Greg

Just when I thought I was getting the itinerary set for my honeymoon in October, I just got thrown a curve! My fiancee insists that we stay in a castle at least one night. We will be in Madrid, then travel around Andalucia, for a total of two weeks. I checked www.parador.es, but I don't see any that are in the areas where we will be. Does anyone have any suggestions? I think she has an Alcazar-type idea as far as castles are concerned.

Mariarosa

Greg, last year we spent 1 night at the Parador in Jaen. The Parador is built in a 13th Century fort. Our room was absolutely gorgeous - with a canopied bed and a medieval motif. It had a huge balcony overlooking a mountain. Very peaceful and the restaurant had great food. We arrived there by car from Granada, and we stopped in the beautiful towns of Baeza and Ubeda on the way to Jaen. Jaen is not a town with famous sites (except for a huge basilica), it is considered mostly industrial, but we didn't really go into town. It was a great place to stop for the night after Baeza and Ubeda.

Maira

Congratulations!! <BR> <BR>Try http://www.parador.es. The site list all the paradors around Spain, which you can pick from a site map. Needless to say, if you can get in the Parador at The Alhambra you may be handsomely rewarded -)!. Andalucia has beautiful residential palaces as BTW, the organization is just opening a new parador in a 15th Century castle in Ciudad Rodrigo, GORGEOUS medieval city, near another BEAUTIFUL city, Salamanca. within driving distance to Madrid. Have a great time!

Pedro

Some Paradores installed inside castles are: <BR> <BR>-Carmona( interesting place to overnight) <BR>-Jaen ( beautiful views ) <BR>-Alarcon (small village surrounded by water) <BR>-Zafra <BR>-Oropesa <BR>-Ciudad Rodrigo

Georgine

<BR> <BR>The interior of the parador at Carmona was just completely refurbished--it's east of Sevilla about 20 miles. I believe it is one of the more expensive paradors (along with the one in Granada.) Carmona is a charming,small town with a lively town center and interesting Roman ruin excavations and museum at the town's western edge. <BR> <BR>Jaen also fits the bill, but couldn't tell from your posting if you will be traveling that far east.

Greg

You folks are great! Thanks! <BR> <BR>Greg

lily b

Hi, Greg<BR>Don't know if you've already made your booking, but I thought I'd weigh in with my two cents. <BR>My boyfriend and I just returned from Spain and we stayed at both the Parador de Carmona and the Parador de Jaen. <BR>Carmona is a wonderful town with fantastic sites. But I wasn't thrilled with the Parador at all. It was fine, but felt faily impersonal and rather modern (despite its Medeival exterior). If you're going to Carmona (which I recommend highly), the place to stay is the very pricey, supremely elegant Casa de Carmona. <BR>As for castle Paradors, I truly preferred the Parador de Jaen. We arrived in the early evening in time to watch the sunset. We had a vast room, the service was excellent, and the meal was one of the best we had on our trip. (The very affordably priced taster's menu.) The dining room was also quite romantic and the Moorish fortess next door to the Parador is extremely dramatic at night. The Jaen parador was also more affordable. <BR>FYI, if you do want to explore the town, there are some interesting Arab baths. <BR>Have a wonderful trip!

Ralf

The naerest parador to Madrid ist Chinchon, very calmfull in a small town with an old cloister. The rooms are not so large, but there is a beautiful garden. It's about one hour to drive by car to the Madrid and its not difficult to drive. <BR>For the way to Andalicia have a stay at Cordoba. Its a new parador but very comfortable with very good food (you should have breakfast there or the lunch menu. Visit the Mezquita and outside Medinah azahra. <BR>Near Sevilla you should stay at Carmona and get one of the rooms with the wooden balconys with the wonderful view; enjoy the large wimming-pool. <BR>Granada: The parador is great, also the Hotel ALhambra Palace, i would like to prefer it. For an relaxing time after andalucia: The parador of Cadiz: a new one, but a very good place.