd skip Malaga/Granada. Malaga was much like miami beach, high rise hotels/condos, etc. we liked the drive from Seville through the white villages but that could have been a day trip as well. Overall, it was closer to 17 days than your 7 or so. Will you be flying on the 28th and arrive on the 29th? Departing on the 5th...will the train from BCE get you back to the airport at madrid with time to check in, go thru customs, etc?

Iahawk

Sorry..to answer your question directly..we added time to see Barcelona since my husband had been there for the first time earlier that year and was enchanted. It was great....cannot imagine trying to see it all in 1 day, especially at that time of year.

Bedar

Your trip is very short. BCN for one day ? I don't think so.

arubabound

Thank you everybody! Processing suggestions..
Iahawk-on 28th we arrive in MAD at 11AM, so assume bags dropped and on HOHO ~2-3PM (our hotel is 5 mins walk from Puerta Del Sol). And yes I am trying to account for time needed to get checked in for our flight back to US. Very helpful hearing back from folks that have done this with teens!

Dukey1

I found a really inexpensive flight (Vueling) from MAD - BCN. Half the time and cheaper than train. Otherwise would def prefer train.

You might want to CONSIDER this: you need to ADD the time it takes to actually get to the airport; the time to check in and process through security; the time you will be hanging around WAITING for that flight to board; the actual flight time; the time it will take, if any, to retrieve bags; the time it will take to get INTO THE CITY FROM the BCN airport.

Do all of that and then tell us that flight "takes half the time."

kja

Trying to fit Barcelona into your time frame would definitely make the trip more rushed than I would prefer, but only YOU can decide if it suits your needs or not.

I recommend that you get some good guidebooks (or spend some time with a few in your local library), identify the things you most want to see in each location, note their opening/closing times, and mark them on a calendar. Then pencil in your transportation, add some time on either side (for getting to/from the train/bus station or whatever, checking in/out, packing/unpacking, getting oriented, etc.). Then see how things fit together.

BTW, if you want to see the Alhambra, try to give Granada at least 2 nights so you can see it during both the day and the evening. And whenever planning time in Spain, remember that many things will be closed Sun. afternoon and all day Monday.

Hope that helps!

kimhe

For so short time, stay with Madrid and Andalucia.

But be aware that nothing would be even close to normal in Andalucia during Semana Santa. All people - from the tiniest village to the large cities - are out on the streets in countless processions, in restaurants and bars: devotion, social life, rituals and fiesta hand in hand almost 24/7 for a whole week. The processions make it very difficult to navigate in cities such as Cordoba, Granada, Malaga and Sevilla without detailed planning. Could be a great experience if you know what hits you:
http://www.andalucia.com/festival/easter/home.htm
http://www.andalucia.com/festival/easter/malaga.htm

The processions from Thursday night into Friday morning is the highlight of the celebration. To give you an idea: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ak0Ll_1zj7k

arubabound

Thank you All for your opinions/feedback! Looks like you're all in my husband's camp (who was against the idea of including Barcelona in this trip from the get-go). I was using this as a sanity check and..... well no surprise to my husband -- looks like you guys have confirmed that this idea of mine was INsane.. I am as sore of a loser as they come, but.... this only means we will HAVE to do another trip to Barcelona at another time
***Kimhe*** - I can't thank you enough for the resources you've pulled for me about Semana Santa proceedings. Researching that (and figuring out how it will impact our time there) was one of my next to-do's!
Happy Travels Everyone!!!!

david_beav

For a really fun day trip from Malaga, I highly recommend guided tour to Tangiers, Morocco. THAT will be an experience your kids will remember. (Mine do) The tour companies arrange the whole thing.... bus, ferry, etc.

arubabound

Thanks very much david_beav! Definitely planning on doing a day trip to Tangiers. Did you go a long time ago? Can you recommend one tour operator over the others? I know there are a lot. I was looking at booking it thru Viator, but then the concierge at our timeshare resort advised that they can recommend. I checked out the prices, they're pretty similar..

IMDonehere

That is half the travel time between air and train. What about being at the airport a few hours ahead of time and traveling to and from the airport instead of being in the city on both ends?

david_beav

@arugabound Sorry, I don't remember the tour company, we did it in 2012. We bought it through a local travel agency in Marbella.

arubabound

Got it. I guess we'll decide on the spot. Marbella -- that's another spot I can't wait to visit! So excited for this whole trip. Can't wait!

Iahawk

Also - be aware that the crowds around the processions are crazy. Think 8-10 people deep on the sidewalks of Madrid. We stayed at the Westin in Madrid and were able to watch part of one from a mezzanine window. That was Good Friday....and not a lot of restaurants were open for dinner that night either.

Easter Sunday was in Seville. Mass was actually another beautiful procession with children holding candlesticks as tall as they were. Again, restaurant options were few. Check with your hotel on what is open.