Spain with elderly parents
Feb 17th, 2017, 05:34 AM
#1
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Spain with elderly parents
We plan on taking a family trip with my parents (70s) and my sister's family to Spain. The decision will ultimately be between N Spain and Andalusia but considering that we on on traveling in the summer my guess is we will end up picking N Spain. We have travelled extensively in Europe. My sister has travelled to Rome and Tuscany but not elsewhere in Europe. My parents are healthy but not capable of long hikes and walking up steep hills. We will rent cars for part of the trip but I do have concerns particularly traveling through steep mountain passes etc since my brother in law who will likely be the second driver has no experience in driving outside of the States. We want this trip to be about scenic villages, mountain views, atmospheric towns mixed in with some historic sights. Pls let me know your thoughts on the below itinerary:
3 days Madrid including day trips to Toledo, Segovia and/or Avila
Day 4Take High speed train to zargoza. Explore Basilicia, cathedral and Moorish palace (may need 2 days)
Hire car to explore Aragon Pyrenees
Day 5 drive to Alquezar 1.34 hrs
Day 6 drive to Ainsa 1.08 hrs
Day 7/8 drive to Torla .50 hrs. Entry point to Ordesa NP
Day 9 drive to Beilsa and onto France ? Worth it?
Trying to figure out if we can visit a town or two in the French Hautes Pyrenees. Gavarnie, Cauterers, and the mountain passes of Col du Tourmalet or Col d'aspen look beautiful but maybe too far of a drive on steep roads? Do you think we would see more of what we already would have covered in Aragon Pyrenees.
Another town I excluded from the list above was Terrell and the village of Albarracin. The latter looks very beautiful with the moorish castle and walls but not sure it's worth a two hour drive south from Zaragoza.
Day 10/11 backtrack to Mardid.
Pls let me know if this looks reasonable. Any suggestions to make it better? This may be one of our last big trips as a family so I want to make sure it's a memorable experience for everyone particularly my parents.
Thanks all.
3 days Madrid including day trips to Toledo, Segovia and/or Avila
Day 4Take High speed train to zargoza. Explore Basilicia, cathedral and Moorish palace (may need 2 days)
Hire car to explore Aragon Pyrenees
Day 5 drive to Alquezar 1.34 hrs
Day 6 drive to Ainsa 1.08 hrs
Day 7/8 drive to Torla .50 hrs. Entry point to Ordesa NP
Day 9 drive to Beilsa and onto France ? Worth it?
Trying to figure out if we can visit a town or two in the French Hautes Pyrenees. Gavarnie, Cauterers, and the mountain passes of Col du Tourmalet or Col d'aspen look beautiful but maybe too far of a drive on steep roads? Do you think we would see more of what we already would have covered in Aragon Pyrenees.
Another town I excluded from the list above was Terrell and the village of Albarracin. The latter looks very beautiful with the moorish castle and walls but not sure it's worth a two hour drive south from Zaragoza.
Day 10/11 backtrack to Mardid.
Pls let me know if this looks reasonable. Any suggestions to make it better? This may be one of our last big trips as a family so I want to make sure it's a memorable experience for everyone particularly my parents.
Thanks all.
Feb 17th, 2017, 07:29 AM
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Ainsa is more than twice as long a drive as you have budgeted for, and it means going almost the same route again as the day before. I would combine the two targets Alquezar and Ainsa-Sobrarbe into a long one-day drive on Day Five and then make Day Six a non-driving day in Zaragoza, you'll appreciate not having to get back in the car for yet another cross-country drive for once.
Also plan on respecting the siesta hours - make sure you get lunch in time and then have a plan for the time when everything shuts down daily.
Also plan on respecting the siesta hours - make sure you get lunch in time and then have a plan for the time when everything shuts down daily.
Feb 17th, 2017, 07:30 AM
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Three days in Madrid with two day trips is seriously shortchanging you, your parents, and Madrid.
The roads in the Aragon Pyrenees are in beautiful shape. You'll find very few 'steep passes' to negotiate, but there are some interesting drives through the mountains.
The Spanish and French sides of the Pyrenees are completely different. The Aragon Pyrenees are drier, while the Hautes-Pyrénées are much greener, pastoral. www.rural-pyrenees-guide.com/aragon.html
Making a lot of one night stops doesn't make much sense. I would find a base near Aínsa, and make day trips. The Barceló Monasterio de Boltaña would make a good choice.
If you do drive up into France on a day trip, you should consider returning by way of Viella, in the Val d'Aran, and back to Aínsa.
The roads in the Aragon Pyrenees are in beautiful shape. You'll find very few 'steep passes' to negotiate, but there are some interesting drives through the mountains.
The Spanish and French sides of the Pyrenees are completely different. The Aragon Pyrenees are drier, while the Hautes-Pyrénées are much greener, pastoral. www.rural-pyrenees-guide.com/aragon.html
Making a lot of one night stops doesn't make much sense. I would find a base near Aínsa, and make day trips. The Barceló Monasterio de Boltaña would make a good choice.
If you do drive up into France on a day trip, you should consider returning by way of Viella, in the Val d'Aran, and back to Aínsa.
Feb 17th, 2017, 01:37 PM
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It really depends on what you want to see an experience, but just a few coments:
• 3 days seems like very, very little for Madrid, let alone any day trips. I felt hard pressed to see everything I wanted to see in Madrid itself (i.e., excluding day trips) in 4 full days – and I travel HARD! And Toledo easily merits 2 nights, even though many people visit it as a day trip from Madrid.
• Have you considered visiting the Spanish Pyrenees instead of crossing into the French side? I loved Taull…
• Try to book “open jaw” – into one city and out of another – if at all possible.
• For reasonably accurate driving times, check viamichelin.com Note that it will depend on your rental car – the one I ended up with had so little power that it took LOTS of extra time every time I needed to ascend a hill.
You might find some useful information in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm
• 3 days seems like very, very little for Madrid, let alone any day trips. I felt hard pressed to see everything I wanted to see in Madrid itself (i.e., excluding day trips) in 4 full days – and I travel HARD! And Toledo easily merits 2 nights, even though many people visit it as a day trip from Madrid.
• Have you considered visiting the Spanish Pyrenees instead of crossing into the French side? I loved Taull…
• Try to book “open jaw” – into one city and out of another – if at all possible.
• For reasonably accurate driving times, check viamichelin.com Note that it will depend on your rental car – the one I ended up with had so little power that it took LOTS of extra time every time I needed to ascend a hill.
You might find some useful information in my trip report:
http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-catalunya.cfm
