I am leaving for Spain with my mom tonight! I am sooo exicted but beyond our initial planning (bookng hotels and planes) have been really busy and haven't read too much in the guidebooks (will have to catch up in the plane). We are spending about 3 days each in Barcelona, Granada, and Madrid (mainly plane travel between, except train Granada-Madrid). Both well traveled, but never Spain before. What are people's three best experiences for any or all of the cities? I know our time there is brief but I am hoping to get a lot out of it. Interests: Architecture, churches, people watching, local food, great walks. Non-interests: shopping and luxury

Barcelona: Sagrada Familia...go EARLY; the gothic cathedral in the Barri Gotic..even if it is still under scaffolding; a walk along Las Ramblas with the bird sellers, living statues, flower stalls, illegal shell games

Granada...the Alhambra if nothing else

Madrid..the royal palace; the Prado

agree with Granada and Madrid suggestions.
I did not care for Las Ramblas but most consider it " a must see"
would not miss Palau de La Musica Catalana.

The Alhambra is the must see place in Granada, and I suggest you reserve a time for visiting it as soon as you get to Spain. There were lots of things my wife and I liked in Barcelona. If you have time look up the location of everything designed by Gaudi, and see as much of it as possible. We also liked Las Ramblas, the neighborhood just to its left as you walk along it toward the ocean, the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Picasso museum, and the Miro museum on Montjuic. Madrid was not our cup of tea, except for the Prado, the Thyssen, and Reina Sofia museums.

Barcelona - You have to visit the Palau de la Musica Catalana. They offer several English guided tours daily. Either book a tour now or go to the venue and book one as soon as you arrive. The guided tours are very popular and sell out quickly.

Granada - Do you have tickets for the Alhambra yet?? I'd suggest you book it <b>now</b> instead of waiting until you get there. The tickets sell out quickly and usually has a long line at the ticket office. If you buy it in advance, you can go to the self-service kiosk (no line) and get your ticket printed out.

Not sure if you've read my trip report, but it'll give you some other ideas of what to do in each city.
http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35111933

In Madrid, check out the Plaza Mayor but to eat I would suggest going to the Plaza Santa Ana - lots of tapas places. There is an old restaurant in Madrid, Botan, I think, that has wonderful roasted suckling pig - a very traditional spanish dish, try to have it somewhere on the trip if not in Madrid. My daughter, a picky eater, was adamately opposed to eating this UNTIL she tried it. Now it is a must have on our trips to Spain. Have a great trip!

We also enjoyed taking the double decker buses in Barcelona and Madrid, great way to get a feel for the cities and you can hop off/hop on. In Madrid, the park (I can't remember the name) above the Prada was fun to stroll in (bus stops there too).

Also enjoyed Set Porches (seven something, can't really remember, but it's well know in Barcelona and Botin was worth going to for dinner in Madrid too!

The park in Madrid is the Retiro

yes, a stroll in Retiro ( maybe, after Prado) is highly recommended.

Try to read Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra before your visit. If you don't have the book, you can easily buy one when you arrive in Granada. Every souvenir shop sells it. It will make your Alhambra visit even better.

Lizzy have a great time with your mom.

My number # tip, print out the Maribels Guides and take them with you.

I agree with the other post, we enjoyed riding the on off bus, and bought the 2 day pass, we used it to get from one place to another until we got tired and just rode it around again to rest.

We loved the costume museum and the Monestario de las Dezcalsas Reales.

For eats, get the menu del dia at a late lunch, later on have tapas, ham (ask for the Iberico) Enjoy the rice pudding, it's wonderful.

ams

Madrid-
The rastro open-air fleamarket market (la latina district) on sunday, followed by brunch around there.
itc cheap!

Reina Sofia gallery, (Lavapies/atocha), modern art gallery with Picasso's guernica and lots of joan mir&oacute;. it is free on sunday (along with the Prado).

Go and sit in terrace caf&eacute;s, wander around malasa&ntilde;a (tribunal metro), plaza dos de mayo, have some tapas and a clara.

Barcelona-
Taxi up to Parc G&uuml;ell, then walk down gracia district to sagrada familia cathedral.

Walk from Plaza Catalunya down las ramblas, stop into boqueria, walk along the port to the beach. circle back and get fish tapas in bar jai-ca (calle ginebra).

Picasso museums and galleries/shops in el borne, followed by picnic in parc de la ciutadella (the weather is hot this week)

Granada- Alhambra, etc.

Madrid-
The rastro open-air fleamarket market (la latina district) on sunday, followed by brunch around there.
itc cheap!

Reina Sofia gallery, (Lavapies/atocha), modern art gallery with Picasso's guernica and lots of joan mir&oacute;. it is free on sunday (along with the Prado).

Go and sit in terrace caf&eacute;s, wander around malasa&ntilde;a (tribunal metro), plaza dos de mayo, have some tapas and a clara.

Barcelona-
Taxi up to Parc G&uuml;ell, then walk down gracia district (lots of little plazas like plaza del sol, rius i taulet) to sagrada familia cathedral.

Walk from Plaza Catalunya down las ramblas, stop into boqueria, walk along the port to the beach. circle back and get fish tapas in bar jai-ca (calle ginebra).

Picasso museums and galleries/shops in el borne, followed by picnic in parc de la ciutadella (the weather is hot this week)



Granada- Alhambra, etc.

Madrid: The Prado and an evening walk &amp; dinner with Stephen Drake Jones. Also, day trips to Toledo &amp; Segovia.
Barcelona: everything by Gaudi &amp; lunch on the Ramblas watching all the activity go by.
Granada: The Alhambra and excellent food.

will be travelling to these three cities as well. looking to hear more favorites! =) thanks for sharing!

Hitting these 3 cities in late May - early June. Great!!!

I got back from Barcelona ( third visit)3 weeks ago.
Forget about Ramblas ; walk around El Born, have tapas at Cal Pep, go to Miro Gallery on Montjuic.