BAHItaly

Seeking warmth in April so looks like Spain is best bet. We will have 18 year old daughter and 24 year old son. Little art and architecture, some hiking with beautiful views and some fun. Coastal is possible but not necessary if more interesting areas should take priority.

joannyc

Seems that Andalusia would fit the requirements!

TDudette

Gotta see Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and, if you like abstract works, Reina Sofia galleries in Madrid.

kja

Much as I love the art in Madrid, if you are little interested in art, then I'm with joannyc -- Andalusia would be well worth considering.

nytraveler

You definitely want Andalusia. Has great coats/beaches (and the wether will be in the 90s then) and wonderful cities (Seville, cordoba and Granada re the big 3 but there are also small "white villages" like Ronda in the mountains with great hiking and other charming towns like Jerez (home of sherry) and Cadiz.

This area is unique since it was the center of Moorish Spain before the reconquest by Ferdy and Izzy.

kimhe

As nytraveler says, you definitely want Andalucia: http://www.andalucia.com/
"Top ten" could be a good start: http://www.andalucia.com/top10s/home.htm

Ozarksbill

Ah yes, poster looking for warmth! Andalucia good...we enjoyed locales last October. As nytraveler says Ronda nice possibility along with Sevilla, etc. For me Prado a must...so nytraveler I note you say in bio "anyplace but Madrid?

annhig

You don't say how long the trip is, BAHItaly. It's possible of course to combine Madrid and Andalusia but whether it's a good idea will be affected by how long you've got.

danon

Ozarksbill,
A good number of travelers equate Spain with Andalusia...
Spain is big and diverse country whose history , architecture and art did not come to a stop in the 15th
century . Quite to the contrary .

But, everyone is entitled to their taste.
A friend, I visited Barcelona with, was mostly interested in flamenco, sangria and paella.
Not than one cannot find all three in Barcelona, but that was her image of Spain.

kimhe

<A friend, I visited Barcelona with, was mostly interested in flamenco, sangria and paella>

And it wasn't that off. A very vital flamenco community in Barcelona, many of the absolute greatest flamenco artists on the current scene come from Barcelona or close by (such as singers Miguel Poveda, Mayte Martín, Duquende and Alba Carmona, dancers such as Karime Amaya (born in Mexico, but now back in her famous grandaunt Carmen Amaya's Barcelona), Belen Lopez, and Jesús Carmona, and brilliant guitarists such as "Chicuelo" and Juan Manuel Cañizares. And of course, the greatest of them all, the dancer (and singer) Carmen Amaya (1913/17-1963) was from the Somorrostro district in the now Barceloneta area just inland from the famous city beach by the same name. Here's a trailer to a recent documentary about flamenco life in Barcelona (with clips of both Carmen and Karime Amaya): https://vimeo.com/51519531

The greatest flamenco artists perform in Barcelona theaters all the time (I'm soon going back to Barcelona, and as usual I come here for flamenco: http://mercatflors.cat/en/espectacle/bosque-ardora-3/, there are two major flamenco festivals (the most cutting edge in all of Spain and one very traditional and festive) and here you also find two of the finest tablaos in Spain (El Cordobes and Tablao de Carmen). And El Dorado Sociedad Flamenca Barcelonesa is somthing very special, even on a national scale, intimate concerts from out of this world every now and then: http://eldorado-sfb.com/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJVqifHGK04
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lt0DiqpuVAQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w6M_zBMI8os

And when it comes to pealla, the many delicious local arrozes (rice dishes) are very close and tasty cousins to the paellas. I never leave Barcelona without having had the fabulous Arroz caldo at 7 Portes. Can't wait for having it again in a couple of weeks. http://www.foodspotting.com/places/1...73-arroz-caldo

So it's fair to say that I also go again and again to Barcelona for flamenco and paella (arroz) ;-)

Regarding sangria. Are there anywhere in Spain where locals now seriously drinks sangria in bars and restaurants?

BAHItaly

Great info
Can stay up to 2 week so more than one place is fine, husband likes to drive.

danon

Kimhe,
I said one can find all three in Barcelona...but I would think Barcelona is better known for
its Catalan history and that obscure architect....what's his name

Mimar

Gaudi is NOT an obscure architect. His work is very colorful and fun.

lincasanova

Locals usually have sangria when it is very hot and perhaps at homes or BBQ type situations ( IMHO)

danon

MImar,
It is called irony..

Mimar

We need an emoticon for irony and another for sarcasm. Otherwise it just comes across as stupid.

danon

I have addressed my comments to kimhe ( a regular poster ) not to those who need funny faces
to understand the post.

Mimar

To the OP, from what I've researched, the high temps in Andalusia in April are in the 70s, not the 90s. Much more comfortable.

kimhe

Danon,
and of course always tons of Catalan history and that obscure architect...

OP,
Andalucia in April is about as good as it gets, spring is coming and the heat is a couple of months away. Just be aware that Semana Santa/Holy week goes on until April 6th. It's massive in Andalucia, fiesta and devotion hand in hand for a whole week. Could be a huge experience, but you should know of it. And the Feria de Abril/April Fair in Sevilla goes on from April 21 to 26. Also a huge event and lots of fun.

BAHItaly

So much info to digest- son will want outdoors hiking and adventure. He will be with us a week.
18 year old will like about anything, with us 2 weeks.