Where to stop between Málaga and Barcelona
Jun 4th, 2014, 06:31 AM
#1
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Where to stop between Málaga and Barcelona
In July we are driving from Málaga to Barcelona,we are
three adults with two teenagers and two children 12 and 7 years old.
We are taking the fastest route A-7
Although we do Not have too much time we would like to find out a place to stop for lunch .
If it is a nice place much better, if the Restaurant is located in a nice littlel Town we would consider
a small detour. The other option is to eat on the Riad,which we are also considering.
three adults with two teenagers and two children 12 and 7 years old.
We are taking the fastest route A-7
Although we do Not have too much time we would like to find out a place to stop for lunch .
If it is a nice place much better, if the Restaurant is located in a nice littlel Town we would consider
a small detour. The other option is to eat on the Riad,which we are also considering.
Jun 4th, 2014, 08:34 AM
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It's a long day, over 9 hours behind the wheel, without stops. It would be best to consider breaking up the drive, spending the night in or near Alicante, which would be about half-way.
If you are planning on driving straight through in one day, foolish, you should add at least four hours, if not more, for food and fuel stops. The four children will need to be sedated to sit that long in a car without taking numerous breaks to stretch their legs.
There are several execllent restaurants in and around Alicante including Quique Dacosta, Monastrell, Murri, La Finca, La Sirena, La Taberna Del Gourmet, Piripi and Nou Manolín.
If you are planning on driving straight through in one day, foolish, you should add at least four hours, if not more, for food and fuel stops. The four children will need to be sedated to sit that long in a car without taking numerous breaks to stretch their legs.
There are several execllent restaurants in and around Alicante including Quique Dacosta, Monastrell, Murri, La Finca, La Sirena, La Taberna Del Gourmet, Piripi and Nou Manolín.
Jun 4th, 2014, 09:52 AM
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This is ONE LONG trip, especially with kids. A shame you don´t have time to break it up. A memorable restaurant, assuming you got there AT lunchtime, would add at least 1.5 hours to your trip. Perhaps picnic will be the way to go on this leg of your journey.
For quaint towns check out the michelin guides its see what is on the route you will take.
The route that goes north from granada would give you jaen and baeza and Ubeda to see.. that would be worth while.
For quaint towns check out the michelin guides its see what is on the route you will take.
The route that goes north from granada would give you jaen and baeza and Ubeda to see.. that would be worth while.
Jun 4th, 2014, 03:21 PM
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Thank you all for your advice. Most likely we shall follow your advice and stay overnight some place along the way.
Since you both Know Spain much more thank we do ,
We are considering in order to gain a day (we are short of Time because of the chiildren school obligations) visiting the Mesquita in Cordoba wiithout staying overnight as we had previously planned.
This is our problem : We shall be arriving by car to Cordoba in the morning ,we plan to visit the Mezquita, have lunch in the Caballo Rojo and leave around 4 PM., the problem we have now is how to find a secure parking or garage to leave our car and luggage.
What would you do?
Since you both Know Spain much more thank we do ,
We are considering in order to gain a day (we are short of Time because of the chiildren school obligations) visiting the Mesquita in Cordoba wiithout staying overnight as we had previously planned.
This is our problem : We shall be arriving by car to Cordoba in the morning ,we plan to visit the Mezquita, have lunch in the Caballo Rojo and leave around 4 PM., the problem we have now is how to find a secure parking or garage to leave our car and luggage.
What would you do?
Jun 4th, 2014, 03:32 PM
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There is a secure parking garage at Calle Sevilla, 5, in Cordoba next to Hotel Córdoba Centro (on the same property), and within 5-minute walk from the Mosque.
www.parkingcallesevilla.com
www.parkingcallesevilla.com
Jun 5th, 2014, 01:12 AM
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some people actually "tie" their cases to part of the interior structure of the trunk to make things difficult to pull out a bag if they are having to stop along the way.I've never gotten that creative but I do think it is a valid tip.
enjoy your trip.
enjoy your trip.
Jun 5th, 2014, 10:23 AM
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Thank you all for the small big bits of advice.
We are renting a van, hopefully all luggage will be hidden if not I will not dare to leave the car in a parking even in one as nice as the one recommended by Robert.
Lin advice is very good I shall try to back it against the wall.thank you, Lin.
We are staying three days in Madrid, driving through Cordoba visiting only de Mezquita, driving to Granada sleeping over at de parador , visiting next morning the Alhambra we already have morning tickets,driving after lunch to near Malaga to be with friends, this is a very important part of our trip, then driving to Barcelona, staying overnight someplace, we still have to figure it out, then unfortunately we shall stay only three days in a Barcelona in the the Colon Hotel, we have been there before so we will focus only in a couple of things.
Then flying Vueling to Florence.
I know it is a little too much, but my daughter 's family is coming from Argentina and this are short winter holidays.Also tickets are expensive they cannot visit Europe that often, so we figured it is a sin to miss the Mezquita, even if they will not see Cordoba town. May be we can enjoy a good lunch in El Caballo Rojo.
option! As an option regarding parking I though of leaving the car in Cordoba at the care of the Parador,
Taking taxis 10 euro each way +20' , we are Amigo de Paradores and may be they shall understand and give us a hand.we might even have lunch in there.
What do you think?
We are renting a van, hopefully all luggage will be hidden if not I will not dare to leave the car in a parking even in one as nice as the one recommended by Robert.
Lin advice is very good I shall try to back it against the wall.thank you, Lin.
We are staying three days in Madrid, driving through Cordoba visiting only de Mezquita, driving to Granada sleeping over at de parador , visiting next morning the Alhambra we already have morning tickets,driving after lunch to near Malaga to be with friends, this is a very important part of our trip, then driving to Barcelona, staying overnight someplace, we still have to figure it out, then unfortunately we shall stay only three days in a Barcelona in the the Colon Hotel, we have been there before so we will focus only in a couple of things.
Then flying Vueling to Florence.
I know it is a little too much, but my daughter 's family is coming from Argentina and this are short winter holidays.Also tickets are expensive they cannot visit Europe that often, so we figured it is a sin to miss the Mezquita, even if they will not see Cordoba town. May be we can enjoy a good lunch in El Caballo Rojo.
option! As an option regarding parking I though of leaving the car in Cordoba at the care of the Parador,
Taking taxis 10 euro each way +20' , we are Amigo de Paradores and may be they shall understand and give us a hand.we might even have lunch in there.
What do you think?
Jun 5th, 2014, 12:17 PM
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good idea.. have a pre- lunch drink there, then maybe come back for your coffee there. no need to eat there if caballo rojo tempts you more. drop off guests at mezquita area. One or two of you go to parador. park car and have a quick drink or whatever. even if you have to pay for the parking I think you will feel it is safer there. this way only one taxi.
Jun 5th, 2014, 12:18 PM
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There are many things that seem a sin to miss, and you can never see all of them. It also seems a sin to be too tired or rushed to really see, enjoy and appreciate those you do see. So, choices according to interests.
While you are in Madrid, do you plan a day trip to Toledo? IMHO, that is a place not to miss, especially the great and awesome cathedral.
Personally, I would skip Cordoba, get to Granada earlier and see the Alhambra at night.
Malaga to Barcelona is a long, long drive. You would just about have to tie me to the car to make me do it unless it was over a period of three or four days with some very nice stops.
I just looked at flights one way from Malaga to Barcelona and they run 23 to 45 euros. Have you considered that rather than two days of driving, plus fuel and tolls. It would sure make sense to me.
If you do stick with driving, Alicante is a lovely town for a stop. It has a great enclosed market; lovely, wide, shaded promenade, interesting fort for climbing and a beach. Excellent gelato also.
While you are in Madrid, do you plan a day trip to Toledo? IMHO, that is a place not to miss, especially the great and awesome cathedral.
Personally, I would skip Cordoba, get to Granada earlier and see the Alhambra at night.
Malaga to Barcelona is a long, long drive. You would just about have to tie me to the car to make me do it unless it was over a period of three or four days with some very nice stops.
I just looked at flights one way from Malaga to Barcelona and they run 23 to 45 euros. Have you considered that rather than two days of driving, plus fuel and tolls. It would sure make sense to me.
If you do stick with driving, Alicante is a lovely town for a stop. It has a great enclosed market; lovely, wide, shaded promenade, interesting fort for climbing and a beach. Excellent gelato also.
Jun 5th, 2014, 12:51 PM
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A small consideration, I really wish to thank Fodors for giving me the opportunity of this "conversation " with
Lin Casanova, Sassafrass and Robert 2533 it is like having coffee with friends, not any friend but knowledgable friends that care to give great advice . This trip is important to me because some of my grandchildren ( 4 out of 8) are coming along. I feel traveling is such an important part in their education.
I am not going to Italy with them where they are going to meet with friends in a rented house in Toscana and from there flying back to Buenos Aires.
Traveling and reading I am helping my children to convey these habits to their children. The later not that easy, but we are trying to fresh up their Spanish and Italian history and art.
Thank you all.
Lin Casanova, Sassafrass and Robert 2533 it is like having coffee with friends, not any friend but knowledgable friends that care to give great advice . This trip is important to me because some of my grandchildren ( 4 out of 8) are coming along. I feel traveling is such an important part in their education.
I am not going to Italy with them where they are going to meet with friends in a rented house in Toscana and from there flying back to Buenos Aires.
Traveling and reading I am helping my children to convey these habits to their children. The later not that easy, but we are trying to fresh up their Spanish and Italian history and art.
Thank you all.
Jun 5th, 2014, 01:20 PM
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Oh hell no, don't do this to yourself. I have done the same route, from Barcelona to Granada, and we spent a night in Valencia. It was impossible to complete the trip. And Malaga is even further from Granada. Barcelona-Malaga is 11 hrs by car. Don't forget the kids in the car, they will get crazy.
Jun 5th, 2014, 05:36 PM
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It is obvious that you want to give your grandchildren a wonderful cultural experience. Unfortunately, I worry that being stuck in the car for a two day drive will make them miserable and they will certainly not be experiencing much of value culturally or historically looking out the car window. That is an awful lot of time (and some money) spent with nearly no value at all. If there is any way you can possibly cut that, please try to do it.
Even, honestly, a rushed morning in Cordoba and another rushed morning through the Alhambra are poor experiences when you are spending more time to get there than you are being there. IME, kids seem to get more out of trips if they do something, not just look at things. In Retiro Park, in Madrid, for example, you can rent a boat and they could row around, just as children of the royal family used to do. If you day trip from Madrid to Segovia, they can visit Isabel's castle and pretend to watch jousting from the castle lookouts. Anyway, mixing doing with seeing always seemed to make better memories for the kids and us. More time experiencing a place, less time traveling from place to place. Hope you can do that.
Even, honestly, a rushed morning in Cordoba and another rushed morning through the Alhambra are poor experiences when you are spending more time to get there than you are being there. IME, kids seem to get more out of trips if they do something, not just look at things. In Retiro Park, in Madrid, for example, you can rent a boat and they could row around, just as children of the royal family used to do. If you day trip from Madrid to Segovia, they can visit Isabel's castle and pretend to watch jousting from the castle lookouts. Anyway, mixing doing with seeing always seemed to make better memories for the kids and us. More time experiencing a place, less time traveling from place to place. Hope you can do that.
Jun 6th, 2014, 09:46 AM
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Not just because I live here, but I think the kids would really like an overnight in Valencia and hanging around the science center area. There are a number of nice hotels in that area which may not be too expensive, either, The science center ponds have activities on them.. those big plastic balls you get inside and roll around.. kayaks.. ( at least the last times I was there) and it is basically an iconic area to walk around.
There is an IMAX theater in many languages there if you have time for that the next day. And from that area you are very near the road to Barcelona without getting lost in downtown traffic.
You don´t have time to see the city but this stopover may be more "fun" for them.
on your way to Barcelona a stop in Peñiscola for photos is nice. Also there are great go karts on the road in that area as you are driving from the highway towards the town.
There is an IMAX theater in many languages there if you have time for that the next day. And from that area you are very near the road to Barcelona without getting lost in downtown traffic.
You don´t have time to see the city but this stopover may be more "fun" for them.
on your way to Barcelona a stop in Peñiscola for photos is nice. Also there are great go karts on the road in that area as you are driving from the highway towards the town.
Jun 7th, 2014, 03:20 PM
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We shall be flying from Málaga to Barcelona . I
It was the right thing to do considering the circunstances ,driving was insane. We are meeting friends at determinate dates which is wonderful but on the other hand limits our flexibility .
I know a short time in Cordoba and Granada is not ideal but it will do .They are having some home teaching regarding both the Alhambra and the Mezquita and Cordoba and Granada. Also tried to buy tickets ahead of time whenever posible.
I have not been in Valencia for ages and I looking forward to take my grandchildren to Valencia but it will have to be next trip.
It was the right thing to do considering the circunstances ,driving was insane. We are meeting friends at determinate dates which is wonderful but on the other hand limits our flexibility .
I know a short time in Cordoba and Granada is not ideal but it will do .They are having some home teaching regarding both the Alhambra and the Mezquita and Cordoba and Granada. Also tried to buy tickets ahead of time whenever posible.
I have not been in Valencia for ages and I looking forward to take my grandchildren to Valencia but it will have to be next trip.
Jun 8th, 2014, 09:29 AM
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So glad you decided against the drive. I did a similar one years ago (not by choice, but part of group who insisted and I went along with it) and I regretted every minute on the road. So much more enjoyment in being someplace. You GC will love Parc Guell.
