RushBijoux

Hi,

I'm planning a trip to Spain & Portugal for 2 weeks in early October. We're 2 girls, both Spain first-timers. Here's the general itinerary:

Day 1 Departing from our country, layover etc.
Day 2 Arriving in Barcelona, plan to spend 1 night here to rest
Day 3 To Madrid by train
Day 4 Madrid
Day 5 Madrid
Day 6 To Lisbon by train
Day 7 Lisbon
Day 8 Lisbon
Day 9 To Valencia by plane
Day 10 Valencia
Day 11 Valencia
Day 12 To Barcelona by train
Day 13 Barcelona
Day 14 Barcelona
Day 15 Going back home with a stopover in Helsinki (I think possible to do day tour)

What kind of weather we should expect when traveling around this time of year?

We plan to leave our luggage (nothing valuable, mostly empty for bringing back souvenirs on our way back home) at a locker facility in Barcelona on Day 3 before we leave for Madrid (we are very light packer and we'd hate to draw attention to ourselves while traipsing around). Any comments from travelers who have done this?

We just want to soak up the sights and eat. We want to stay at places closest to most attractions, any recommendation for Madrid, Lisbon, and Valencia? (In Barcelona we plan to stay near the Gothic quarter).

Specific places we plan to visit are the Palmeral in Elche, probably a day trip by train while in Valencia, and the Dali museum in Figueres, also a day trip by train while in Barcelona.

Any thoughts / comments / suggestions?

Thank you.

jamikins

Instead of paying to leave empty luggage why dont you just buy a duffel bag/cheap suitcase once you are here in Europe on your way home?

sparkchaser

I don't understand why on day 3 you are leaving your luggage in a locker to instead carry around 9 days of clothing and assorted accessories. Yes you're packing lighter but probably not as lighter as you think.

It's a rushed itinerary but at least you have the good sense to give yourselves two full days in each city.

sparkchaser

excellent suggestion, jamikins

RushBijoux

I'll think about it, jamikins. Probably not a suitcase but some packing boxes instead.

Hi sparkchaser, we're extremely light packer like you wouldn't believe, don't ask me how, you don't wanna know ;->

jamikins

Packing boxes?? How much do you plan to bring back? How are you going to carry it with you as you go if your luggage is in Barcelona? Logistically I cant figure out your plan.

sparkchaser

Packing boxes are more cumbersome than a duffel bag.

RushBijoux

Okay, forget I ever asked about the luggage. Now, how about the itinerary itself?

sparkchaser

If you're planning a day trip from Barcelona while in Barcelona, that really only leaves a day for Barcelona and you're doing the city a disservice by doing that. I do get that you only have x days of holiday and you want to see as much as possible but if you could drop one city from your itinerary, that would free up 3 days to spread amongst the other cites.

RushBijoux

BTW, I think you misunderstood me. You first suggested I get a cheap suitcase / duffel bag once I'm in Europe on my way home. If that's the case then I'd rather get packing boxes in Europe on my way home which I can discard once I get home. That's what I meant.

RushBijoux

Hi sparkchaser, I was just thinking about that. I think I'll drop Valencia.

RushBijoux

Btw, any street eats I shouldn't miss? Last time I went to Florence and for some reason I'd never come across the lampredotto sandwich during my research so I missed it.

sparkchaser

If you did that, I'd put an extra day in Lisbon and give yourself the balance in Barcelona.

As far as restaurant recommendations, I have none and rarely take the advice given here so I really can't help you with that.

When I was in Madrid, I stayed in a lovely hotel by Plaza Mayor. The price was right, the bed was comfortable, it had a nice view, and had air conditioning. http://www.h-plazamayor.com/en/

sparkchaser

<i>Btw, any street eats I shouldn't miss?</i>

I will pass on to you a bit of information I learned this week about baby eels: the "fake" ones are called gulas and the legit ones are called angulas. Relevant article: http://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/27/style/27iht-eels.html

RushBijoux

Thanks, I'll check that out! I'm not fussy about accommodation but prefer it to be at or near most sights so I can save time and can visit on foot.

jamikins

RushBijoux, I know that is what you meant. Sourcing packing boxes from a post office (or where?) would work but would be very cumbersome to get to and from the airport, no? And how are you transporting all of this stuff as you go if not in your luggage?

Anyways never mind, this just struck me as overly complicated so I was trying to offer ideas to make it simpler for you. Proceed as you will.

My suggestion would be to push through to Madrid on your arrival day so you don't waste time settling in in Barcelona only to pack up again and move on the next day. Perhaps you can get a connecting flight to Madrid the same day.

rtwin80days

If you haven't booked flights yet, how about open jaw tickets and sequence of Barcelona > train Valencia > flight Lisbon > train Madrid? Or swap Madrid and Lisbon in the sequence? Should save you time, no?

Madrid - we stayed in Hotel Regina which was a minute away from Puerta del Sol and plaza mayor, royal palace, good tapas bars, etc all were super walkable distance. Connectivity to prado museum and gran via etc was excellent. http://www.hotelreginamadrid.com/en/

If you're mostly bringing empty luggage and will fill it up on the way back because of souvenir shopping, how about bringing collapsible duffle bags which you can easily carry to the cities inside a backpack and leave it in the hotel room while you sightsee. Unfold and expand as you need to. No need to buy anything and no need to leave luggage anywhere if the luggage is not hard luggage.

rtwin80days

On a second note, would you care to elaborate how you manage to pack light? Any tips and tricks? I wish I could learn to pack lighter, although I'm not very bad at it.

kimhe

<What kind of weather we should expect when traveling around this time of year?>

In Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid the weather statistics for first half of October says average temp at around 70F, about six hors sun/day and rainfall one in three days. http://www.wetteronline.de/klima-temperatur/barcelona
http://www.wetteronline.de/klima-temperatur/madrid

Normally a little warmer in Lisboa.

In Barcelona, I recommend to stay in the vibrant and medieval El Born district, close to the Gothic quarter and "everything else" and fabulous tapas bars, cafés, sights etc. etc.: http://www.barcelona-life.com/barcelona/born
http://www.barcelona-tourist-guide.c...s/el-born.html

I've stayed several times in great value and basic hotel standard (private bath, 24h desk, AC, wifi, safe, TV etc)Hostal Orleans: http://www.hostalorleans.com/

In Madrid, I recommend the Barrio de las Letras/Huertas area, excellent area in itself and also close to the major museums, the Royal Palace etc. http://www.timeout.com/madrid/things...-de-las-letras
http://mividaen.sampere.com/neighbor...madrid-huertas

Some great value places around here, have stayed in all of them:
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/persalmadrid.en-gb.html
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/plaza-mayor.en-gb.html
http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/la-p...ana.en-gb.html

kimhe

<Btw, any street eats I shouldn't miss?>

Not much street eats in Spain, but fabulous food markets in both Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, and tapas bars all around where it's usual to have a glass and a bite at almost any time of the day, and especially at lunchtime and from about 7pm.

The most famous food markets in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia are
Boquería in Barcelona, one of the finest in the world: http://www.gardenista.com/posts/la-boqueria-market/
Mercado San Martín in Madrid with plenty of excellent food stalls: http://www.mercadodesanmiguel.es/en/
Mercado Central in Valencia, you never know what happens next: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ds8ryWd5aFw

Go for tapas in El Born in Barcelona: http://theculturetrip.com/europe/spa...orn-barcelona/
Or/and in Poble Sec: http://theculturetrip.com/europe/spa...to-bodega.html

In Madrid, many bars still give you the traditional free tapa with every small glass of beer/wine for some 1,50-2€: http://madridnofilter.com/11-great-b...pas-in-madrid/
http://www.timeout.com/madrid/food-a...ith-free-tapas
Small Casa Revuelta is my favourite tapas bar in Madrid, just off majestic Plaza Mayor and close to all the hotels I suggested above: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaura...ta-Madrid.html
And all the hotels are close to tapas heaven in and around C/Cava Baja: https://tapastalk.wordpress.com/tapas-bars/

And in Madrid, you must also try the local speciality Bocadillo de calamares (or with any other delicious filling), lunch or dinner for just 2-3€ and very Madrid. Plenty of great Places to get a hearty bocadillo in and immediately around Plaza Mayor: http://www.traveler.es/gastronomia/a...excelente/5650