Gendy

Help? I will be traveling with my 17 year old son for almost three weeks. I want to give him a trip that he will remember and love. Need to be cost effective too. The restriction is that we need to begin and end in Madrid. I have been told to buy eurp pass but am confused on which one and if I then need to buy the countries passes. Our thoughts were Spain, France and Italy. We are also scuba divers and would love to find a good place to dive and beach too. Do we book hotels and plan the route ahead of time? Along the way and call ahead? We are going in late July to early August. My daughter was invited for three weeks to stay at a friends house in Mucia. They will pick her up and return her to Madrid. Help? Thanks all

dwdvagamundo

I can't answer all your questions, but as to this one:

"Do we book hotels and plan the route ahead of time? Along the way and call ahead? We are going in late July to early August."

At that time of year, I'd book ahead, particularly if you're going to try to cover a lot of ground, which it looks like you are.

Have you traveled in any of these countries before? Spain-particularly the south--is going to be very hot that time of year. If I were you, I'd eliminate Italy from this itinerary (sigh--my favorite country) and concentrate on the other two, or just on Spain.

nytraveler

That time of year you need advance reservations everywhere - locals are all on vacation - unless you have an unlimited budget.

I would bad south of Sprin (which I love) since the weather is just hellish - often more than 100 and can hit 120.

I know 3 weeks sounds like a lot - but you are losing time havng to return to Madrid and to spend 6 days seeing a whole country is realy very limited. I would pick 4 or at most 5 places to stay - so yuo can actually see and do something - not just spend your whole time raveling.

As to how to get there train (probably individual tickets) or planes may make sense depending on your specific destinations.

What do you want to do besides scuba dive - and EVERY beach area will be packed to the rafters.

ira

Hi G,

If you go to www.bahn.de and look up train connections from Madrid to Paris and Rome, you will see that you might want to spend the bulk of your visit in Spain.

sofarsogood

If it was me (which it isn't) I'd do a circular trip from Madrid, north to the Basque country, across to Galicia, down into Portugal, through the Algarve, into Andalusia, see your daughter in Murcia, up to Valencia, Catalunya and back to Madrid.

It's a pity you have to come back to Madrid as this will eat into your time. Yes it will be busy (in the resorts) and hot. And if you want particular hotels then book. Rail pass - maybe, depends on your itinerary. Great road trip though.

Cowboy1968

I like what sofarsogood suggests.
Yes, it will be quite warm in most of the Iberian peninsula, but you probably do not expect airconditioned 70f if you travel in August.
A rental car will add more flexibility than a rail pass. And, more important, will give you the freedom to stay away from the crowded resort towns along the coasts.
While it may be a surprise for those who only know Barcelona or Sevilla during high season, the hinterland of the major places can be surprisingly uncrowded, even in August as most tourists go to the beaches, i.e. 1 percent of the landmass of Spain and Portugal.
Many regions don't see much tourism, regardless if January or July. And if you plan ahead for the popular spots you can book ahead just a day or two in advance elsewhere via sites like booking.com
If you have connectivity to the net as you go.

CathyM

I think you need to realistically understand what you can do in 3 weeks. You won't be able to do a circular tour of the entire Iberian peninsula in this time frame. List of the top places you want to visit. Personally I'd stick with Spain and perhaps the south of France especially since you need to return home from Madrid.

Gendy

Thanks for all of the comments. In answer to one of the questions, no, never been to any of those places. Years ago I was in England and Amsterdam. Thats it. I do realize that we picked the busy season. Bummer. But, no choice on time of the year. Im not sure if I want to rent a car. I do not know how challenging that will be with parking etc. Maybe the idea of Spain and France, or Spain and Portuguel not bad ideas. I do want beach time, since they are certainly much better than any New Jersey beach! My son was hoping for Spain, Paris, France and Rome, Italy but he will be happy with whatever we do. He is easy going. I dont mind beginning and ending in Madrid because then my daughter will be with her and she can see a few things besides her three weeks at the resort in Mar Menor (where Im sure she will have an amazing time with her girlfriend, she is 13). If we did two countries...suggestions? The passes are confusing. Get one country? Two? separate train passes for country??? I like the idea of a little flexibility but thought I would need few reservations along the way. I had some thoughts of seeing, in Spain, Madrid (few day trips),Barcelona, Valencia, Sevilla, Malage, Gibraltar ??? (order??) and, wht in France??? How would you do this route? Lets say we have 15 days of travel (not counting the first two and last two in Madrid with my daughter). She will arrive in Madrid a day or two before out flilght home.

CathyM

An illustration of the timing. These are my personal recommendations on the number of days for each city you mentioned and assuming you like a moderate pace:
Madrid (4, time for a daytrip to Toledo and maybe Segovia), Barcelona (4), Valencia (2), Sevilla (4, daytrip to Cordoba), Malaga (2), Gibraltar (0). I wouldn't put Gibraltar on my top list of things to see in Spain. However, I do notice you've left out Granada, which would be a shame to miss if you're going to visit Andalucia for a first trip.

This is already 16 days even if you use the minumums, and not alot of beach time.

You can do all of this without a car. I think first I'd figure out the places you want to visit realistically with the time you have. Then figure out the logistics of bus/train travel and if there are any outlyers.

nytraveler

I think you are overestimating the beaches in europe. In general those in the US re much better than european beaches - which are often pebbles or even small stones - and not that much to write home about. Do not confuse beaches in europe with the Caribbean.

The only ones I have seen in Spain are Costa del Sol - near Marbella - and Jones Beach is a whole lot nicer - and better water too (I prefer cold oceans to tepid seas).

Gendy

Hmm thanks for the information about the beaches. Yes, we do go to the Caribbean to scuba when we can. I guess I just assumed that costa del sol and south of France would have some nice beach and water; especially if it is hot. Second, CathyM gave me the schedule I had also assumed, if we did just Spain. Thanks for the affirmation. But, at this point, my son would like to be a little adventurous and add in France and Italy, somehow, if we can. I guess just the highlights, maybe by train. If we did that idea, how would someone suggest that? I've been told madrid, barcelona, south of France, Italy....? Or madrid, Paris, south of France, Italy....?. Can someone also give me a plan for that type of trip? Thanks to all!

CathyM

It will be a whirlwind to try to do this and get back to Madrid for your return flight home. For example, at a minimum Madrid and Barcelona would be a week. "Italy" - even just Rome, Venice and Florence would be another week, and very hectic at that. What do you mean by the south of France? Cannes, Nice, Marseille???? Let's just say that's another week. Then you'd need to travel between - which is at least a good day each time you move a country. And then you need to be back in Madrid your final night - which would be a flight between Italy and Spain at the end. I'd drop one country and make this more realistic. Or consider a group tour where the logistics are figured out for you and you will "see" alot in a short time (but probably not experience much).

Gendy

We will be there from july 21 to aug 10. flights are the 20th and the 11th. thoughts for the three? Ok...if we dropped one country, which? Then how would you do it? Thanks again.

Gendy

My son tells me that if can only do two counties he wants spain and Italy. How can we do those two? Beginning in madrid, spain and ending there? 17 days, not counting arriving an cleaving days.

Gendy

We could also take night trains to save on travel time, right?

nytraveler

See Madrid (4 nights), then head to Barcelona (3 nights), then fly to Rome(5 nights - take a day trip to Florence if you want to make it 6), then back to Madrid - since yuo seem to need to pick up your daughter in Spain you hve to allow for that in Spain.

This does not include any beach. However there are some beach towns just north of Barcelona. Have no idea if you can scuba there - you would have to check.

Gendy

Hmm...thanks, I think you are on the right track of a good idea. I guess we won't worry about scuba. But, if its hot, we hope we can cool off on a beach somewhere, if, if not...fine. I think I like that idea but could Venice be fit in? Need five days in Rome? Anyway to put costa del sol, spain in there? Would you do the spain stuff first or the Italy? Yea, we have to get back to Madrid. Can't leave my daughter in Spain. This trip is really being based around her spending three weeks with her friend.

amer_can

If you dive in the Carib..do not even think about the Med. I was cautioned by a European dive master that I would be in for a hugely dissappointing time if I gave up site/sight seeing time to dive (nothing much to see.). After the Carib. the Med. just doesn't compute. Beaches..Out of Barcel. is Sitgres and some others along Costa Brava sandy.
.Algarve..HOT!!! but sandy..Italian Riveria both sand and rocky..Costa del Sol will be brutal..crowded and hot. This will be great for a wonderful bonding time with DS and then DD..Much is to be said for being in this environment together. Coolin off might not be a reality with the intense heat and sun so perhaps look for a pooat a hotel. but you will have a great time. BTW get input from DS.

Gendy

Thanks for that input. That is great to know. I guess we need to just think about where we are going and if it will just be too hot to really be walking around. Maybe pick a little cooler spots. Our summer, at home is usually in the 90s. Yes, maybe hotels with pools be good for the cooling off. My son has narrowed it down though. He wants to see barcelona, costa del so ( if we can), madrid, Venice, Florence, Rome. That's his top picks.

amer_can

I'm glad you are thinking pool not pooat, whatever that is (and I shudder to think how it could be interpreted) DD and I drove from BCN to Florence (auto strata going coastal secondaries back. Doable and enjoyable.. You might consider MAD to BCN to Florence to Venice, back along the Italian Riv. into France. Hitting Cinque Terre, Nice, Cannes etc. ( not in that order). I, personally, would drop Costa del Sol and unless time permits also Rome for this trip. Time will fly and this will not be a taste but just a nibble of your druthers..