Dritty

I will be traveling with a girlfriend to Spain in June 2011. Neither of us have been there before. We are flying in and out of Paris (2 nights there) and our tentative itinerary is as follows:
- Arrive Madrid from Paris, stay 2 or 3 nights
- Train to Sevilla - 2 nights? Maybe stay at a Parador here?
- Rent a car in Sevilla and tour White Villages
- Stay at a Parador (maybe Rhonda) 2 nights, not sure where to spend nights during this stay
- Take a day trip to Morroco, would like to stay a night in Gibraltar ?
- Malaga - 2 nights Any hotel recommendations?
- Fly to Barcelona - 2 or 3 nights?
- Fly back to Paris, stay 1 night and fly home (Seattle).

Is this too much traveling for the alloted time? We want to see some museums and take in the better sites since time is limited in each location, and would like to have a lot of beach time once we hit the southern part of Spain and perhaps hit up a wine tour. Any hotels or site recommendations would be appreciated. We are flexible with what areas we stay at in Southern Spain as well - just want GREAT beaches. We are on a medium budget.

Thank you!!

nytraveler

A couple of suggestions:

You are doing way too much moving around (time in transit) versus time at task. If at all possible get open-jaws tickets - into Paris and out of Barcelona or Madrid to avoid backtracking.

In Andalusia you are completely missing Cordoba and Granada - 2 incredibly fascinating cities that express why Spain is different from the rest of Europe - it;s long Moorish heritage. Gibralter is a big fat zero - a big rock with nasty monkeys and a small town focused on souvenir shopping. Not worth anyone's time.

Ronda (not Rhonda) is quaint village - but not nearly as interesting as either Cordoba or Granada - and can easily be seen as a day trip.

As for Morocco - if you mean Tangiers - this is the worst of Morocco (like visiting Tijuana and thinking you have seen Mexico) and - again - not worth anybody's time. If you really want to see Morocco it should be a separate trip so you can see the real country - Casablanca, Rabat etc)

Dritty

Thanks for the suggestions. I would have hated to miss Cordoba and Granada - that sounds exactly like what we want to see. When in that area, is it best to stay in one location and take day trips from there, or spend 2 to 3 nights in in a comibination of places, Sevilla, Granada, Cordoba, Malaga?

Also, Barcelona is not a must unless it's doable in this time frame and worth seeing. Really appreciate your time and comments.

greg

Ok, how about a dumb question: why are you flying in and out of Paris when your destinations are in Spain? If you are touring France before hitting Spain, then they may be other ways to connect into Spain that may free up time to ease your schedule. The destinations indicated seems to have open-jaw flight in MAD out of BCN or vise versa written all over it.

Aduchamp1

Seviila does not have a parador. The paradores were established to bring tourism to the provinces and many of the larger cities do not have them including Madrid and Barcelona.

Here is a lisitng:

http://www.paradores-spain.com/#map

I think I am few people on this board who likes Gibraltar. It is extremely quircky. If you drive from the Spanish frontier, you actually drive across the runway of the airport to enter. It is very difficult to park, however.

Dritty

Thanks for the tips on the open-jaw flights. I looked into this and it does make a big differnece in timing and cost is very similar. That's a big help!

In looking at Parador's, the cost seems to be a bit pricey for the budet, but it would be fun to stay at one a few nights if recommended. Any comments on whether that is worth the experience and the best one to stay at in that area?

I'm struggling with how many nights to stay in Andulusia. Seville(a) seems to be a favored spot (maybe 3 nights), then maybe a few nights in Granada, with day trips to Cordoba. When is it best to fit in Malaga and how many nights? We really want some beach time (although I know it will be HOT) Can you give advice on an itinerary if staying 8 - 9 nights in that area?

Thank you!

Aduchamp1

The parador in Granada is usually the most difficult reservation in the system but it is in the Alhambra. And even if you do not stay there, the view from the restaurant is spectacular.

kimhe

Málaga: These are two excellent hotel options in different price categories in the middle of everything. Close to the main shopping and bar/restaurant/café area around central Marqués de Larios street, you'll also find the recently excavated Roman theater, the 8-11th century Moorish Alcazaba, the great 16th century Cathedral and both Picasso's birth-place and the new Picasso museum (2003).
Hotel Molina Larios: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/mala...-lario.en.html
Hotel Don Curro: http://www.booking.com/hotel/es/mala...ncurro.en.html

When it comes to beaches in Málaga, go just east of the city center to Pedregalejo. Popular with locals and several excellent and affordable waterfront restaurants. Or go to Nerja a little further down the coast with nine fabulous beaces in all sizes and shapes. My favourite is tranquile and somewhat hidden El Salón beach. http://www.andalucia.com/nerja/home.htm

This is Nerja: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...de6a8146_o.jpg

I have loved to stay in traditional, affordable and seafront Mena on the Nerja cliffs. Great terraces with the best views. http://www.hostalmena.es/hostal/eng/

If you are in Madrid on the 10th of June, you might go and see the Madrid premiere of the dance genious Rocío Molina's latest work. She recently won the Spanish National Dance Prize as the youngest artist ever. Mikhail Baryshnikov fell on his knees in front of her after a performance in New York a year ago and New York times described her as "one of the finest soloists in the world today". She is mind-blowing:
http://www.flamenco-world.com/magazi...8032009ing.htm

isabel

I just posted a mini trip report to part of that area http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...-gibraltar.cfm

I agree you want to see Cordoba and Granada and I would do those at the expense of Morocco for this trip. Just too much trouble to get there. I do however think if you get down to the coast that Gibraltar was kind of fun. The town is boring but the view is fabulous and the monekys are adorable (http://www.pbase.com/annforcier/image/133823589). If you do go make sure to check out the boat Con Dios B&B, I can give you contact info if you need.

I also thought Ronda was great and it would make a good base for day trips. I can recommend the Hotel Ronda which was way cheaper than a parador and you couldn't get a better location.

Here are links to my other trip reports for the areas you are considering:
Madrid and around - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...tral-spain.cfm

Seville, Cordoba and Granada - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...p-report-1.cfm

Barcelona - http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...and-france.cfm

However, I do think you have planned too much for you time. I would do Madrid and EITHER Barcelona or Andalucia. Both are wonderful but not for just a couple days - way too much time in transit. Andalucia in June will be hot but it is the most quintessentially "Spanish" and as long as you aren't one of those people who can't stand the heat I would choose that.

If it were me on a first trip I'd do:
Madrid - 3 nights with a day trip to Toledo or Segovia
Train to Seville stopping in Cordoba on the way (they have left luggage, at least they did). Seville 3 nights
Rent car and drive to Ronda for 2 nights as base for white towns
Drive to Granada (drop car) spend 2 nights
Train to Malaga 2 nights (Hotel Don Curro mentioned above). Fly out of there.

That's 12 nights. You said you had two and a half weeks. So if you really have another five days I'd probably add one day to each place. You probably don't have time for Gibraltar on this trip.

Alternately you could do Barcelona instead of Madrid but I think the transportation to Seville is not as easy as from Madrid.

Dritty

Thank you all so much for your suggestions and recommendations. I will definitely make some adjustments to my original itinerary. In fact, after talking with my friend, we may consider skipping Madrid and spending more time in Adalucia and Barcelona. Perhaps Madrid coupled with some of Northern Spain could be saved for another trip.

Any thoughts on Madrid versus Barcelona?

Thanks again for the great tips. This has been very helpful!!

kimhe

Both Barcelona and Madrid are great cities. Barcelona is hip, "European" and avant garde while Madrid is more timeless and Spanish, famous for its nightlife and museums.

The high speed AVE train runs from central Madrid to Sevilla/Málaga in 2 1/2 hours. From Barcelona to Andalucía, you'll better fly.