We have several questions? Most advise no car but than how do you do day trip from Barcelona and later into Cordoba? We planned to drive from Barcelona after a four day stay and visit at least three or four more areas. We would like to swim in the ocean at least twice as we travel along the coast. So which beaches are best?
Next after recommending cities and beaches what hotels would you recommend in each city for a couple age 62? We can afford a medium price range hotel.
Finally, we both love history sooooooo?
Lizzyp
Spain for 17 days in June
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Spain has a very good rail system.
Several day trips are possible from Barcelona...like Girona and Trragona .
From Seville to Cordoba the train takes 45 min.
If you are driving from Barcelona and are looking for beaches , Valencia sure has
beautiful beaches and lots of history.
Or you could go north to San Sebastian and the Basque country
Perhaps, you could do some more research on you own to find out what areas of Spain interest you.
You could fly, Barcelona to Granada. Then rent a car. Not all that farmilar with beaches.
When are you going?
This is a good site for reviews on hotels. www.booking.com/spain Plus to make hotel make reservations.
Just make sure you have free cancellation and it will be clearly defined. Once you have a price, it's always recommended to then go to the hotels web site and see if they offer the same or better price. Then decide what site to make your reservation.
But we need more information. Here are a few sites to review. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/spain and www.maribelsguides.com
Keep tuned as you will get much good info for your trip.
I would rent a car and drive down the coast from Barcelona: Valencia, Malaga, then visit Sevilla (note there are massive Roman ruins just outside Sevilla), Cordoba and Granada. Should have time also to drive to Madrid and Toledo (or perhaps drop the car in Madrid and train to Toledo as parking is very difficult in both those cities. Roads in Spain are very good.
I use Tripadvisor to narrow down hotels and then booking.com to book, as prices are as good as anywhere, there is no fee, and you can book fully cancellable rooms.
As to history--my spouse and I love it too, and Spain has lots and lots. Unless you know what you want to see and where it is, I'd buy the latest Fodor's Guidebook to Spain (or Lonely Planet) as by reading it you can find out what's where. You've got time to see a lot.
Thank you all - great advise. My husband is researching places to see on lonely planet and I will get the Fodor guide. More questions to follow.
Added 3 days. Decided on 3 days in Madrid , train to Toledo for day trip. Train to Seville (4 nights) day trips to Cadiz and Grenada? Question as to either Matabella or Nerja (4 nights), possibly a day to Morocco or do Grenada and Ronda for a day. Than drive to Denia on thr coast for 2 nights. Train to Barcelona with 1 night in San Sebastion. .
> Decided on 3 days in Madrid , train to Toledo for day trip
Depending on what you want to see and experience, this timing could be a bit rushed. Many people visit Toledo as a day trip, but I was glad to spend 2 days/2 nights there, and I also found it much more enjoyable in the evening after day-trippers had left. And I was very glad to have 4 days in Madrid, but I can spend hours and hours in museums (and Madrid has several wonderful ones!); not everyone enjoys that.
> day trips to... Grenada? ... possibly a day to ... Ronda for a day
I thought Granada and Ronda both worth visiting, but again, was glad I didn't try to see them as day trips. The Alhambra in Granada really warrants visits during the day and evening IMO.
Hope that helps!
Wide and updated info about Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/
Some 50 km east of Málaga city and has retained much of its Andalusian charm. Population 20 000, nine beaches in all sizes. Very nice old town. Lots of great tapas bars/restaurants. Free tapas to choose with every glass of wine/beer or whatever for some 1-1.50€ in almost all places.
I can recommend bustling La Marina or La Puntilla to get a feel of the local flavour. Especially La Marina in Plaza la Marina is in my opinion as good as you get a seafood freiduria in all of Andalucía. http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gutierrez/marina_en.htm
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/la-puntilla/
Top tapas grilled on the spot (conchas finas, mussels, clams, prawns, monkfish, whitebait, baby-squid, sausages, pinchos morunos, mini-burgers etc.) and great atmosphere at El Pulguilla in C/Cristo, just off Balcón de Europa. Free tapas to choose with every drink in the bar area (as in most bars and restaurants in Nerja).
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/el-pulguilla/
Photo of Nerja: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3735908317_b3de6a8146_o.jpg
Old town street in Nerja:
http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/131879/629455
The spectacular prehistoric caves just outside Nerja: http://www.nerjatoday.com/nerja/nerja-caves/
Great Help - Thank you. More questions, Marabella or Nerja? My husband wants to relax on a beach for a few days and still visit Grenada and possibly Morocco. We plan to drive up the coast and stay a night in Denia. Next question, after dropping the car off in Valencia should we fly to San Sebastian and than fly to Barcelona or take the train?
I'd opt for Nerja, but am partial to the town since we stayed there as our base and became more familiar with it compared to the others. Went to the beach with our kids and it was relaxing and not crowded at all. This was late May, early June.
We flew rather than taking the train because it was actually cheaper. We used Vueling. No problems at all. Flew from Barcelona to Granada.
Thank you Barbara.
Unless you like to travel at a rapid fire pace you're mentioning way too may places to try to visit in 17 days. I think you need to realistically write down all the places you want to visit and then determine the minimum amount of time in each place. This will give you an idea of how may places to eliminate
20 days now. 3 days -Madrid
4 nights Seville
4 days Nerja
1 day Morocco
1 night in Grenada
fly. To Barcelona
Train to San Sebastián
2 days San Sebastián
Back to Barcelona for the remainder of our trip (5 nights in Barcelona ). How does this sound?
Train to SS takes almost 6 hours...Vueling has flights to SS and Bilbao ( bus to SS)
It sounds way too rushed at least for me. 1 night in Granada is one too short. I'd skip the daytrip to tangiers and add the day to Granada. Given you only have 2 nights for the Basque country I'd save for another trip and spend more time in Madrid to recover from jetlag and to also do Daytrips - Toledo and Segovia. Or skip Barcelona and spend this time in the Basque Country. 2 days is really only one day when you consider the travel time to get to San Sebastian. And it won't give you anytime to see the countryside or do Daytrips - and barely visit San Sebastian.
I agree - WAY too rushed! But it's your trip....
If you decide to drive, try to do a circle trip. No car until you leave Barcelona/MAdrid and then return the car after finishing visiting Toledo/Tarragona as you enter Madrid/Barcelona where you do not need or want a car.
Since we live here we drive everywhere, and I understand the reluctance for many to get a car, but not having a car deprives you of visiting the unique villages scattered all over between the cities. Of course, if you are not going to try to visit these smaller places then the excellent train service will suffice.
Barcelona is too far from the North coast for this trip., unless you fly at some point.
I also agree to skip Tangiers and add to Granada area/ JAen/Baeza/Ubeda
OK. - how about this?
3. Days in Madrid Train to Seville
4 days in Seville Pick up car for 7 days
4 days in Nerja .?... 1 of those nights in Ronda
2. Days in Granada Drop car off. - fly to San Sebastián
3 days in San Sebastián
4 days in Barcelona
Well, it's your trip - as kja has noted. This is better but for me it's still trying to cover way too much area. I'd personally drop Madrid, San Sebastian or Barcelona for more quality time in the places you do visit.
For example, assuming you're arriving in Madrid after a long flight you'll likely be jetlagged at least your first day. So 3 days in Madrid will be enough for Madrid but you likely won't have time to visit Toledo or Segovia, wonderful and easy daytrips. 4 days in Barcelona will give you time to visit Barcelona but likely no time for daytrips - Montserrat, Girona, Tarragona, the beaches along the coast, etc....4 days is good for Sevilla but if you had more time in Andalucia prior to Nerja you could visit the sherry triangle towns or Cadiz before moving to Nerja/Ronda, etc....3 days is good for San Sebastian but it would be great to have more time to explore the coastal and mountain villages along with Bilbao.
This is definately doable - it's all just a tradeoff of pace versus being able to visit the sights of your primary interests.
Also - I'd definately stop en route from Madrid to Sevilla in Cordoba for a daytrip. You can put your luggage in storage lockers at the bus station just across the street from the train station (very easy).
I am not fond of too many day trips , so 3 days in Madrid or 4 in Barcelona would be fine with me.
Not sure if there is a direct flight from Granada to SS...check that one,
If you can fly to Bilbao direct from Granada, there is a bus from Bilbao airport to SS ( about 70 min.)
To really explore such a big country one would have to spend a longer time in each region.
This way, at least, you will have a "taste" of different areas.
Go or it.
As suggested, this trip is doable. Many times I will ask myself if we are returning to this country. If not, perhaps an itinerary with just an overview of the country, works.
This August will be our fourth trip to Spain and spending 16 nights north and west of Madrid we will have just touched the surface of wonderful places to visit.
If I were to plan this trip using all the places you suggested, Ithis is what I would do.
1. Madrid [3] Fast train to Malagna 2 1/2 hours. Rent a car and drive to Nerja, perhaps 30/35 miles.
2.Nerja [4] Drive to Granada, perhaps 30/35 miles.
3.Granada [2] Drive to Seville with a stop in Cordoba. We have done this in the opposite direction and it is a long day. I had found a guide for a visit to the Mosque and that took over two hours.
4.Seville [4] You could drop off the car before entering Seville. We have driven into the city twice, but it is difficule driving.
Now fly non-stop to Bilbao 1 hout and 20 minutes.
5.Bilbao [1] Guggenheim museum. Then bus or train to San Sebastian. Two hours or less.
6.San Sebastian [3] Then bus, train or fly to Barcelona.
7.Barcelona [3]
So you would have 2 1/2 days in Barcelona. On a fast trip like yours, that may be enough.
Actually, it was for us. We were in Spain for only five nights on one trip. My wife's February vacation. Stayed in Tortosa 2 nights and Barcelona 3 nights. Much fun.
Good luch and whatever you decide will work.
iris. Great suggestions. Will we have enough time in Seville to spend a day in Cadiz or should we spend a night there before dropping the car off in Seville. That would give 3 nights in Seville. I like the idea of doing it in reverse. What about Ronda ? My husband thinks we should spend less time in Madrid . But having grown up in NYC it would be like visiting the East Coast USA and passing through New York City and not stopping. You know, giving Madrid the respect it deserves as the capital.
As a good friend said walking out your door for a new adventure is good enough!
I think if you consider driving, Granada to Cordoba to Seville, that's most of the day and the first night in Seville. I don't think you want to drive furthur to Cadiz.
Leaves you with three full days in Seville. If you decide to go to Cadiz, that's easy, but you lose more time in Seville.
So, decisions, decisions.
For Madrid, if you think three days is too much, keep in mind the towns CathyM mentioned. These are great places to do a day visit, Toledo or Segovia.
If you have 3 full days (4 nights) in Sevilla I think you'll be hard pressed to find time to take a daytrip to Cadiz. But I'd like this better than planning a 1-nighter to Cadiz. The good think about using Sevilla as a base to do the daytrips is you have flexibility and are not married to an itinerary of moving hotels.
The brilliant flamenco dancer Rocío Molina from Málaga performs in majestic Gran Teatro Falla in Cádiz on June 13. This spring she's in New York, Washington, Miami, London, Moscow, Paris, Toulouse, Barcelona, Madrid and several other Spanish cities. http://www.rociomolina.net/agenda/
"one of the finest solists in the world today", New York Times
"Molina has genius: irresistible, all-consuming, all-powerful"
Financial Times
I would have to agree with the majority of responses you are getting. Spain is huge and a lot of the roads are very mountainous and not conducive to covering a lot ground quickly. I spent two weeks in Andalucia last year (and got some great advice here) and this was only enough time to properly see Seville, Cadiz and a white village area. It is such a fantastic country, why rush.
Specifically, I would exclude the Basque Country on this trip.
Why 4 nights in Nerja? If it is beaches you are after I would hit up Cadiz, that way you get fantastic beaches with some proper Andalucian old charm, amazing food (esp if you like seafood) and a very enjoyable working class port atmosphere.
If you are still set on Granada then, you could assign a full day to drive from Cadiz-Granada and go via Grazalema and stop in Ronda for lunch and a few hours sightseeing. It would be an intense day (albeit a lovely drive) but if you've had a few days chilling on Cadiz's lovely beaches then maybe it wouldn't be so bad.
In 20 days, something like the following could work but I wouldn't even recommend this much:
Madrid - 3 days
Seville - 4 days (minimum)
Cadiz - 3 days (add a day and visit a bodega in Jerez DLF, very worthwhile activity)
Granada - 3 days
Barcelona - 4 days
Travel days/unforeseen issues - 3 days
Decided.
Madrid. 3. Nights
Cordoba. 1 night
Seville. 3 nights. Need. Hotel and restaurants - centrally located. $$$.140.00 per
Cadiz. 2 nights. Need hotel & restaurants. - centrally located. $$$
Ronda. 1 night
Granda. 2 nights
Nerja. 3 nights. Need hotel close to beach & town $$$
Barcelona. 5 nights
hotelalminar.com Great location and very decent hotel.
Cadiz - try Hotel Monte Puertatierra, it is in a lovely location, 10 minutes from the old town but is a lot closer to the beaches.
Seville - Murillo is a good option, either the apartments or the hotel. Right in the heart of Barrio Santa Cruz.
I still think 8 locations in 20 days is too much but it's your choice. For example, spend some extra time in Cadiz and skip Nerja. Beaches in Cadiz are the equal of most places on the coast.
Stop in Ronda en route from Cadiz to Granada but don't overnight (not a fan of one-nighters).
Either way, enjoy!!
Thanks, was very impressed with the cite about Ronda and the sunset over the gorge. Still fighting that one out with my husband. But we are flying out of Malaga into Barcelona so we figured Nerja after Granada was a good bet. We also just found out that our son while touring Spain stayed in Nerja for a week and loved it.
Depends what you're looking for - Nerja's quite pleasant but "real Spain" it ain't; choc-a-bloc with foreigners. If you're just looking for sun and over-priced bars, go there!
Iberiophile is right about Nerja..All of the Costa del Sol seems to be the same..You will hear more English and German than Spanish there. Don't know about you and your DH but my DH and I don't go on a trip to rub elbows with neighbors. Looking for more "real Spain"? Head into the back road country and enjoy, enjoy , enjoy..That said Rhonda is awesome IMO..as are the white villages if you can find any without the infusion of holiday condos.. Really have to look.
Maybe Cabo de Gata, less visited, will also appeal to you. It's near Almeria. Beautiful coastline. Out of this world and not very developed.
http://www.parquenatural.com/
Nerja is very popular with tourists for various reasons, but it has also retained much of its Andalucian laid-back charm if you know where to look and where to go.
Nice old town in Nerja, and loads of tapas bars popular with locals that are anything but overprized. Excellent free tapas to choose with a glass of wine/beer in most bars for some 1,50-2€.
Some of my favourites:
La Marina is as good as you get a seafood freiduria in all of Andalucía and extremely popular with locals. Have splurged here on several occasions, highly recommended: http://www.guideofnerja.com/pages/gutierrez/marina_en.htm
Top tapas grilled on the spot (conchas finas, mussels, clams, prawns, monkfish, whitebait, baby-squid, sausages, pinchos morunos, mini-burgers etc.) and great atmosphere at El Pulguilla in C/Cristo, just off Balcón de Europa. A glass of wine and a tapa would be 1,60€.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1625525-Reviews-El_Pulguilla-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
Traditional La Puntilla, very laid-back, but fabulous food and the best vibe. And of course, free tapas with every drink in the bar here also. Lots of other local feel bars around this part of the old town: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1897626-Reviews-La_Puntilla-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
Old town street in Nerja: http://www.minube.com/fotos/rincon/131879/629455
And, when in this part of the world, you must have some conchas finas, pure sea and to die for! All good places in Nerja serve superb conchas finas: https://www.google.no/search?q=conchas+finas&hl=en&rlz=1I7AURU_enNO504&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=jUBKUd_LHJHCswa9oIDgAQ&ved=0CD8QsAQ&biw=935&bih=486
But no bad idea to go inland and explore, Andalucía is an adventure!
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Cadiz?... What about the beach in Cadiz ? Hotels and restaurants too please? I will look into cabo de Gato too. Possibly stay there an extra day and do Nerja for one night before heading for Barcelona .
In Nerja, I wold recommend staying in seafront boutique Hotel Carabeo, located on the cliffs in the oldest street in town. 3-4 of Nerja's nine beaches within five minutes walk, and you're on the edge of the beautiful old town and four minutes walking away from landmark Balcón de Europa in the absolute center. http://www.hotelcarabeo.com/
Or you can stay in the modern and tranquile parador 300 meters west of Hotel Carabeo. Have stayed her myself and found it almost to quiet, but great standard and gets excellent reviews: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/parador-de-nerja.en.html
Several very good restaurants in Nerja of another category than the the local atmosphere places "de siempre" I mentioned above:
Local cuisine with gastronomy ambitions at Sollun:
http://www.sollunrestaurante.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d717414-Reviews-Sollun_Restaurante-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
Great Andalusian food at Restaurante 34, the restaurant at Hotel Carabeo: http://www.hotelcarabeo.com/boutique_hotels_nerja/boutique_hotels_nerja_restaurant34.htm
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1319982-Reviews-34-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
High standard Thai/Lao cuisine at Lan Sang: http://www.lansang.com/
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1552904-Reviews-Lan_Sang-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
Consistently excellent pizza and pasta at Italian run Vitaliano: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g315917-d1870133-Reviews-Vitaliano-Nerja_Costa_del_Sol_Andalucia.html
Spain really is not a beach destination with the exception of the North coast the beaches don't compare to the U.S., Cape Cod, Carolinas etc. I do prefer beaches in Cadiz because I think the water is cleaner than in the Nerja area. Malaga and Cadiz are more Spanish. Nerja is a resort town for British, Irish and Germans.
To be fair, Nerja (the 8th century and forward al-Andalus town of Narija/Naricha/Narixa) is popular with tourists, but a completely different thing than the the high-rise resorts west of Málaga city.
Already in the beginning of the 19th century the town had a population of about 7-8000 inhabitants, and the economy was based on wines, raisins, wood and sugar. Still excellent local wines that people take great pride in (especially from close by Frigiliana and Cómpeta a bit inland). The discovery of the famous Nerja caves in 1959 put Nerja on the tourist map, but still some 75% of the about 25 000 residents are Spanish.
Photo of Nerja. Hotel Carabeo is situated along the cliffs almost exactly in the middle of this picture: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3735908317_b3de6a8146_o.jpg
well.. I haven´t been to Nerja for awhile but no one who I have sent there has ever complained. It is a lovely place.
Seville hotel: El Rey Morro -- check out pictures on Trip Advisor, rooms all overlook pretty courtyard, and it is so quiet-- last April did 19-day Spain trip. Restaurants: San Marco (3 minute walk from hotel), with great Italian food and situated in ancient Arab bathhouse; even better was Vineria San Telmo, (5 min walk from hotel). Wish we had gone to Cadiz and skipped Jerez DLF, we were not there day to see the horses, but did enjoy Tio Pepe tour. We loved Arcos and Ronda, and of course the Alhambra. We picked Marbella as our final 'chill out' instead of Nerja, from which we drove to Malaga for flight back home from Madrid. Think 3 days in Madrid more than enough; Barcelona more interesting w/ Gaudi architecture-- don't miss the Picasso museum either. Cordoba worth one night as well, think you have fine-tuned well. We did flamenco show in Madrid which wildly exceeded our expectations on food and performance @ Corral de la Moreria; resv required. We used trains from Barcelona-Madrid-Cordoba-Seville and rented car for Jerez, Ronda, Granada & Marbella only. You will love it.