We are planning 10 nights in Spain. We can fly in or out of MAD or BCN – I have not yet purchased airfare. We want to see as much of the major stuff as possible, without going to the extreme of actually checking them off a list! Except in our heads, of course

We like to see the main archaeological and architectural highlights, to climb up anywhere you can get a spectacular view, to visit the major museums (not huge art buffs), and to visit open-air markets. We don’t feel the desire to totally immerse ourselves for days in the culture of little villages. We don’t even do that at home in our own little village!

I don’t want to rent a car, because then DH has to drive and navigate (I am useless there) and he doesn’t get to relax as much.

The trip is anchored by the days in Valencia. Everything else is flexible.

Sunday 10/22 a.m. arrival in Barcelona, recuperate and sightsee
Monday 10/23 Sightsee (per Maribel’s suggestions, will buy tourist bus pass and make the circuit)
Tuesday 10/24 Fly to Granada
Wednesday 10/25 Granada, Visit Alhambra
Thursday 10/26 Train to Sevilla
Friday 10/27 Sevilla and daytrip to Cordoba
Saturday 10/28 Fly to Valencia
Sunday 10/29 Valencia, Motorcycle Gran Prix race
Monday 10/30 Train to Madrid
Tuesday 10/31 Day trip to Segovia (prefer this to Toledo)
Wednesday 11/1 fly home

Any opinions? Too much or too little time in any one place? I have pretty good ideas of the main sights in each place, from research on this board, Maribel's guides, and books, but I could use specifics on getting to the Communitat de Valencia race track, as well as details about open-air or flea markets in any of the cities.

I think your itinerary is a bit too busy. My hubby and I went spent 3 weeks in Spain last year for our honeymoon and spent 2 days in the bigger cities (Granada, Seville). We just got a little taste of each. I think it's a good decision to go by train and plane because driving in Spanish cities can be really hellish. A lack of street signs and signs indicating hotels disappearing once you arrive in the city centre made it really hard to navigate.

What I recommend is flying into Madrid, and from there you can catch a train down to Granada. You won't be disappointed in the Alhambra - it's beautiful! Get there early in the morning to buy your ticket. The ticket has a time on it to enter the Palace. You can only enter at that time.

From there, I would head to Seville and stay there. It's a beautiful city, easy to explore by foot, and deserves at least 2 days. I don't think you can visit Seville and Cordoba in one day. I would just stick with Seville.

After Valencia, I would stick with the itinerary to Madrid and do a day trip to Segovia. We just spent an overnight there and wish we spent more time. It's a beautiful town and an easy day trip from Madrid.

I hope that helps!

Thanks, pavfec!

I really don't have a good reason to want to visit Barcelona except maybe to see the Gaudi church that is incomplete. It sounds very fanciful, but I could skip it.

Mostly, I included Barcelona because from there we can get a cheap flight to Granada - probably a silly reason.

I am going to re-think this.

Is there enough to do in Granada without a car to occupy a whole day, plus the remains of the day we are visiting the Alahmbra?

And is Sevilla the best place to see a flamenco show? Any recommendations for specific shows?

Barcelona deserves several days. It's a fantastic city. We spent a total of 5 days and still didn't see everything!

It's very easy to get around Granada. In fact, once we got to the hotel, we parked our car in the garage and left it there until we were leaving the city. The Alhambra took an entire morning to visit (8 am to past noon). The rest of the day we walked around. There's also the cathedral and the Albayzin district opposite the Alhambra. I think you should have enough to see in 2 days.

As for Seville, it is the place for flamenco, but I can't recommend any shows because we didn't get to any. I would either check a travel guide or go to the tourist office. If I recall, the shows can start pretty late (but then again, everything in Spain is pretty late compared to North America ).

In Seville, I recommend the cathedral, walking along the Guadalquivir, strolling the old town, the Plaza d'Espana, going to the Alcazar if you have time. There's a restaurant in the old town called Robles Tapas (I think, Robles for sure) and they had the best food. We had a squid stew that was to die for and they had the best olives we've ever tasted.

Just let me know if you need any more info

This is a realy interesting itinerary. If I were you, I would choose BCN over Madrid and focus on Eastern Spain, including Granada.

Arrive Barcelona, spend a few days, then off to Valencia (the train is fast and it is a beautiful ride). From Valencia, go to Granada (the train will go through Madrid, though you might find flights), then fly from Granada back to BCN.

That gives you 3 main spots to see. If you add in Madrid and are not huge art buffs, I think you will be disappointed. Segovia, though, is an amazing place, so perhaps you can do a day trip there out of Madrid en route to Granada. I would stick to the east, though. I just love the Mediterranean coast in the fall. . . windy and exotic.

I have revised our itinerary a bit to exclude Barcelona on this trip. I believe that it is beautiful and we would love it, but now the in-laws are talking about a family cruise, so we can do extra time in Barcelona on that trip.

Any more comments or suggestions?

Sunday: Arrive in Madrid, walk around to sightsee a little, and visit the Prado since it is free. That plus a stroll and dinner should be enough for Day 1.

Monday: Take the morning train to Granada, arriving at 2 p.m.

Tuesday: Visit the Alhambra. We would like to do both a day visit plus the evening visit, especially if the weather is nice. One of the things the DH and I enjoy most about vacations is just being together in a place that is beautiful. Those are the memories of trips that I cherish most.

Wednesday: Late morning or early afternoon train to Sevilla, with the remains of day to wander in Sevilla. Any recommendations for flamenco shows, either with or without dinner? I won’t know the difference if it is touristy or authentic!

Thursday: Another day to enjoy Sevilla.

Friday: Take a daytrip to Cordoba to see Mosque.

Saturday: Take Iberia’s morning flight from Sevilla to Valencia, eat paella for lunch, maybe have a spa treatment at the hotel, head into the City to walk around and have tapas and dinner.

Sunday: All day at the MotoGP race outside Valencia in Cheste. Hopefully we'll hook up with a fun bunch of fans to celebrate after the race.

Monday: Take train to Madrid, walk around, shop, sightsee a little, etc.

Tuesday: Take a day trip to Segovia to see the Roman aqueduct.

Wednesday: Flight home from Madrid

That sounds very doable! Have a great time

sometimes you can actualy "buy" airfare, which allows you to fly into mad or bcn OR sevilla OR VLC. check it out.might save you a train trip for little more.

anyway..
my suggestion would be to start in madrid( if your fare or with small supplement does not allow sevilla for destination).

then ave to sevilla/cordoba.
then granada by train or bus from sevilla.

then rent a car to drive to valencia so you can stay more outside the city where the race is (quite a ways..)

then either turn car in to take train to barcelona or use it to see peñiscola on way back to barcelona where you will spend whatever time you have alloted after race.

if you cannot find reasonable lodging during the races, i know of some provate homes that cater to that for those days.

convenient near highway for races IF YOU HAVE A CAR, would be
in mas camarena HUSA hotel
las posadas (also in parc tecnolgic)
in betera.. golf hotel
near the feria de muestras is still not downtown and would give you better road access if you have vehicle.

sounds like a fun trip with that race thrown in.

i don't keep up on the racing schedules but around here when we start seeing THRONGS of the BIG cycles speedng past us, we know there is one that weekend!

As far as flamenco in Sevilla goes, there are usually two places that great great reviews on here. The one that I went to and can recommend is La Casa Memoria. There is no dinner or drinks and the price is inexpensive. There are two shows each night except (I think) Saturdays). The shows can sell out, so it is best to get tickets early in the day. The setting is very romantic, intimate, and lovely. Dancing takes place in the courtyard of a, well, house. The show is about an hour in length. I had picked this one because I wasn't sure if I was going to like it, and it was right for us. I really liked the show, the music, the performers, and the fact that it left wanting more!

The other venue that others rave about is Los Gallos. I haven't been, but it seems that it is a little bigger and costs more, but I believe you can reserve your tickets on line. They serve drinks and I do believe there may be a drinks requirement. But I've heard the show is very good as well.

Both places are located in the Barrio. I do think that both of these places, though, are geared for the tourist. But still lots of fun.