TravelMan89

I'm planning on visiting Spain and France for the first two weeks of September and I wanted to know what your advice would be on my itinerary. I'm planning to fly from LA to Madrid on Friday August 30th then take a train to Barcelona then take a plane ride to Paris and finally back to Los Angeles on Saturday September 14th. I mostly just want to see the major landmarks and museums in each city. I know I won't have enough time to see everything, so I just want to see the highlights. This is my itinerary as follows:

8/30/13: LA to Madrid
8/31/13: Madrid-Random Day
9/1/13: Madrid-Plaza Mayor/Plaza del Sol
9/2/13: Madrid-Museo del Prada
9/3/13: Madrid -Museo del Reina Sofia
9/4/13: Madrid to Barcelona-Las Ramblas/Ciutadella Park/Barcelona Cathedral
9/5/13: Barcelona-La Pedrera/Palau de la Musica
9/6/13: Barcelona-Montserrat
9/7/13: Barcelona-Guell Park/La Pedrera
9/8/13: Barcelona-Sagrada Familia/Hospital de la Santa Creu/Casa Batllo
9/9/13: Barcelona to Paris Random Day
9/10/13: Paris-Eiffel Tower/Champs-Elysees/La conciergerie
9/11/13: Paris-Lourve
9/12/13: Paris-Palace of Versailles
9/13/13: Paris-Notre dame/Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel
9/14/13: Paris to LA

BigAleinstein

You have the most leisurely paced itinerary in the history of Fodor's. You are to be congratulated. You can actually sit at a cafe and watch the world go by.

Scouring the Plaza Mayor and Plaza Del Sol will take up maybe a half a day.

The Prado can fill a day but Reina Sofia will be a half a day at most and we are museum goers. When I am a city like Madrid, London, and Paris filled with world class museums I like to go to a museum one day and then some other activity the next. For some reason serious museum going is tiring. If you like you can add the Thyssen, another worthwhile collection.

Add the Retiro to the Prado, it is the aprk adjacent to the museum. And if you are really ambitious you can make a day trip to Toledo, there are scores of buses and trains that go daily.

Same for Barcelona. There are days which will only be half-filled. When on Las Ramblas be sure to go La Boqueria, the wonderful market.

Be sure to see Casa Batllo when visiting La Pedrera, it is only a few blocks away.

Have a great time.

TravelMan89

Thanks so much. Do you have any ideas what to do in Paris besides the one mentioned?

RogerM

It's so refreshing to see an itinerary that emphasizes quality time in a reasonable number of locations! As far as Paris goes, I'd definitely add the Musee d'Orsay and consider the Carnavalet and Pompidou. If you haven't booked accommodation in Paris already you need to move quickly as September is a busy time.

BigAleinstein

Paris is one of the great walking cities of the world. And one of our favorite things is to bring our backpack and fill it while walking around buy cheese, bread, chocolate, wine, desert, meat, prepared food, etc. and have a feast in the hotel room for dinner.

The parks and squares of Paris are enticing among them are Place des Vosges, Luxembourg Gardens, Bois de Boulogne and the Tuileries.

As Roger M pointed out The d'Orsay, which is one of most spectacualr renovations of a public space I have seen and the Pompidou, with its modern slant are clearly worthwhile.

MaloBalo

Retiro is one of the most enjoyable parks I've ever been to. BigAl is definately pointing it out. Also, besides the feast in the hotel at night, you could easily do the same in the park.

As to your Barcelona itinerary, once you are done with Ramblas (again I second BigAl w/ La Boqueria) put the visit to the Cathedral first and then go to la Ciutadella. In case you plan to go back via metro, be aware that the station for the park is a fifteen minutes' walk on the outside of the wall. You might prefer to even walk back into town instead, as the walk to the station has not much (nothing?) to offer.

Given your relaxed pace you could try the cable car, go up to Montjuic and enjoy a fairly nice walk all the way down to magic fountain.

stevewith

If you have time leftover in Madrid, consider seeing the Temple Debod and, if you have an interest in Goya, the chapel of San Antonio de la Florida. In addition to being quite fascinating (and small) , it provides an opportunity to get out the conventional tourist areas of Madrid and see something of what the rest of the city is like. Pubic transportation is excellent in Madrid, so these jaunts are easy.

i am not a huge fan of Montserrat and even if I wanted a day trip from Barcelona, I'd pick someplace else of greater interest to me (like Vic or Girona). However, if you are quite interested, I still recommend that you only go if it is clear day.

As for Paris, I would encourage to spend time h the landmark parks of Paris. These are actually some of Paris's greatest works of art and architecture, even though the materials are dirt and plants. Paris really is not Paris without these grand public spaces, so take time to check them out. In the same vein, Paris is not Paris without its night lights, and I would save your stroll down the Champs-Elysees at night, and make a point of taking night walks in other places, including across some of the lovely bridges of Paris to the city lights reflected in the Seine, and the lit-up boats gliding up and down the river.

stevewith

I meant to give you these links for Madrid


http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do?TR=C&IDR=492

http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do?TR=C&IDR=496

Gretchen

You only have 4 days in Paris. Leave out Versailles for one thing. I guess Spain is your emphasis and Paris your add on.
Leave out the champs--it is a big wide street with little of interest now, in spite of being legendary in its history.
You have no museums? Even two hours at the Louvre and the Orsay can be mind boggling.
Your itinerary as stated is back a and forth--the Conciergerie (and I would hope, Ste Chappelle!!) is near Notre Dame--consolidate your areas of sight seeing.

stevewith

Gretchen,

The OP has the Louvre on his or her itinerary.

I think the OP has also made it plain that limited time means missing a great many things. I also might not choose to go to Versailles, and fine to raise the question, but for others, in the end, it is quite a valid choice given its importance.

It is good to consolidate sites to avoid backtracking, but on the other hand, one misses a great deal if one visits Notre-Dame and Ste Chappelle when it is cloudy or rainy.

I like the Champs-Elysees at night, and I think it still conveys something about why Paris became a mecca for loads of country boys and girls at a certain moment in time.

KL467

I, too, agree with adding Musee d'Orsay in Paris. Amazing! Have a great time. Love your itinerary.

valtor

I would add visits of St. Chapelle and of Notre Dame. You can visit them in the same morning and also walk to see the beautiful building of City Hall.

One evening take a cruise on the Seine. It is very nice to see from the water the most important buildings and a close up of bridges, all illuminated.

BigAleinstein

I hope we are destroying the leisurely pace originally set forth. There is much to say for a savoring a stay especially in Paris and Barcelona.

MaloBalo

Heh, if one thing is for sure, even after including what most of us said the itinerary is still at leisure pace and might very well be among the top5 of relaxing itineraries this year I believe. I am a bit jealous myself I have to admit! Njoy Travelman89.

CathyM

If you just look at the # of days in each city there's 4 days in Madrid, and 5 each in Barcelona and Paris. It's not exactly what I'd call leisurely or super-relaxed but without rushing is probably how I'd do 14 days if you wanted to see all 3 cities. If you're up to daytrips Toledo and Segovia are easy trips from Madrid and would give you a perspective outside of big cities. Or if you want to stick with just Madrid and not do daytrips that's up to you - the good thing about using base cities is you have the flexibility to adjust your schedule as you see fit. Your first day will likely be jetlagged so your 4 full days in Madrid will equate to 3 non-jetlagged days