sharbear84

My fiance and I are planning a trip to Spain in late march. My brother is studying in Barcelona, and the trip must end there (because my parents are meeting us there). We are trying to decide what to do for the rest of the trip, and we need help! I am interested in seeing Madrid/Toledo and Seville. He would like to go to Portugal (Lisbon), partially bc he has some jewish ancestry that traces back there. I know we will not be able to do all this in ten days.
Can we do barcelona/madrid/seville even in ten days?
Could we do barcelona/madrid/lisbon?

Any suggestions at all or other places to go would be great. (I love art museums but he doesn't as much so we need a balance between art/history/scenery...)

NEDSIRELAND

You can MotorCoach Sevilla - Lisbon (6-7 hours) and it may be possible to fly Lisbon to Barcelona on a discount airline like Vueling. Check out their website. If you plan carefully you can do a Madrid-Sevilla-Lisbon-Barcelona loop in 10-days

Does your DH know there's a Synagog in Toledo (not in use these days, I think).

Some Art museums may be closed Fri, 21 mar. Semana Santa many Spaniards are off work so it's peak season for resorts and for Sevilla because of all the Processions.

Revulgo

Info on the former jewish quarters in Spain:
http://www.spain.info/TourSpain/Gran...+6?language=en

bobthenavigator

Lisbon does not fit at all--much too far. Barcelona is a long way from the other main attractions in Spain. You will do well to see Madrid and Seville before Barcelona.

Raydotman

Lisbon is a bit out of the way considering that you wish to exit from Barcelona. However, Madrid with a side trip to Toledo, then a train from Madrid to Seville is doable. Given his interest in Jewish history you might wish to stop in Cordoba overnight on the way to Seville. From Seville you may be able to book a flight to Barcelona on Vueling Airlines. I hate to see you miss Granada but a visit there would depend upon how much time you spend in other areas.

danon

agree with the PP. Forget Lisbon.

Fly to Madrid (lots to see there), take a day trip to Toledo, AVE to Seville for a few days (you may even stop in Cordoba ), fly to
Barcelona from Seville( 40 - 50 euros if you book early)

Cowboy1968

IF you can get reasonably priced flights, I would start in Madrid (2-3 days, including one day trip to Toledo, maybe also half day at the Escorial or Aranjuez, depending on your interests).
Then go by plane to Lisbon for 3 days (maybe also a daytrip to the nearby coast).
Finally take the plane from Lisbon to Barcelona.

I know that the cathedral in Sevilla is great, but I would not trade it in for Lisbon - especially since the OP's fiance has a strong interest in going there, and because of the Semana Santa it may not be easy to get a (reasonably priced) room and the city will be quite busy.

carlota

maybe you can start at lisbon (if you have a direct flight from your city) and then to madrid (which would include a daytrip to toledo sleeping in madrid) then take the AVE train to Sevilla for just 2 days and from there fly directly to Barcelona to meet your parents

sharbear84

thanks for all the help everyone! I am concerned about the holiday while we are there - will things be closed fri mar 21 and easter sunday i assume? Is it silly to be in Seville during that time?? Maybe we could somehow change the order of our trip (although flying into madrid, then train to seville, then back to madrid is kind of silly)...

Aduchamp1

Although it is not directly ancestral, there is a wonderful Jewish quarter in Girona, which was a Kaballah center in the 12-14 cent.

Girona is about one hour from Barcelona by train.

I agree the trip to Lisbon is too much for a one week visit.

Madrid has three exceptional museums the Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia.

Toledo has a very rich Jewish heritage especially during Medieval times.